LOL, happened to me once, as well, actually twice.

I learned the technique to prevent it and practise it regularly now: always turn the handlebars away from the unclipped foot as you come to a stop; this forces the bike to lean to the unclipped side. This will help you, I hope.

Heh. My problem as well. I'm relatively new to clipless and still a fan of clips (I commute on a fixed gear with clips because I don't want to change shoes at work), but I put some Look clipless on my road bike. Always favor the left foot and have had three nice, emabarrassing falls thus far.

My biggest problem with clipless is not unclipping, however, it's the shoes. Last evening my sun glasses fell off when I shot a glance behing me. I pulled off the path, parked the bike, and then tried to run back and grab my glasses in my road shoes. Penguins have sprinted with more eloquence. That, and as I posted on another thread, wet weather, plastic cleats, and polished stone cleats are a good way to learn new stretches. I'm seriously thinking of switching to MTB pedals and shoes so I can actually walk around. It is, however, funny to hear all my buddies clicking and clacking into the sandwich shop after group rides....

The Shimano touring shoe... SH-TO92, I think, looks particularly interesting...

__________________
Harry

Now that was a great visual! ROTFL

I too have a knack of unhooking one foot and somehow managing to lean the other way.

Diane

Never had one day of problems going clipless. Trained every other day for 3.5 months for an MS150 ride. No problem...until one week before "THE BIG RIDE".

Standing IN MY DRIVEWAY talking to a neighbor, I was anxiously straddling my bike...ready for a ride. (Did I mention I was standing still...in my own damned driveway.) Anyway, I inadvertantly 'clipped in' on my resting leg. When I went to shift my weight to that resting leg...you get the idea.

I ended up with a severe torn rotator cuff...which has not yet healed.. 6 months later. Surgery, anyone???

Oh yeah...I did the ride anyway. :-)

Alright, this is like the sixth time I've seen this so I'm wondering. What are SPD pedals?

I'm looking to go clipless soon and trying to get it all straight!

THANKS SO MUCH!

My first experience with clipless pedals was last Saturday. I clipped in my left foot pushed off with my right foot and rode around the block. I unclipped several times with no problem. Then I pulled into my garage stopped and forgot to unclip. As I was falling I was able to unclip my left foot and fell on my right side. Scrapped up my look pedals a little bit but no injury to me. I went on a 52 mile ride and fell once when I had to manuver between steel posts at park enterance at low speed. Again no injury to me execpt my pride. I think I have it down now but I should'nt get too confindent because that when something bad happens.

SPD are Shimano pedals, but also other brands make what you could call clones of it.

Other brands that use different systems are Crank Brothers, Speedplay and Look to name a few.

There are different characteristics of clipless systems. To name a few, degree of float (how far you can twist your foot without disengaging the binder). Stack height (how high above the pedal spindle centerline your foot is in your shoe, this affects performance). Ease of entry and exit is a factor. Whether the pedal is single-sided or double or, in the case of Crank Brothers, four sides. A practical reason is whether you can walk around on the cleats. Mountain bike systems have recessed cleats in the shoes so you can walk around comfortably. You may prefer this ease over road shoes and having to clack around like a penguin. Other characteristics are system weight, cost and size.

Go to a good bike shop where they are willing to show you the different systems and explain their advantages and disadvantages. For example, as a recreational rider it's much more practical to have recessed cleats for walking ease, so getting mountain bike pedals and cleats for use on a road bike is not a problem. Only racing would require the lightness of road pedals and cleats.

I have SPD cleats and pedals that came on my bike new. So I use SPD's.

My wife, having talked with a good bike shop person has Speedplay Frogs and recessed cleats in her shoes. These are mountain bike pedals and cleats, but enables her to walk around comfortably. If I am going anywhere where I will walk a lot, I have to use a backpack to carry sneakers or shoes with me.

The first time I ever used clipless my feet felt like they were sliding around so much that I was too sh1t scared to stand up on the pedals. On the same (first) ride I got some dirt in the cleats, the pedal got stuck, and I fell off. I rode straight home, took the clipless off, put my toe-clips back on, and haven't used clipless since -- that was 1992!!

The first time I strapped myself in to some pedals (1985), I went to take my foot off sideways, and subsequently fell over. Surely this happens only once. I hate to sound like a smarty pants, but it baffles me that people have to fall a few times before they get the message

Hello nutbag

Many folks tend to make the same mistakes every once in a while simply because they are wired that way.

i am compelled to relate my clip trip. after riding with a set of shimano's on an old canondale, i had just purchased a new trek 2200. i adjusted the pedals for ease of entry/exit and off i went. two miles from the house i blew out a tube and much to my chagrin, could not release from the pedals. on the edge of the roadway,next to high grass i took the plunge and rolled over to my back still clipped in to the bike, legs in the air with bike attached. after having a great laugh at my circumstance i had to take my shoes off to escape the clutches of my pedals. little had i known that the pedals that came on the trek had entry on two sides and both sides had to be adjusted, not just one. there is no sense in being a polack unless you show it once in a while....

i first got clipless pedals (SPDs) on a mtn bike in '95 and practiced in the hall of my college dorm. everyone laughed at that guy who "kept falling over still attached to his pedals." they came in handy when i tore up my ankle 2 weeks later and couldn't hardly walk to class, but i could pedal all over campus with one foot. after using them about 10 years, getting out of them, even in very sketcy situations, becomes completely natural, and (knock on wood) i can't remember the last time i had a goof up.

on the speedplay topic - i just switched to speedplays on my road bike last month and I absolutely love them; would never go back. some people complained of the excessive float being a problem when out of the saddle, but for me it's not a problem at all.

If we all quit using them the first time we had a problem there wouldn't be anyone using them today. But once you get used to them you'll never want to go back. I think it's time you gave it another try but you might want to talk with some experienced people to make sure you get something that doesn't make you feel like you have so much float that you think you can't trust the pedals. I encourage you to give it another go and expect one or two problems before you get the hang of it.

I'm brand new to clipless as well. I've only ever ridden on platforms before. I'm going on three weeks now, and I've yet to have the first problem.

Now, having said that, stay tuned for tomorrow's follow-up post...

The day these guys stop using straps is the day I'll also think about doing so.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/20...=day4/img_4591

The only thing wrong with toe-clips is that they're not cooool.
Ok, they can get a bit uncomfortable on cold days. I'm not sure that automatically coming out of the pedals during a crash, as usually occurs with clipless, minimizes injuries that much anyway.

Old style pedals are also very cheap. I can supply all my four bikes with 2nd hand Suntour Superbe Pros for a total of about 50 bucks!!

OH, I didn't know you were a track racer. Those straps are lighter than clipless. Of course, on a track, they shave fractions of an ounce to gain an edge.

You are a Luddite, it seems. To each their own, I guess.