Clipless

went out for the first time in cleats and that this evening after practicing clipping in and out at least five times in my hall way...all good until i feel all cocky and try to do a track stand on the path out side my gaff...mistake..wobble and cant unclip over i go eating a nice big chunk of path....its all a learning curve

Welcome to clipless.. it's a brave new world.

ta hippy...im not sure my dentist will agree if i keep eating gravel. :) but i liked it

just make sure you don't make the mistake of trying and failing to do a trackstand at the lights and eating tarmac because you can't unclip in front of rush hour traffic and your fellow cyclists...
haven't done it myself, but plenty of mates have!

point taken cornelius i wont be trackstanding in traffic not a dood look falling to the right witha bus next to you.

rg37 point taken cornelius i wont be trackstanding in traffic not a dood look falling to the right witha bus next to you.

If you are close enough you just fall a bit and then end up leaning against the bus ;)

I spent a while falling like that at least 3 times a week. Then I learnt to skid, and I have a whole new control and don't fall any more

I spend my time leaning on buses and vans as I can't clip back in quick enough. Then I ended up kicking the back off my pedal somehow and can't properly clip my left foot in, which actually works!

I fell once about five years ago on clipless, because it was an old cleat/new pedal interface.

(plus a million times mtb'ing when they got clogged with sand and mud)

then once this year on clips and straps (hangover, pothole, rubbish balance, bosh)

and many "nearly" falls on clipless/fixed

I have such fear of falling that it manifests itself and keeps me from decking it completely

we've all been there when first going clipless hehe

hehe.. I'm on my 3rd week running clipless and I've gone from 3 falls a week, to 2 falls last week, we'll see how this one goes :D

I've now learned to unclip early enough that I have a second chance if it goes wrong.. Last friday though, got to the top of the little hill by london bridge station, unclip, balance it out a little and just as I'm about to step the foot down, I clip in accidently haha.. Just stretched my hand to the ground and slowly let myself go, laughing my way down :)

i went clipless changed the pedels the moneing before work, at the frist pick-up i got off fine, got on, cliped in, went towards the curve, stopped to waith for a gap to hop into, fell over... do'h secerty came out to see if i was ok.. hahaha

i only had a 1 incident on road (loads off road but the landing is softer) i find that if you clip in and out indoors loads of time really quickly and keep rotating you foot up to the release point to familiarize yourself with them you shouldn't have too many problems, tight race style shoes help as poorly fitting shoes or less rigid trainer types let your foot rotate before the shoe does increasing the release angle.
also have a look at the sole for any marks where the pedal is binding on the tread and cut the area away with a stanley knife.

yup MrSmith, I'm wearing some very cheap decathlon shoes and I think that's whats happening, the foot rotates but the shoe stays in place.. It also won't unclip at some pedal positions as the shoe is just so stupidly big and wide, catching the crank..

i feel off cliped in at polo, and coulnt not get my foot out... stupid me

I just made a pair of my own from an old pair of skate shoes and the insole from some dead Northwaves. What ever style of shoe you get just make sure they fit TIGHT. The first time I went out riding in my conversions my foot nearly came out.

First time I tied my laces since junior high.

[img=http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/3261/shoekr3.jpg]

They look pretty sweet. How'd you get the cleat in? Just superglue on the screws?

I've got an old pair of Vans that don't get worn much anymore...

No rip the hard sole out of an old pair of cycle-shoes, cut away the rubber grip and the upper.
Cut a hole in the skate-shoe and fit the new insole, epoxy the heck out of it then once dry fit the old skate insole over the top.
And tie your laces tight.

Cleating through a normal (soft) sole will not work, the cleat will rip out or twist.

just oil and loosen the pedals where they grip the shoes you should be able to get you foot out nice and easy then gradually tighten them up as you feel easier getting your foot in and out

MA3K I just made a pair of my own from an old pair of skate shoes and the insole from some dead Northwaves. What ever style of shoe you get just make sure they fit TIGHT. The first time I went out riding in my conversions my foot nearly came out.

First time I tied my laces since junior high.

[img=http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/3261/shoekr3.jpg]

when i was looking at cycle shoes i was thinking of doing the same but didnt know how to get round the ripping of the cleat out the bottom of the shoe, makes sence to use the base of a cycle shoe. nice one MA3k

A pair of Sal Barbier cycling shoes. How cool!

Lazy-man option..
http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/ProductDetails/mcs/productID/7030/

Yeah I love Sals, had so many pairs back in the 90's when I actually skated.
They got re-released a few years ago so I bought four more - I was in hog-heaven.

Ah the 23!!

Had a great clipless moment today. I couldn't clip in quick enough, hit the kerb with my peddle and bounced into a car....whoops!