The Chainlink

Clipless Pedal Fails

Hey Everyone,

 

To make some humor on Monday morning (and to recover my bruised ego) lets see if anyone has some clipless fail stories they would like to share. 

 

I bought my first pair this weekend and practiced plenty in the store to the point where I had no problem clipping in and out .  Once I got on the road, my prep did pay off, as I had no issues unclipping at lights without falling over. 

 

Until I got to Fullerton and Racine. 

 

As the light turned green and I was getting ready to proceed, I pushed off the ground with my unclipped left foot with a little too much force to the right.  In a somewhat slow motion topple I flopped over.  Didn't help that it was a crowded intersection with plenty of pedestrians, cars around me, and a whole group of people getting ready to get on the bus right behind me. 

 

Luckily no injuries except for a few scrapes for me and a mark on my handlebar tape (which im sure is normally the case), however the embarrassment was more than enough to ensure I dont make that mistake again, and I haven't.  At least the people around me were familiar with clipless pedals and didn't think it was my first time riding a bike and that I had no balance whatsoever. 

 

Anyone else with some stories?

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Permalink Reply by Norah Webster on August 6, 2013 at 12:03am

It took me about 11 years to finally man up and go clipless, and I only fell twice last summer when getting used to them.  Both were extremely slo-mo falls that resulted from me not starting fast enough from a stop.  Learning was way easier than I ever thought it would be.

Permalink Reply by Bez on August 6, 2013 at 5:13am

Hey echo, I've been looking at Chrome shoes...how is the fit on them?  I tend to have trouble with Chucks for a week or so whenever I buy a new pair until they stretch out because of the narrowness, do the Chromes have the same issue?  I'd imagine the Cordura doesn't stretch as much as canvas would.

echo said:

I fell 3 times when I first learned last summer:

1. Parking lot, trying to stop and just PLOP on the ground 

2. Waiting at a green light to turn left. Oncoming car was coming so I stopped. Hobbled. Then PLOP on the ground. Lost my rear view mirror that time. 

3. Trail had a horse barrier. I was standing next to it, staring ahead, wondering if I should go through. A guy comes from that direction and I panic, try to move out of his way, and PLOP on the ground. 

But, that's 3 falls out of a ton of rides and I will never go back. Recently rented a bike while on vacation and missed them. I have Chrome shoes, which I LOVE, so I always use them, even for short trips, because I'm not walking around like I have a stick up my ... you know. 

Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on August 6, 2013 at 7:44pm

Power Grips ... all the power-transfer advantages of clipless without the getting-out-of problems, and you can wear whatever shoes you want.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on August 6, 2013 at 8:02pm

Clipless pedals are indeed great for fast rides, long weekend rides, etc.

I think that they have no place in city commuting. There are too many stops as is, without any unexpected events forcing you to clip out.

When I got back into riding I used clipless pedals for a while for commuting. I too was sold by product marketing, peer pressure and a general desire to look cool. One fall made me reconsider. I took them off shortly after.

I still use half clips like these on my single speed. They keep my foot in place (somewhat) without being clipped in. And on my go fast commuter/long distance bike, I use multipurpose pedals as described by Mike F above. During the week I commute on Keens on the regular side.  On weekend rides put on my Sidi's an d clip in. This solution works for me.

SlowCoachOnTheRoad said:

Thanks for the clear explanations Bruce, Skip and S - it seems very cool to clip away without clips - except for the occasional fall, that is.  However, I hate to ask why one would want a clipless pedal/shoe.  I can definitely see the advantages of efficiency when racing, where speed is of essence, but for someone like me who simply uses the bike for transportation - and relatively slow transportation at that, hence my name - 35 minutes slow from Irving and LSD to Dearborn and Washington each morning - why would I need this system?  If I don't want to go faster, and if I don't want to work harder than I already do, and if I don't mind the lack of optimal efficiency in biking, I am feeling like "if it ain't broke, why fix it?"

(small association: 30 years ago when I was 22 or so I wanted to make the Olympics as a 50K Walker - I had been running marathons and 20 milers before as a runner through my teens.  As it so happened, because of my commitment to academics in college over athletics, I made the top 12 but not the top 3 in the Olympic Trials, so the Olympics were never in my grasp.  However, I learned that running is what the body does naturally by changing form to maintain efficiency when the ordinary person wants to go faster than a walk - that was the challenge of walking, to go at great speeds while keeping to a walk and not a run, but we only could do that by using every muscle in our body - I think racewalking works out every muscle, more than I did as a top high school and college runner, as I also believe does cross-country skiing - I guess one could say athletic walkers choose the challenge of non-efficiency through their artificial movements, like gymnasts on the track or road.  Apologies for my association.  Sorry for writing so much.  I promised in another thread to keep to brief entries - I failed here).

Permalink Reply by John C. Wilson on August 6, 2013 at 9:42pm

Of course they have them in 33. Here is an adorable pair in size 30:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-VINTAGE-NOEL-JUNIOR-LEATHER-SHOES-30-/1...

Right now on the bay I see 30, 31, 34, 35. Since these things sell rather slowly, and since it takes time, effort and $ to keep listings alive those who have them to sell don't post complete listings of inventory. They have them though.

Before going to ebay try locally at Oscar Wastyn. Oscar, Sr. kept all of that in stock and a lot of it is still there. Heck, Oscar, Jr. has stuff from Grandpa Emil. And you could try most any other store that has been around a long time.

These shoes do not come with screw holes in the bottom. It is easy to put some there. When clipless pedals were brand new, first generation Look pedals included the hardware to modify your shoes right in the box and we all did it. It worked. If you don't feel up to the task I can tell you your local shoe repairman is going to swoon when he sees the quality of the little French or Italian shoes you bring to him.


Julie Hochstadter said:

Maybe .... but I love being clipped in. If only I has cuter shoes but they dont have cool SPD's in a size 33.

Lisa Curcio 6.5 mi said:

This is not encouraging . . . .  :-)
 
Julie Hochstadter said:

I had a black and blue mark so bad on my thigh for the first summer.... 

Permalink Reply by Kevin K on August 6, 2013 at 10:04pm

Clipless pedals for commuting are nonsensical.

You're not racing.  You don't need to squeeze some marginal 2-3% of additional power from your upward stroke, or whatever the supposed benefits of clipless are (disputable, btw). You're schlepping to the office with a 15 pounds of work shit, a 2 pound rack, and 1 pounds of fenders, for chrissakes.

You just end up clipping in, clipping out, clipping in, clipping out, clipping in, clipping out at every stoplight and stop sign.  It makes no sense.

Not to mention falling on your ass.  "Oh, yes, you're guaranteed to fall on your ass, but it will only happen a couple times per year."  Or, I could just ride regular pedals, or regular toe clips, and fall on my ass ZERO times per year.

Not to mention having another, special pair of shoes.  Isn't biking supposed to simplify our lives?

Last but not least, pain.  Clipless pedals lock in your range of motion, so it's quite common for people riding clipless to experience knee pain, joint pain, muscle pain, etc.  This is obvious -- they create a perfect environment for overworking specifc joints, ligaments, & muscles, at very specific angles.  "Oh, just keep riding, you'll get used to the pain." "Oh, spend four months making adjustments to the position of the cleat, the angle of the cleat, the locking tension on your pedal, etc.  Then the pain might decrease...slightly."

Don't drink the Kool-Aide, commuters.

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on August 6, 2013 at 10:23pm

I went the other way.  I've been using clipless pedals for so long that I find them easier to use when commuting.  I am into vintage road bikes and tried going back to toe clips and straps.  That lasted a day, as I about killed myself (pardon my slight hyperbole) the day I tried them.  I took them off and haven't gone back.  In fact, even though my road bikes all date from the early 80s or before, I got rid of my Campy pedals.  They would only gather dust in my parts bin and keep me from buying some other little goodie I really want/need.  I do keep a couple cheap quill pedals laying about for demos and as backups for my Looks, but they don't have toe clips attached.  (I do use toe straps however, but only to hold my spare tubular tires under my seat. :-)

The biggest advantage to clipless pedals for aging knees like mine is float. I suffered a broken leg skiing in college.  As a result, my left foot is more than a bit pigeon-toed, and I had a scope about 15 years ago on my right knee. All clipless systems I'm aware of allow your foot to rotate a few degrees in either direction.  This allows your legs/knees to find their natural position.  This is simply not possible with toe clips and their cleats.  I am told you can file the slot a bit to give yourself some wiggle room, but that seems very hackish.

I'm not trying to defend clipless pedals as the best/only choice.  They do have legitimate uses though. It's not all marketing hype.

Duppie 13.5185km said:

Clipless pedals are indeed great for fast rides, long weekend rides, etc.

I think that they have no place in city commuting. There are too many stops as is, without any unexpected events forcing you to clip out.

When I got back into riding I used clipless pedals for a while for commuting. I too was sold by product marketing, peer pressure and a general desire to look cool. One fall made me reconsider. I took them off shortly after.

Permalink Reply by Matt Talbert on August 9, 2013 at 9:27am

After using clips for over a year, I still will come to a slow down and be like "oh, crap, I need to unclip," and then slowly fall to one side. It's embarrassing yet humorous. I have clip pedals on my road bike, but not on my hybrid. I used to use my road bike to get to work from Park Ridge to Bucktown. Now I prefer my hybrid in traffic and for commuting. I feel more comfortable being able to disengage my foot in a moment's notice. I'll keep my clips to the closed trail. Just my personal preference.

Permalink Reply by Patrick Harrigan on August 9, 2013 at 9:37am

Here's an endorsement for half-clips for city riding.  They're super-cheap, are easy in and out in any shoes, prevent wet foot slips, and provide a little more range-of-power-motion or whatever you call it (you can't really pull up).

Permalink Reply by Kevin K on August 9, 2013 at 9:46am

Much agreed!

Patrick Harrigan said:

Here's an endorsement for half-clips for city riding.  They're super-cheap, are easy in and out in any shoes, prevent wet foot slips, and provide a little more range-of-power-motion or whatever you call it (you can't really pull up).

Permalink Reply by J2O on August 9, 2013 at 10:02am

Last winter, I had just gotten on the bike on a slushy day, came to a stop light and the springs on my pedals totally froze shut.  So there's me, coming to a stop, and *flump* over I go.  I actually spalshed a big pile of slush.  I started off super-angry and embarrassed, but started laughing when I couldn't unclip.  I finally dis-entangled myself from the bike and messenger bag enough to bang on my heels and get my boots out of the pedals.

Eventually, it happens to everyone.

Permalink Reply by Rich Evans on August 9, 2013 at 10:19am

I got to learn all over again, this year, when I transitioned to a short-weelbase (i.e. "feet in the air) recumbent, with underseat steering, and a full front fairing.  Pulled more than a couple of "Arte Johnsons" (for those of you old enough to remember Laugh-In) but, as with all "clipless boo-boos," they were all at very low speed.  As with an upright, I find it helps to lean just a tad toward the UNclipped side when stopping/starting, put ALL that "pushoff oomph" into the clipped pedal, and bear in mind that you really can spin the crank with just one (clipped-in) foot, while negotiating the cleat as you clip in. 

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