Clipless pedals

Fraser King said:

I am thinking of making the transition to clipless pedals. Are they easy to
clip in and out of in traffic esp. if you have to stop a lot?

Yes, at least IME. Certainly easier than in and out of clips and straps
for me. If you're in real stop/start mode you don't actually need to
formally clip in to move the cranks around.

Quoted message said:

do they come unclipped mid cycle?

No, or at least not unless you're really heaving up hard and have /very/
badly worn cleats. Which there's no reason for unless you're incapable
of looking it them every few months and seeing if they're a bit
knackered yet.

Quoted message said:

what is recommended for commuting to work and some
longer distance recreational riding?

Depends a fair bit on what you want to wear for shoes. An MTB or tour
style shoe will let you walk around with a recessed cleat while roadies'
shoes have bigger cleats but you can only totter about when off the bike
in most cases.
Some pedals have a plain platform one side and an engagement on the
other so you can use them without cycling shoes, others have a wide
enough platform beyond the engagement to use as plain pedals anyway.

Shimano SPuDs are the easiest to come by, though I prefer Time
Aliums/ATACs myself (I just find they engage more positively), but they
cost more. The same shoes allow cleats from both. Road systems like
Looks and SPuD-R are probably easier over a day but there are the
off-bike issues.

For shoes, there is no substitute for trying different ones on for fit.
For example, Roos likes her Shimano shoes as she has the narrow feet
suited to Shimano shoes. I don't, and hate Shimano shoes. Try before
you buy, and never mind what someone else thinks is great.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Fraser King said:

I am thinking of making the transition to clipless pedals. Are they easy to
clip in and out of in traffic esp. if you have to stop a lot?

Keep them loose at first - with SPDs you adjust the tension using an allen
key.
Practice in a car park, or a grassy area till you are happy you can clip
in and out.

Fraser King said:

I am thinking of making the transition to clipless pedals. Are they
easy to clip in and out of in traffic esp. if you have to stop a lot?

Absolutely. Apart from the time you fall off, obviously :-)

--
Guy
--
May contain traces of irony. Contents liable to settle after posting.
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk

Peter Clinch said:

Shimano SPuDs are the easiest to come by, though I prefer Time
Aliums/ATACs myself

This kind of advice shows that when the chips are down, Pete certainly knows
his onions..

...d

On 22/7/04 2:46 pm, in article [email hidden],

John Hearns said:

Keep them loose at first - with SPDs you adjust the tension using an allen
key.

Keep the tension low on the pedal, not the cleat attachment tension loose
otherwise your foot and shoe will twist and the cleat will stay put.

...d

"JohnB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Fraser King said:

I am thinking of making the transition to clipless pedals. Are they easy

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

clip in and out of in traffic esp. if you have to stop a lot? do they

come

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

unclipped mid cycle? what is recommended for commuting to work and some
longer distance recreational riding?

You'll get loads of replies on this one ;-)
so briefly...

I went years without clipless and have always regretted not changing
over to them sooner.
They are one of the most useful bike upgrades you can make.
Clipping in and out is a doddle and with most, the tension can be
adjusted. They shouldn't come unclipped while riding unless the cleats
are particularly worn.

I would certainly advise double-sided spds as you don't have to line
them up before clipping in, and can easly walk in them without looking
like a stoopid penguin. Also there are a wide range of leisure style spd
shoes that don't look out of place when you are not riding.

Go for them. You won't regret it.

One thing has always stopped me - I have very wide feet.
The only trainers that fit me are New Balance - 4E width.
So far I have not located a supplier of extra wide SPD shoes - does anyone
perchance know of such a thing?

TIA
Dave R

David W.E. Roberts said:

"JohnB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Fraser King said:

I am thinking of making the transition to clipless pedals. Are they easy

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

clip in and out of in traffic esp. if you have to stop a lot? do they

come

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

unclipped mid cycle? what is recommended for commuting to work and some
longer distance recreational riding?

You'll get loads of replies on this one ;-)
so briefly...

I went years without clipless and have always regretted not changing
over to them sooner.
They are one of the most useful bike upgrades you can make.
Clipping in and out is a doddle and with most, the tension can be
adjusted. They shouldn't come unclipped while riding unless the cleats
are particularly worn.

I would certainly advise double-sided spds as you don't have to line
them up before clipping in, and can easly walk in them without looking
like a stoopid penguin. Also there are a wide range of leisure style spd
shoes that don't look out of place when you are not riding.

Go for them. You won't regret it.

One thing has always stopped me - I have very wide feet.
The only trainers that fit me are New Balance - 4E width.
So far I have not located a supplier of extra wide SPD shoes - does anyone
perchance know of such a thing?

I have wide-ish feet (D's, IIRC) and I found the Shimano entry level shoe
fits quite well, even though it _looks_ quite narrow.

I can't remember the model number, sorry,

AC

David Martin said:

On 22/7/04 2:44 pm, in article [email hidden], "Peter Clinch"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Shimano SPuDs are the easiest to come by, though I prefer Time
Aliums/ATACs myself

Quoted message said:

This kind of advice shows that when the chips are down, Pete certainly knows
his onions..

Hmm - not sure what will happen when my squash harvest starts....

Roos

David W.E. Roberts said:

One thing has always stopped me - I have very wide feet.
The only trainers that fit me are New Balance - 4E width.
So far I have not located a supplier of extra wide SPD shoes - does anyone
perchance know of such a thing?

Dunno if they're "extra wide", but I have reasonably wide feet and get
on well with Speiclaized Rockhoppers. I've tried Cannondale shoes in
the past and they seem okay width-wise for me, maybe try those and see
how you get on with them.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

On 22/7/04 3:07 pm, in article [email hidden],

Roos Eisma said:

David Martin <[email hidden]> writes:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

On 22/7/04 2:44 pm, in article [email hidden], "Peter Clinch"
<[email hidden]> wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Shimano SPuDs are the easiest to come by, though I prefer Time
Aliums/ATACs myself

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

This kind of advice shows that when the chips are down, Pete certainly knows
his onions..

Quoted message said:

Hmm - not sure what will happen when my squash harvest starts....

Onions and courgettes doing very nicely right now.. The squash isn't doing
quite so well (bit slow getting off the mark)

Spuds are fine, as are the raspberries. Strawberries are pretty much over
for the year.

Tomatoes will be another few weeks, peppers a bit longer.

...d

JohnB:

Quoted message said:

Go for them. You won't regret it.

I heartily endorse this comment.

I went for Shimano SPD-R pedals when I decided to go clipless and I've got
on fine with them - only a couple of minor incidents relating to not being
able to unclip, each instance mostly due to my own failure to keep my wits
about me.

d.

Fraser King said:

I am thinking of making the transition to clipless pedals. Are they easy to
clip in and out of in traffic esp. if you have to stop a lot? do they come
unclipped mid cycle? what is recommended for commuting to work and some
longer distance recreational riding?

You'll get loads of replies on this one ;-)
so briefly...

I went years without clipless and have always regretted not changing
over to them sooner.
They are one of the most useful bike upgrades you can make.
Clipping in and out is a doddle and with most, the tension can be
adjusted. They shouldn't come unclipped while riding unless the cleats
are particularly worn.

I would certainly advise double-sided spds as you don't have to line
them up before clipping in, and can easly walk in them without looking
like a stoopid penguin. Also there are a wide range of leisure style spd
shoes that don't look out of place when you are not riding.

Go for them. You won't regret it.

John B

in message <[email hidden]>, Fraser King

(') said:

I am thinking of making the transition to clipless pedals. Are they
easy to clip in and out of in traffic esp. if you have to stop a lot?

Yes, but everyone who uses them falls off in an embarrassingly silly way
at least once. Usually when other people are watching. Fortunately, it
very quickly becomes automatic.

Quoted message said:

do they come unclipped mid cycle?

No. Not accidentally.

Quoted message said:

what is recommended for commuting to
work and some longer distance recreational riding?

SPDs (and copies thereof) have cleats which can be recessed into the
sole of the shoe, meaning you can have shoes you can walk in easily.
Pedals are available with SPD fittings on one side, flat on the other,
which is a good compromise while getting used to them.

SPDs are a good place to start. There are a lot of other systems which
you might choose to move onto. The downsides of SPDs are limited float
and a tendency to clog with mud in particularly muddy off-road
conditions.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

... a mild, inoffensive sadist...

in message <[email hidden]>, Peter Clinch

(') said:

David W.E. Roberts said:

One thing has always stopped me - I have very wide feet.
The only trainers that fit me are New Balance - 4E width.
So far I have not located a supplier of extra wide SPD shoes - does
anyone perchance know of such a thing?

Dunno if they're "extra wide", but I have reasonably wide feet and get
on well with Speiclaized Rockhoppers.

I've got Rockhoppers. They're two sizes too big, but they're still too
narrow. My really comfortable shoes are real leather SIDIs, although
other people say SIDIs tend to be narrow. Maybe they use different
lasts for different models. But the advantage of real leather is it
will shape itself to your feet, which synthetic materials won't do.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

I shall continue to be an impossible person so long as those
who are now possible remain possible -- Michael Bakunin

"Fraser King" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am thinking of making the transition to clipless pedals. Are they easy

to

Quoted message said:

clip in and out of in traffic esp. if you have to stop a lot? do they come
unclipped mid cycle? what is recommended for commuting to work and some
longer distance recreational riding?

Be careful. I fell off about a dozen times before I got used to them. It was
always when I was stopping and failed to unclip before I came to a halt.
While getting used to them, unclip well in advance of junctions etc. I
wouldn't be without them now though.

Mark

David W.E. Roberts' of said:

One thing has always stopped me - I have very wide feet.
The only trainers that fit me are New Balance - 4E width.
So far I have not located a supplier of extra wide SPD shoes - does anyone
perchance know of such a thing?

Shimano sandals for the summer - almost infinitely adjustable. Mine are so
much more comfortable than any full shoe that I wear them with increasing
thicknesses of sock(s) until the temperature is actually below freezing.
Dry out quicker after rain too.
--
The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.-Plutarch
Steph Peters delete invalid from [email hidden]
Tatting, lace & stitching page <http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/index.htm>

Steph Peters said:

Shimano sandals for the summer - almost infinitely adjustable. Mine are so
much more comfortable than any full shoe that I wear them with increasing
thicknesses of sock(s) until the temperature is actually below freezing.
Dry out quicker after rain too.

Easily my fave cycling footwear too. Since there's no upper to speak
of, Shimano's narrow last doesn't cause me any problems with my SD-60s.
Great piece of kit.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"Steph Peters" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Shimano sandals for the summer - almost infinitely adjustable. Mine are
so
much more comfortable than any full shoe that I wear them with increasing
thicknesses of sock(s) until the temperature is actually below freezing.
Dry out quicker after rain too.

Not just for the summer, In winter they are fine combined with neoprene
overshoes.

The only problem I have ever had with them was when a blinding blizzard
forced me to get off my bike and walk through the snow.

Reply to Peter Clinch

Quoted message said:

Easily my fave cycling footwear too. Since there's no upper to speak
of, Shimano's narrow last doesn't cause me any problems with my SD-60s.
Great piece of kit.

I love them, especially in sunny weather. The only problem I've ever
had with them is that if one's toenails are overdue trimming, and if
one toenail should as a result and at certain angles overhang the
front of the sandal slightly, and if the toenail should be caught on a
pedal or similar, then one is in consequence forced briefly to perform
the One-Legged Screaming Dance.

--
Mark, UK.
We hope to hear him swear, we love to hear him squeak,
We like to see him biting fingers in his horny beak.