I’m knocking together a fixed commuter bike and have all the bits I need apart from pedals.

I’ll probably be in my road shoes which will take either road or MTB cleets. To start off with I’m worried about being clipped in though in case I need to get feet off in a hurry (going down hill). Should I use flats and trainers for a while until I get used to it?

i wouldn’t fancy riding fixed without clipless pedals.

To start off with I’m worried about being clipped in though in case I need to get feet off in a hurry (going down hill).
i wouldn’t worry about it.

DMR V12 Mags with spike extensions

😉

Advise Time angular float and easier to get out of then Shimano SPD IMHO ALso can alter cleat angle once confident
You get used to them pretty quickly and you can unclip more or less as fast as flats once used to .. rare I need to emergency unclip on road … off road another issue

Using flats since I was a kid (37yrs old now!)so decided to see what all the hype was about so purchased SPD last week……………how have i lived without them for all these years??

Nothing quite reminds you though what a **** you would look like at front of set of red lights with a queue of cars behind you as you slowly and unceremoniously find yourself lying on the tarmac in a heap of metal and limbs than a short sharp shock to the heart does when you realise you’re physically attached to bike…………… its enough of a short sharp shock to make you unclip at the speed of light!! A few stops and starts it will be second nature to you.

I use egg beaters. Practice a couple of times and you’ll be fine if you are used to riding clipped in. The feedback you get when riding fixed is amazing and you won’t forget that you are clipped in. Anyway, doing a trackstand on a fixie is easy isn’t it?

When riding a fixed downhill the last place you want your feet is floating in mid air with the cranks doing 200rpm.
Put spds of some type on.

Until you have tried fixed and felt how the bike feels like part of you, I would stick to some spd’s for the time being and avoid the hills on the first try out ;-0

Clipless much better for fixed. it feels much more natural to have your feet doing the “circles” thing, rather than the flat pedal “mash”.

I reckon double sided clipless – so SPDs or the equivalent – for the convenience of the fact that a commuter menas you’ll likely be in some traffic.

what tomlevel said…..I’ve seen it done and it ain’t pretty! We had a good laugh though!

wot they said. clipless. you could go clips and straps (njs stamp of course!!) but they are rubbish.

What ever fits your cleats but make life easy and use double sided ones.