Clipping Out - Which Foot?



: new concepts i learned:
:
: a. 'footedness' - the idea that there is a dominant, more coordinated
: foot.

Well of course there is! My son, with his more powerful left foot, was a
killer at left wing in soccer.


:
: b. the road slant can matter - i guess here the roads are not as
: steeply angled toward the curb.

My downfall (literally) was on a country lane with a soft dirt shoulder that
was slanted down to a bar ditch. No curb.


:
: c. using the left foot to avoid chainring marks.
: ok, good work, people.
:
: wle.
:
 
wle wrote:
> simple question/poll.
>
> a. if you ride clipless pedals, when you need to stop and
> unclip only one foot, which one is it?


My right foot.

> b. what side do the cars drive on where you live?


Left

> c. why?


Because it's the law and it stops them crashing into one another ;-)

But seriously, it's easier to unclip and re-clip your dominant foot (I'm
right footed).
 
"wle" <[email protected]> writes:

> a. if you ride clipless pedals, when you need to stop and unclip only
> one foot, which one is it?


Left foot down

> b. what side do the cars drive on where you live?


Right (Germany) (was left (UK))

> c. why?


To avoid putting my foot out into traffic: and possibly falling into
traffic ! To clarify: I grew up in the UK (ie riding on the left: then a
left foot down made sense).
Then I moved to Germany 8 years ago, and after some thought tried to
start using my right foot. But i just could not get used to it
(esp. after 26 od years of using the other foot).

But now I do not put either foot down: I use a recumbent trike so I only
clip-out at my destination. Nice :)

Simon
--
Simon Kellett, Darmstadt, Germany | http://home.arcor.de/zoxed
Hase Kettwiesel trike | ex-Pashley PDQ SWB
Flux V220 CLWB | Zox20 Lowracer
 
Zog The Undeniable wrote:
> But seriously, it's easier to unclip and re-clip your dominant foot (I'm
> right footed).


Perhaps if you learned that way. I'm right-handed, right-footed, riding
on the right side of the road, but I unclip on the left.

My dad taught me to "push off with the right foot" (meaning, somewhat
ironically, to push on the pedal with the right foot) while starting.
Guess it stuck. I unclip with the right foot sometimes, but it feels
strange, and it's far easier for me to reclip on the left than right.

Mark "decades of practice made me that way" Janeba
 

> a. if you ride clipless pedals, when you need to stop and
> unclip only one foot, which one is it?
>


always right

> b. what side do the cars drive on where you live?
>


right

> c. why?
>


old injury to left leg, on odd occassion will still get a twinge from the
swift movement when de-shoeing on left

any water-skiers out there? forward foot the same as prefered foot when
unclipping?
 
On Mon, 13 Dec 2004 15:24:32 +0100, matabala wrote:

> any water-skiers out there? forward foot the same as prefered foot when
> unclipping?


"Unclipping?" Do water-skiers wear shoes now? It has been a long time
since I've tried it.
 
Tim McNamara wrote:
> I usually clip out using my right foot, sometimes my left but that's
> probably pretty rare. I probably favor my right foot more that I

used
> to, due to years of cyclo-cross racing.
>
> However, I liked Russell's point about chainring marks and unclipping
> with the left foot as a way to prevent this. I'll have to give that

a
> try especially when commuting.


I think there are two reasons unclipping the left foot keeps the chain
and rings from touching the right leg.

1. When first starting up with both feet unclipped, I can move the
right pedal to the bottom and step into it. The bike will be leaned
slightly to the left since the left foot is supporting you. The
crankarm keeps the right leg from touching the chain/rings. And
everything is done at a slower more careful pace since you aren't
moving yet. So on a fair number of rides, I only clip or unclip the
right foot once and only have one chance to get any grease on the right
leg. I also think you only get grease on your right leg when getting
in or out of the pedals, never while actually riding.

2. When stopped at a stop sign, etc. with the left foot unclipped,
when I start back up and try to find the pedal while the crank is
moving and keep moving across the road I can't inadvertently rub the
left against the chain/rings. Also when stopped with the left foot
unclipped, the bike is leaning to the left moving the chain/rings away
from the right leg. No chance of leaning the bike to the right with a
right foot unclipped situation and rubbing the chain/rings on the right
leg.
 
Tim McNamara wrote:
> I usually clip out using my right foot, sometimes my left but that's
> probably pretty rare. I probably favor my right foot more that I

used
> to, due to years of cyclo-cross racing.
>
> However, I liked Russell's point about chainring marks and unclipping
> with the left foot as a way to prevent this. I'll have to give that

a
> try especially when commuting.


I think there are two reasons unclipping the left foot keeps the chain
and rings from touching the right leg.

1. When first starting up with both feet unclipped, I can move the
right pedal to the bottom and step into it. The bike will be leaned
slightly to the left since the left foot is supporting you. The
crankarm keeps the right leg from touching the chain/rings. And
everything is done at a slower more careful pace since you aren't
moving yet. So on a fair number of rides, I only clip or unclip the
right foot once and only have one chance to get any grease on the right
leg. I also think you only get grease on your right leg when getting
in or out of the pedals, never while actually riding.

2. When stopped at a stop sign, etc. with the left foot unclipped,
when I start back up and try to find the pedal while the crank is
moving and keep moving across the road I can't inadvertently rub the
left against the chain/rings. Also when stopped with the left foot
unclipped, the bike is leaning to the left moving the chain/rings away
from the right leg. No chance of leaning the bike to the right with a
right foot unclipped situation and rubbing the chain/rings on the right
leg.
 
On 11 Dec 2004 13:48:20 -0800, "wle" <[email protected]> wrote:

My first bike was too big for me. I needed to start by putting one
foot on the curb (kerb). If I started out in front of my house with my
left foot on the curb I'd be headed for the highway (US Route 22 in
New Jersey) only two houses away and forbidden territory. I usually
started with my right foot on the curb, and this is the foot I still
put down today.

BTW, when coming to a stop at an intersection, if there's a curb I
still put my foot down on it.


jeverett3<AT>earthlink<DOT>net http://home.earthlink.net/~jeverett3
 
>simple question/poll.
>
>a. if you ride clipless pedals, when you need to stop and
>unclip only one foot, which one is it?
>
>b. what side do the cars drive on where you live?
>
>c. why?
>
>i will start:----------------
>
>a. i unclip my right foot.
>
>b. i live in the usa.
>
>c. reason is that then i will not be
>potentially sticking my foot into moving traffic..
>
>
>wle.


A. Left

B. Right

C. If the right foot unclips first and slips on a patch of oil, the
bike and rider may fall. With the left foot turning the crank during
the fall, the chainring can act as a very effective sawblade. I have
the scar to prove it.

David Griffith
 
"wle" <[email protected]> writes:

> simple question/poll.
>
> a. if you ride clipless pedals, when you need to stop and
> unclip only one foot, which one is it?
>
> b. what side do the cars drive on where you live?
>
> c. why?
>
> i will start:----------------
>
> a. i unclip my right foot.
>
> b. i live in the usa.
>
> c. reason is that then i will not be
> potentially sticking my foot into moving traffic..


a. right
b. right
c. I commonly hold myself up with my right foot on the curb.

However, when I was new to clipless pedals, and only ever unclipped my
right foot, I had a couple scares when I would start to topple to the
left when coming to a stop at a light, since I had no instictive
response to unclip the left foot. I always managed to (just barely)
avoid flopping to my left right in front of the traffic; but since
then I make sure to unclip my left foot frequently to stay in practice.

--
Brady Montz
[email protected]
 
"Brady Montz" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "wle" <[email protected]> writes:
>
> > simple question/poll.
> >
> > a. if you ride clipless pedals, when you need to stop and
> > unclip only one foot, which one is it?
> >
> > b. what side do the cars drive on where you live?
> >
> > c. why?
> >
> > i will start:----------------
> >
> > a. i unclip my right foot.
> >
> > b. i live in the usa.
> >
> > c. reason is that then i will not be
> > potentially sticking my foot into moving traffic..

>
> a. right
> b. right
> c. I commonly hold myself up with my right foot on the curb.
>
> However, when I was new to clipless pedals, and only ever unclipped my
> right foot, I had a couple scares when I would start to topple to the
> left when coming to a stop at a light, since I had no instictive
> response to unclip the left foot. I always managed to (just barely)
> avoid flopping to my left right in front of the traffic; but since
> then I make sure to unclip my left foot frequently to stay in practice.
>
> --
> Brady Montz
> [email protected]


I live in Australia where we ride on the left hand side of the road. I swing
my right leg over, clip in my right foot and then push off from the kerb,
which is slightly higher than the road.

I believe that horses are standardised. You always mount from the left. This
probably originates from having to carry swords in a particular way.

Marty
 
From "Marty Wallace":

>I believe that horses are standardised. You always mount from the left. This
>probably originates from having to carry >swords in a particular way.


Horses are mounted either side where my daughter rides in the USA, a respected
"barn" where English and Western styles are taught. Not to say that you might
not have a mighty hard time mounting from the right with some horses. --TP