- If you are new to mountain biking and thinking
about switching to clipless pedals,
or clipless as I call them.
You can get stuck making a few simple mistakes.
So this is the top six mistakes you'll want to avoid
when using clipless pedals.
(grunt)
(boom)
Getting stuck in the pedals is something that we've all done
I'm sure, you're lying if you haven't.
It can be down to inexperience,
it takes a little bit of practice and a little bit
of thought about how to unclip that pedal.
So why not lean against something nice and solid
and have a bit of a practice.
Just get used to twisting your ankle to come out the pedal,
and also clip it back in takes a bit of practice.
Or also like I said to begin,
with it does takes a bit of thought
as you're ridin' along and you know you're gonna stop.
Think about the twist and actually not panickin'
like a lot of beginners do, who just try to pull up on
the pedal, you've got to get used to that twist.
(edgy music)
There's two setup tips that might help you out here
as well so with Shimano pedals you can actually
turn off the tension to undo the tension to make it easier.
Less force needed to get out of that pedal.
Also you can use multi-release cleats, so they're good
for beginners as well as twisting to get out.
You actually pull up to get out of those.
I'm using Crank brothers,
so you can choose to have 15 degrees
or 20 degrees of release.
So I go on the sooner release so I can get my foot out
easier, again that's good for beginers.
Also you wanna make sure your shoe
isn't to close to the crank.
So what I do is space the cleats in towards the
edge of the shoe.
Which then moves the shoe out, away from the crank.
To give me space, because to close you can actually
fowl the crank and touch it with your shoe.
It can give you a bit more pressure and find it harder to
get out of that pedal.
(light music)
Also for my trail and Enduro bikes,
I actually use Crank Brothers Mallet E LS.
Enduro Clip Pedal LS standing for long spindle.
So the pedals are actually nicely spaced out on the cranks,
gives you a wider queue factor
which means your feet are further apart.
Which doesn't bother me at all.
What I do like is I actually put clearance for my shoes.
More aggressive bites and riding gnarlier stuff
makes it super easy to get out of my pedals.
One last thing that could stop me from getting out
of that pedal nicely is friction between the sole of your
shoe and that pedal.
So I'm on my little cross country pedal today with these
nice cross country shoes as well.
So there's no friction at all.
What you might find on the bigger pedals like Down Hill
or the Enduro Pedal, it's a bigger platform.
They might actually have some pins in there that I file at
the bottom of the shoe so you can adjust them in alright.
Try and get that balance, the friction so you can
feel the pedal but not to much that you can't release
nice and easy pedal.
(soothing music)
The third mistake is not getting the shoes
to suite the pedal.
I like to think of my shoes and pedals as a system.
Some of those stiff soled, light weight, cross country shoes
really suite those small pedals because the stiff soled shoe
gives that support.
Also transfers a maximum power into the bike.
Larger Enduro Pedals actually suite
shoes that are more rubber on the bottom.
They get a better interface with that pedal,
also there can be a bit of flatter
and offer a bit more comfort.
It's also quite nice to feel the pedal through the sole
of your foot it almost feels like a flat pedal.
(hissing)
(relaxed music)
Gettin' your cleat placement wrong in the bottom of the shoe
can actually lead to bad technique.
If you have the cleats to far forward,
what it does, it tips your further weight forward.
So actually you stand on the pedal slightly toed down.
Puts a lot of weight through your calf muscles as well.
So that can cause cramp, but also when you ride in something
and also like a rock or somethin'.
The bike wants to slow down,
your weight is up on the front of the pedal.
Is easy to get that weight up and towards the bar.
So really subtly move your cleat further back in the shoe
slows your foot to about there.
Much more flat or even heel down.
It's actually gonna keep my weight of the calves.
Put me in a better ridin' position.
(relaxed techno music)
Number five, riding with clips can lead you to rely
on bad technique.
Now this is one of the bug bears I have on my coachin' days.
I spent a lot of time tryin' to coachin' people
out of their bad techniques and relearn the good techniques.
So specifically want to pick up your back wheel.
Now its easiest to do it with clips,
you just pull up with your feet, pedal comes up in the air.
You can get it over some obstacles, job done right?
However I fear you can hit a plateau with your ridin'
skill level if you use this technique.
It becomes ingrained and it isn't always good to pick up
your back wheel specifically when it comes to riding more
and more technical terrain.
Actually your weight is standin' over the rear tire.
You might be pickin' up off the floor,
but if you're tryin' to ride over lots and lots of roots.
Eventually you'll get the timin' wrong and your weight
is still over that rear tire.
So the better way is try and use your weight.
I've showed this in previous how to videos.
How to move your weight around on the bike.
Really using your hips to lift the wheels.
So shift your hips up and forward to lift the rear tire.
Vise versa for front,
and that's keepin your weight away from those wheels.
Much more useful when it comes to ridin'
more technical terrain.
(soft techno music)
Finally bad technique for jumpin'.
I'm talkin' about the same thing really,
is tryin' use your feet to pick up the back wheel.
Super easy with clips but when it comes to jumpin'
you'll only be able to pick up your back wheel as much
as you've got bend in your legs.
So when you run out of bend, that's it that's the limit
to how high you'll be able to go.
Same thing again, tryin' learn that bunny hop technique.
It comes to jumpin' you do it through the flats or clips
it doesn't matter.
Should be the same technique.
So really think about pumpin' the bike
into the up slope of that jump.
Gettin' your weight back to drive that front wheel
up into the air.
Pause for a second into a rear.
Hits the top of the jump,
and then it's time to lift the rear wheel using your hips.
Up and forward, sky's the limit really you can go much
higher using this technique then try to pick up your feet.
So getting used to clipless pedals is really a case of
just try to think about set up briefly when you start out
plus think about your ridin' technique.
And after while you'll become natural and you'll stop
panickin' about tryin' to get out your pedals.
It becomes much more fun thing to do.
Also you can really benefit from that pedalin' efficiency.
If you want to see a video about flats versus clips.
Click over there.
If you wanna see a first look on a Canyon Lux like
my lovely new bike here.
Get down there flat one.
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