Look Pedals Keep Flipping Upside Down

yeah, its supposed to be like that. It supposedly makes it easier to clip in. Give yourself some time to get used to it.

I got my first pair of Look pedals in the 1980s. These were the Bernard Hinault pedals. It took a while to get used to flipping the pedals to clip in but eventually I got used to it. At that time, most cyclists were using clips with toe straps. These also tended to flip over and required some getting used to. Some pedal manufacturers even put a little tab on the pedal to make it easier to flip it over.

You will get used to the Looks, I think. I switched to Speedplay a few years ago and after a romance of a couple of years with them, I went back to Look. The Speedplays probably are the easiest to clip in. You don't have to worry about which side of the pedal you press on to clip in -- yet I just like Look better.

One thing that clipless pedals did for me is change the way I approach stops. I do not remove my foot from the pedal until the last possible moment. If a traffic light changes to green, I often save having to clip in again.

After some experience with the Looks, you'll learn to judge the pedal position and manage the flip without looking down. You'll do it by touch.

Van Hilliard said:

You will get used to the Looks, ...
After some experience with the Looks, you'll learn to judge the pedal position and manage the flip without looking down. You'll do it by touch.

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I'll second that advice. It takes a bit of getting used to, but becomes second nature. I also went from clips and straps (which required a toe flick to flip upright) to Looks and SPDs and now Speedplays for the road. They all have a learning curve but Looks aren't all that hard to get used to.

Think about dragging your foot up from behind the pedal to gently flip it upright and then press down to engage. It's sort of a scuff and press motion but in no time at all you won't have to look down. The key is to catch the pointed front end of the cleat in the front of the pedal as you scuff.

Good luck,
Dave

danxaz said:

I recently bought a pair of Look pedals model PP357 due to a recomedation from the LBS. One thing that is REALLY annoying me is that every time I unclip the pedal flips upside down. When I take off again I have to look down and fumble with the pedal in order to clip in again. These were my first clip-ins. This seems ridiculous. Is this normal? Are all "Look style" pedals like this? Thanks a lot.

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I too, just bought a pair as my first set of peddles from my LBS. Mine don't really roll upside down, but more just lay back vertically. I really like them, though. I am getting used to them on my indoor trainer so I haven't been to annoyed by this "hunt and peck for the pedals". I've just about got the hang of it. If you have a trainer, try mounting up and click in and out for a while. It really helped me out without being out in traffic. Good luck