Discussion
Been out this evening for a 13 mile local loop.
First time out on the road clipped in on SPDs....what a difference.
seems so much more natural and easier to maintain a higher average speed.
Impressed but was very very conscious when coming to stops/junctions and getting unclipped really early
First time out on the road clipped in on SPDs....what a difference.
seems so much more natural and easier to maintain a higher average speed.
Impressed but was very very conscious when coming to stops/junctions and getting unclipped really early
Have had some very embarrasing moments learning to ride clipped in on my MTB. If you're going to practice do it in private.
Injurys to date consist of two fractured wrists (edits: don't wheelie clipped in) and one snapped ligament in my thumb doing some fast downhill decents. Anyway, many, many hours riding later and I'm finally there confidence wise. Having said that I am thinking about getting some duel sided pedals (flat on one side, clip on the other) for the more technical and tricky decents.
Injurys to date consist of two fractured wrists (edits: don't wheelie clipped in) and one snapped ligament in my thumb doing some fast downhill decents. Anyway, many, many hours riding later and I'm finally there confidence wise. Having said that I am thinking about getting some duel sided pedals (flat on one side, clip on the other) for the more technical and tricky decents.
Edited by Badabing on Friday 3rd June 11:39
I've been clipped in pretty much since I returned to mtb riding in early 2009. As my technical ability has progressed and I'm venturing onto downhill style trails, about a month back I decided I should try riding flats.
As an intro, I used them on a brief XC ride with my wife and I struggled to keep up with her. The reduction in pedal efort and efficiency is huge - it is only then you realise how much you are able to pull up your rear foot during the pedaling cycle. My hamstrings actually went into spasm because the expected resistance on the upstorke - engrained muscle memory? - wasn't happening. It was disconcerting.
I didn't find the flat too bad on the way down, but felt very sketchy on the (modest) jumps and drops I tried. I tend to roll off drops and launch jumps with my right foot to the rear, and was finding the left foot starting to go light and wander dangerously on the pedal.
I haven't totally dismissed flat and might have another go when I get a downhill bike as being clipped in seems a bit kamikaze on stuff you're only 80% certain you can land, but they're in my spares store at present...
As an intro, I used them on a brief XC ride with my wife and I struggled to keep up with her. The reduction in pedal efort and efficiency is huge - it is only then you realise how much you are able to pull up your rear foot during the pedaling cycle. My hamstrings actually went into spasm because the expected resistance on the upstorke - engrained muscle memory? - wasn't happening. It was disconcerting.
I didn't find the flat too bad on the way down, but felt very sketchy on the (modest) jumps and drops I tried. I tend to roll off drops and launch jumps with my right foot to the rear, and was finding the left foot starting to go light and wander dangerously on the pedal.
I haven't totally dismissed flat and might have another go when I get a downhill bike as being clipped in seems a bit kamikaze on stuff you're only 80% certain you can land, but they're in my spares store at present...
I ride both my bikes with "clipless" - the fixie has SPD's and the road bike has SPD-SL's. You do get very used to them and it's a good feeling to know that, even if it's raining, no matter how you're riding your feet are not going to slip off the pedals.
Only had a few incidents.. the most embarassing being a classic coming to a stop in traffic and completely failing to unclip from the SPD-SL's (legs tired, didn't have the energy!) and just toppling over. Though thankfully no injury.. I just lay there laughing as I detatched myself from the bike
Amusingly the motorist beind me thought he'd caused the accident somehow and got out to apologise!
Only had a few incidents.. the most embarassing being a classic coming to a stop in traffic and completely failing to unclip from the SPD-SL's (legs tired, didn't have the energy!) and just toppling over. Though thankfully no injury.. I just lay there laughing as I detatched myself from the bike
Amusingly the motorist beind me thought he'd caused the accident somehow and got out to apologise! I think my problem with being clipped in off road comes probably from a lack of skill overall if I'm honest. If I do come off, it tends to be at fairly slow speed when I get caught out by something I just haven't noticed, especially if night riding (although this is Swerni's cue to come in and point out I haven't done any for months! 
) so as a general rule, the first thing I know about the off is when I'm already on the ground.
) so as a general rule, the first thing I know about the off is when I'm already on the ground.I bolted a pair of A530's to my bike last night and rode clipped in for the first time yesterday too. I only did a 2 mile circuit of town but it felt great. I can't see the flat side of the pedal getting too much use.
I was going to ride in to work this morning but fog and the lack of a front light stopped me, will take them for a longer test tomorrow.
I was going to ride in to work this morning but fog and the lack of a front light stopped me, will take them for a longer test tomorrow.
Comfortably Dumb said:
I bolted a pair of A530's to my bike last night and rode clipped in for the first time yesterday too. I only did a 2 mile circuit of town but it felt great. I can't see the flat side of the pedal getting too much use.
Just wait until the first time you want to ride it to the pub without the hassle of taking extra shoes. That's what the flat side of the pedal is for! 
I went clipless with SPD-SL's last month, nearly mastered the art of clipping in quickly under pressure.
Only one fall so far, about a week in I was cycling up to the garage door at work and though I always used to be able to press the button to open the door without putting a foot down, I'll stay clipped in. Cycled up to the buttons slowly, accidentally pressed the down button, reached out and pressed the up button unbalancing myself, went to stick my foot out to regain balance forgetting I was attached and threw myself into a heap on the floor in front of many security cameras.
Only one fall so far, about a week in I was cycling up to the garage door at work and though I always used to be able to press the button to open the door without putting a foot down, I'll stay clipped in. Cycled up to the buttons slowly, accidentally pressed the down button, reached out and pressed the up button unbalancing myself, went to stick my foot out to regain balance forgetting I was attached and threw myself into a heap on the floor in front of many security cameras.
After a few years it becomes instinct to slide heels first out of the clips. When new to clips it seems I was quite lucky. The worst was after going through a gate the rider in front had stopped. I fell sideways into a bramble bush and became very tangled in bramble and bike. Just a few cut and scrapes and a whole lot of hurt pride, far worse for the bumble bee I landed on!
SPD type pedals are the only way for me on the MTB, it's pretty rough and bumpy round here and your feet get knocked off the pedals easily on flats so I've ridden with them for donkeys years. Made the switch from tiny spuds to platform spuds very quickly as I was fed up with getting bear trapped when trying to start off on technical terrain. Currently have Time platform spuds on all my bikes
magpie215 said:
Also with the pedals came some platforms for none spd pedaling presume you can fit these and leave them on clipping in on the other side with no ill effect?
The only downside is that you'll need to remember that you can only clip into the one side of the pedal, so it won't be quite such a natural process.
Kermit power said:
magpie215 said:
Also with the pedals came some platforms for none spd pedaling presume you can fit these and leave them on clipping in on the other side with no ill effect?
The only downside is that you'll need to remember that you can only clip into the one side of the pedal, so it won't be quite such a natural process.
Magic919 said:
Kermit power said:
magpie215 said:
Also with the pedals came some platforms for none spd pedaling presume you can fit these and leave them on clipping in on the other side with no ill effect?
The only downside is that you'll need to remember that you can only clip into the one side of the pedal, so it won't be quite such a natural process.Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff