- 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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