Clipless shoes

Im new to clipless shoes and XC i have been riding road for a while now though. I was wondering if i should use new clipless shoes on the trails right away or if i should use my gym shoes the first few times i ride. And if not i was wondering how long before i can trust myself on them to start riding trails with them?

I wouldn't go on the trails right away with clipless.. get used to the pedals on the road/paths first; once you get over the teething problems such as how to clip in/out, remembering to clip out ( ), adjusting your pedal stroke style and so on, then go for it.

Plus you can then say to yourself on the trails on your first clipless ride, "gee, riding clipless is so much nicer than platforms"

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Peter
Cannondale Synapse Carbon
Kona Kula Deluxe
Custom Titanium CX (primary) / Kona Dew Plus, drop-barred (spare)

ride maybe a few times around the streets to get comfortable getting in and out, then take it off road. The switch is pretty easy. The clipless dis-engage if you fall anyway, that's how they are designed, what type do you have?

Try riding on an oval for a while going from fast to slow, slow to fast, turning sharp, sudden stops, etc. You WILL/should topple over at least once when you first try out clipless - most likely when needing to disengage really fast due to having no momentum/balance - so if you can do that on grass that much the better! Last thing you want to do is topple down a hill or on a road!

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Chris
www.dvdplaza.com.au

i have specialized comp shoes with shimano 515 pedals

go clipless... i think they're SO much safer than towclips. when using clipless, its a much more natural motion when youre falling to swing your foot outward- the way you disengage a clipless pedal. no one thinks to pull back first out of the toeclip.

i've ridden shimano for a number of years, but love the new crank brothers and how well they shed mud.

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if everyone is thinking alike, then someone isn't thinking

Cannondale CAAD5/carbon lefty elo/full XTR/Race Face NexT cranks/Avid Juicy Seven Disc Brakes/Mavic 3.1 Tubeless System/Easton CT-2 Handlebar/Crank Brothers Ti Pedals

hmmm.... seems like if you're comfortable getting in/out of your pedals on the road, it'll be a snap when you're on the trail.

if you're already used to biking off road in sneakers/platform pedals, i guess you can graduate to clipless, but if you're not, then don't even--just go clipless right away. why risk slipping off your pedals and injuring yourself when you can just stay clipped in? well, my 2 cents. i had a rough time going clipless because i never did practice much before i took it off road, but most of my wrecks were due to thinking too much about being able to get in (falling trying to clip in) and worrying about being able to get out (falling because i was already out of my pedals when i needed to stay in).

life is wonderful that way.

I just switched to clipless pedals for my XC riding and I'd say it its a new bike and you're new to XC, then depending on how hard the course is, you shouldnt go clipless right away unless you practice first. I went to a park first and rode the grass clipping and unclipping as fast as i could until I thought if I crashed I would have a chance of getting out. Its all a comfort thing, but Id say if you don't feel like looking weird and practicing, then dont switch right away.
Good luck

I really like my Shimano M152's. Three velcro straps keep my feet anchored in and provide better support than a 2-strap shoe. I run Wellgo pedals on my cross/commuter bike and Ritchey's on my mtb.

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