How to Switch to Clipless Pedals

[rob feature]

At the OP - not sure why you wanna try clipless, but IME there are only 2 things they do for you. They give you a little more power as you can pull as well as push, so you can squeeze a little more performance out of the bike. And they allow you to jump/bunnyhop more aggressively (although DJ and other types who get a lot of air don't generally use them). If you're not doing either of these things, you may find them more limiting than anything. You have to use special shoes, which usually suck to walk in, and can get expensive. They can be tricky and frustrating to set up correctly. Some also find the static position to be uncomfortable on a long ride.

 

[fooferdoggie]

At the OP - not sure why you wanna try clipless, but IME there are only 2 things they do for you. They give you a little more power as you can pull as well as push, so you can squeeze a little more performance out of the bike. And they allow you to jump/bunnyhop more aggressively (although DJ and other types who get a lot of air don't generally use them). If you're not doing either of these things, you may find them more limiting than anything. You have to use special shoes, which usually suck to walk in, and can get expensive. They can be tricky and frustrating to set up correctly. Some also find the static position to be uncomfortable on a long ride.

I used to have some Shimano sandals that were easy to walk in but when I bought them again when I got e-bikes (for the stiffness) they kinda sucked.

 

[Deacon Blues]

I tried the SPD-SL, which is the Shimano road bike clipless system. As I heavily crashed twice just because I could not unclip in time, I said 'goodbye' to that system forever. Besides, SPD-SL compatible shoes are totally unwalkable

Then I tried the proper Shimano SPD system (MTB) and cleated shoes. I chose the "beginner" pedals and cleats. I could unclip by three different foot movements. I was pretty happy until I almost crashed into a car, braked violently, and could unclip one foot just in time. The SPD (MTB system) cleated shoes are walkable but only in the emergency You walk like a duck in them And yes, those pedals were of the type you described @Deacon Blues. Very hard to sense the correct side of the pedal to clip in! Almost impossible to pedal on the flat side of it.

My experiences taught me I still had several years of the life ahead, and I would not like to die just because some people advocated for the clipless system

I only use the flat side for short periods of time, where clipping in is dangerous.
A couple of years ago I was riding my bike in the downtown of a large city, on a busy street, when I had to stop quickly at a traffic light. I didn't have time to unclip and fell over, just as a city bus was coming to a stop at the intersection.
My head ended up within a couple of feet of the bus' wheel.
No more clipped in riding on busy street for me!

 

[BlackHand]

At the OP - not sure why you wanna try clipless, but IME there are only 2 things they do for you. They give you a little more power as you can pull as well as push, so you can squeeze a little more performance out of the bike

A couple weeks ago I got passed in the bike lane by a guy clicked into SPD pedals on an Ariel Ryder x class, one of those 1000 watt moped style bikes. I was going about 26.5mph so he was probably doing over 30mph and pedaling the whole time. Maybe he was trying to make up for the fact that seat was clearly a couple inches too short for him to pedal efficiently....

 

[salaryman]

I have learned a great deal about clipless pedals/shoes and ebike riding from these great conversations, as well as the pros/cons of them. My only experience with them is when I go to spin class but that's on a stationary bike-and even then, I have trouble unclipping sometimes. Have much to think about but my sense is that I am going to try the open MTB pedals with the metal studs. Thank you very much!

 

[Chargeride]

Can someone tell me why flat pedals that dont have a clipping mechanism are called flat while pedals with a clear clipping mechanism are called clipless.

 

[Sparky731]

Wonder how much Lance spent on his racing flip-flops?
;^}

Flip-flops seem to be the No. 1 choice in cycling footware here in coastal north San Diego County. See them on kids through 50-somethings, and not just on the way home from the beach.

Many of the many ebikes in our hilly area are cadence-sensing hub-drives with throttles. For most, they're just transportation (fine by me). No serious pedaling required, and little seen. Which only makes flip-flops that much more attactive.

I have ridden >20k miles in flip flops on my ebikes.
And I thrill riding through water puddles which is impractical to do with shoes and socks.

 

[J.R.]

Can someone tell me why flat pedals that dont have a clipping mechanism are called flat while pedals with a clear clipping mechanism are called clipless.

Clipless are actually cleats. The reason they are called clipless is because toe clips and strap pedals had been in use for more than half a century. Cyclists referred to that style as clipping in. Clipless cleats were invented in the early 80s, taking the idea from skiing.

 

[Chargeride]

Soleclip it is then

I grew up on toestraps and that scraping noise before you flipped it around to put your foot in, I actually wore through several and the strap would drop out.

 

[BikerG]

If this is your first time going clipless, I strongly advise going against, due to the learning curve involved while straddling the heavy weight of an ebike.

As for me, after decades of using clipless pedals, on both road and mtb styles, I’ve switched to flats when I acquired my first ebike last year. With pedal assist I find little advantage using clipless pedals. I went back and forth, between clipless and flats, when I got my ebike, but eventually settled on a pair of Crank Brothers Stamp 7’s. Grip is almost as good as using clipless pedals. I still use clipless on my acoustic bikes, my favorite being the Crank Brothers original style Eggbeaters.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

I have ridden >20k miles in flip flops on my ebikes.
And I thrill riding through water puddles which is impractical to do with shoes and socks.

Impressive! Are they stiffer than usual? Arch support?

Believe me, I'm no cycling shoe snob. I use Skechers slip-ins and closed-toe Keen sandals. Nothing fancier required for my recreational riding: Flattish and hilly pavement and light offroad, butt-limited to 25 mi or so, pedaled all the way at generally low assist.

If I ever break the butt barrier to 50 mi rides, might be different.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Impressive! Are they stiffer than usual? Arch support?

Believe me, I'm no cycling shoe snob. I use Skechers slip-ins and closed-toe Keen sandals. Nothing fancier required for my recreational riding: Flattish and hilly pavement and light offroad, butt-limited to 25 mi or so, pedaled all the way at generally low assist.

If I ever break the butt barrier to 50 mi rides, might be different.

with the peddling innovations I don't have to worry much but for really stiff cycling shoes they don't grip well for me or my wife. but the pedals are large enough I don't need the stiffness my feet don't curl around the pedals like they do on most pedals.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

with the peddling innovations I don't have to worry much but for really stiff cycling shoes they don't grip well for me or my wife. but the pedals are large enough I don't need the stiffness my feet don't curl around the pedals like they do on most pedals.

Agree, just one of several advantages with platforms elongated fore and aft. Have yet to see a downside in my kind of riding.

The pricey Catalyst you used at one time is the most elongated I've seen (by ~50%) and perhaps the first to market. The much cheaper ROCKBROS "wide" I linked above is still elongated enough (~20%) to make the advantages clear.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Agree, just one of several advantages with platforms elongated fore and aft. Have yet to see a downside in my kind of riding.

The pricey Catalyst you used at one time is the most elongated I've seen (by ~50%) and perhaps the first to market. The much cheaper ROCKBROS "wide" I linked above is still elongated enough (~20%) to make the advantages clear.

the rockbro's make my feet feel like a bird on a perch The peddling innovations work great but in the rain the grease on the main bushing washes out after a couple of months even if I use marine grease.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

the rockbro's make my feet feel like a bird on a perch they work great but in the rain the grease on the main bushing washes out after a couple of months even if I use marine grease.

Good to know about the grease issue. Don't mind riding in the light rain and drizzle we get now and then. But now I have an even better excuse for passing on the heavy rains that come with our big winter storms off the Pacific.

 

[Kayakguy]

I'm impressed with how well the spiked MTB pedals hold my feet — even with my (gasp) Skecher slip-ins. No visible sole damage after well over 500 miles.

But danger lurks here as well. Until my legs learned to steer clear of the spikes, my shins and calves looked like a war zone.

Really like these for the grip, price, durability, and "wide" (elongated fore-aft) platforms:

ROCKBROS Aluminum Wide Platform Mountain Bike Pedals with Grippy Pins

Wide Platform for Stability: The 120mm wide platform provides increased stability and a comfortable connected feeling, perfect for mountain biking. Super Grippy and Smooth Bearings: Features 12 rear-loading hexagonal steel pins per side for exceptional grip, along with lubricated sealed DU...

rockbrosbike.us

My left shin has a mess of bruises and scars; happens when I stop and put my left foot down, then bang into the pedal. Dermatologist was puzzled until I explained it to her. But it's not really a problem for me.

 

[BlackHand]

Pro tip: if you have mtb pedals with metal pins don't get lazy and hold them with your bare hand while trying to loosen the crank so you can clean the chain ring.

My shins and calves are used to the occasional minor wound, but the hole in the palm of my hand really sucked!

 

[jabberwocky]

The way I learned clipless is I sat on my bike in a doorway in view of the TV and watched a few shows while repeatedly clipping in and clipping out. Still had a handful of "stop, try to yank my foot out of the pedal, tip over" moments when I was learning, but I got used to it pretty quick. At this point its second nature. I think its like driving a stick shift. It seems difficult an awkward at first, but eventually you do it without even thinking about it.

Best learner pedals IMO are the Shimano SPDs (M520s would be my rec). With the tension at minimum they are really easy to pop out of. I started with Shimanos and eventually switched to Time Atacs. Love the times, still run them on all my bikes.

Nothing wrong with flats, they are more convenient for sure, and for really technical riding they are easier to bail out of (I would never do big jumps or drops on clipless pedals). I do think clipless are superior for pedaling efficiency and bike control. A good set of flats with pins and sticky shoes (I ran 5.10 impacts in my DH days) are pretty hard to slip off of. The downside is those pins will tear you up if you don't have shin pads on. I have some scars on my left shin from screwing around on my DH bike in the parking lot without armor on.