Unclipping and clipping in on a steep hill

[Deleted User]

I must be missing out on loads of fun and drama by riding on flat pedals....

I don't think it's the pedals that's causing the drama.

 

[nickyboy]

I was climbing Mam Nick (pretty tough Peak District climb) with an inexperienced cyclist. He couldn't keep going on the steep bit so had to stop
I knew he wouldn't be able to reclip in so I stopped with him and, when he was ready, got him on his bike, clipped in while holding onto me and then I gave him a push to get going
Of course that left me having to clip in myself. It wasn't elegant (lowest possible gear, push as hard as poss to get going, pray second shoe clips in on first attempt) but I managed it

 

[numbnuts]

I had this problem, I solved it by buying a trike

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I must be missing out on loads of fun and drama by riding on flat pedals....

Flat pedals only work on the flat.

 

[PaulSB]

I was going up a very steep hill, I wanted to continue going but I was finding it very hard to breathe, I barely managed to unclip. I walked my bike up the hill afterwards. Is it possible to clip in whilst being on a very steep hill or is this an accident waiting to happen? Whilst climbing a steep hill should I be in the lowest possible gear (but have a longer time doing the climb or slightly higher gear and climb at a faster speed) ? In which scenario would I manage best to do the climb?

Yes, it is possible to clip in on steep hills but it requires concentration and coordination. I've remounted on Hard Knott after I wobbled too close to the gravel edge and thought I was going down.

Overall a slightly higher gear will not get you up a hill any faster. Virtually all my PBs on hill climbs have been on the days when I've settled in to a steady rhythm, sat back and relaxed. Whenever I attack a climb from the start I end up with a poor time and very ragged cycling style. I feel the trick is to begin in a low gear which one can comfortably spin and then if you feel the climb is going well and want to attack the second half you can.

Double sided SPDs make this VERY much easier.

 

[GetFatty]

I always try to keep a spare gear or preferably two as you don’t know if you might need them

 

[MartinQ]

Flat pedals only work on the flat.

Ahh, that's it. Pedal spanner anyone?

 

[Lookrider]

@Joffey
Could you sell the merits and advantages of speed plays in comparison to shimano SpDs
I was toying with swapping out the spd for speedplay but it can work out a costly habit trying out different pedals ( last holiday abroad I thought I could hire speedplays to try..but the hire place did not have them )
I have spd as they are seen as the go to pedals from shimano
I had shimamo on my mtb as a go to clip them went to crank brothers which were far better to me
Have you used spd to give a good comparison with speedpkay
Thanks
PS if the OP thinks about getting carbon soles ...you will never be able to clip in on a hill with them as the sole is like glass and the metal of the pedal just will not let you spin the pedals even once unclipped to get going then clip in again
A grippy rubber sole may allow this ?

 

[Cycleops]

Forethought dear boy, forethought.

 

[Joffey]

@Joffey
Could you sell the merits and advantages of speed plays in comparison to shimano SpDs
I was toying with swapping out the spd for speedplay but it can work out a costly habit trying out different pedals ( last holiday abroad I thought I could hire speedplays to try..but the hire place did not have them )
I have spd as they are seen as the go to pedals from shimano
I had shimamo on my mtb as a go to clip them went to crank brothers which were far better to me
Have you used spd to give a good comparison with speedpkay
Thanks
PS if the OP thinks about getting carbon soles ...you will never be able to clip in on a hill with them as the sole is like glass and the metal of the pedal just will not let you spin the pedals even once unclipped to get going then clip in again
A grippy rubber sole may allow this ?

I've never used SPD but I have used shimano and look road bike style pedals. I'm a heavy chap and found that I was breaking the bearings on the shimano and look pedals. I opted for speedplays and they have been much better. The pedals are easily serviceable as are the cleats.

They are expensive but you don't have to buy replacement cleats.

I have 2 sets - one on each bike and I'll be honest, I'll never go back!

 

[GoldenLamprey]

The problem with a very low gear is that your clipped-in foot often reaches the bottom of the downstroke before your other foot has got anywhere near the other pedal, and with no momentum, you are back to square one...

 

[GetFatty]

But what do you do when you need them? You won't have a spare any more ...

That’s called time to get off and walk. Having a couple of spare gears at the start may delay that moment

 

[ColinJ]

At anything over 10% I just bung it straight into my 28/30 and spin away...

 

[andrew_s]

I can usually clip in after stopping on a steep hill (eg Crowcombe Hill, 1:4, it says), though it sometimes takes 2 or 3 attempts.
It was easiest with eggbeaters, but I've also managed it with single-sided SPD (PD-T780). I aim to get clipped in as soon as possible, which means within 240-270° of crank revolution, so that I don't lose a pull up on the ascending pedal. I've found that trying to gain momentum whilst one foot isn't clipped in, and then clipping, is more difficult.

With the current bike, it's bottom gear (24/32), but when I had a bike with 20/32 I found a gear above bottom was easier, as I had a little extra time.

Unclipping isn't a problem. If you are practiced, you can stop, and then unclip and put your foot down before you've fallen over.

The other thing I used to be able to do was to clip back in whilst pedalling at ~100-105 rpm on fixed, when I'd pulled a foot out due to worn cleats.
With both feet out, I had to slow to about 80 rpm (experimentation).

 

[ColinJ]

Same here. Except my threshold is lower [than 10%]. And my bottom gear is a bit higher.

It isn't so much that I don't use my bottom gear at gradients below 10%, as me ALWAYS using it at gradients >= 10% unless the ramps are short enough for me to sprint up in a higher gear!