You are hereHow many "SPD" related injuries do you get?
How many "SPD" related injuries do you get?
At least one a ride, I can never unclip fast enough and I hate them.
2% (1 vote)
One every other ride, I put up with them.
5% (3 votes)
Not much, perhaps one every 5 rides, they don't bother me.
29% (16 votes)
I never get cleat related injuries, what's the point of this poll?
55% (30 votes)
What are SPDs?
9% (5 votes)
Total votes: 55
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Is it just me or is it time I looked for some other pedals? Am I the only with this problem?
I've been using clip less pedals for almost a year now and I still have problems un-clipping sometimes, and end up falling over. I've just been out and fell 3 times, mainly because I was carrying a GPS in one hand while going up a hill but still - 3 times! They are also the cause of my broken rib so I have a real bone with pick with them at the moment (I thank you
)
If I don't stop leaving blood stains on the bed sheets I'm going to the dog house...
maybe you have them adjusted too tightly.
Yeah I've being playing with the adjustment for ages. The only way I can get them to disengage easily is to have them so loose there is play when pulling up on the pedal and my feet slip out on bumps etc. To loose in other words.
My right pedal is must worse than the left though. I'm just wondering if it is mechanical related (crappy pedals), or just accepted that every now and again you will fall.
I've been falling onto my hips quite a few times lately with my new Time pedals because of the 5deg floating, I must turn my shoe even further than on Shimano M520 to uncleat them. So I've lost a lot of confidence in uncleating when I'm riding technical parts like at the Dam. I need lots of training again now!
Tom
Now I've voted I'll probably have a sticky cleat next time out.
I must admit I did go OTB last wednesday, but that was because I couldn't find the cleat.
Nick.
@LadyToast: what brand/model?
I have M520's on my hardtail commuter and my Jekyll, and don't have a problem with getting stuck in my pedals that often. I have mine set to full soft on the tension and never have trouble with accidentally lifting out of them. A drop of chain lube on teh jaws of the pedal where it contacts the cleat might help - you can run the tension a little tighter but still get out easily. It makes them more consistent.
The M515's that the Jekyll came with were dreadful, though, coming unclipped mid-air off waterbars.
The second time it happened I knew it wasn't me so flicked 'em before the next ride.
I've only ever used spuds so I can't give you a comparison, but I reckon I probably did/do ride a bit more conservatively and perhaps bail out a little earlier than I might with flats. There is also that ever-so-small delay in getting your foot out because you have to kick yoru heel(s) out first. But then I don't have a problem with my feet rattling off the pedals or slipping off mid-air, and it's made me a lot more focussed on where my front wheel goes.
Most of my pedal-related offs are at super-slow speed anyway. I've just bought a pair of 661 elbow and forearm guards as a first line of defence against the symptoms of my terminal gumby-itis. Most of my offs - erm, OTBs - are from having too much weight on teh front. I really must learn to manual.
I use Crank Brothers Eggbeaters. There's no mechanicals to mess around with so no niggly adjustments required. I've been riding them since switching from flats for almost a year now. I feel very comfortably in them now. But like Tom, my confidence on the technical sections around the dam has suffered somewhat. I come off at least a couple of times per ride around the dam. Have recently bought some sixsixone knee pads and shall be taking them out today. I can only hope they instill more confidence and protection from the inevitable.
Phil
It becomes more and more instinctive over time......or maybe I just crash a lot and get the practice
Like in the below photo I managed to unclip mid OTB step off and only really fell over because I lost my balance once bailing. Well at least Loz got a good laugh from behind the camera.
Buck, that is a classic pic, I know that feeling only too well.
The pedals I am using are the WELLGO W-70 DH - http://www.torpedo7.com.au/products/WEPDCN7W7 and from reading the votes on here I reckon it has to be something up with those. They are my first SPD type pedals so I don't have much to compare them with.
I'm thinking I will get a set of Shimano M647 Pedals, which seem to get very positive reviews and many people say they un-clip easily - http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?m...
I have the Shimano DX shoes so these HAVE to work!
Do you really need the cage of the DX? I'm on 540s and you can ride non-clipped sometimes... but that said, after a while on clip-ins you get to the point being clipped saves you more falls (being able to pull the bike upright or not slip off the pedals) than not being able to get out of them causes.
FWIW, if you can stack like I did yesterday and still out in time (I was on the Yeti which has 540s) then there's nothing much wrong with this setup!
I echo what Rob is saying I have 540's as well and that would be the lowest spec I'd look at with Shimano - I had 520's before the 540's and there was a noticable difference and the odd issue at unclip and even clip in. My next set will be at least the XT version and I also find a bit of lube on the springs allows more tension (no unwanted unclips) but still an easy exit.
@Buck: Was that you that I held up on the singletrack Saturday (yesterday) arvo when my young bloke went OTB? If so, I was the gumby on the yellow/green Cannondale. Sorry about holding you up.
@LadyToast: If you've got Wellgo's and the guys here are saying they don't completely trust even the M520's that I have, then I reckon you've probably found your problem and maybe Harry's suggestion is something you oughta look at.
Rob, perhaps I could give them a go sometime? I used some in the UK recently and didn't find I could use them unless I was clipped in, not in anger anyway. What I am reading from all this though is that I should spend some decent cash on a set and my problems would go away.
Hi Ladytoast I have both Shimano XT SPDs for XC and 647s for trail riding. Both are awesome and release easily when required.
Take the time to get used to SPDs as they will improve your riding on the tech stuff no end. I would stack twice as much without them.
If you are doing any sort of jumps I would recommnend the 647s as the platform gives you a more secure feel underfoot when you land. They are also MUCH easier to clip back into.
Thanks for everyone's input on this. I have put an order in for some Shimano M647 Pedals with CRC. I have chosen these as they seem the best compromise between spuds and platforms, and as I have only been riding clipped in for less than a year compared to over 10 with platforms it still feels strange on the smaller pedals to me - I blame my BMX riding days.
Who knows, next year perhaps I will be on egg beaters. What a great site
Dylan,
Give me a call if you want to try Egg Beaters I can lend you some with cleats. I started with SPD's and after a few years decided to give Egg Beaters a go, I tried them for about 4 months and had heaps of problems clipping in so I went back to SPD's and have had no problems since.