[pixelpusher]

Hey-
I was just reading the "rippin chix" thread (you girls rock, btw!) and saw some mention of Time brand clipless pedals. I have very little experience on a mountain bike and sorta see the clipless thing as a damned if you do, damned if you don't kinda thing-- I've heard that clipless gives you more confidence and keeps you from "cheating" by sticking your feet down so much, but I've also seen plenty o' people fall right over with feet attached... ow?!

Just wondering what the thoughts were on how early on should someone try clipless, and what kind to go with?

 

[bikebabe]

Try clipless when you think you're ready. Some people like to go for it right away others don't. I started with them about 6 months after I got addicted to mountain biking. Once you learn how to handle your bike on the trails, you'll be less likely to put your foot down. ...and putting your foot down isn't bad as long as you are aware that you are clipped in and clip out in time. In the beginning it's easy to forget you're clipped in and do the "slow speed topple" but after a while it's second nature.

As for which pedals, I know a lot of people like Times but it requires more strength to get out of than other pedals and may not be the best choice for women just starting out. They are good pedals just tough to twist out of. Shimano type SPD's and Speedplays are easy to get out of and may be a better choice though they have other issues...with mud!

...and welcome to the monkey!

Edit: Forgot to say that clipless really help if you are doing a lot of climbing and I feel more balanced when I'm clipped in.

 

[Heidi]

Hmmm, as far as how early, I think that as long as you can ride a bike, it's not too early. At first it is hard and you will probably take some spills...at least I did. It isn't so much about cheating, it's just more efficient since it is basically an extension of your leg. I would say that they help better with "pulling" the bike in tricky sections.

As for what kind...it's all really personal preference. I would venture to say that Shimano Spd's are probably where most of us started out.

 

[pixelpusher]

Thanks for the input!

I think I will give it a few more rides, but I think I might just put clipless pedals/shoes on my birthday list (not till August.) I can imagine myself doing the slow-mo-dump on a regular basis- haha!

My husband has the SPDs and seems to be getting better and better at un-clipping (??) -he had alot of practice at it this weekend, un-clipping to avoid running into me when I got stuck in the sand, stuck on a hill, ran into some shrubbery, etc...

Good to know on the Time's vs the Shimanos... but you say that the SPDs don't play nice with mud?

 

[Pau11y]

Get some elbow pads, maybe knees are good too, and definitely wear gloves when you first start. Scars are kewl, but not that kewl.

 

[Heidi]

I would say the SPD's are the least reliable mud conditions, with eggbeaters being probably the most reliable.

 

[ioscope]

Get flats

If you still want SPD's for the speed advantage, buy mine Wellgo SPD type with Shimano (coordinates with pedal design) cleat and size 8.5 mens shoe. $50

When learning, you will fall multiple times because you can't get your foot out.
MULTIPLE

Dial the pedal tension down to a minimum for the first week.

 

[Snacks]

I tried clips about a year after I started riding. I started out on some pretty simple trails to get the idea. I crashed regularly for about the first 10 rides on clips, but now I love them. I feel like I have so much more control over my bike the them.

I have only rode with the Crank Bros. pedals and love them :love: In the mud up here in the PNW the Candy's are great in the mud!

 

[MudGrrl]

In the beginning it's easy to forget you're clipped in and do the "slow speed topple"

I am THE 'slow speed topple' Queen!

Shimano type SPD's and Speedplays are easy to get out of and may be a better choice though they have other issues...with mud!

yeah, clipless and I don't get along too well

-Mud

 

[laura]

i have some time clipless with platforms on my XC bike that i love. that way when i'm feeling chicken i don't have to clip in. i have spd's on my cyclocross/road bike because it never really gets muddy, but when i had them on my XC bike i absolutely hated them. if i sat my foot down once, i couldn't get clipped in for the rest of the ride.

i've been riding for three years now, and still don't really like riding clipped in. on the road it doesn't bother me, but on the trails, i just feel trapped. i'm working on it but i don't know if i will ever like riding clipless.

 

[dhjill]

I'm with Heidi...I'd say it's never too early to learn how to ride on clipless if you truly want to learn and go beyond the "weekend warrior" stage. You can't go wrong with Shimano SPD's...they work the best and have the best warranty. You pay a few bucks extra but if you have any problems with the pedals, they fix them or replace them often no questions asked.

Plan on crashing and have a few of those slow speed topples. Hell, I still have those today and I've been riding on SPD's for 8 years. When I was first learning, I took my bike to the park and practiced getting clipped and unclipped in the grass. I made myself do a few little trackstands and force myself to unclip really fast when I felt myself beginning to fall over.

Once you get used to clipless and it becomes second nature, they are actually safer than toe-clips, in my opinion. In a toe-clip strap, the only way you can get out is straight back...on a clipless pedal, once you learn where the release point is, you have a lot more freedom.

Have fun!

 

[MudGrrl]

I've got the two in one deal.
Clips on one side,
platform on the other.

I can still ride with my clippy shoes on, without being clipped in (I just flip the pedal around), which is great for learning.... there are some sections that I just would rather not be attached to the bike.

 

[flydi007]

I'm definitely with *snacks* on the candies- i've got a pair and i love them-so easy to get in and out of. as for when, i'd say the sooner the better, i started right away with mine, so i kind of just learned not to get used to riding flats-at least for xc. my recommendation would be to practice somewhere painless first so you can get the feel of getting in and out of the pedal. i've had my share of falling down int he middle of an intersection, and despite the element of excitement i'd definitely rather not have to go through that.

ps-snacks, wehre in the pnw are you located? i'm in portland

 

[GumbaFish]

Well I am not a mud hunny but here is my 2 cents. When I first went clipless I got on my bike next to a wall or between a dorway and just sat there clipping and unclipping at all different positions in my pedal stroke. I maybe did that for like 20 or 30 minutes twice, then i went out on my lawn and would only clip in on one side. I would purposely lean to the side i was clipped in so that i would tumble over if i didn't get unclipped. I found that helped a lot, because it gives you that little sense of fear that can make you forget to unclip and take a nice slow motion fall. Then I just rode around on grassy and street areas unclipping before I needed to stop to make it a habit, and from there it was trail time. Sounds a bit complicated, but in reality I didn't spend more then like 2 or so hours before I started riding around clipless. Hope that helps, o yeah and even though eggbeaters are great in mud and snow they don't have adjustable tension (at least to the best of my knowledge) so I don't think I'd reccomend them to someone just starting off at clipless.

 

[pixelpusher]

double-sided ones sound like the best to me! Any downsides to having those? They sound like the best of both worlds to me....

 

[Heidi]

Nope, I don't think there is a down side to double sided pedals. Mine are 4 sided!

 

[bikebabe]

double-sided ones sound like the best to me! Any downsides to having those? They sound like the best of both worlds to me....

Do you mean with platform on one side and clips on the other? They also make clipless pedals that you can clip in on both sides but there is a platform around the clip that allows you to ride without clipping in---like the Candys or some Shimano pedals.

 

[GumbaFish]

I think they meant something like this

They are just regular clipless pedals, but there is a platform you can get that can go onto one side so you can go either clipess or platform. And if you outgrow the need for platform you can just take the platform off and have just clipless. =)

 

[TreeSaw]

I started out riding with flats and then moved to Shimano SPDs and now I ride with TIME pedals. I absolutely love the power I get with clipless pedals and I have both the small ones (no cage or platform) on my XC bike and the Time Atac with a platform on my freeride bike. I personally found the Time pedals better for my riding because we tend to ride in a LOT of mud in the Northeast and I had a lot of trouble getting out of and back into the Shimano pedals when they got muddy. I haven't tried the egg beaters, but I have hear really good things about them as well. Basically, be ready to fall over (a LOT - hell, I still have the occassional come to a stop and forget that I am clipped in fall ) but gradually you will get better and will miss clipless when you don't ride with them.

Good luck.