Having ditched SPD’s last year and going to flats, over the weekend I thought I would have another go at using them. This time instead of using some tiny XTR pedals, I had a go with some nice DX pedals with the pedal surround to give my foot a larger platform to connect to.

Anyway, as predicted, several “oh S**t” moments and almost stationary falls happened. First one whilst trying to avoid someone elses back wheel with no where to go….and ended up falling into a 3ft deep rutt with a new set of scars for the memory.

One thing I did was back off the tension so they were pretty loose, and although when concentrating I could get the shoes out of the pedals quick enough, when it actually came to needing to whilst riding I still managed to struggle and of course fall over….damnit!

I guess its a case of keeping at it, and getting my brain to tell my feet to try and release a split second before Im used to with flats.

However does anyone have any handy hints or tips for getting started with SPD’s in order to minimise the damage to me and the bike?

Learn to trackstand clipped in.

You’ll soon sharpen reactions.

Learn to ride with toeclips and straps. SPDs will be a walk in the park after that.

the crashes, mostly fairly lame, i`ve had in the last 1.5 years relating to trying clips have been the most painful of my 15yrs biking.

i dont think there are tips. i think bloody minded perseverance is definatly required though.

Twist your foot out, not lift it out.

Just keep riding and soon it will be an unthinking action. Dont think about it, also dont favor one foot over the other, get used to either.

You’ll get used to them in time and it’s better than losing the flesh off your shins after slipping off the pedals etc!

Stick with them!

The only time I can’t get a foot out are those times I’d usually crash on flats anyway. Only difference is getting rid of the bike when there’s a falling down a hillside moment as unclipping both at the same time is beyond me still.

Make sure that the bolts holding your shoe cleats to the sole are well torqued. Many years ago while setting mine up I made the mistake of not doing so, thinking that I’d need to undo them easily for further adjustment. fortunately the resulting comedy non-unclip feet swivelling in the pedal and then flop sideways only injured my pride.

Move your heel first, not your toe.
Practice and it will become second nature.

It might sound a bit lame (but then so is flopping over still clipped in) but try just practising clipping in/out, find your self a nice quite location (a tow path or the corner of a field and literally just get used to the action of trundling along clipping out and back in repeatedly (Without looking down at your feet!)…

You’ll find you favour one foot over the other and one action (heel twist in or out) so practise all variations on both feet, do it with the tension backed right off until your totally comfortable with that and after having done a ride or two then start adding a bit of tension and repeat the practise excercises until you’re happy with how they work.

The main thing is not to panic when you find you have to stop or dab a foot, the excercises will hopefully help train your muscle memory so your instinct to pull up in and emergency becomes one to twisting out instead…

Think of it this way (assuming you can drive here) you weren’t born knowing how to operate a car the whole series of operations you carry out every time you do that (clutch/brake/accelerator/gear stick/steering wheel/indicators/mirrors/etc) is probably not one you really have to concerntrate on to the same degree as when you first learned many of the things you do to control a motor vehicle are almost automatic trained reflexes, same with controling a bike, all the SPDs are are a new control you need to train your body/brain to use properly…

However does anyone have any handy hints or tips for getting started with SPD’s in order to minimise the damage to me and the bike?

Yes, pick up your SPD’s, carry them to the nearest skip, and place them inside. Return to your bike and fit Nano flats and fiveten rubber.
😉

Focus on kicking your heals out. Practice a few times.

Get yourself some of the multi release cleats to start with. Not everyones cup of tea, but I started using them when I couldn’t get confident moving from flats and they’ve been an absolute revelation. I hear tails of feet lifing out on the upstroke, but never happened to me in 4 months of using them.

Plus they have the advantage that not once have I had a ‘moment’ and toppled into a ditch, so gives me confidence to tackle even scary tecnical terrain

Many thanks All,
Sounds like I need to keep at it. Didnt know about multi release cleats so will pick some up to see if that helps things initially.

Rgds
J