Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

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rodneycc
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby rodneycc » Fri Dec 11, 2015 2:25 pm

Ok had a look at the Silver SH-56 cleats and they are SPD only. Pretty sure the OP has the Yellow SH-10 SPD-SL so not going to be compatible....
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby Lozzie » Fri Dec 11, 2015 5:06 pm

That sucks!

I don't believe my fear is irrational. Falling hurts. I WAS hurt badly a week ago. I still have bruises on my elbow and legs. Hands finally gone. I'm still going and still using them. It was slightly better this morning.

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby rodneycc » Fri Dec 11, 2015 5:09 pm

Just make sure you take your mouth guard..... elbow pads... chest pad :-)
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby Mulger bill » Fri Dec 11, 2015 7:31 pm

Lozzie wrote:I'm still going and still using them. It was slightly better this morning.
That's the spirit! 8)
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voltairevi
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby voltairevi » Mon Dec 14, 2015 10:22 am

Lots of good advice here! As a rookie clipless convert, I'd say setting the tension springs at the lowest has saved me from a stack...twice! Unclipped my left foot and leaned on the right side by mistake. Good thing was able to unclip my right foot seconds from a full-on fail.

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby Lozzie » Mon Dec 14, 2015 9:11 pm

I'll take the shoes back and get the right one loosened.

Had another stack today! Thankfully on grass so only injury is a bruise to the thigh. Couldn't unclip and went to grab the pole in front and went over the handlebars. I'm copping crap on Facebook (and constantly being told to stop using them) but I'll keep going! Will stay with the undershirt for a while tho

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby softy » Mon Dec 14, 2015 10:06 pm

I would just like to say;

Many people use them for a reason. Once you get use to riding along with them, riding flat pedals just seems wrong. I can't put my finger on it, but when pedalling at higher cadences, 80+ which you should be, your feet feel so secure.

keep at it, it is worth it.

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby Thoglette » Mon Dec 14, 2015 11:04 pm

Lozzie wrote:Couldn't unclip ...
Can I suggest the obvious - practice, practice, and a little more practice. For some of us muscle memory is the only way. Both sides, (not just the left).

Once you think you've got it, track stand infront of the telly and unclip before you topple over!
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kb
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Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby kb » Mon Dec 14, 2015 11:08 pm

Lozzie wrote:I'll take the shoes back and get the right one loosened.
Tension is usually in the pedals rather than the shoes. Could be worth a bit of lubricant (eg. silicone spray) to facilitate clipping in and out.
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby bychosis » Tue Dec 15, 2015 7:29 am

Keep at it. I had my fair share of clip stacks early in the piece. Took a good few months of riding regularly to get the action to become second nature. After that there has still been the occasional one unrelated to equipment failure, mostly off road though where balance can get disrupted by trail features. I suspect most riders take a similar amount of time to adjust.
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby yugyug » Tue Dec 15, 2015 8:04 am

Thankfully it was only on grass? You won't be thankful when it happens on the road or in traffic and you end up with a fractured elbow or worse. Listen to your Facebook friends. Most cyclists do actually intuit that clips aren't necessary for cycling - until they meet shop guys and enthusiasts who group think them into a mostly worthless and. dangerous expense.

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby Thoglette » Tue Dec 15, 2015 1:19 pm

yugyug wrote:Most cyclists do actually intuit that clips aren't necessary for cycling
One was running under the unstated assumption that you "need" clips. If you're not racing they are definitely optional (at best).

I use them BUT they actually add benefit only on two ascents and only if I'm in a hurry. The "other bike" has none and they're rarely missed.
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby stylo » Tue Dec 15, 2015 1:32 pm

Just want to mention that once you're unclipped, make sure you hold your bike in a way that the top of your bike angles towards you i.e. top tube is closer to you than the wheels (if looking down vertically).

This will ensure you won't have a stationary fall where the bike leans AWAY from you, while you're stopped at the lights and generally not thinking a lot and said bike proceeds to fall towards the side of your clipped in foot .. since of course, you forgot you are clipped in.

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby voltairevi » Wed Dec 16, 2015 12:33 pm

stylo wrote:Just want to mention that once you're unclipped, make sure you hold your bike in a way that the top of your bike angles towards you i.e. top tube is closer to you than the wheels (if looking down vertically).

This will ensure you won't have a stationary fall where the bike leans AWAY from you, while you're stopped at the lights and generally not thinking a lot and said bike proceeds to fall towards the side of your clipped in foot .. since of course, you forgot you are clipped in.
+1 to this. I find my self naturally doing this to ensure I don't lean towards the unclipped foot. The other suggestion of turning the handlebars away form the unclipped foot works too. If just starting, best to unclip both feet before coming to a stop.

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby cameronp » Wed Dec 16, 2015 1:29 pm

stylo wrote:Just want to mention that once you're unclipped, make sure you hold your bike in a way that the top of your bike angles towards you i.e. top tube is closer to you than the wheels (if looking down vertically).
When I'm stopped, I usually unclip both feet and straddle the top tube. Getting going again is then a process of clipping in one pedal, pushing down, hoiking myself up to the seat, and then clipping in the other pedal when it comes around. Easy to do than to describe.

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby Lozzie » Wed Dec 16, 2015 1:50 pm

I've been doing the handlebar trick towards my left side. It has been working. I just got cocky and went over. (Trying to grab the pole hence going over)

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby stylo » Wed Dec 16, 2015 4:50 pm

The aim is to get used to the same procedure and it will eventually become automatic for you, muscle memory and all.

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby Davobel » Sun Dec 20, 2015 7:44 pm

Clips are not that difficult to get used. Most people have fallen once, then we learn. It's smart to practice leaning up against a wall and get the tension right. You don't want them popping off too easily or for it to be too hard. On my cross and MTB, I have Shimano that have a platform on one side/ clips on the other. I ride a lot of white metal- limestone roads. Some areas are sandy, so I clip out when on those parts and clip back in when I feel it is safe again.

I once had a ride where 20k's into a 40k ride, the cleat loosened so that I couldn't un-clip. I had forgotten my bike tool so I couldn't fix the problem during that ride. I rode the last 20k's with no problem and made it to my shed. 15 of the last 20k's was through a forest where I would usually un-clip through a couple sections.

Clips are great and they can allow for a very smooth pedaling action. Take your time and get used to them, they may seem weird at first but I love them.

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby ironhanglider » Sun Dec 20, 2015 10:41 pm

Do you happen to have small feet Lozzie?

People with small feet often have more trouble with 3 bolt style cleats. (SDP-SL, Keo, Delta et al)

Apart from having a shorter lever between the ankle and the cleat when you try and twist, I suspect that it is also because the sole of the shoe often curves more than the cleat, and when the cleat is bolted on, it is forced to flex into the same shape as the shoe. My wife (size 37 shoe) found it easier to get in and out when I put a washer under the front part of the cleat (held in with the bolt).

Cheers,

Cameron

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby Lozzie » Mon Dec 21, 2015 1:34 pm

No I have a size 9 ladies. My Shimanos are size 42.

It's just going to take time and Practise. Need to find somewhere I can hold myself up while practicing my right shoe unclipping.

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby eeksll » Mon Dec 21, 2015 4:40 pm

between wall and car is a pretty good spot to get a feel for it.

I find it easiest to unclip with foot flat and pedal at the bottom of crank rotation.

this thread had gone on for a bit, might be about time you think about what specific part your having trouble with. Is it physically too hard, do you forget, is the crank at a non-ideal spot, is your foot at a strange angle ....

I nearly had a stack this morning trying to unclip with the pedal at the top, it usually works :D

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby tez001 » Mon Dec 21, 2015 7:49 pm

We're you using mtb clips before? If not then maybe change to SPDs for a period of time getting used to clipping in and out as they are much easier than SPD SL. Then after say 6 months moved to SPD SL. I used SPD on my road bike for about a year before moving to SPD SL. I now run a combo of both on the weekend warrior bike and commuter during the week.

I prefer SPDs on the commuter just because of the ease and number of times I need to clip in and unclip.

Just repeating what has already been said, but unclip early and drop your leg down as it will shift your weight a bit to the unclipped side.

Make sure the cleat bolts are done up firmly and the tension on the pedals set on the lowest possible tension.

Also, don't over think it :)

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby Lozzie » Tue Dec 22, 2015 9:26 am

Went straight to SPD-SL. Was just riding with flats!

It's only been about 5 days so far so we'll see. Just found out on the WA forum that my route has another portion closed which means I'll be riding through a LOT of peds. Might switch to my cons for those two weeks. I will get these things sorted!

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby greyhoundtom » Thu Dec 24, 2015 4:04 am

While I have not contributed to this thread I have been following it closely, and all I can say is certainly go back to your flat pedals for the time being ....but I urge you to swap to SPD's from the SPD-SL for commuting because they are so much easier not only to clip in and out, but also the shoes are certainly much much easier and safer to walk in.

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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes

Postby trailgumby » Thu Dec 24, 2015 4:55 pm

greyhoundtom wrote:While I have not contributed to this thread I have been following it closely, and all I can say is certainly go back to your flat pedals for the time being ....but I urge you to swap to SPD's from the SPD-SL for commuting because they are so much easier not only to clip in and out, but also the shoes are certainly much much easier and safer to walk in.
Couldn't agree more.

Road SPD-SLs are very stiff in their action, and a PIA to clip into in traffic as well. All the roadies I see - without exception - fluff and hunt around, usually taking at least two attempts to get their feet properly engaged when moving of from traffic lights with this style of pedal. It's just not worth the risk as far as I'm concerned, and I've been cycle commuting clipped in since 2006.

One of my colleagues is a *very* experienced cyclist (his son races in the National Road Series) and even he ditches the SPD-SLs off the road bike outside of light traffic school holiday periods. I've found Speedplay Zeros to be almost as good as MTB pedals, and really like their float action. Unfortunately for me I need to move the cleats back to resolve a knee issue and the shoe will need modification, so I'm back on MTB SPD pedals until I can get that done.

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