Cycling UK Forum

Second minor fall, again from a standstill, on Wednesday when I was waiting to cycle across a Toucan crossing. Leaned to the right to press the button, and just kept on leaning to the right with no foot to land on

Popped into town today in "normal" shoes 'cos I didn't fancy crunching round in between shops with the cleats on. I really missed being clipped in! Had to keep kicking my pedal up before I set off, instead of clipping in and then pulling it up. Never bothered me before of course, but now I've had a glimpse of another world...

Also the ability to accelerate faster is so useful in traffic, at lights etc, and it was a bit frustrating not to be able to use the second set of muscles to help with the pedaling. Really not very practical to have to take a second pair of shoes with me just to go shopping in town though.

Interesting comments re: knees, I have a vague hope that mine might be helped by SPDs for similar reasons, but I'm not at all sure what's actually up with my knees to begin with so hard to know what might help or hinder. Planning to just try things and see what feels best. I do slightly miss the ability to move my feet around on the pedals, but not too much, and I think outweighed by the lack of feet slipping off the pedals (even when pointing my toes down a bit, as I've discovered that I like to do sometimes).

Still keeping options open though - I'm so glad I got pedals with one flat side! I can use any shoes I like, and could even take the cleats off and put them back on at different points in a tour depending on what we're doing and how I feel. When I'm sure I've got the cleat position right I'll permanently mark their outline on the soles of the shoes so it's easy to get them back on in the right place.

Finding it much easier to get my left foot clipped in after my most recent cleat adjustment, which I guess means I've got the position about right now. Need more practice, but I'm going away next week so there will be a short intermission in this learning curve. Really enjoying it so far though!

Inspired by this thread, and the Touring Pedals thread, I decided to give SPDs another chance. I never considered putting them on my main (and currently only) bike before as I use it for going shopping etc. and don't want to have to walk round with cleats, but I ordered the A530s so I can use whatever shoes I like

After using them for getting to work and back for a week, this weekend I had my first chance to give them a proper go, visiting friends down in Southampton (from Bath). I have to say I was amazed at the difference - I've done this route many times before, and kept up a much faster speed the entire journey down, despite being fairly knackered before I even set off, having been working (as a postie) in the morning. The downside - did they make my feet ache! Not really worked out why. I'm using Lidl's £15 shoes which are casual and comfy, so don't think they are the problem. I got instant relief as soon as I unclipped.

Anyway, on the way back I tried moving the cleats back a bit so my feet are positioned further forward, which seems a little unnatural to me, but nonetheless it made a big difference and I think I am now a convert feet ache problem not yet completely cured, but with a little experimenation will hopefully get there...

unrelated question for a techie: I had a little trouble finding this thread again - why does searching for either 'first' or 'spd' not produce any results, but searching for 'time' does?

Benethi wrote:I have to say I was amazed at the difference - I've done this route many times before, and kept up a much faster speed the entire journey down

Much faster? Where did you suddenly generate the extra CV fitness from?

Perhaps SPD's help people with poor pedalling form? Could be an explanation...

kwackers wrote:Where did you suddenly generate the extra CV fitness from?

i just had to google cv fitness, so I'm afraid my answer is I don't really have any idea what that means...

Perhaps SPD's help people with poor pedalling form? Could be an explanation...

quite possibly I just ride, and try not to worry too much about these things...

I find the lisle shoes food, but probably not for a long ride. The plate is quite small and the sole isn't as stiff as my other spd shoes, so they can put a couple of pressure point in.

As to marking the location of the cleats - they'll do it for you - they dig into the sole and it's quite easy to see where they go.

Benethi wrote:

kwackers wrote:Where did you suddenly generate the extra CV fitness from?

i just had to google cv fitness, so I'm afraid my answer is I don't really have any idea what that means...

Perhaps SPD's help people with poor pedalling form? Could be an explanation...

quite possibly I just ride, and try not to worry too much about these things...

CV = Cardio Vascular. Basically how much and how fast you can get oxygen to the relavent bits.

I'm just curious because I used SPD's for months and they made no difference to my commute at all (and I was expecting an improvement too!).
Trouble is it's difficult to sort out fact from fiction. Over any distance CV fitness and stamina are the limiting factors, over short distances and quick splurts they may well help - but that's not the sort of riding I do. And probably more important, I get off the bike and walk when I get where I'm going!

I use recessed cleats, so walking is okay.

I have been using SPD's (Time) since 2000!
Apart from a snapped axel in 2008 I have had no problems. (Link is dated '10 but it happened in '08).
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41238&p=330872&hilit=snapped+axel#p330872
I like the feel they give when you turn the crank, they say they are more ergodynamic and so you use less energy, I also like the way you can just slip your foot out of the clip if you have to stop quickly for any reason!
They also allow easier circulation of the blood as there is no strap to hinder the flow.
I am very impressed!
Rating: ***** (Five star).
Ben

[XAP]Bob wrote:I use recessed cleats, so walking is okay.

If you like walking with flat feet.

I figure there's a reason there's so much flex in one's feet.

My Shimano SPD sandals are second only to my rather over-priced New Balance shoes for ease of walking.
It is quite common for walking shoes and boots to have rigid soles. The Shimano sandals have that same delightful rolling motion of a good quality hiking boot. They also have no contact between the cleats and tarmac, it takes quite a rough surface to get to the cleats.

The only problem is that they are too wide and always managed to be on two pedals at once when i tried to drive the car in them.

You need spd car pedals to keep them in check

I must say I really like SPDs, although I didn't notice much, if any, improvement in speed or anything like that. I also don't seem to use the "pull" effect, or maybe I'm doing it without noticing?

The thing I like most about them though is the comfort and security on the pedals, I could never find a comfortable position on flat pedals and if it was slightly wet there was always the worry of slipping if climbing out of the saddle.

aprildavy wrote:I went over to cleats about 9 months ago 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 sounded like a moment in one of those Interflora commercials, where the ending text is: "Flowers can do a lot....." (okay, so I don´t know exactly how it goes in the English-language versions).

I rode cleats for 5 years. For 5 years I had knee pain that eventually got so bad that I considered giving up cycling. I tried every different combination, shoes, position, angle etc that I could. Nothing worked. The last straw was when I came off in Mallorca and broke my arm [not blaming the cleats but I don't know if it was a factor]. I then read this guys view on cleats http://iikmisc.blogspot.com/2010/03/clipless-myth.html.
I have since reverted to plain platform pedals. I have no knee pain whatsoever. I recently completed a 2 week 700mile tour with no knee pain! The other day I tried the cleats once again for a 20mile run. Instant knee pain! Sunday, back on the platforms for a 70 mile hilly club run. No knee pain! I don't know why but they do not work for me. I would love to use them as I like the feel. I am no slower without them. As I ride the platforms with no toeclips I can see and feel my feet making small corrections on the pedal all the time. I'm assuming my body is deciding for itself how it wishes to cycle, utilising a variety of muscles from the hips and legs, down to all those tiny muscles in the feet. This way they all contribute to the power needed rather than the limited amount available when your feet are locked into a certain position.
Course I could be wrong but it works for me.

What does SPD stand for?? (I know what they are, just don't know what it stands for! )