:wink:ok i have a road bike..just got it out for the summer..had it well over a year now..trouble is with being an mtb’er :wink:..i hadnt any experiance of using cleats…so a year ago i bought some specialized road shoes with shimano cleats as they were on offer at the time (the cleats)…bought both items from different bike shops…anyway persivered with the cleats for 6 months but had too many accidents with them…(could never get unclip properly or fast enuff..had a few falling sideways onto kerb edges ..so then i put some flat pedals on…its better for me as i dont have to worry about stopping at traffic lights etc or leaning onto car wing mirrors (nah not really)..seen it tho..lol… so out came the road bike today and finding its alot harder work to climb hills,,, cos when you have cleats, on ‘hill climbing’ becomes alot easier….also i have expensive road shoes and wondering what type of cleat is the smoothist for unclipping if i go back to cleats..to be honest i think i was using the wrong type of cleat..perhaps it probably was an mtb cleat instead of road cleat…i dont have any expereience in road cleats any one any ideas which are the easiest cleat to learn with…thats if i go back to them…ive been scared off by them,,,,lol…….i dont use cleats for “mtb’ ing” either..always learnt with flat pedals….i like to know ive got my feet free shud i fall off…lol 😉

yes.
definitely.

pss…seen these on evans cycles could try these if i dont go back to cleats…not sure how they work but something to put feet into without slipping off the pedals..
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/mks/half-toe-clip-deep-section-ec023227

It’s a problem everyone has when they first start using clipless pedals. After a few days/weeks you get used to them to the point that flat pedals make you feel unattached to your bike. Have a look at the pedals from Time or my personal favourites Look (keo).

Err yes maybe.

If you really did persevere for 6 months then I’m surprised you still had problems. Maybe practice while leaning on a wall for a few mins a day until you get it. Then maybe practice it several times a ride when you’re just riding along (i.e. not a panic situation at some lights.) You will get there!

On most pedals you can usually adjust the spring tension too, may be worth slackening that off a bit to start with.

yeah did the slacken off thing, i just had problems from day one always paniking when stopping..hmmm i really duno me n cleats dont get on..i just dont feel safe .. 😉

What Roter Stern said plus I’ve always found it much easier to un-clip when the pedal is at the bottom / when you’re leg’s fully extended.

Elaine, I feel your pain! I tried SPDs years ago, then SPD-SLs and had too many embarrassing incidents so gave up. Recently tried again, this time with Speedplay X2s, and they are a revelation. I feel much more confident and they’re much easier to get into and out of. If you don’t like the float, there are Zeros too.

Give it a go. If I can do it, anyone can! (Oh, I’m a girl btw, if that matters!)

might be worth hunting out the time firsts or equivalents, the tension on different versions of the same brand is not always the same.

I think the trend is cheap has less tension than the expensive pedal. I guess the more serious you are the more you spend.

shimano pedals are always wound up high when they come out of the box so they need a really confident shove. practice and confidence (easy to say I know…)