I've Fallen and I Can't Get Out
August 8, 2011 5:39 PM
Middle aged male going back to biking after a few years away. I know I need them, but I find the thought of clipless pedals quite scary. How can I get past this and transition as easily as possible.
Sit on the bike, leaning against something to keep you upright and clip in and out until you get the hang of it. Then ride around a parking lot, stopping and clipping out a bunch of times.
Then hit the streets. Somewhere calm preferable. When you're coming to an intersection, always think of the pedals. You'll probably forget once, and you might fall. It happened to me. How do you learn not to fall? You fall. Then you'll remember next time.
Clipless pedals do seem scary, but just remember that it's easy to clip out. It's almost as easy to clip out as taking your foot off a flat pedal, once you get the hang of them. You'll learn to use them safely just like you learned to ride a bike safely.
Lastly, in my opinion, nobody needs these pedals but I'm all for using them and I think that anyone can learn to use them and be comfortable with them.
posted by beau jackson at 5:51 PM on August 8, 2011
Then hit the streets. Somewhere calm preferable. When you're coming to an intersection, always think of the pedals. You'll probably forget once, and you might fall. It happened to me. How do you learn not to fall? You fall. Then you'll remember next time.
Clipless pedals do seem scary, but just remember that it's easy to clip out. It's almost as easy to clip out as taking your foot off a flat pedal, once you get the hang of them. You'll learn to use them safely just like you learned to ride a bike safely.
Lastly, in my opinion, nobody needs these pedals but I'm all for using them and I think that anyone can learn to use them and be comfortable with them.
posted by beau jackson at 5:51 PM on August 8, 2011
I just had a conversation with a friend in the same situation this morning. I don't know if that's a good thing or not, but at least I have my thoughts in order.
1. Are you sure you need them? If you're doing casual commuting/riding you might not.
2. If you're sure you do then I suggest starting with Shimano SPDs (I'm sure other folks will have good reasons to use other pedals, but SPDs work well for starting out).
They're dual-sided so you can clip in pretty easily, and you can adjust the release tension (like a ski binding). Set them loose and give it a try!
You can also buy little platforms that clip into one side of the pedal so one side is flat and use that until you're comfortable with the clipping in/out.
posted by dolface at 5:52 PM on August 8, 2011
1. Are you sure you need them? If you're doing casual commuting/riding you might not.
2. If you're sure you do then I suggest starting with Shimano SPDs (I'm sure other folks will have good reasons to use other pedals, but SPDs work well for starting out).
They're dual-sided so you can clip in pretty easily, and you can adjust the release tension (like a ski binding). Set them loose and give it a try!
You can also buy little platforms that clip into one side of the pedal so one side is flat and use that until you're comfortable with the clipping in/out.
posted by dolface at 5:52 PM on August 8, 2011
I think it's worth considering whether you need them at all. If you don't like them, don't use them.
posted by southof40 at 5:53 PM on August 8, 2011
posted by southof40 at 5:53 PM on August 8, 2011
I too found the transition easier than expected - the only time I toppled a bit was the first time coming to a light and "forgetting" I was clipped-in. I didn't forget after that. Now, I hate riding without them.
The best bit of advice I ever got: Start off with one foot clipped and DON'T WORRY about the other foot - just start pedaling, the second foot will clip in by itself, usually after just one or two rotations.
posted by jalexei at 5:55 PM on August 8, 2011
The best bit of advice I ever got: Start off with one foot clipped and DON'T WORRY about the other foot - just start pedaling, the second foot will clip in by itself, usually after just one or two rotations.
posted by jalexei at 5:55 PM on August 8, 2011
My dad is 58. In the last year and a half, he's gotten really into competitive cycling (previously, he had only been riding my mom's cruiser around the neighborhood). Bought himself a fancy bike and everything. I was concerned about him falling with his feet still stuck in the pedals, being that he's not getting any less fragile as he ages, but he hasn't had any problems. Took to them really fast, and has managed to get out quickly the few times he's fallen. I don't bike myself, but seeing how fast he picked them up, I don't think you'll have too much trouble.
posted by phunniemee at 5:55 PM on August 8, 2011
posted by phunniemee at 5:55 PM on August 8, 2011
I agree with Beau Jackson. Just practice until it becomes natural.
When I started to bike around town for commuting, I would often forget to downshift when I came to a stop. Sometimes I'd have to stand up and use my weight just to get it going. I quickly learned to always downshift and now I don't even have to think about it.
So definitely try and work it into a habit by riding in a safe area until you it becomes second nature.
posted by CZMR at 5:56 PM on August 8, 2011
When I started to bike around town for commuting, I would often forget to downshift when I came to a stop. Sometimes I'd have to stand up and use my weight just to get it going. I quickly learned to always downshift and now I don't even have to think about it.
So definitely try and work it into a habit by riding in a safe area until you it becomes second nature.
posted by CZMR at 5:56 PM on August 8, 2011
Do I need them? I live in rural Vermont and nothing is flat. I bought a cross bike for both dirt and paved roads and bought a pedal with one side flat and the clips on the other, just in case.
posted by Xurando at 5:57 PM on August 8, 2011
posted by Xurando at 5:57 PM on August 8, 2011
If you do go with SPDs, I'd recommend against getting bargain-basement clones to start with. Some of them work fine, but others (like a pair of Nashbar-branded ones I bought for $5) are horrid. A buddy of mine has a pair of cheapie Nashbars that work fine - it's a crapshoot. I'm just saying that a crappy set of starter pedals could turn you off prematurely.
posted by Rat Spatula at 5:59 PM on August 8, 2011
posted by Rat Spatula at 5:59 PM on August 8, 2011
You'll probably forget once, and you might fall. It happened to me. How do you learn not to fall? You fall. Then you'll remember next time.
I dunno, as we get older, falling gets more dangerous. I'm 40, and have used clipless pedals for 20 years. I recently fell and bruised my knee. It takes longer to heal, and I also damaged my frame.
That said, it just takes a little practice, and then it becomes automatic. This time that I fell was the first time in 20 years, so there must have been something else happening. I ride my bike everyday.
posted by KokuRyu at 5:59 PM on August 8, 2011
I dunno, as we get older, falling gets more dangerous. I'm 40, and have used clipless pedals for 20 years. I recently fell and bruised my knee. It takes longer to heal, and I also damaged my frame.
That said, it just takes a little practice, and then it becomes automatic. This time that I fell was the first time in 20 years, so there must have been something else happening. I ride my bike everyday.
posted by KokuRyu at 5:59 PM on August 8, 2011
Plenty of folks don't. Especially if you're not racing or riding long distances. Here's a very experienced alternative view.
posted by normy at 6:00 PM on August 8, 2011
posted by normy at 6:00 PM on August 8, 2011
And, in a serious crash, not being able to clip out can be a feature rather than a bug... "go down with the bike..."
posted by Rat Spatula at 6:00 PM on August 8, 2011
posted by Rat Spatula at 6:00 PM on August 8, 2011
I use Power Grips for commuting so I don't have to change shoes. You can start with them loose, then tighten them as you get comfortable.
posted by djb at 6:05 PM on August 8, 2011
posted by djb at 6:05 PM on August 8, 2011
Do I need them?
Probably not, but the sensation of being truly connected to the bike is a pretty amazing one to me. I don't need them, but I do love them. The Power Grips djb mentions are great, but even adjusted tightly I never felt quite as secure as I do with SPDs, and I find the twist (as opposed to pulling back + twist) motion easier for removing my foot.
...bought a pedal with one side flat and the clips on the other
Gentle warning - I don't know if this applies to all (or even most) of the clip/flat combos, but they can have an annoying tendency to rotate clip-side down, and you may spend more time than you'd like trying to flip it with your toe to clip in. This was a while back, so maybe that's changed.
posted by jalexei at 6:17 PM on August 8, 2011
Probably not, but the sensation of being truly connected to the bike is a pretty amazing one to me. I don't need them, but I do love them. The Power Grips djb mentions are great, but even adjusted tightly I never felt quite as secure as I do with SPDs, and I find the twist (as opposed to pulling back + twist) motion easier for removing my foot.
...bought a pedal with one side flat and the clips on the other
Gentle warning - I don't know if this applies to all (or even most) of the clip/flat combos, but they can have an annoying tendency to rotate clip-side down, and you may spend more time than you'd like trying to flip it with your toe to clip in. This was a while back, so maybe that's changed.
posted by jalexei at 6:17 PM on August 8, 2011
I was nervous about clipless pedals at first, too. I went to an expanse of grass at a park and rode in a couple circles, falling on purpose occasionally. Once I wasn't afraid of falling, I wasn't panicky about unclipping and have loved the spds ever since.
posted by thewestinggame at 6:22 PM on August 8, 2011
posted by thewestinggame at 6:22 PM on August 8, 2011
I was nervous about clipless pedals at first, too. I went to an expanse of grass at a park and rode in a couple circles, falling on purpose occasionally. Once I wasn't afraid of falling, I wasn't panicky about unclipping and have loved the spds ever since.
This. Practice makes perfect, and it's a lot nicer to fall on grass than asphalt. In fact, these sorts of drills on grass are great for all sorts of things where falling is imminent. One of the best bike experiences I've ever had was doing drills bumping and nudging other riders and crossing wheels and doing all of the other stupid things that could make you panic and/or crash if you were doing them for the first time at high speeds. On grass, you touch wheels and fall, and oh well. On concrete, well, my surgically repaired collarbone knows how that feels.
Really, though, clipless pedals are one of the great inventions of modern cycling. You'll love them.
posted by The Michael The at 6:39 PM on August 8, 2011
This. Practice makes perfect, and it's a lot nicer to fall on grass than asphalt. In fact, these sorts of drills on grass are great for all sorts of things where falling is imminent. One of the best bike experiences I've ever had was doing drills bumping and nudging other riders and crossing wheels and doing all of the other stupid things that could make you panic and/or crash if you were doing them for the first time at high speeds. On grass, you touch wheels and fall, and oh well. On concrete, well, my surgically repaired collarbone knows how that feels.
Really, though, clipless pedals are one of the great inventions of modern cycling. You'll love them.
posted by The Michael The at 6:39 PM on August 8, 2011
To unclip, angle your heel out and down. Once I knew what the actual motion was, it was easier to get it done.
Also, the pedals where one side is flat and the other has the clip, flip themselves with each revolution. So, if you've got one foot in you can just go round once and the other side is magically up.
posted by amanda at 6:40 PM on August 8, 2011
Also, the pedals where one side is flat and the other has the clip, flip themselves with each revolution. So, if you've got one foot in you can just go round once and the other side is magically up.
posted by amanda at 6:40 PM on August 8, 2011
My wife and I use omnidirectional-release SPD bindings on both our trail and road bikes. They are indispensable on the trail. On the road, it was more a matter of we aren't super-competitive elite cyclists, we are already used to the way they work, and they fit the shoes we already had.
Omnidirectional is great when all you can remember is "I want out NOW" and can't be bothered to remember to kick the heel out first. We can kick out in any direction - even forward if we jerk our feet up hard.
Our neighbor bought a $3000 road bike used. Came with road clips. First time she went out riding she fell and broke her elbow. So yeah, it's a real concern, and you do need to practice. (Since then she has spent a lot of time in the grass learning how to kick out properly, and has been riding with confidence for over a year since the injury. You don't bounce back as fast as you used to at this age, but you do bounce back.)
posted by caution live frogs at 6:56 PM on August 8, 2011
Omnidirectional is great when all you can remember is "I want out NOW" and can't be bothered to remember to kick the heel out first. We can kick out in any direction - even forward if we jerk our feet up hard.
Our neighbor bought a $3000 road bike used. Came with road clips. First time she went out riding she fell and broke her elbow. So yeah, it's a real concern, and you do need to practice. (Since then she has spent a lot of time in the grass learning how to kick out properly, and has been riding with confidence for over a year since the injury. You don't bounce back as fast as you used to at this age, but you do bounce back.)
posted by caution live frogs at 6:56 PM on August 8, 2011
Shimano SPD user here - I can't speak for other systems, but these are dead easy to pop your feet out of - just a quick outward snap with the heel; nothing to it. I followed the advice in the manual, and practiced a couple of times standing still, then for a short while in an empty parking lot.
Note that you should be able to adjust the pedal settings, to make it easier or harder to free yourself. Don't make them too easy, though, or your shoes will spontaneously detach if you hit a hill & start really pulling up on the upstroke.
posted by UbuRoivas at 7:10 PM on August 8, 2011
Note that you should be able to adjust the pedal settings, to make it easier or harder to free yourself. Don't make them too easy, though, or your shoes will spontaneously detach if you hit a hill & start really pulling up on the upstroke.
posted by UbuRoivas at 7:10 PM on August 8, 2011
Do I need them? I live in rural Vermont and nothing is flat.
Apart from the feeling of connectedness / integration with the bike, they're especially good for hills - as I suggested earlier, it's all about being able to pull up instead of just pushing down on pedals. Good for a burst of speed, and gives your quadriceps a bit of a rest when needed, as other muscles (hamstrings, I guess) work the upstroke. Not that you'd do this all the time; it's more of an "extra gear" for me when I feel like it.
Also, they're handy for getting your pedal into position when stopped at the lights, instead of trying to kick it around into place.
posted by UbuRoivas at 7:17 PM on August 8, 2011
Apart from the feeling of connectedness / integration with the bike, they're especially good for hills - as I suggested earlier, it's all about being able to pull up instead of just pushing down on pedals. Good for a burst of speed, and gives your quadriceps a bit of a rest when needed, as other muscles (hamstrings, I guess) work the upstroke. Not that you'd do this all the time; it's more of an "extra gear" for me when I feel like it.
Also, they're handy for getting your pedal into position when stopped at the lights, instead of trying to kick it around into place.
posted by UbuRoivas at 7:17 PM on August 8, 2011
I don't think pedals which attach themselves to your feet in any way are safe.
I have been in two accidents which would have killed me, I believe, if I'd been using either toe clips or clipless pedals. In the first, I was deliberately rear-ended by a driver I'd had words with at a stop light a few moments earlier. I came up off the bike and rolled back over the car, landing on all fours with my only injury a bruised hip where the impulse of the collision had driven the seat forward into my rear end. My bike ended up under the car. In the second, I was thrown fifteen feet onto a grassy parking strip when I hit a car head on that had crossed into my lane at speed to get around a traffic island. The bike once again ended up under the car.
I also think being attached to the pedals makes other kinds of injuries more probable. You can't move your feet very much, and that causes the whole motion of pedaling to be very nearly identical for each cycle of the pedals, and that raises the likelihood of repetitive stress injury. Also, pulling up on the pedal for half a cycle greatly increases the average pressure from the seat on your perineum, and such pressure has caused nerve damage and consequent genital numbness in a number of cyclists.
posted by jamjam at 7:42 PM on August 8, 2011
I have been in two accidents which would have killed me, I believe, if I'd been using either toe clips or clipless pedals. In the first, I was deliberately rear-ended by a driver I'd had words with at a stop light a few moments earlier. I came up off the bike and rolled back over the car, landing on all fours with my only injury a bruised hip where the impulse of the collision had driven the seat forward into my rear end. My bike ended up under the car. In the second, I was thrown fifteen feet onto a grassy parking strip when I hit a car head on that had crossed into my lane at speed to get around a traffic island. The bike once again ended up under the car.
I also think being attached to the pedals makes other kinds of injuries more probable. You can't move your feet very much, and that causes the whole motion of pedaling to be very nearly identical for each cycle of the pedals, and that raises the likelihood of repetitive stress injury. Also, pulling up on the pedal for half a cycle greatly increases the average pressure from the seat on your perineum, and such pressure has caused nerve damage and consequent genital numbness in a number of cyclists.
posted by jamjam at 7:42 PM on August 8, 2011
I will basically not ride without clipless. I have four bikes that I use regularly, and all of them are clipless only. I have never had a pedal-related fall, and have never had difficulty extracting myself after a fall.
All that's to say, I think clipless pedals are great and you should get some.
SPD (or similar pedals) are really the easiest to learn and use and the shoes generally let you walk, too. You can also get a pair of Shimano A530s that have clipless on one side and a platform on the other. My woman loves them (I don't have a need for them).
posted by klanawa at 7:44 PM on August 8, 2011
All that's to say, I think clipless pedals are great and you should get some.
SPD (or similar pedals) are really the easiest to learn and use and the shoes generally let you walk, too. You can also get a pair of Shimano A530s that have clipless on one side and a platform on the other. My woman loves them (I don't have a need for them).
posted by klanawa at 7:44 PM on August 8, 2011
jamjam, your observations aren't really based in fact.
First, nobody pulls up on the pedal hard enough to damage their perineum and research suggests that, while seated, up-force is negligible even while "pedaling in circles." Few untrained cyclists pedal in circles anyway.
Second, all pedals allow rotation or have optional cleats that allow it. There's little risk of injury on a properly set up system.
Third, the force involved in a collision is far, far greater than the force needed to disengage clipless pedals at the highest tension. I have been hit by a car and had plenty of mountain bike crashes. The pedals are never a significant problem.
posted by klanawa at 7:50 PM on August 8, 2011
First, nobody pulls up on the pedal hard enough to damage their perineum and research suggests that, while seated, up-force is negligible even while "pedaling in circles." Few untrained cyclists pedal in circles anyway.
Second, all pedals allow rotation or have optional cleats that allow it. There's little risk of injury on a properly set up system.
Third, the force involved in a collision is far, far greater than the force needed to disengage clipless pedals at the highest tension. I have been hit by a car and had plenty of mountain bike crashes. The pedals are never a significant problem.
posted by klanawa at 7:50 PM on August 8, 2011
Here's another argument that you don't need them. But your question is nevertheless how to go about transitioning to them, and my answer is to get normal pedals with toe clips and ride with loose straps or no straps at all until you're feeling more confident to try clipless pedals.
But honestly, you'll be just fine without them!
posted by FLAG (BASTARD WATER.) (Acorus Adulterinus.) at 8:00 PM on August 8, 2011
But honestly, you'll be just fine without them!
posted by FLAG (BASTARD WATER.) (Acorus Adulterinus.) at 8:00 PM on August 8, 2011
I'm a little surprised that nobody has said this yet, so...
Many foot retention systems allow adjustment of the force required to release the shoe from the pedal. Shimano SPDs do and, like many folks here, if you're starting out with a clipless system for non-specific cycling, that's the one I'd recommend. From the factory, they're not generally set at their weakest retention spring force. Loosen them off some more (see the tiny-print instruction sheet in many languages they come with for how) while you get used to them. You might find you're quite happy with that setting and leave it there, or you might occasionally pull a foot out unintentionally, so experiment.
Time spent adjusting the cleat position is well invested. Most people, but not all, naturally point their toes in a little when they pedal. Figure out where your feet naturally fall and make sure the cleat allows the most natural motion for your feet and legs. We're all a little different so don't be afraid to make small adjustments until you know you're comfortable and can pedal relaxed.
Almost every source you'll find on how to set up bike shoe cleats will tell you that the cleat should be positioned so that the ball of the foot pushes directly down on the pedal axle. It's repeated like a mantra in literature and bike shops the world over and it's crap, in my not so humble opinion. You need the cleat further back than that (putting your foot further forward). It's just as efficient and isn't pressurizing the nerves that run into your toes. How much further back is another matter for experiment, but if you trust me on this you'll avoid the risk of numb toes or 'hot foot', a painful condition generally discovered after pedaling for a little longer than you're used to.
posted by normy at 8:38 PM on August 8, 2011
Many foot retention systems allow adjustment of the force required to release the shoe from the pedal. Shimano SPDs do and, like many folks here, if you're starting out with a clipless system for non-specific cycling, that's the one I'd recommend. From the factory, they're not generally set at their weakest retention spring force. Loosen them off some more (see the tiny-print instruction sheet in many languages they come with for how) while you get used to them. You might find you're quite happy with that setting and leave it there, or you might occasionally pull a foot out unintentionally, so experiment.
Time spent adjusting the cleat position is well invested. Most people, but not all, naturally point their toes in a little when they pedal. Figure out where your feet naturally fall and make sure the cleat allows the most natural motion for your feet and legs. We're all a little different so don't be afraid to make small adjustments until you know you're comfortable and can pedal relaxed.
Almost every source you'll find on how to set up bike shoe cleats will tell you that the cleat should be positioned so that the ball of the foot pushes directly down on the pedal axle. It's repeated like a mantra in literature and bike shops the world over and it's crap, in my not so humble opinion. You need the cleat further back than that (putting your foot further forward). It's just as efficient and isn't pressurizing the nerves that run into your toes. How much further back is another matter for experiment, but if you trust me on this you'll avoid the risk of numb toes or 'hot foot', a painful condition generally discovered after pedaling for a little longer than you're used to.
posted by normy at 8:38 PM on August 8, 2011
Third, the force involved in a collision is far, far greater than the force needed to disengage clipless pedals at the highest tension. I have been hit by a car and had plenty of mountain bike crashes. The pedals are never a significant problem.
I'm glad you came out OK, klanawa, but the very fact that there are configurations of leg, foot and pedal that allow you to exert significant upward force without disengaging the shoe from the pedal means that if the force you experience in an accident happens to pull on the pedal in one of the same directions, you won't come off the pedal easily or perhaps in time. To say "the pedals are never a significant problem" is simply foolish, and makes me wonder whether anything else you say deserves to be taken seriously. Even if they were perfectly designed and manufactured (which they are not), quick release mechanisms can get dirty and quite sticky even in the course of a single day's ride in wet weather. Every serious cyclist I know has experienced suboptimal release from their pedals, and I've talked to scores of them about the issue.
Every male cyclist I know has also experienced some genital numbing, as well, one good friend for a period of six months, and it is indisputable that pressure from the seat, along with impulses from bumps, is the main culprit. The upward force you exert on the pedal must be balanced by an equivalent opposite force or it would throw you down off the bike. And that balancing force can come only from the grips on your hands, from the other pedal on your other foot, or from the seat. If that extra force on your perineum is not significant, it won't do much to move you forward, either.
posted by jamjam at 10:05 PM on August 8, 2011
I'm glad you came out OK, klanawa, but the very fact that there are configurations of leg, foot and pedal that allow you to exert significant upward force without disengaging the shoe from the pedal means that if the force you experience in an accident happens to pull on the pedal in one of the same directions, you won't come off the pedal easily or perhaps in time. To say "the pedals are never a significant problem" is simply foolish, and makes me wonder whether anything else you say deserves to be taken seriously. Even if they were perfectly designed and manufactured (which they are not), quick release mechanisms can get dirty and quite sticky even in the course of a single day's ride in wet weather. Every serious cyclist I know has experienced suboptimal release from their pedals, and I've talked to scores of them about the issue.
Every male cyclist I know has also experienced some genital numbing, as well, one good friend for a period of six months, and it is indisputable that pressure from the seat, along with impulses from bumps, is the main culprit. The upward force you exert on the pedal must be balanced by an equivalent opposite force or it would throw you down off the bike. And that balancing force can come only from the grips on your hands, from the other pedal on your other foot, or from the seat. If that extra force on your perineum is not significant, it won't do much to move you forward, either.
posted by jamjam at 10:05 PM on August 8, 2011
Or you could just get those male-friendly seats with the valley down the centre, so you sit not on your perineum, but on your tailbones. Perhaps also expand the range of male cyclists you speak to, because I've certainly never experienced this numbing you talk about - possibly because of the aforementioned seat design.
posted by UbuRoivas at 10:27 PM on August 8, 2011
posted by UbuRoivas at 10:27 PM on August 8, 2011
Genital numbing has less to do with clipless pedals and more to do with proper bike/saddle fit and proper clothing (cycling shorts with padding).
Clipless pedals take practice. That's all there is to it.
posted by fennokin at 5:58 AM on August 9, 2011
Clipless pedals take practice. That's all there is to it.
posted by fennokin at 5:58 AM on August 9, 2011
I've got dual-sided clip pedals for my mountain bike and love them. I've also got mountain bike shoes with the clip embedded up into the tread a bit. This makes the walkable on regular sufaces without the clip grating on the floor. The upside to the half/half nature of the pedals is I can clip-in when conditions are good for it, but use them like regular pedals when things get hairy.
A friend ahead of me lost momentum on a steep uphill while clipped in. He fell over. Into poison ivy. I wasn't clipped in and easily put one foot down to stop, avoid falling and dealing with the poison ivy (I'm horrendously allergic to it).
posted by wkearney99 at 7:21 AM on August 9, 2011
A friend ahead of me lost momentum on a steep uphill while clipped in. He fell over. Into poison ivy. I wasn't clipped in and easily put one foot down to stop, avoid falling and dealing with the poison ivy (I'm horrendously allergic to it).
posted by wkearney99 at 7:21 AM on August 9, 2011
Clips offer most of the advantages of clipless, plus the options to ride with loose straps, or with no clips on the backside of the pedal. Even with tight straps, I've never had any trouble pulling a shoe out of the clip (but note that a sandal strap and a tightened clip strip can snag each other).
posted by TruncatedTiller at 7:34 AM on August 9, 2011
posted by TruncatedTiller at 7:34 AM on August 9, 2011
If that extra force on your perineum is not significant, it won't do much to move you forward, either.
Pedaling with one foot clipped in doesn't do much to move me forward. Even while pedaling in a "circle", the majority of effort moving the bike is still the opposite foot pushing down. And the force of pulling upward on the pedal doesn't center on the perineum, it's offset laterally a bit to the opposite buttock. Seat construction and positioning is far more critical to avoiding numbness.
if the force you experience in an accident happens to pull on the pedal in one of the same directions, you won't come off the pedal easily or perhaps in time.
I realize my own experience isn't statistically valid, but after nearly 30 years of semi-serious on and off road cycling, the last 15 exclusively with clipless pedals, I've had countless falls on the trails and several collisions commuting (with both stationary and moving obstacles) and NEVER have my feet failed to separate nearly instantly from the pedals. The force I can exert with my legs is easily exceeded by even minor mishaps. I'm also confident I've avoided plenty of accidents having my feet securely on the pedals when slipping off would've resulted in a loss of control.
I'm not disputing that clipless pedals could contribute to numbness issues, nor would I dispute that in certain conditions they could conceivably increase the chance of injury. I just don't think either is a significant enough factor to consider avoiding clipless pedals.
posted by jalexei at 7:36 AM on August 9, 2011
Pedaling with one foot clipped in doesn't do much to move me forward. Even while pedaling in a "circle", the majority of effort moving the bike is still the opposite foot pushing down. And the force of pulling upward on the pedal doesn't center on the perineum, it's offset laterally a bit to the opposite buttock. Seat construction and positioning is far more critical to avoiding numbness.
if the force you experience in an accident happens to pull on the pedal in one of the same directions, you won't come off the pedal easily or perhaps in time.
I realize my own experience isn't statistically valid, but after nearly 30 years of semi-serious on and off road cycling, the last 15 exclusively with clipless pedals, I've had countless falls on the trails and several collisions commuting (with both stationary and moving obstacles) and NEVER have my feet failed to separate nearly instantly from the pedals. The force I can exert with my legs is easily exceeded by even minor mishaps. I'm also confident I've avoided plenty of accidents having my feet securely on the pedals when slipping off would've resulted in a loss of control.
I'm not disputing that clipless pedals could contribute to numbness issues, nor would I dispute that in certain conditions they could conceivably increase the chance of injury. I just don't think either is a significant enough factor to consider avoiding clipless pedals.
posted by jalexei at 7:36 AM on August 9, 2011
For whatever it's worth, I've always found clipless pedals to be quite a bit easier to get out of than sneakers and toeclips with the toe straps cinched down. And unless you've got some kind of crazy-high release tension on your clipless pedals, you'll pop out of them pretty easily in the event of a crash.
I realize that knowing these things as facts won't necessarily help you overcome the visceral freak-out that you'll feel while getting used to them.
Also: if you get SPDs, make sure the cleats are installed really securely in the shoes. Use grease on the screws so you can get them tighter. I had the experience once of trying to clip out of a new setup and having the shoe rotate while the cleat stayed in place. Fortunately there was a parked car nearby that I could lean against while I unlaced the damned shoe to extricate myself.
posted by adamrice at 8:30 AM on August 9, 2011
I realize that knowing these things as facts won't necessarily help you overcome the visceral freak-out that you'll feel while getting used to them.
Also: if you get SPDs, make sure the cleats are installed really securely in the shoes. Use grease on the screws so you can get them tighter. I had the experience once of trying to clip out of a new setup and having the shoe rotate while the cleat stayed in place. Fortunately there was a parked car nearby that I could lean against while I unlaced the damned shoe to extricate myself.
posted by adamrice at 8:30 AM on August 9, 2011
Just wanted to chime in that clipless is totally worth it. The connectedness to the bike transforms the experience of cycling, completely.
The OPs question relates to fear: fear of being stuck, of falling, maybe embarrasing themselves. As others have said, it simply takes a little practice. Maybe three rides, and you'll be 100% more comfortable. You will quickly get to a point where that "click" is a comforting sound - it means "all secure and ready to go!" The connection to the pedals allows you to use your entire body, rather than mashing away with your quads.
The concerns raised about repetive motion injury are solved by the ability of all modern pedal systems to "float."
The concerns about being clipped in while in a crash or being hit by a car sound like those of a person who doesn't realize how easy and natural it is to release from a modern clipless pedal.
And the stuff about genital numbness is bollocks. Genital numbness = poor bike fit, incompatible saddle.
posted by werkzeuger at 12:41 PM on August 9, 2011
The OPs question relates to fear: fear of being stuck, of falling, maybe embarrasing themselves. As others have said, it simply takes a little practice. Maybe three rides, and you'll be 100% more comfortable. You will quickly get to a point where that "click" is a comforting sound - it means "all secure and ready to go!" The connection to the pedals allows you to use your entire body, rather than mashing away with your quads.
The concerns raised about repetive motion injury are solved by the ability of all modern pedal systems to "float."
The concerns about being clipped in while in a crash or being hit by a car sound like those of a person who doesn't realize how easy and natural it is to release from a modern clipless pedal.
And the stuff about genital numbness is bollocks. Genital numbness = poor bike fit, incompatible saddle.
posted by werkzeuger at 12:41 PM on August 9, 2011
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This is one of those things that sounds much harder than it is. Try it out. It will be awesome.
posted by sciencegeek at 5:44 PM on August 8, 2011