First go with SPDs
Author
Discussion

john_p

Original Poster:

7,073 posts

279 months

Monday 20th September 2010
quotequote all
...and it was going so well, there was I, enjoying the improved acceleration, and being amazed how easy it is to clip in (I was expecting ski-binding like difficulty) and how floaty the pedals are

until
..approach junction
..unclip left foot
..car hooning it past forces sudden stop
..bike starts to lean right
..ah i'll just put my right-- st
..hmm hello tarmac

luckily, only a minor graze wink

Edited by john_p on Monday 20th September 19:45

pdV6

16,442 posts

290 months

Monday 20th September 2010
quotequote all
biggrin That's the classic first-time move. Should only do it once though; you'll be fine for years to come now...

Rich_W

12,548 posts

241 months

Monday 20th September 2010
quotequote all
Also keep an eye on cleat tightness. Nothing more annoying that twisting your foot and the cleat stays still and you fall over anyway.


Jonnas

1,004 posts

192 months

Monday 20th September 2010
quotequote all
If that is the only time you do that, I'll give you a quid......

Chicane-UK

3,861 posts

214 months

Monday 20th September 2010
quotequote all
To be fair even after a year or two of riding with SPD's and SPD-SL's I've still nearly made that same mistake a number of times. Unclipping, etc are second nature now when it's all in a controlled environment... but as soon as you get an unexpected stop or you suddenly are needing to put the other foot down that you don't normally use at a junction (like you did), these things will happen wink

Almost fell over the other day for exactly the same reason.. thankfully the panicked wobbling of my leg paid off and I unclipped just in time to avoid falling over!

Pupp

12,943 posts

301 months

Monday 20th September 2010
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Ups the stakes somwhat for track stands hehe

Garlick

40,601 posts

269 months

Monday 20th September 2010
quotequote all
Only done it once so far, but not brave enough to track-stand yet. Instead, I grab the nearest railing at the lights like a big girl biggrin

Pupp

12,943 posts

301 months

Monday 20th September 2010
quotequote all
You're supposed to lean on cars...

Matt106

383 posts

193 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
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First time I used SPD's on my mtb I clipped in whilst in the garage, lost balance and fell onto the washing basket and destroyed it and myself! It wasnt my finest moment but I learnt from it and its not happened since.


john_p

Original Poster:

7,073 posts

279 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
quotequote all
Glad I'm not the only one

One of my knees hurts this morning, and I've now discovered my feet rest at different angles! Am I a freak?

A - W

1,724 posts

244 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
quotequote all
We've all been there. wink





Silver Smudger

3,395 posts

196 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
quotequote all
Not me, but I've been there...


okgo

42,085 posts

227 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
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I've never done it. Ever. I fail to see why people think its a right of passage...

snotrag

15,624 posts

240 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
quotequote all
Liar!

For trackstands at the lights - unclip one and stand with the arch over the pedal.

I ended up in a stream once, bike still attached to feet.

Oh and - yes - make sure your cleats are secure!

for positioning - sit on a tall table and dangle your legs over - watch how your feet dangle, mine dangle inwards but not equally so.

Cleats and angled so as to be in the centre of their float, when my feet are naturally angled inwards.

Also, the fore-aft adjustment takes some patience too - the further forward the cleat the bette I think for power but only up until the point where your feet go numb and your achilles starts over stretching.

Finally - once your happy with your cleat position, fill the hex recess on the screws with silicon sealant or something - which stop them filling with rocks and mud etc and thus then rounding off when you try remove them, The Sealant picks out easily in a lump and leaves a nice clean allen key recess.

neil_bolton

17,113 posts

293 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
quotequote all
pdV6 said:
biggrin That's the classic first-time move. Should only do it once though; you'll be fine for years to come now...
hehe yup, he's right. Everyone does it.

:goesoutsideandpromptlyfallsoff:

Chicane-UK

3,861 posts

214 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
quotequote all
okgo said:
I've never done it. Ever. I fail to see why people think its a right of passage...
I suspect you're in the minority. I'd expect most people have had an off as a result of clipless pedals, or at least a "wobble" ...

Garlick

40,601 posts

269 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
quotequote all
okgo said:
I've never done it. Ever. I fail to see why people think its a right of passage...
That's because you are the king of cycling....at least that's the impression you give smile

Mr Will

13,719 posts

235 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
quotequote all
Chicane-UK said:
okgo said:
I've never done it. Ever. I fail to see why people think its a right of passage...
I suspect you're in the minority. I'd expect most people have had an off as a result of clipless pedals, or at least a "wobble" ...
I've had a wobble or two, but not an off (yet...)

Hopefully I can keep it that way.

okgo

42,085 posts

227 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
quotequote all
Garlick said:
okgo said:
I've never done it. Ever. I fail to see why people think its a right of passage...
That's because you are the king of cycling....at least that's the impression you give smile
I'm not. At all.

Just think that the whole "you will fall off thing" is a bit of a falacy...

Garlick

40,601 posts

269 months

Tuesday 21st September 2010
quotequote all
Mr Will said:
Chicane-UK said:
okgo said:
I've never done it. Ever. I fail to see why people think its a right of passage...
I suspect you're in the minority. I'd expect most people have had an off as a result of clipless pedals, or at least a "wobble" ...
I've had a wobble or two, but not an off (yet...)

Hopefully I can keep it that way.
Except for your self-inflicted one, which was SPD related......