Cycling UK Forum

I've been riding with SPDs for nearly 20 years and can say that when I've fallen/come off the action of my legs has released my feet from the pedals. Still got a scar on my knee from one of the first SPD lessons I had.

You may need to re-adjust your saddle height, since your shoe and pedal combo may be different from before. I had to put up my saddle quite a bit, over one inch, because my SPDs put my foot into a different position.

The advantages I found
1) no risk of slippage off pedal
2) being able to pull on the upstroke, useful for extra oomph going up steep hills
3) keeps foot and leg in same position - I was finding my foot position slipping in toe clips

bigfoot wrote:You're in good company

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC8kbQc6zCc

sketch starts at 5min 20 in, 7 minutes for the fall.

Thanks for that, that helps a lot. I forget how funny he is!

The only time I've fallen out of my toe clips is not when I couldn't disengage a foot before stopping, but when I disengaged the wrong foot.

That is, I came to a stop and expected to "fall to the left" and land on my left foot. But I did something clever (like grabbing for a nearby post in order to accomplish the "no feet down stop") and ended up with my left foot out but falling to the right. There's no time to disengage my right foot and I hit the asphalt.

It took me a few tries to get this, but I find the trick is;

* decide before you get to the junction which foot you're going to unclip.
* as you come to an almost-stop, halt that foot at the top of the pedal revolution, and
* steer away from that foot (so if you're unclipping your right foot, steer a bit to the left).
* The transfer of weight will cause the bike to start falling the way you want it to. Flick out heel, put foot down, look cool.

Essentially you need to steer the bike out from under yourself so your weight falls the way you want it to. We all do this kind of weight management constantly when riding, it's just a bit weird having to think about it like this, and the difference is that you're doing it in order to fall in the right direction, not to stay upright.

After I cottoned on to this, it only took a couple of days for muscle memory (or whatever it is) to get up to speed, and now it's second nature.

I did make it hard for myself though. I went from not owning a bike, straight to commuting 20 miles a day through Manchester, with SPDs, on a fixed-wheel. I love a challenge

The advice djoptix is spot on. The more you do it the easier and more intuitive it becomes. I find that I can do this confidence at a moments notice now.

When you are setting off don't get anxious about clipping in (it's more likely to go wrong and give you a sore shin!). Pedal strongly with your clipped foot remembering you can continue the stroke if you don't manage to clip in immediately. Be assured the more you do it the less you have to think about it.

The more confident I get the easier I find it to cycle up to red lights etc. almost at a stand still. The next trick is to 'track stand'!

Alice you asked how to check position. Set off ride for while then twist your heel in and back out but not enough to release. you should be able to feel the float. if you can't twist the foot in the heel is too far in,Adjust the cleat out slightly,.

kwackers wrote:For commuting and general cycling I found them to be pointless.

I've found SPD shoes and pedals to be very useful in reducing strain on my knees. I never have to think about where I put my feet so they are always in the right place.

dmhouse wrote:The only time I've fallen out of my toe clips is not when I couldn't disengage a foot before stopping, but when I disengaged the wrong foot.

I find that reducing the spring tension on the pedal clip helps a lot when trying to disengage your feet in a hurry.

syklist wrote:

kwackers wrote:For commuting and general cycling I found them to be pointless.

I've found SPD shoes and pedals to be very useful in reducing strain on my knees. I never have to think about where I put my feet so they are always in the right place.

It's not really a case of thinking where to put my feet, just that I don't like them in the same place all the time!

Plus there's a lot of evidence that any repetitive motion - particularly when there's no scope to change is bad for you. It's difficult to see how in the long term spd's could make things any better.

For my money to be of any use spd's need to offer a benefit and having used them for months I found none. I started wearing them with high expectations and after months of using them riding around 200 miles a week found nothing. In the end I alternated between spd's and normal shoes on a daily basis and checked averages from the computer each week - they made absolutely bugger all difference and the downside was feet that I couldn't move if I wanted too, shoes I found too restrictive and hot (I like to cycle in proper running shoes) and finally they were awful to walk in!

My honest opinion - mass hysteria.

kwackers wrote:

syklist wrote:

kwackers wrote:For commuting and general cycling I found them to be pointless.

I've found SPD shoes and pedals to be very useful in reducing strain on my knees. I never have to think about where I put my feet so they are always in the right place.

It's not really a case of thinking where to put my feet, just that I don't like them in the same place all the time!

Plus there's a lot of evidence that any repetitive motion - particularly when there's no scope to change is bad for you. It's difficult to see how in the long term spd's could make things any better.

Yes, it is always a surprise when someone else's experience is completely contrary to your own experience and your own logic. That is one of the great things about reading these forums.

As for knees, I have a dodgy one as my right leg is a bit twisted, making my foot turn out if I'm not watching it, which strains my knee. Using the spds keeps my foot straight and my knee working in the correct plane, and this has been good for it- at any rate, I have no knee trouble on the bike itself and have a lot less trouble with it the rest of the time (I think it is teaching my leg to work in the right plane and building up the right muscles).

My LBS set up my cleats and saddle height etc.for me very carefully and checked they were right on a turbo. They also had me practicing in and out on it before letting me off the leash and onto the road home. If you have a nice LBS perhaps they could check them for you (if you're nice too and buy something from them!)

I found that I had one spill on the way home when I was learning, then was very careful to disengage before junctions, especially uphill ones, for a while. I had my next spill when I had got so used to it I forgot about them and forgot I wasn't in straps.

Other than that it's been fine. I was very reluctant to use them, when I tried a friend's ones out I hated them, I felt so claustrophobic and trapped. But I find they work very well for me now I'm used to them.

I don't find my spd shoes hot, as I use 'spinning' shoes which are mostly holes. I just put breathable covers over them if it's wet, and wear wool socks if it's cold.
The shoes are roomy enough that I've never had hot or squashed feet. In fact, they're not sweaty at all and are far more comfy on the bike than trainers were.

Flinders wrote:I don't find my spd shoes hot, as I use 'spinning' shoes which are mostly holes. I just put breathable covers over them if it's wet, and wear wool socks if it's cold.
The shoes are roomy enough that I've never had hot or squashed feet. In fact, they're not sweaty at all and are far more comfy on the bike than trainers were.

+2 Mrs Syklist and I use SPD sandals, with waterproof socks and/or woollen socks as needs be.

aprildavy wrote: and haven't fallen over - until today! Just as I was setting off, right foot in, my wife asked - "Do you want me to go to Tescos to get you some beer".

That's definitely your wife's fault. Couldn't she have just got the beer? I presume she was going anyway.