Yes, tons of fun. The only part of me that was damp was my beard, which is precisely why it is there. First ride with clipless as well, and it made a very comfortable difference.
Nope. Ankle still sprained :( I miss being able to say yes!
Now Im even more afraid of clipless - how bad would my crash have been if i couldnt put my foot down? I might have a cracked head instead of a sprained ankle...
I fell without being able to put my foot down not too long ago. I was on a fixie in stop-and-go traffic behind some guy who didn't have working brake lights or turn signals. He stopped suddenly to make a turn while I was speeding up because I expected him to go straight. Unfortunately as I hit the brake my crank was in a position that made it very difficult to remove my foot and it being a fixed gear going very slowly I couldn't turn the crank to get into a better position. I went down for a slow and uncomfortable fall in the middle of the street feet attached. The combination of fixie + clipless + slow traffic can be very dangerous. I had a sprained foot for a month and the whole situation shook my confidence quite a bit. The good news was my foot only hurt when I walked on it, not when I rode, so the whole situation made me ride even more :)
I haven't given up on clipless but I only use them on predictable trails. I've got a new non-fixie bike coming so maybe I'll give clipless on the street another go but for now it's flat peddles for me.
Michelle said:
Nope. Ankle still sprained :( I miss being able to say yes!
Now Im even more afraid of clipless - how bad would my crash have been if i couldnt put my foot down? I might have a cracked head instead of a sprained ankle...
A bit wet this morning, but I made it in one piece. It was nice having the Lake Front Trail practically all to my self.
SPD has a "quick release" version and you can adjust it to allow your foot to come out more easily - especially in an emergency. When I first transitioned, I had a few nasty falls (not being able to unclip in time), switched to quick release, and I stopped falling.
Now it feels more natural and I kept popping out of the pedals when sprinting so I had them adjusted to a tighter setting.
totally agree. I like mine looser, esp in this weather.
Yasmeen said:
SPD has a "quick release" version and you can adjust it to allow your foot to come out more easily - especially in an emergency. When I first transitioned, I had a few nasty falls (not being able to unclip in time), switched to quick release, and I stopped falling.
Now it feels more natural and I kept popping out of the pedals when sprinting so I had them adjusted to a tighter setting.
I'm sure you looked so cute!
Lisa Curcio 4.1 mi said:
Riding from Wicker Park again and switched back to the upright bike with the chain guard. Wearing my work clothes with light gloves and a light jacket. Love it!
Does it basically let you twist your foot less to get out? I was on 15 or 20 degrees I think. It was way too much. Also, do you have a specific model you recommend? Thanks.
Julie Hochstadter said:
totally agree. I like mine looser, esp in this weather.
Yasmeen said:SPD has a "quick release" version and you can adjust it to allow your foot to come out more easily - especially in an emergency. When I first transitioned, I had a few nasty falls (not being able to unclip in time), switched to quick release, and I stopped falling.
Now it feels more natural and I kept popping out of the pedals when sprinting so I had them adjusted to a tighter setting.
With quick release, you still twist your foot under normal conditions but in an emergency, you can yank your foot out straight up. When you adjust to a loose setting, it's a lot easier to come out of the pedal.
Shimano SPD pedals with "quick release" cleats. Your favorite bike shop should have them in stock - just call ahead to confirm.
Thanks!
Yasmeen said:
With quick release, you still twist your foot under normal conditions but in an emergency, you can yank your foot out straight up. When you adjust to a loose setting, it's a lot easier to come out of the pedal.
Shimano SPD pedals with "quick release" cleats. Your favorite bike shop should have them in stock - just call ahead to confirm.
had my rain jacket. in my panniers. no time to switch jackets. gah.
203 members
118 members
262 members
269 members
63 members