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#1
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Help learning to use clip-in shoes
I bought a good road bike last year, and yesterday I decided I was
finally ready to get rid of the old pedals, and get shoes and pedals that clip in. I had the bike shop install Shimano SPD pedals, and they put my bike in a trainer to let me practice clipping the shoes in and out. That was fine. Today, I tried and failed to actually ride my bike. I fell twice, hard, without getting out of my driveway. The second time, I hit my head on the concrete (yes I was wearing my helmet). Could someone please give me some good suggestions to get past this learning curve without breaking any bones? Any web pages with good instructions? I looked on Sheldon Brown's pages, but didn't see anything specifically about this. Thanks for any help. Zelda |
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#2
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Help learning to use clip-in shoes
Twist your heel to the outside. Away from the frame. Practice it in your
abode with out moving. If you clip in and out 10 times before you ride you should not have any problem. You might want to loosen your pedals to the max or almost. There should be a a place for an allen wrench on the front of each pedal (both sides if double entry) to allow you to adjust pedal tension. Probably best if you turned it to "minus" until you get used to twisting to get unclipped. The pedals are worth it, you just have to ingrain that you don't slide your foot "off the back" any longer. Bart "Zelda" wrote in message om... I bought a good road bike last year, and yesterday I decided I was finally ready to get rid of the old pedals, and get shoes and pedals that clip in. I had the bike shop install Shimano SPD pedals, and they put my bike in a trainer to let me practice clipping the shoes in and out. That was fine. Today, I tried and failed to actually ride my bike. I fell twice, hard, without getting out of my driveway. The second time, I hit my head on the concrete (yes I was wearing my helmet). Could someone please give me some good suggestions to get past this learning curve without breaking any bones? Any web pages with good instructions? I looked on Sheldon Brown's pages, but didn't see anything specifically about this. Thanks for any help. Zelda |
#3
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Help learning to use clip-in shoes
Practice in the grass. Clip in and try to keep your balance.
As you fall to one side, unclip and keep yourself from falling. If you fall, at least you fall in the grass. Keep at it. After a while, you develop muscle memory, and clipping out becomes second nature. Another good thing to practice in the grass: hopping to keep the bike upright. It's useful sometimes at stoplights, and in case there's a wreck in front of you when the sprinters drive for the finish line. Good luck. Michael "Bartow W. Riggs" wrote in message ... Twist your heel to the outside. Away from the frame. Practice it in your abode with out moving. If you clip in and out 10 times before you ride you should not have any problem. You might want to loosen your pedals to the max or almost. There should be a a place for an allen wrench on the front of each pedal (both sides if double entry) to allow you to adjust pedal tension. Probably best if you turned it to "minus" until you get used to twisting to get unclipped. The pedals are worth it, you just have to ingrain that you don't slide your foot "off the back" any longer. Bart "Zelda" wrote in message om... I bought a good road bike last year, and yesterday I decided I was finally ready to get rid of the old pedals, and get shoes and pedals that clip in. I had the bike shop install Shimano SPD pedals, and they put my bike in a trainer to let me practice clipping the shoes in and out. That was fine. Today, I tried and failed to actually ride my bike. I fell twice, hard, without getting out of my driveway. The second time, I hit my head on the concrete (yes I was wearing my helmet). Could someone please give me some good suggestions to get past this learning curve without breaking any bones? Any web pages with good instructions? I looked on Sheldon Brown's pages, but didn't see anything specifically about this. Thanks for any help. Zelda |
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Help learning to use clip-in shoes
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#5
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Help learning to use clip-in shoes
I bought a good road bike last year, and yesterday I decided I was
finally ready to get rid of the old pedals, and get shoes and pedals that clip in. I had the bike shop install Shimano SPD pedals, and they put my bike in a trainer to let me practice clipping the shoes in and out. That was fine. Today, I tried and failed to actually ride my bike. I fell twice, hard, without getting out of my driveway. The second time, I hit my head on the concrete (yes I was wearing my helmet). First off, I don't like introducing people to clipless pedals on a trainer... it's so far removed from the real world, that the lessons learned about getting into and out of them simply aren't all that relevant. Best way I've found (and helped several people with today at the shop)- #1: Make sure the tension adjustment screws on the pedals are set as low as possible. Don't back them entirely out though, as they're impossible to get back in if removed! #2: Stand over the bike, without sitting on the saddle (stand over the top tube). Engage one of the brakes (so the bike doesn't move around), rotate the pedal you want to get into so it's at about a 7 o'clock position, and, feeling for the front of the cleat engage with the pedal, push *forward* until you hear it snap into place. Disengage by twisting your ankle outward. Repeat several times until this feels relatively natural. #2b: Try the same things with the other pedal, getting used to what it takes to get into and out of it. More than anything, you're getting familiar with the location of the cleat on the bottom of the shoe. #3: Now it's time to practice while riding. Get one shoe into the pedal and start off. Don't try getting the other one in too soon! Get up a little bit of speed so you're stable... it's no big deal pedaling along for a bit with one foot not engaged. Once you're up to speed, try getting the other foot into the pedal when it's at that same 7 o'clock position as before. Don't let it frustrate you if engagement is difficult! Take your time, maybe stop and practice getting that particular foot in while stopped. #4: Remember you MUST unclip one of your feet well before you come to a stop. If you're still clipped in, and you have no forward momentum, you're going down. As mentioned previously, it's not difficult pedaling while unclipped for a bit, so plan ahead of time. No last-second stuff and you'll likely avoid falling. I suspect the clue to your problems was that you couldn't even get out of your driveway without falling. You're trying to do too much too fast. Take things one step at a time and I'll bet it will be easy! --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com "Zelda" wrote in message om... I bought a good road bike last year, and yesterday I decided I was finally ready to get rid of the old pedals, and get shoes and pedals that clip in. I had the bike shop install Shimano SPD pedals, and they put my bike in a trainer to let me practice clipping the shoes in and out. That was fine. Today, I tried and failed to actually ride my bike. I fell twice, hard, without getting out of my driveway. The second time, I hit my head on the concrete (yes I was wearing my helmet). Could someone please give me some good suggestions to get past this learning curve without breaking any bones? Any web pages with good instructions? I looked on Sheldon Brown's pages, but didn't see anything specifically about this. Thanks for any help. Zelda |
#6
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Help learning to use clip-in shoes
"Zelda" wrote in message om... cut......... Could someone please give me some good suggestions to get past this learning curve without breaking any bones? Any web pages with good instructions? cut............ It won't add anything to the good advice already given but: http://www.fastload.net/03/one/pages/index.html "Falling not Fainting" near the bottom of this page may encourage you by showing your not alone. I perservered and now ride with clipless all the time without problems peter |
#7
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Help learning to use clip-in shoes
I started using SPD pedals (Shimano M-515) recently and for me the
key is to concentrate on keeping the bike moving. You can ride without clipping in, but you can't clip both feet in without having the bike underway or you will fall. Also, I have the right clips as loose as possible, just one or two clicks from the end of the screw stroke, to make it easy to release the foot I always put down. I haven't had an accidental release yet. After a while, you will get used to sliding your foot forward to clip and twisting sideways to release, but meantime concentrate on keeping the wheels turning. If you start to feel wobbly, just pedal and forget about clipping until you have enough momentum to coast and work on clipping in. Try it in an open area like an empty parking lot or running track so you can go without a lot of steering. Don't start out going uphill, stick to flats until you get some confidence. BTW: you did not say what model your pedals are. In general you're better off starting with pedals that clip on more than one side. |
#8
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Help learning to use clip-in shoes
"Mike Jacoubowsky" wrote in message
gy.com... #3: Now it's time to practice while riding. Get one shoe into the pedal and start off. Don't try getting the other one in too soon! Get up a little bit of speed so you're stable... it's no big deal pedaling along for a bit with one foot not engaged. Once you're up to speed, try getting the other foot into the pedal when it's at that same 7 o'clock position as before. Don't let it frustrate you if engagement is difficult! Take your time, maybe stop and practice getting that particular foot in while stopped. Yes, it's possible to ride carefully without being clipped in at all. Get going, then clip. Don't stand before you're clipped. #4: Remember you MUST unclip one of your feet well before you come to a stop. If you're still clipped in, and you have no forward momentum, you're going down. As mentioned previously, it's not difficult pedaling while unclipped for a bit, so plan ahead of time. No last-second stuff and you'll likely avoid falling. We can't always plan on the mistakes of others and SPDs are reluctant to let go unless you're at the bottom of the stroke - 5 to 7 o'clock position. So get used to rotating backward fast to get the foot down and twisting the ankle to release. But if they gave you the beginner cleats you should also be able to get out by yanking backward hard in a panic just before you fall. If the bolts holding the SPD cleats to the shoe come loose it can be very problematic to get out so you may want to check them for tightness with the allen key every once in a while. When you do fall while stopped, see yourself rolling. put your knee out a bit to start the roll, crouch down closer to the bike and you roll right over to the other side without being hurt. Um, keep your fingers away from the sides or ends of the bars where they can get whacked. Doug |
#9
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Help learning to use clip-in shoes
"Zelda" wrote in message om... I bought a good road bike last year, and yesterday I decided I was finally ready to get rid of the old pedals, and get shoes and pedals that clip in. I had the bike shop install Shimano SPD pedals, and they put my bike in a trainer to let me practice clipping the shoes in and out. That was fine. Today, I tried and failed to actually ride my bike. I fell twice, hard, without getting out of my driveway. The second time, I hit my head on the concrete (yes I was wearing my helmet). Could someone please give me some good suggestions to get past this learning curve without breaking any bones? Any web pages with good instructions? I looked on Sheldon Brown's pages, but didn't see anything specifically about this. Thanks for any help. Zelda Hey, nothing on Sheldon's pages!!!!!!! Is this a first????????? Hugh |
#10
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Help learning to use clip-in shoes
"Zelda" wrote: I bought a good road bike last year, and yesterday I decided I was finally ready to get rid of the old pedals, and get shoes and pedals that clip in. I had the bike shop install Shimano SPD pedals, and they put my bike in a trainer to let me practice clipping the shoes in and out. That was fine. Today, I tried and failed to actually ride my bike. I fell twice, hard, without getting out of my driveway. The second time, I hit my head on the concrete (yes I was wearing my helmet). Your post caught my eye I because I just installed SPDs on my wife's bike last week. So far, she has only ridden them on the trainer, but we may get out on the road today. Were your falls caused by difficulty clipping in? or out? Since you were still on your driveway, it sounds like you weren't yet clipped in. A couple of suggestions: -Set the release tension low. -Have the bike in a low enough gear that you can accelerate quickly. -Clip in one foot, move that foot to the 12 O'Clock position, push down on the pedal, and get the bike moving fast enough be stable. (If necessary, use the other foot [unclipped] as well for a turn or two until the bike is moving fast enough.) -Learn to clip in the second foot without weaving or taking your eyes off the road. (practice on a trainer or a quiet street) -Once clipped in, be prepared to unclip as you approach intersections, traffic lights, etc. Unclip one foot *before* you come to a stop. This will become second nature. You might want to shift down a gear or two as you slow for a stop to make starting up again easier. -Don't pull up when trying to unclip. Twist your foot outward and slightly downward. -Check the tightness of the cleat bolts after the first couple of rides. If they loosen, you won't be able to unclip. -Consider switching to dual release cleats; these will allow you to unclip easier. It's really not as hard as it sounds. As with learning to ride a bike, practice makes perfect. Good luck, Art Harris |
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