Beginner technique: Don't be scared of clipless pedals

16 comments
By Neil Pedoe, Cycling Plus | Friday, Nov 12, 2010 1.00pm

Clipless – or, more accurately, clip-in – pedal systems have been used by most serious cyclists since Look applied step-in ski-binding technology to bikes in 1984. Then Bernard Hinault rode it to Tour de France victory in ’85 and there was no going back.

Once you too have experienced the efficiency of having your foot fixed on the pedal throughout its cycle, you’ll be hooked. But switching can be intimidating, so we sought out British Cycling qualified coaches Andy Cook and his wife Jacqui, of www.andy cookcycling.com, for help.  

Cleat setup

Get the angle and the fore and aft position of your cleat wrong on the sole of your cycling shoe and you could be heading for a whole world of injury, warns Andy. To start with, set them up square using the guiding marks on the shoes and then see how they feel when pedalling. You could use a turbo trainer or just sit on your bike in a narrow hallway or doorway where you can’t fall over and pedal backwards for 10 minutes.

If you need to change the angle – if your feet naturally point inwards or outwards and you can feel some discomfort – sit on the edge of a table with your legs dangling off the side, your shoes resting on a rectangular piece of paper, with the edge perpendicular to the table. Draw around your shoes, then place the cleats on the outlines so they’re still square to the table edge. The angle between the centre line of your shoes and the edge of the paper (centre line of cleat) is your cleat angle.

Cleat setup:

Clip-in tips

1 If you’re nervous of full-on roadie pedals and you’re primarily a commuter, we’d recommend pedals that you can clip into from either side – double-sided pedals. Pedals that you clip into on one side but have a fl at platform on the other are also handy if you sometimes ride in ‘normal’ shoes.

2 “Before you jump on your bike,” says Andy, “don’t forget to first slacken off each pedal’s spring tension as far as it will go, so it’s as easy as it can be to clip out when you need to.”

3 “Don’t try unclipping both feet at the same time,” says Jacqui. “And if you’re at all unsure, practise unclipping while holding onto a fence, or in a doorway or narrow hallway. Try to use a quick, clean, positive outwards swivel of your heel rather than a gradual, slow movement.”

4 Your shoe choice will be dictated by the type of pedal you go for. “A touring or mountain bike shoe with a knobbly sole makes a great commuting choice,” says Andy, “because you can apply pressure on the pedal without fear of your foot slipping off, no matter how the pedal happens to be aligned.” This is particularly handy if your ride means you need to keep clipping in and out at traffic lights.

5 If you intend to do much walking in your cycling shoes, a mountain bike/tourer-style shoe almost always has a recess along the middle of the sole for the cleat, so it won’t skid noisily on the floor. The recess also helps guide your cleat into place.

6 If you’re using Look-style pedals, keep an eye on cleat wear in your shoes. “You’ll wear it so thin that a big effort such as a climb will snap it,” says Andy. “Most cleats have wear markers, and you can get cleat covers for easier walking too.”

7 Don’t forget to look after your clipless system – a lack of maintenance could stop you clipping in or out smoothly and cause a fall. Beware of getting your pedals clogged with dirt too.  

Specialized shoes: specialized shoes

Shoes with recessed cleats (which you can't see in this pic, but they're there) are easier for walking in, and knobbly soles are useful for commuters

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User Comments

There are 16 comments on this post

Showing 1 - 16 of 16 comments

  • Road vs. mountain-bike style pedals were mentioned above, but I wanted to add more to this. Unless you're competing to win a race, you shouldn't bother with road pedals! Get some MTB-style pedals and shoes and you'll still be able to walk safely when off the bike.

    If you're worried that the MTB-style shoes are not stiff enough, then there are high-end models with carbon-fibre soles - you can't get much stiffer than that.

    Some people criticize the use of MTB-style pedals for road riding because the contact point is smaller than on road pedals. This causes the pressure point on the foot to be more focused, and this causes some people discomfort on long rides. Again, if you get a top-end MTB shoe with a stiff sole then this will dissipate the pressure more than enough to allow you to ride all day.

    Again, road style shoes might give a tiny improvement, but one that is only worthwhile if you're trying to win a race. Everyone else in the world will be better off with MTB-style shoes.

    Shimano's A520 or A600 pedals take MTB cleats but are single-sided and look similar enough to road pedals to not look out of place on a road bike, so appearances also shouldn't be a concern. In contrast, the appearance of someone trying to walk in roadie shoes is often quite amusing.

  • Slightly confusing article for beginners. I really think you need to describe the difference between the road and MTB style cleats. The diagram shows a road cleat, which as we all know is vastly different in shape and bolt holes to SPD style.

    The shoes in the picture at the bottom can't take the triangular road cleats you've described on how to set up, so what's the point in showing it?

  • I don't think road pedals are just for racing, I was using A520s and mountain bike pedals at first and was quite happy but last year I switched to road shoes and SPD-SL pedals and I much prefer them. The only downside is the walking but it's not too bad if your shoes have a bit of a heel.

  • Man... I've had SPDs for a few months now and I can not set them up properly - it seems the difference in length between the two legs has much more impact with clipless systems.

  • I started using clipless pedals for the first time this week. I would recommend anyone that hasn't made the switch to do so.

  • I have been using 'clip in' pedals for about a year now and i wouldnt go back. I took some convincing to make the switch but i am glad i have. Word of warning.....prepare to fall over. It took a couple of falls for me to eventually get it into my head to UNCLIP as i approach traffic lights etc....i looked very stupid laid on my side in the middle of the road. Once you get past that stage, you wont look back.

  • +1 on DrNowt's comment. A beginner's guide to clip-ins is incomplete without a warning to remember clipping out when you get to a stop. It seems so obvious, but it isn't. In my case, in the beginning I was very focused on unclipping when necessary, but after a week or so I got more used to the whole thing. That's the dangerous time, because that is when you forget to clip out. There's a very awkward 1 second that feels like a minute when you are on your way to hit the deck and you can't do a thing about it.

    It's amazing how easy you get used to it all though. I have 'm for a year or so now and I feel sort of naked on a bike with flat pedals.

  • ak-77's comment is so true the exact same scenario happened to me even though i had been warned to always remember to clip-out. In my case, it took about 3 weeks before my first tip-over. Over-confidence is the culprit here. After falling off twice, the embarrassment have forced me to always remember!

  • I ride clipless for road cycling and mtb racing but a nice pair of grippy flat pedals for everything else. Why risk being clipped into your bike, which is inherently more dangerous, unless you really need that % perfomance increase? Riding flats is more fun and teaches you better pedaling technique. Plus it allows you to wear normal shoes.

    I guess there is so much clipless pedal-pushing in magazines as it's just another bit of gear they want you to buy.

  • At the moment I'm not clipped in, but I have been

    I've never taken that tumble. I think its worth making the effort to clip in and out 10 or 20 times a side, while you coast, on each of your first few rides. Practice stopping and unclipping over andf over agin. So your brain knows what to do with out thinking.

    I'm also mot convinced about the legs over the side of a table. My tip photograph each foor from above as its sits nturall on a flat pedal. make sure your cleats put your foot in exactly the same postition

  • For what it's worth,

    When I first started using clip into pedals I did quite a bit of research and finally went for Speedplay - not seen so much on the road but they are so easy to clip in and out being double sided. Loads of rotation at the foot and I suspect less risk of knee injuries. While others are what I call clunking in and out of look type pedals I am away. Just step on. When I see even experienced riders clunking into single sided pedals I just wonder why they don't try the Speedplay system. I've used the Look type and in my experience they are really a tad slow at getting in / out and am unsurprised that some people fall off the bike when getting started - I think if the Speedplay were more widely available we would see much more users on the road.

    I thoroughly recommend them to everyone - I use the X series (massive rotation at the foot) and have three sets on my different bikes.

    Tom

  • I've heard much talk of the "efficiency" of being clipped in but no explanation of WHY its more efficient? It still takes energy to pull the pedal up doesn't it?

    I've been riding flats for years on road bikes and mountain bikes and don't seem to have any trouble keeping up with friends, maybe its because i'm much fitter.

  • @MyPace

    Clipless allows you to completely unweigh the leg that is not pushing down, which is more efficient than keeping pressure on the pedal (to prevent your foot from coming off), since the leg that pushes down doesn't have to push the other leg up. Actually pulling up the pedal doesn't seem to be efficient, although it does provide extra power in a sprint.

    Furthermore, your foot is always in the same (tuned) position, that your muscles are accustomed to. With a platform, you may position your feet differently at different times, which may put you in a non-optimal cycling position.

    But for me, the biggest advantage is the confidence that my feet will stick to my pedals, no matter how tired I am or what crazy stuff I do, unless I choose to disengage. I have never pulled out without choosing to do so and after the initial few weeks have never felt locked in. However, that may have to do with my setup and reflexes. I can disengage really, really quickly (SPD on 'loose'), so I can put my foot down even when I'm already falling over.

  • What Chris+W is spot on.

    Personally I race, but all my bikes bar my road race bike are fitted with MTB type pedals (in my case Eggbeaters). When commuting, I often see guys riding Look-style pedals battling to clip in and have to have a quiet chuckle - with SPDs or any other MTB pedal, it is generally mash the pedal and go.

    Also, agree on the the hot spot thing too - get a decent pair of carbon soled XC shoes and you're sorted.

    And hobbling around on road shoes - goodness! Road shoes are not made for walking! All it does is mess up the shoes and mess up the cleats. NO!

  • Sometimes you need to go from clipless pedals to platform pedals... Fell off several times the other day going down tracks meant for downhill bikes, and riding through sand. No matter how good you are, sometimes you just cant unclip in time.

    - IfellOff

  • Got myself a new Mountain Bike and and some Shimano PDM520 clipless pedals. I now need some cleats for my MTB shoes, however, this is my first time using clipless pedals. I have the choice of single or multi-release cleats. What would the more experienced people advice a beginner - multi release seem to offer an easier way to release!

    Happy New Year!

    Funkster

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