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#1
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Bike shoes,cleats and traffic - advise please???
Hello,
I am newish to cycling shoes and the cleats engaging with the pedals. On my ride this morning I kept running into road works - I am still a bit scared about engaging and disengaging the shoes and pedals - especially with a queue of traffic behind me and trying to pull off uphill. Any others have this "fear" or is it to be expected when getting used to them? When I am on my own I always seem to engage them immediatly - but with traffic at a junction I always have to fiddle around !!!! Is my method outlined below correct???? I have found that the best method is when coming up to a junction, start to slow down then disengage the left foot about five yards from where I'll stop. Then, when I am about to stop, lean my weight slightly to the left, put my foot on the floor then get out of the saddle at the same time - leaving the right foot still engaged with the pedal. I then turn the right crank so that the pedal is at the top and then push off with the right leg, I then have to fiddle for about five seconds getting the left foot engaged with the pedal. I have had the thought that since the right pedal is still engaged then when I push off I can keep my momentum going my cycling with just the right leg and pulling up as well as pressing down to keep going so that I am moving whilst engaging the left pedal. I had an accuident nearly when starting out with cycling shoes when I pushed off as above but couldn't engage the left pedal and my momentum went - I fell on my side and a car nearly hit me. That scared me a lot and I am still a bit weary about pulling off again On a similar note, do most cyclists plan there cycling runs to avoid certain junctons becuase of this very issue? Do you plan your rides so that most of your turns are left, merging into the traffic as opposed to having to turn right? Thanks for reading OSB |
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#2
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Bike shoes,cleats and traffic - advise please???
One Step Beyond wrote:
Is my method outlined below correct???? I have found that the best method is when coming up to a junction, start to slow down then disengage the left foot about five yards from where I'll stop. Then, when I am about to stop, lean my weight slightly to the left, put my foot on the floor then get out of the saddle at the same time - leaving the right foot still engaged with the pedal. I then turn the right crank so that the pedal is at the top and then push off with the right leg, I then have to fiddle for about five seconds getting the left foot engaged with the pedal. I have had the thought that since the right pedal is still engaged then when I push off I can keep my momentum going my cycling with just the right leg and pulling up as well as pressing down to keep going so that I am moving whilst engaging the left pedal. That's a good method. I often do exactly that except I often find I still stay sitting on the saddle if I can rest left foot on kerb or even just put tiptoe down if stop is just a very brief one. To build up confidence, though, (don't do this normally but as an excerise) practice leaving it later and later before unclipping. Eventually, if you can, stop and balance for a second or two THEN unclip! You'll certainly be alright in an emergency stop once you've mastered that. I had an accuident nearly when starting out with cycling shoes when I pushed off as above but couldn't engage the left pedal and my momentum went - I fell on my side and a car nearly hit me. That scared me a lot and I am still a bit weary about pulling off again That will be forgotten once you've fully got the hang of the things. What type, make & model pedals? Some are easier to manage than others. On a similar note, do most cyclists plan there cycling runs to avoid certain junctons becuase of this very issue? Do you plan your rides so that most of your turns are left, merging into the traffic as opposed to having to turn right? I don't think so. I certainly don't. ~PB |
#3
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Bike shoes,cleats and traffic - advise please???
"One Step Beyond" writes:
Hello, I am newish to cycling shoes and the cleats engaging with the pedals. On my ride this morning I kept running into road works - I am still a bit scared about engaging and disengaging the shoes and pedals - especially with a queue of traffic behind me and trying to pull off uphill. Any others have this "fear" or is it to be expected when getting used to them? When I am on my own I always seem to engage them immediatly - but with traffic at a junction I always have to fiddle around !!!! Young people these days don't know they're born, do they? When I was first using cleated shoes there was none of this quick release stuff. If you got stopped at traffic lights there were three options: 1) balance (diffidult); 2) put a hand on the roof or gutter of the nearest stopped car (easy, but got you dirty looks); 3) put a hand on the upright of the traffic light itself, or a convenient lamp-post or road-sign (easy, but not always possible especially when turning right). When you actually did want to get off the technique was to lean down and release the strap on the pedal while still in motion, then pull your foot out. If you waited until you'd stopped it was too late and falling off was the only option. Is my method outlined below correct???? I have found that the best method is when coming up to a junction, start to slow down then disengage the left foot about five yards from where I'll stop. Then, when I am about to stop, lean my weight slightly to the left, put my foot on the floor then get out of the saddle at the same time - leaving the right foot still engaged with the pedal. I then turn the right crank so that the pedal is at the top and then push off with the right leg, I then have to fiddle for about five seconds getting the left foot engaged with the pedal. With cleated shoes you can pedal the bike with just one leg. So you can uncleat early, secure in the knowledge that if you don't have enough momentum to get to where you wanted to stop you can put a bit more energy in. Also, with pedals which only have cleat fittings on one side (most road pedals, some hill bike pedals) you can just flip the pedal upside down and pedal on with the uncleated foot secure in the knowledge that it won't recleat itself. So if you're nervous, uncleat early. It's also worth getting into a low gear before you stop, but I'm sure you've already worked that out. You shouldn't need to get out of the saddle at all, unless your bottom bracket is very high. You should be able to get a tippy-toe on the road, and that's all you need. I have had the thought that since the right pedal is still engaged then when I push off I can keep my momentum going my cycling with just the right leg and pulling up as well as pressing down to keep going so that I am moving whilst engaging the left pedal. You can do this, but also you can pedal perfectly safely with one of the pedals upside down until you have the momentum and time to flip it over and cleat in properly. I don't bother to get cleated until I'm up to cruising speed. On a similar note, do most cyclists plan there cycling runs to avoid certain junctons becuase of this very issue? Do you plan your rides so that most of your turns are left, merging into the traffic as opposed to having to turn right? No, I don't. I didn't even in the old fashioned firmly-strapped-on days. You will get used to cleats very quickly and will no longer worry about them. -- (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/ ;; Women are from Venus. Men are from Mars. Lusers are from Uranus. |
#4
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Bike shoes,cleats and traffic - advise please???
One Step Beyond wrote:
Hello, I am newish to cycling shoes and the cleats engaging with the pedals. On my ride this morning I kept running into road works - I am still a bit scared about engaging and disengaging the shoes and pedals - especially with a queue of traffic behind me and trying to pull off uphill. Any others have this "fear" or is it to be expected when getting used to them? When I am on my own I always seem to engage them immediatly - but with traffic at a junction I always have to fiddle around !!!! Is my method outlined below correct???? I have found that the best method is when coming up to a junction, start to slow down then disengage the left foot about five yards from where I'll stop. Then, when I am about to stop, lean my weight slightly to the left, put my foot on the floor then get out of the saddle at the same time - leaving the right foot still engaged with the pedal. I then turn the right crank so that the pedal is at the top and then push off with the right leg, I then have to fiddle for about five seconds getting the left foot engaged with the pedal. I have had the thought that since the right pedal is still engaged then when I push off I can keep my momentum going my cycling with just the right leg and pulling up as well as pressing down to keep going so that I am moving whilst engaging the left pedal. I had an accuident nearly when starting out with cycling shoes when I pushed off as above but couldn't engage the left pedal and my momentum went - I fell on my side and a car nearly hit me. That scared me a lot and I am still a bit weary about pulling off again On a similar note, do most cyclists plan there cycling runs to avoid certain junctons becuase of this very issue? Do you plan your rides so that most of your turns are left, merging into the traffic as opposed to having to turn right? Have you tried disengaging your *dominant* foot instead? I'm right footed so this is the one that comes out - it's easier to get it back in. |
#5
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Bike shoes,cleats and traffic - advise please???
"One Step Beyond" wrote in message ... Hello, Hello! snip I only started with SPD pedals about a couple of months ago, and did the same as you - *really* think the whole time I was cycling, looking for when I was about to stop and then getting my foot out in plenty of time. Never really concentrated on what side I was leaning - I stay in the saddle with a very pointed leg (as an aside, nearly fouled that up after a week of hard cycling, on the way to Tesco's, middle of busy road waiting for a chance to turn right, got a nasty cramp in the leg on the floor. Nearly went for a nasty tumble or two) Anyways, suddenly I found myself unclipping without thinking about it. It certainly wasn't a concious effort to try and see how long I could wait until clipping out - suddenly it just came to me. However, this is for my right foot - the left one's a bit more clumsy. Oh and, strangely enough, I always find myself standing out of the saddle when the left foot's unclipped. Strange. Give it time, you'll be fine :-) Thomas. |
#6
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addendum
Oh, and don't be afraid to fall off a couple of times - you'll probably be
expecting it when it happens, and it won't hurt :-) (says he, still shuddering at falling over from stationary after having stood at the traffic lights for a good few minutes. Opposite several London buses waiting to unload passengers.) Thomas. |
#7
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addendum
Thomas must be edykated coz e writed:
Oh, and don't be afraid to fall off a couple of times - you'll probably be expecting it when it happens, and it won't hurt :-) (says he, still shuddering at falling over from stationary after having stood at the traffic lights for a good few minutes. Opposite several London buses waiting to unload passengers.) Thomas. Yet another good reason to buy a trike. -- Ian http://www.catrike.co.uk |
#8
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addendum
"Ian" wrote in message ... Thomas must be edykated coz e writed: Oh, and don't be afraid to fall off a couple of times - you'll probably be expecting it when it happens, and it won't hurt :-) (says he, still shuddering at falling over from stationary after having stood at the traffic lights for a good few minutes. Opposite several London buses waiting to unload passengers.) Thomas. Yet another good reason to buy a trike. Disagree - I'd never realised how friendly a place London was until that moment. The amount of passengers who, after "that" fall, responded to my wave... Thomas. |
#9
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Bike shoes,cleats and traffic - advise please???
One Step Beyond wrote:
The cleats ? You get used to them and this is from someone that hurt his knee ( 6 weeks of riding)on his first "round the block " ride . On a similar note, do most cyclists plan there cycling runs to avoid certain junctons becuase of this very issue? No, I plan my cycling runs to avoid certain junctions because I get fed up of being held up by cars! Concentrate on the 99% of your ride ( Hrs ?) that you enjoy , not the seconds that give you a problem You hold a car up for 3 seconds, who cares , it's only 3 seconds less he has to wait at the next junction/lights/pinch point/traffic turning right, it's less time than the traffic flow would lose behind a lorry or bus, and they probably notice it less than you do. |
#10
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Bike shoes,cleats and traffic - advise please???
Thanks for all the advise guys. It seems from all your remarks that I am
doing nothing untoward and that plenty of practise is what builds confidence. Thanks again for taking the time. OSB "One Step Beyond" wrote in message ... Hello, I am newish to cycling shoes and the cleats engaging with the pedals. On my ride this morning I kept running into road works - I am still a bit scared about engaging and disengaging the shoes and pedals - especially with a queue of traffic behind me and trying to pull off uphill. Any others have this "fear" or is it to be expected when getting used to them? When I am on my own I always seem to engage them immediatly - but with traffic at a junction I always have to fiddle around !!!! Is my method outlined below correct???? I have found that the best method is when coming up to a junction, start to slow down then disengage the left foot about five yards from where I'll stop. Then, when I am about to stop, lean my weight slightly to the left, put my foot on the floor then get out of the saddle at the same time - leaving the right foot still engaged with the pedal. I then turn the right crank so that the pedal is at the top and then push off with the right leg, I then have to fiddle for about five seconds getting the left foot engaged with the pedal. I have had the thought that since the right pedal is still engaged then when I push off I can keep my momentum going my cycling with just the right leg and pulling up as well as pressing down to keep going so that I am moving whilst engaging the left pedal. I had an accuident nearly when starting out with cycling shoes when I pushed off as above but couldn't engage the left pedal and my momentum went - I fell on my side and a car nearly hit me. That scared me a lot and I am still a bit weary about pulling off again On a similar note, do most cyclists plan there cycling runs to avoid certain junctons becuase of this very issue? Do you plan your rides so that most of your turns are left, merging into the traffic as opposed to having to turn right? Thanks for reading OSB |
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