Look pedal explanation

[TriathleteNut]

Question from a newbie...

When I got my bike it came with Look Pedals. I'm trying to understand what the functions are. Its difficult for me to get snapped off of these things and whatever I can do to make it easier would be great. I haven't even taken the bike out for a ride yet due to my fear of these pedals. Are there more beginner pedals I should try or just jump right into these?

Can someone explain what this means:

Free arc : This makes it possible to adjust the degree of free arc between 0° (fixed) / 3° / 6° or 9° simply by turning the button behind the lever. This option only works with a red cleat. The function is inoperative when using a black cleat = the free arc stays at 0°.

AND

Adjustable tension : By allowing you to increase or decrease the tension of the spring, your pedals adapt themselves to your way of cycling, and prevent your foot from slipping off the pedal.

 

[ToffoIsMe]

Reduce the spring tension and they should be eaiser to get out of.

 

[Cod]

Question from a newbie...

Thee are two types of cleat available for look pedals; Red and Black. Make sure you put them on your shoes correctly and that the spacers provided with the cleats are in place between the shoe sole and the cleat, otherwise you will not be able to unclip smoothly and you may score the pedal body.

Free arc : Red cleats allow your foot to move from side to side to reduce cramp and to reduce wear and tear on knees. The angles (3 degrees etc) indicate the range of lateral movement allowed. This is adjustable on each pedal, using an allen key.(wrench)

Try it at 3 degrees first to see how it feels. Make sure both pedals are adjusted the same.

Black cleats are designed differently and do not allow any movement of the foot.

Adjustable tension : Your foot is held in place by a spring loaded clip at the front of the pedal. You can reduce this tension to allow you to unclip more easily. However if you reduce the tension too much your foot may pop out accidentally, particularly on hills, with sometimes painful loss of control.
Usually the adjuster for this is at the rear of the pedal, each turn or half-turn of the wrench causes a slight click so that you can keep track of how much you have moved the adjuster. The best approach is to adjust all the way in and then turn 3 clicks out, try your pedals at that setting and then adjust to suit your preference. (i.e. tighter or looser)

Practice on a safe quiet stretch of road as these pedals take some getting used to, however they are well worth the effort.

 

[KGnagey]

Question from a newbie...

When I got my bike it came with Look Pedals. I'm trying to understand what the functions are. Its difficult for me to get snapped off of these things and whatever I can do to make it easier would be great. I haven't even taken the bike out for a ride yet due to my fear of these pedals. Are there more beginner pedals I should try or just jump right into these?

Can someone explain what this means:

Free arc : This makes it possible to adjust the degree of free arc between 0° (fixed) / 3° / 6° or 9° simply by turning the button behind the lever. This option only works with a red cleat. The function is inoperative when using a black cleat = the free arc stays at 0°.

AND

Adjustable tension : By allowing you to increase or decrease the tension of the spring, your pedals adapt themselves to your way of cycling, and prevent your foot from slipping off the pedal.

The Red cleat offers you some float or play in your foot before the cleat will unclip from the pedal (this is very good if you have bad knees). The black cleat is fixed and does not allow any movement between the cleat and pedal.

Adjustable tension is just what is says. It allows you to increase or decrease the spring tension of the pedal. Higher spring tension will make clipping in and clipping out harder. Lower tension is opposite.

If you have a stationary trainer the simply practice clipping and unclipping from your pedals with the bike in the trainer. It makes it much easier to get the feel of it. You can also ask the shop where you bought the bike from to help you set the pedals up. Most shops should do it for free if you bought the bike there. The clipping and unclipping action will settle in after a few sessions.

All of us that use clippless pedals have taken a fall the first time we tried them - Its just the nature of the game. You will get better using them in just a couple tries.

 

[FasterthanU]

All you do is twist your heel away from the bike. Your shoe should automatically come uncleated. If this is not the case and you find your foot is hard to uncleat, then you should make some adjustments in the tension. What model of pedals are we talking about? It might be good to make a google search or go to Look's website to discover the details and options of your pedals. There you will likely find the ways to fine-tune your pedals to the desired tension. Of course, none of this has to be done if after some practice you find it easy to clip out. Someone who first rides a bike doesn't have much merit in questioning its handling- cause' its the rider not the bike. Fix the rider, fix the bike/pedals. It could be the tension though . Lais, FTU

 

[FasterthanU]

I guess some people posted while I was writtin'. Take what you like- FTU

 

[TriathleteNut]

Thanks all. I tried to find the model of the pedal. It doesn't say it anywhere. There's a 77 and a 76 on it. There's a dial on the back that you can adjust to 0-3-6-9 whatever that setting is.

 

[ToffoIsMe]

Thanks all. I tried to find the model of the pedal. It doesn't say it anywhere. There's a 77 and a 76 on it. There's a dial on the back that you can adjust to 0-3-6-9 whatever that setting is.

The 0-3-6-9 is the degree of float, or side to side play before the shoe will clip out.

 

[nbfman]

I'm also still trying to figure out my Look pedals and had an additional question. I have the Cx6 CrMo pedal, and it supposedly has a Q-factor adjustment. I think it adjusts the amount the pedal sticks out from the crank. Is this right? Anyone out there know how to adjust it?

 

[OneRing]

Thanks all. I tried to find the model of the pedal. It doesn't say it anywhere. There's a 77 and a 76 on it. There's a dial on the back that you can adjust to 0-3-6-9 whatever that setting is.

I have a related question. What is the secret of getting your second foot in when starting up hill. Right foot goes in start to pedal right foot from 12 o'clock. But if the hill is resonably steep this will not give enough momentum so you hasve to turn the left pedal over but how as your fooyt is not yet clipped in and your road cycling shoes have little grip on a look pedal especially in the wet & cold. Is the answer to drag the right pedal around or try to be sop used to the clipless pedals that you can get atleast the front part of the cleat engaged.

 

[tanggoman]

I'm also still trying to figure out my Look pedals and had an additional question. I have the Cx6 CrMo pedal, and it supposedly has a Q-factor adjustment. I think it adjusts the amount the pedal sticks out from the crank. Is this right? Anyone out there know how to adjust it?

Word of caution about tightening of the q-factor adjustment bolt: be very careful not to overtighten it as this are soft as toffee!!! I learned it the hard way!!! Its a good thing excelsports replaced the pair free of charge. Besides that, its a very good pedal, I had mine for more than a year now.

Read some of the comments at this URL:
http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=CX-6+Pedals&vendorCode=LOOK&major=5&minor=2

 

[achtervolger]

I have a related question. What is the secret of getting your second foot in when starting up hill. Right foot goes in start to pedal right foot from 12 o'clock. But if the hill is resonably steep this will not give enough momentum so you hasve to turn the left pedal over but how as your fooyt is not yet clipped in and your road cycling shoes have little grip on a look pedal especially in the wet & cold. Is the answer to drag the right pedal around or try to be sop used to the clipless pedals that you can get atleast the front part of the cleat engaged.

Simple answer is that part of it is a skill you will get better at with some practice.

The more helpful answer is that you can angle your bike sideways to the hill, reducing the grade and allowing you to keep your momentum long enough to clip in easily. If this kind of manuever is not possible, you can try stepping on the pedal with your left foot very gingerly, not putting much weight at all on it, but getting it over one more revolution so you can try again on the next time 'round. You should have slightly more mo' but you may be fighting the danger of your foot slipping off the left (unclipped) pedal at the same time.

It's hard. Don't do it when there is a car right next to you or coming up behind, wait a second. You can catch the clowns you're riding with quickly enough. The longer you have the pedals, the easier it will get and the faster you will become. Start with looser tension on the pedals and tighten as you get faster clipping in and out, but be aware of the tension you are running, both when it's relatively loose, and aslo when it changes as you tighten it. Relatively loose or tight pedals are both OK as long as you're ready for the amount of tension you have dialed in.

Good luck! Just keep practicing clipping in as fast as you can in flat situations, you'll get it soon enough.