What foot do you unclip when stopping?

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Right, I was ****e at unclipping when I started and felt my right foot moved quicker and with more coordination than my left. Hence I unclipped on that side to prevent the dreaded slow topple. Still happened anyway but whatever.

tyuis

I am incredibly conscious of unclipping at alternate sides as I am fearful of one shoe becoming more worn than the other. That is of course after I have taken all precaution to prevent unclipping in the first place. Always try to time traffic lights, track stand etc when safe to do so. Good question though, and its obviously something we think about but I don't think there is one definite best way.

Inquitus

tyuis wrote: »

I am incredibly conscious of unclipping at alternate sides as I am fearful of one shoe becoming more worn than the other. That is of course after I have taken all precaution to prevent unclipping in the first place. Always try to time traffic lights, track stand etc when safe to do so. Good question though, and its obviously something we think about but I don't think there is one definite best way.

I have done 25,000km on my bike shoes always unclipping with the left foot, I don't think you need to worry about this.....

Wishbone Ash

07Lapierre wrote: »

... Never even thought about it before now.

brianomc wrote: »

... I never really thought about it until now....

JK.BMC wrote: »

... I never think much about it- till now!....

Lola Tangy Slyness wrote: »

...I've never given it any real thought ....

I think it's strange that many people didn't think about it til now. I think about it on every club ride, sportive or commute as I think unclipping on the right just seems wrong. As children we were taught to always dismount on the left or, when walking the bike, to ensure that it is to our right, i.e. between cyclist and traffic.

(I have also noticed that a greater proportion of female cyclists put their right foot down).

Wishbone Ash

tyuis wrote: »

I am incredibly conscious of unclipping at alternate sides as I am fearful of one shoe becoming more worn than the other. That is of course after I have taken all precaution to prevent unclipping in the first place. Always try to time traffic lights, track stand etc when safe to do so. Good question though, and its obviously something we think about but I don't think there is one definite best way.

Presumably you mean cleats rather than the shoes. Just swap them over to even the wear.

crosstownk

My left foot/leg is dominant. I always unclip the left foot as it means I can rest it on a kerb (unless I can avail of street furniture). In the event of a fall I'd imagine that unclipping my left would help me fall away from traffic - thankfully I haven't had to test this theory!

FWIW, I alway mount the bike from the left and clip in my right foot first. My right foot will remain clipped in for the duration of the ride until I need to dismount.

magicbastarder

crosstownk wrote: »

FWIW, I alway mount the bike from the left and clip in my right foot first.

i reckon i'm the same.

generally unclip on the left, but sometimes on the right just to occasionally stretch that leg.

Unknown Soldier

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Presumably you mean cleats rather than the shoes. Just swap them over to even the wear.

As a side note, and something I came across as a newbie, wear of Cleats is not done by hitting the ground. Yes they look fooked but it's the parts of the cleat "between the shoes" that dictates wear (clipping in/out etc.) not the part that hits the ground.

I once threw out a couple of cleats because the yellow bits came off them

Alanstrainor

I push off on my right and unclip my left when track standing isn't happening. But recently I've been trying to give my right leg a bit of rest pushing off, so I've swapped.

triggermortis

I always unclip my left foot as I always use my right to do the first pedal stroke. Just can't do it the other way round - and I have decent hand / foot independence as I play drums

onmebike

I've thought about starting a thread like this lots of times...just out of curiosity.

I unclip my left because it's usually the kerb side so would be more comfortable and my right leg is dominant so that help acceleration.

secman

Left so can push off with right foot. Always presumed it was due to bring right handed. As a matter of interest, which way do left handed people do it ? That's of course if it is down to that.

Chuchote

secman wrote: »

Left so can push off with right foot. Always presumed it was due to bring right handed. As a matter of interest, which way do left handed people do it ? That's of course if it is down to that.

I have a lefty friend who normally gets off on the right, and says it's because of that; however, in Paris she gets off on the left, weirdly.

seamus

Right usually, unless there's a high kerb to my left that I can stand on.

Most likely because starting off on clipless I would have found it easier to clip in and out with my right, so it just became habit.

Wishbone Ash

SomeFool wrote: »

Which ever foot is nearest the ground when I can't manage to trackstand anymore, about 10 seconds usually.

stampydmonkey wrote: »

.... unclip on the rhs the odd time if needed after failing at trackstanding

tyuis wrote: »

.... track stand etc when safe to do so....

Alanstrainor wrote: »

...... when track standing isn't happening. ...

Kudos to those who can trackstand and especially to those who do it at very busy junctions. I'd make a full eejit of myself if I even tried. I was behind a cyclist last week along the Grand Canal and he managed to trackstand through multiple sets of lights, some with very long sequences and on the same day I was beside a courier who was doing it while holding a phone to his ear.

Eponymous

I'm left footed and will unclip the left foot probably 90% of the time. Oddly, if I've just climbed onto the bike, I do tend to clip my left foot first. No idea why.

Moflojo

This is a coded thread about masturbation, isn't it?

smacl

Unclip on the left / kerb side by preference unless the turning right up a steep hill like this one where the incline means the right foot is going to be much nearer the ground..

robyntmorton

Moflojo wrote: »

This is a coded thread about masturbation, isn't it?

Does that say more about you, or everyone else? ;-)

robyntmorton

I am finding the sheer variety of answers here to be fascinating, especially those who just hadn't thought about it until I asked.

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Kudos to those who can trackstand and especially to those who do it at very busy junctions.

I am rather jealous of those who are able to trackstand like that. I both deeply admire them, and (secretly) want to push them over for showing off too much.

Brian?

robyntmorton wrote: »

I am finding the sheer variety of answers here to be fascinating, especially those who just hadn't thought about it until I asked.



I am rather jealous of those who are able to trackstand like that. I both deeply admire them, and (secretly) want to push them over for showing off too much.

Track standing is a lot easier on a fixed wheel bike. So don't hate the couriers too much. It's one of those skills I've lost over the years. It was needed a lot more when you were strapped into pedals. Clipless pedals are so much easier in and out of than old school pedals, I don't understand why anyone needs to track stand at lights.

I alternate what side I flip out on based on the situation. I regularly get numb right toes so I'll clip that foot out for a decent big of ankle rolling.