Can't stop falling when riding with clipless pedals! Need stopping tips!
- Thread starter tictactoe
- Start date
Keep your SPD's clean. Put a little dry road chain lube once a week if you ride a lot, and start with the tension screw backed out. This will make it easier to get out of, the downside is it also means you may unexpectedly unclip. Practice unclipping out of both pedals, you never know which side in an emergency you will need to unclip from. Don't worry about wrecking, I've always automatically come unclipped from my pedals when I crash at speed.
These tips work for me very well:
1. stand up early with ur one unclipped leg. This is very important because if your bike is properly fit, your feet can hardly touch the ground when your butt is on the saddle. Trying to stop when sitting on saddle is likely to fall;
2. regularly inspect/clean/lubricate your pedals and cleats;
3. practise pedaling with only one leg clipped in;
4. practise braking to almost stand still, then start pedaling and going again without unclipping your feet;
5. when landing your unclipped foot on the ground, shift your body weight to the same side;
6. turn handlebar about 10 degrees to the opposite direction of your unclipped foot when performing (5);
most of these techniques have been mentioned in this forum or some web sites
you may want to try the Speedplay Frog pedals. I haven't tried it (I'm using Speedplay X3) but I read alot of positive reviews about it on www.
1. stand up early with ur one unclipped leg. This is very important because if your bike is properly fit, your feet can hardly touch the ground when your butt is on the saddle. Trying to stop when sitting on saddle is likely to fall;
2. regularly inspect/clean/lubricate your pedals and cleats;
3. practise pedaling with only one leg clipped in;
4. practise braking to almost stand still, then start pedaling and going again without unclipping your feet;
5. when landing your unclipped foot on the ground, shift your body weight to the same side;
6. turn handlebar about 10 degrees to the opposite direction of your unclipped foot when performing (5);
most of these techniques have been mentioned in this forum or some web sites
you may want to try the Speedplay Frog pedals. I haven't tried it (I'm using Speedplay X3) but I read alot of positive reviews about it on www.
Sheesh...if you think clipless pedals on a road bike is hard, try N. Clark Street in Chicago on a friday night with a track bike!
Cabbie/pedestrian/drunk Cub Fans NIGHTMARE!
lol
randy
Cabbie/pedestrian/drunk Cub Fans NIGHTMARE!
lol
randy
You could learn to track stand
It would be best if people could say which pedals they have been using.
I find Look pedals are the hardest to get out of.
SDPR look similar to the Look system,
Time ATAC require a larger movement but less force. They have no tension adjstment.
SPD are variable and can be queit easy to get out of.
If you are MTB'ing you are more likely to have trouble while in the bush as you stop at logs etc without warning. Ideally you want to be able to finish a ride without unclipping.
I practice my track stands while riding around town, the traffic lights are common enough and provide lots of warning.
Brian
It would be best if people could say which pedals they have been using.
I find Look pedals are the hardest to get out of.
SDPR look similar to the Look system,
Time ATAC require a larger movement but less force. They have no tension adjstment.
SPD are variable and can be queit easy to get out of.
If you are MTB'ing you are more likely to have trouble while in the bush as you stop at logs etc without warning. Ideally you want to be able to finish a ride without unclipping.
I practice my track stands while riding around town, the traffic lights are common enough and provide lots of warning.
Brian
One other tip is to tilt your head to the side you want to put your foot down just prior to stopping. As everyones head is so heavy by doing this you automatically tend to fall to that side.
It works very well when motor bike riding, and that is with a much heavier machine (1150cc)
It works very well when motor bike riding, and that is with a much heavier machine (1150cc)
I'm not sure that this would be a good idea when cornering on a bike as they have much less mass and are easier to lean through changes in body position (like Tizers second post).
The footprint made by the tyres of push bikes and motor bikes are also different when leaning. Steering 'out' of the corner when cornering will make you fall off!
As what everyone else said, when slowing down, esp. if you're not sure, unclip way in advance and lean somewhat towards the side of the unclipped foot. I had a shimano pedals way back and when I used LOOK pedals, I found it very easy to use.
Good luck!
I just started myself and after reading about how almost everyone falls the first time they use clipless pedals I was determined it wouldn't happen to me. My first two rides I kept forgetting I was clipped in but managed to get my foot out quick enough anyway. My third ride I wasn't even worried about it anymore. Decided to pull off to the side to check out a noise on the bike and got my foot out and ready. Problem was the side of the road leaned the other way and by the time I realized it it was too late. I got my other foot out just as the bike was about to hit the ground and managed to sort of catch it to keep it from slamming down while I stumbled about 6 feet trying to regain my balance. I didn't hit the ground but still looked pretty silly doing my little dance to stay upright in front of quite a few spectators.
The one thing that nobody warned me about though was stopping on a steep hill. I couldn't get my other foot clipped in fast enough before the bike would stop. It took me about 5 or 6 tries before I was able to get going again. While my foot kept slipping off the pedal while I was trying to get started a guy in a Trek blew by me like I was standing still- oh wait I was standing still. Anyway the guy flew up the hill and I could of sworn it was Lance (I was near his neighborhood and he was supposedly in town at the time). It was bad enough that I was looking like an idiot trying to get clipped back into my pedals on the hill but to humiliate myself in front of Lance would be the worst. I kept telling myself it probably wasn't him while everyone else was telling me it probably was.
Matt
How about borrowing some pedals from a friend? My first attempt at clipless was with some Shimano 636's. I had many problems getting out of the pedals that I now attribute to interference from the platform part of the pedal. I tried my friend's set of Shimano 515 pedals and noticed immediate improvement.
Not to say that I could stop practicing...
Not to say that I could stop practicing...
Originally posted by hibiscus09
This has been interesting reading!
This has also been interesting for me. I'm a new rider, and am using Speed Play frogs. I've have had enough problems that I was thinking of going back to platforms.
Apparently so has everyone else, which makes me feel better! I've learned many of the lessons I've seen mentioned here the hard way. I unclip on my left, with that foot up, and the right down. Lately I've been skylarking and got caught short.
The other issue is that I ride in traffic on the way to the dirt by the river, and avoiding the idiots driving HUA (Head up A--) sometimes means I have to stop so quick I end up going over.
I'll stick with it. Knowing I'm not alone helps. I love the feel and comfort of the frogs and don't want to give it up.
I fell 2 times when I first got clipless. A stranger riding behind me suggested to stand when coming to a stop, put your pedals in 6 and 12 position and unclip the shoe on top. Works every time. If you are standing and you unclip the bottom shoe your foot will slide off the pedal and you will hit the top tube, and that hurts a lot more than hitting the ground! Try it, it worked for me. ( I have not fallen in 7+ years from being stuck)......
I'm in Chicago- this past weekend I fell twice in the forest preserve parking lot learning to balance when stopping with my new clipless. Never had a problem after that- but I'm going for hybrid/combo clipless pedals because in real life traffic conditions on the streets I don't want to risk not being able to clip-out in an emergency.
Nice to hear those with similiar experiences!
Nice to hear those with similiar experiences!
I found it easier right now to have the clips on almost full loose- it's weird but I can click outward on my left heel but can't with my right- but clicking inward works for me. Maybe it's the way my cleats are set-up or it's just a strange motion for my right leg.
Basically if I foresaw the need to brake I'd clip-out my right leg immediately- both for balance and because I tend to fall on the right side- ouch.
Basically if I foresaw the need to brake I'd clip-out my right leg immediately- both for balance and because I tend to fall on the right side- ouch.
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