7 replies to this topic

[jischr]

while packing up after a ride I was watching a guy instruct a 20 something woman on riding with clip-less pedals.  What caused me to pause was he told her to clip in the left foot and start riding, swing her leg over and clip in the right foot.  I haven't done that since I was a kid.  After she proved her ability to stop and start, he clipped in his left, pushed off and swung his leg over.  I can't imagine he/she would do this any other time other than starting from a parking lot.  It would be so awkward at stop signs.  So I'm curious, how do you clip in or mount up if you don't have clipless pedals.

[thefutureofamerica]

If I'm starting off the bike, I do semi-CX style - throw a leg over and push off, then clip in while rolling. At a stop light, I unclip my left... I've always done it that way, and unclipping the right is actually kinda difficult for me at this point.

[cleeland]

I don't think the guy's strategy would work well for a pedal system that doesn't have a lot of float.  For example, the angle I'd have to put my foot relative to the rest of my body in order to clip into an SPD-SL/Look/KEO/??? system would be crazy.

I think the guy's strategy would only work if the person was already used to mounting the bike that way when using platform pedals.  It actually sounds like it'd be more prone to problems because you're clipped in before you have control of the bike.

Whether you clip out left or right foot at stop signs is a personal preference.

[jischr]

Tonight I saw the same question posted on another board.  Several folks there said they clip in left foot first and swing a leg.  Like you said Cleeland, my shoes/pedals don't have a lot of float and I'd probably fall over or wobble and bump someone else.

[nomoretickets]

i straddle my bike, then go left foot right foot in. if i have to stop, i just track stand. saves all the clip out clip in hassle. plus you get like +30 cool points from random motorists who think you are magic.

[live2beoutside]

I've been riding clipless since they were introduced in 1986 and I can't imagine following that guy's procecure with clipless pedals - I don't think I EVER had the coordination to do that, even as a kid with flat pedals without toe clips.  Unless CX is involved, I slowly swing one leg over and straddle the bike.  Then, I clip in whichever pedal is closer to the bottom of the stroke (left or right), roll forward, hoist to the saddle and then clip in the other foot.

At stop signs, I try to trackstand  but clip out at some lights.  I have some psycological issues with symmetry (Ok, Ok, not JUST with symmetry) so I tend to alternate back and forth between clipping out left and clipping out right. Plus, after I started commuting and dealing with the 26 stop lights on my route to work, I notice i was starting to wear out right pedal springs (my preferred side)....so for that reason as well, I now focus on clipping out with the left more often.

Edited by live2beoutside, 29 June 2012 - 08:57 AM.

[JudoJohn]

I hadn't really thought that much about  it. I think I mostly straddle, clip left, then right after i start moving.  at lights, i unclip right. I always unclip right first. about 2-3 years ago, I was riding with another guy. we were on Manchester road in Ellisville area.  he stopped quickly in front of me at light, that i though he was going to go through.  So, I went down, because i couldn't unclip fast enough.  Ego hurt more than anything LOL.

[digyourownwhole]

thefutureofamerica, on 22 June 2012 - 08:01 AM, said:

If I'm starting off the bike, I do semi-CX style - throw a leg over and push off, then clip in while rolling. At a stop light, I unclip my left... I've always done it that way, and unclipping the right is actually kinda difficult for me at this point.

+1 on this.