I hate clip-ons - will I ever change my mind?
Discussion
So, I recently cycled to Amsterdam from London on a Hybrid.
I started out by using the clip-ons, but by the time I'd got from London to Dover........I had found them such a nuisance, particularly when tired.....I actually took the bike to Halfords and got him to put some noddy pedals on it (as I was already on route!)
The next 4 days was so much nicer.
I had been doing laps of Richmond park with the Clip-ons before on my road bike, which was ok, but I never relaxed over the year I was using them.
On my road bike, I have the same set up - and I've basically stopped using them, and started using trainers with the clip-on pedals. (which isn't ideal)
Question is.........do I try again........or do I just accept that I'm never going to like them and get some noddy pedals to put on my road bike?
I feel like I'm quitting somehow!
Anyone else hate the things?
I started out by using the clip-ons, but by the time I'd got from London to Dover........I had found them such a nuisance, particularly when tired.....I actually took the bike to Halfords and got him to put some noddy pedals on it (as I was already on route!)
The next 4 days was so much nicer.
I had been doing laps of Richmond park with the Clip-ons before on my road bike, which was ok, but I never relaxed over the year I was using them.
On my road bike, I have the same set up - and I've basically stopped using them, and started using trainers with the clip-on pedals. (which isn't ideal)
Question is.........do I try again........or do I just accept that I'm never going to like them and get some noddy pedals to put on my road bike?
I feel like I'm quitting somehow!
Anyone else hate the things?
Are youy taliing about clipless pedals? If you hate them, it's either because they're set wrong,or you've got a lack of confidence unclipping I would guess.
At first, my SPD's made my knees sore. I've now fixed that by moving the cleats. I did 5 miles the other day on flats, it was horrible - can't move muscle groups going up hills, and you end up stomping, not making circles. I know I couldn't do big miles on flats now...
If it's an unclipping thing, unwind the tension all the way - if it's dead easy to unclip, any given panic will get your foot out - should help you relax?
At first, my SPD's made my knees sore. I've now fixed that by moving the cleats. I did 5 miles the other day on flats, it was horrible - can't move muscle groups going up hills, and you end up stomping, not making circles. I know I couldn't do big miles on flats now...
If it's an unclipping thing, unwind the tension all the way - if it's dead easy to unclip, any given panic will get your foot out - should help you relax?
Some Gump said:
Are youy taliing about clipless pedals? If you hate them, it's either because they're set wrong,or you've got a lack of confidence unclipping I would guess.
At first, my SPD's made my knees sore. I've now fixed that by moving the cleats. I did 5 miles the other day on flats, it was horrible - can't move muscle groups going up hills, and you end up stomping, not making circles. I know I couldn't do big miles on flats now...
If it's an unclipping thing, unwind the tension all the way - if it's dead easy to unclip, any given panic will get your foot out - should help you relax?
yeah, clip less, Shimano, twist your foot to release type deals.At first, my SPD's made my knees sore. I've now fixed that by moving the cleats. I did 5 miles the other day on flats, it was horrible - can't move muscle groups going up hills, and you end up stomping, not making circles. I know I couldn't do big miles on flats now...
If it's an unclipping thing, unwind the tension all the way - if it's dead easy to unclip, any given panic will get your foot out - should help you relax?
It's the getting out of them that is the problem.......in a hurry.
I should also have mentioned that I've had a fairly major ankle injury a few years ago (hence the cycling instead of running in the first place)
I can get out of them.........It just feels tied in.
Unwind the tension you say..............how does one do that?
I'd rather stick with them if I can.......but after a year......surely I should be able to do it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPjbDIULqqw
^above vid slightly cack, but gets to the point eventually!
I have mine all the way loose. You can panic unclip using any twist motion, or shoving your leg ro the right / left hard with no twist. I am yet to have an incident where I couldn't release =)
^above vid slightly cack, but gets to the point eventually!
I have mine all the way loose. You can panic unclip using any twist motion, or shoving your leg ro the right / left hard with no twist. I am yet to have an incident where I couldn't release =)
Some Gump said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPjbDIULqqw
^above vid slightly cack, but gets to the point eventually!
I have mine all the way loose. You can panic unclip using any twist motion, or shoving your leg ro the right / left hard with no twist. I am yet to have an incident where I couldn't release =)
nice one - thanks! right - i'm going all the way loose.......^above vid slightly cack, but gets to the point eventually!
I have mine all the way loose. You can panic unclip using any twist motion, or shoving your leg ro the right / left hard with no twist. I am yet to have an incident where I couldn't release =)
Are the SPD pedals better or worse than the sort I have?
For someone in a position like yours (i.e. with injuries to worry about), I would seriously recommend the speedplay light action pedals.
They have almost no resistance to the unclip motion, and are completely free floating when clipped in over a large range of movement. That means you can wiggle your foot around as much as you like without feeling any pressure. They're also amazingly easy to clip into, just put your foot on the pedal and start pedaling...
They're quite expensive, but then they're very good.
http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home...
They have almost no resistance to the unclip motion, and are completely free floating when clipped in over a large range of movement. That means you can wiggle your foot around as much as you like without feeling any pressure. They're also amazingly easy to clip into, just put your foot on the pedal and start pedaling...
They're quite expensive, but then they're very good.
http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home...
BMWBen said:
For someone in a position like yours (i.e. with injuries to worry about), I would seriously recommend the speedplay light action pedals.
They have almost no resistance to the unclip motion, and are completely free floating when clipped in over a large range of movement. That means you can wiggle your foot around as much as you like without feeling any pressure. They're also amazingly easy to clip into, just put your foot on the pedal and start pedaling...
They're quite expensive, but then they're very good.
http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home...
They are pricey as you say - but looks like a great solution. Have you used them yourself?They have almost no resistance to the unclip motion, and are completely free floating when clipped in over a large range of movement. That means you can wiggle your foot around as much as you like without feeling any pressure. They're also amazingly easy to clip into, just put your foot on the pedal and start pedaling...
They're quite expensive, but then they're very good.
http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home...
I'm going to try and adjust the Shimanos initially........and see if I can improve things. Thanks for the link though - they do look great.
I made the switch to SPDs with the arrival of a road bike at the end of last year. I went for MTB SPDs rather than road SPD SLs as I liked the idea of being able to walk around in the shoes while out and about.
I’m still not sure about them. It took a while to get them set up right, both the cleat position and how easy they are to get in and out of. I find the sensation of being clipped in unnerving at times when the roads are slippy and traffic is bad. It’s kind of in the back of my mind that I can’t get off the bike quickly. I fell over clipped in while trying them out and I’ve had a couple of very near misses since but always managed to get out just in time. This probably isn’t helping my mind-set on them.
I like having one bike without them as I can just go out on it without worrying about having the right shoes but when I went back to my MTB on platforms with toe clips for a week on one trip when it was wet my feet were slipping around all over the place. So maybe I just didn’t appreciate how good the SPDs are.
Part of me feels that being properly clipped in on a bike is a bit of a marginal gain for a lot of cyclists and that if you don’t like it, is there much point in persevering with it? In your case though, I’d have thought that a full on continental trip would be the perfect case for them providing they were set up correctly.
I’m still not sure about them. It took a while to get them set up right, both the cleat position and how easy they are to get in and out of. I find the sensation of being clipped in unnerving at times when the roads are slippy and traffic is bad. It’s kind of in the back of my mind that I can’t get off the bike quickly. I fell over clipped in while trying them out and I’ve had a couple of very near misses since but always managed to get out just in time. This probably isn’t helping my mind-set on them.
I like having one bike without them as I can just go out on it without worrying about having the right shoes but when I went back to my MTB on platforms with toe clips for a week on one trip when it was wet my feet were slipping around all over the place. So maybe I just didn’t appreciate how good the SPDs are.
Part of me feels that being properly clipped in on a bike is a bit of a marginal gain for a lot of cyclists and that if you don’t like it, is there much point in persevering with it? In your case though, I’d have thought that a full on continental trip would be the perfect case for them providing they were set up correctly.
When you say Noddy pedals do you mean toe-clips and straps? If so, do you have the necessary cleats under you shoes because you can strap into the Noddy pedal with as much security as SPDs. You will still fall off though if you fail to remember to unstrap with the quick release before you stop as the cleat locates you shoe on the back of the pedal! 
donfisher said:
Part of me feels that being properly clipped in on a bike is a bit of a marginal gain for a lot of cyclists and that if you don’t like it, is there much point in persevering with it? In your case though, I’d have thought that a full on continental trip would be the perfect case for them providing they were set up correctly.
That is almost exactly why I started the thread......is the marginal gain going to be worth it?I bought the bike second hand and so haven't had the clip-ons set up for me properly. It could be that they are incorrectly set up, could be the injured ankle thing.
I'm going to try loosening the tension off, see if that helps.
The London to Amsterdamage was in essentially 4.5 days.......but I gave up on the clip-ons after one day as clipping in and out over such a long trip was exhausting, and causing my injured ankle more fatigue and aching in my knee on the same side.
I also found it hard to stay with my mate, who wasn't using clip-ons.........by the time I got clipped in he was already 100 yards down the road etc etc
RichB said:
When you say Noddy pedals do you mean toe-clips and straps? If so, do you have the necessary cleats under you shoes because you can strap into the Noddy pedal with as much security as SPDs. You will still fall off though if you fail to remember to unstrap with the quick release before you stop as the cleat locates you shoe on the back of the pedal!
ha no, I meant just old skool plastic pedals......no attachments at allRacerMDR said:
and aching in my knee on the same side.
My knee also hurt until I moved the cleats. And I still sometimes miss the clip in and get smoked on the TLGP. I'm still undecided but if I've not gelled with them by the time the sun comes back out I might be swapping them to toe clips for day to day stuff and putting the SPDs back for longer trips or events. RacerMDR said:
RichB said:
When you say Noddy pedals do you mean toe-clips and straps? If so, do you have the necessary cleats under you shoes because you can strap into the Noddy pedal with as much security as SPDs. You will still fall off though if you fail to remember to unstrap with the quick release before you stop as the cleat locates you shoe on the back of the pedal!
ha no, I meant just old skool plastic pedals......no attachments at allRacerMDR said:
BMWBen said:
For someone in a position like yours (i.e. with injuries to worry about), I would seriously recommend the speedplay light action pedals.
They have almost no resistance to the unclip motion, and are completely free floating when clipped in over a large range of movement. That means you can wiggle your foot around as much as you like without feeling any pressure. They're also amazingly easy to clip into, just put your foot on the pedal and start pedaling...
They're quite expensive, but then they're very good.
http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home...
They are pricey as you say - but looks like a great solution. Have you used them yourself?They have almost no resistance to the unclip motion, and are completely free floating when clipped in over a large range of movement. That means you can wiggle your foot around as much as you like without feeling any pressure. They're also amazingly easy to clip into, just put your foot on the pedal and start pedaling...
They're quite expensive, but then they're very good.
http://www.speedplay.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home...
I'm going to try and adjust the Shimanos initially........and see if I can improve things. Thanks for the link though - they do look great.
Clip in on the road, couldnt imagine any other way.
Use my running shoes on the MTB - couldnt imagine any other way!
I throw the MTB around like a deranged school boy - I'd break a leg if I were clipped in on that.
The road is for cruising at a constant pace, love having the secure feel of clip ins.
Just my two cents ; )
Use my running shoes on the MTB - couldnt imagine any other way!
I throw the MTB around like a deranged school boy - I'd break a leg if I were clipped in on that.
The road is for cruising at a constant pace, love having the secure feel of clip ins.
Just my two cents ; )
After 30 years of using toeclips and straps (and all sorts of cleats from "nail them on" to adjustable) I changed 2 years ago to SPD, and wish I'd done it years ago!
First day I used them they were fine (although all the ride I was thinking PEDALS, PEDALS) The next ride I forgot about them and fell off 3 times
All due, I guess to 30 years of pulling the foot rearward to remove, and now having to twist to remove.
Stick with them if you can...IMHO they are much, much better.
Good Luck
First day I used them they were fine (although all the ride I was thinking PEDALS, PEDALS) The next ride I forgot about them and fell off 3 times
All due, I guess to 30 years of pulling the foot rearward to remove, and now having to twist to remove. Stick with them if you can...IMHO they are much, much better.
Good Luck
Fastpedeller said:
All due, I guess to 30 years of pulling the foot rearward to remove, and now having to twist to remove.
Using toe-clips and straps properly your foot is locked into the pedal by the cleat under the shoe which slots over the back bar of the pedal. That's why the straps have quick release toggles on them. I guess a lot of people used toe-clips without the cleat underneath. 
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