Fear of Cleats

blorg

Try SPD pedals (e.g. MTB-style) - they have adjustable tension so you can lower it way down when starting making it easy to clip out. You also have the advantage of a recessed cleat meaning you can walk in the shoes (essential for touring!) Almost anyone touring on clipless pedals will be doing it on SPDs.

Mick5

I see what you mean but we have the Look pedals and shoes already so i suppose we should give them a go....should have researched it a bit more really....we just listened to guy in the bike shop and assumed he would tell us if there was a better alternative....

Stark

Irish bicycle shops often aren't the best for their advice

(speaking after a friend of mine went in to the city centre the other week to buy a bike for a trip he was planning to Gorey and they sold him a dirty great heavy mountain bike)

blorg

Well in fairness Look (or similar) pedals would be the standard thing to put on a road bike; I believe they give better power transfer than SPDs and possibly hold the foot more solidly (essential to avoid unclipping in a sprint.) As such they would be excellent for racing, just not good for commuting/touring type use.

Note this is my understanding from what I have read; I have only used SPDs but would consider trying out Look on my road bike.

Might be worth checking your shoes-there is a small chance they would take SPD cleats as well as Look (although you wouldn't have the recessed cleat advantage in this case, which is a substantial part of the advantage of SPDs.)

cormie

Why would anyone choose the look cleats over the SPD's? I mean if it means you can walk around in them and they clip out easier, well what's the advantage to having the ones Mick5, his gf and I have? For amateurs like us, would they really make much difference if we just want to cycle for enjoyment/fitness and not to compete in races where an extra gramme weight will mean losing?

Stark

With the SPD cleats, most of the pressure on your foot is concentrated over the cleat. You wouldn't notice it on relatively short cycles, but on longer cycles you end up with restricted bloodflow and numb toes and the like. With the Looks/SPD-SLs, the cleat is larger and the soles of the shoes are much harder and stiffer so the pressure is spread over your whole foot.

cormie

That's a good reason alright. What would be a "long" cycle in terms of the time it takes to cause discomfort 2hrs+?

Actually the last day when I cycled with my cleats my right foot got a bit uncomfortable because I was leaning on it a lot more, again because of the "fear"

Stark

Personally, I notice the numb toes after about 30km of cycling.

cormie

Ok, thanks for the info

blorg

To be honest the SPD "hot spot" thing is not an issue if you have stiff-soled shoes; the whole sole effectively acts as the platform in this case. I have very stiff carbon-soled SPD shoes that you would not be feeling the pedal through. But I have also done long cycles (200km 1-day and 1000km multi-day) in SPD sandals, which are pretty flexible, without a problem.

But if you don't need to unclip much (e.g. you are getting on your bike for a long spin and clip in at the start and out when you get home 100 km later) then you don't need tread on your shoes, recessed cleat, etc. and things like a more stable platform that grips your foot better, never accidentally disengages and provides optimum power transfer may be more important to you.

For most people SPDs will be more suitable though.

Mick5

I'd like to try out the spd's alright but I'm reluctant to go buy another set up. I'm wondering-

Should we give up on the Look style cleats?
or
Do you think with some persistance/practice we could get comfortable enough to use them?

There was a guy in traffic I saw yesterday with cleats and he seemed absolutely comfortable....are they considered dangerous to use in traffic?

blorg

I would not think that any cleats are dangerous to use in traffic - once you are used to them.

I suspect you would get used to the Look cleats in time if you stick at it. SPDs maybe have an easier learning curve and the advantages relating to tread on the shoes for commuting/touring. I guess my point was not to give up on clipless entirely if you have not tried SPDs.

If multi-day touring I really would suggest SPDs though as you can just bring one pair of shoes/sandals.

penexpers

I think the whole thing about cleats in traffic is that you need the unclipping to be an instinct - as in you don't think about it, you just do it.

Mick5

Hmmm....ok, after some thought I think what we really need for touring and get fit is the SPD pedal system ....

Something like this
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=122&idproduct=4257

with the multi directional release cleats
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=121&idproduct=4248

and the MTB shoe with recess so we can walk etc
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=153&idproduct=14433

Do you think these would be easier to use than the Look system? I mean having never even seen an SPD cleat, exactly how much easier to clip/ unclip are they? I can appreciate that the shoes would be more user friendly to walk in etc....thanks for the advice!!

blorg

penexpers wrote:

I think the whole thing about cleats in traffic is that you need the unclipping to be an instinct - as in you don't think about it, you just do it.

This is entirely true although it's good advice to make a conscious effort to remember to clip out in advance while you are still getting the hang of it.

cormie

I almost find clipping in as bad, if not worse, as clipping out. At a busy junction I tend to keep my left clipped in and balance on my right foot (I know, everybody says do the opposite, but it just doesn't feel right clipping out my left over my right). So when the lights go green I kind of push myself forward with my right foot and push down on the pedal with my left to get a rotation. When you can't clip the right in for ages you feel like you're going to lose momentum and fall flat again. Arghhh. lol

blorg

Mick5 wrote: »

Hmmm....ok, after some thought I think what we really need for touring and get fit is the SPD pedal system ....

Something like this
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=122&idproduct=4257

with the multi directional release cleats
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=121&idproduct=4248

and the MTB shoe with recess so we can walk etc
http://www.cyclesuperstore.ie/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=153&idproduct=14433

Do you think these would be easier to use than the Look system? I mean having never even seen an SPD cleat, exactly how much easier to clip/ unclip are they? I can appreciate that the shoes would be more user friendly to walk in etc....thanks for the advice!!

Those shoes look perfect for touring in as they look quite walkable, you could likely just bring the one pair. If mainly for on the bike I would consider something with a more rigid sole but if you want one pair that will do it all those Adidas shoes look good.

Those Shimano pedals are good, reliable and work well. You don't need to buy cleats seperately, they will come with the pedals.

I honestly can't say if it is easier than Look having never tried Look but certainly starting off with SPD you can lower the tension right down so that your feet come out with the slightest motion. (This is something that would be specifically designed against with a road system as accidental disengagement while sprinting almost certainly means a crash.) As you get more used to it you can tighten the tension up, so that disengaging requires a more definate motion, and accidental disengagement is more difficult.

cormie

Just got delivery of the new pedals, they are massive and weigh a ton compared to the looks! Didn't look like the syringe had anything in it so I pressed it down and ended up spewing loadsa grease over me:o

ba

i haven't read a lot of this thread, but fear can be conquered lads. don't give up on look pedals tho, with practice you can snap in and out very quickly.

Kilcullen

They are very easy to get in and out alright. Hadn't cycled for a couple of years and previously had campagnolo pedals with cleats that i had bought almost 15 years ago if not more, they were a whore of a job to get in and specially unclip,. Fell a few time i can tell you.
Anyway, i bought Looks Keo Classic pedals a couple of weeks ago and gotr used to it instantly. They are very easy to use and i can tell you a lot better than the campognolo i had
They must be classified as antiques now.

Dirk Gently

Kilcullen wrote: »

They are very easy to get in and out alright. Hadn't cycled for a couple of years and previously had campagnolo pedals with cleats that i had bought almost 15 years ago if not more, they were a whore of a job to get in and specially unclip,. Fell a few time i can tell you.
Anyway, i bought Looks Keo Classic pedals a couple of weeks ago and gotr used to it instantly. They are very easy to use and i can tell you a lot better than the campognolo i had
They must be classified as antiques now.

Is there a compatible walking / mtb shoe to fit the look pedals?

blorg

clown bag wrote: »

Is there a compatible walking / mtb shoe to fit the look pedals?

No, it wouldn't work with the the non-recessed cleat.

Dirk Gently

I put a set of look keo on today. Getting out of them isn't a major issue (although I did fall loads of times at first). My problem is getting back into the god damn things. When one foot is released (was practising stop / starting) and your trying to get it back in it takes me an eternity to click back in. Haven't been brave enough to try them on the road yet, just falling over in my back garden so far.

cormie

Went for another cycle in the cleats the other day. Felt a bit more comfortable in them at last I'm a far way off from doing a track stand at traffic lights though!

Mick5

Well, to update on myself and my girlfriends progress- we stuck with it and today I think for the first time were very comfortable- I was at T junctions nearly slowing to a track stand clicked in and happy. My girlfriend was also completely comfortable. The cleats are excellent and really help to transfer your energy- thanks to everyone for the encouragement and for the advice!!!!!!!!!!!! And for anyone else worried about cleats- stick with it!!!

blorg

Glad you both stuck with it, they really are well worth it.

Bicyclegadabout

My foot unclipped itself on the upstroke twice yesterday, which is not good if you’re pushing hard. What’s the story with that?

blorg

Bicyclegadabout wrote: »

My foot unclipped itself on the upstroke twice yesterday, which is not good if you’re pushing hard. What’s the story with that?

What system do you use? I believe this is more common with SPD than the road systems although it can be minimized by tightening up the tension on the pedals.

Morgan

Sounds like the cleat is worn, or the release tension on the pedal is too low.