A friend of mine gave me these clipless pedals and I have just now had the time to get into them and check them out. Can someone explain to me how they work and how I am supposed to use them? Why are they called clipless? They seem to have spring loaded clip things on them. Should I even bother using them for basic trail riding?
Clipless Pedals
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
Joined
·
1,501 Posts
Clipless pedals are "clipless" because they were designed to replace pedals that used toe clips. Toe clips are those things that you see mostly on old road bikes that look like dog muzzles.
Definently try them out. They give you more control of your bike and allow you to exert power on the upstroke.
To use clipless pedals, you'll need mtn bike specific shoes that allow attachment of the cleats. The cleats are what interfaces your shoes with the pedals. There are all kinds of clipless pedals out there. The big three are Shimano, Crank Bros, and Time. Shimano is by far the most common--at least that's been my observation. They all do the same thing, but in different ways.
What pedals did ya get?
when you say "these" clipless pedals, what kind of pedals are you talking about? It's tough to give you operating instructions w/o more info. Maybe you can post a photo.
Someone else wrote why they're called "clipless". I've been cycling for 45+ years, so the etiology of the term does make some sense to me. But it's still a dumb term because it in no realistic way describes the pedals, and many if not most people really don't understand it at all.
I've heard them referred to as "automatic" pedals on some of the British websites. I think that's a much better term and I'd like to see a movement to change the name of clipless pedals to automatic pedals.
Joined
·
109 Posts
Once you get used to them, you won't look back. I love my "clipless" pedals, and they have improved my riding a great deal!! They increase pedal efficiency, as well as connect you to the bike. This makes it easier to bunny hop, or ollie over obstacles, since you are connected to the bike, all you have to do is jump. Try to concentrate on swinging your ankle to the outside to get out of them, at least that is what I did. Now I can clip out very easily, and have turned the pedals up so it's harder to get out of them. HTH!!
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
