Clip in pedals

Clip-in Pedals

Lorraine Hurley

Empower Triathlon Training

Leaning to ride clipped in isn’t obvious; it takes a specific sequence of multiple steps. Cyclists don’t clip in both feet simultaneously upon starting, nor do they unclip both feet simultaneously when stopping. Rather, one foot is usually clipped in while the other is free. When you first get on a tri bike, take as long as you need to practice on a flat, firm grassy area so the falls won’t hurt as much. No matter what, it’s bound to be a lesson in humility!

Starting: 

1.       Always take off from an easy gear. You may need to lift the rear tire and move the pedals to get into a light gear. Avoid starting off in your big ring if you can help it since it takes much more force to move the pedals. (On race day, be sure to rack your bike in an easy gear.)

2.       Straddle the bike and clip one foot in, pressing down on it while it is at 6:00 position.

3.       Bring that pedal back to the highest point (12:00) by pedaling backwards in place.

4.       While still off the saddle, push off with the free foot on the ground and press down hard on the clipped pedal, using your weight to get moving, firmly gripping both handlebars. You may need to either push off the ground again with your free foot or push down multiple times with all of your weight, pulling up on the handlebars firmly to get enough momentum going, especially if crossing a busy street or on an incline.

5.       If the wrong side of the pedal is up, spin it with your toe and try again.

6.       JUST KEEP MOVING!! That’s your mantra. Even if it means riding 100 feet or more without fully clipping in, your primary goal is to gain speed. The kiss of death is to stop pedaling and look down at the pedal, which ironically is what we do naturally! Instead, keep pedaling, resting your free foot on the pedal as you power on with the clipped-in one. It often takes more than one attempt, even for seasoned riders. Moving your foot away will just cause the spinning pedal will to bite you! Be patient and spare your shins. If you must look at the pedal, glance down quickly while moving forward. The visual information isn’t as important as the feel, which will come in time.

7.       If you don’t yet have the speed yet to sit on the saddle and keep moving, stay upright instead.

One of my experienced Empower athletes helped to mentor a newer one when a broken ankle kept me from demonstrating myself. We have such a great community!

Stopping:

1.       As soon as you anticipate stopping, switch gradually to a very easy gear. Always pedal (even if very slowly) while changing gears or your chain may slip off and/or you will crunch through the gears later as you take off. Never pedal backwards when shifting gears or with a slipped chain.

2.       Well in advance of stopping (50-100 feet), unclip the foot you want on the ground and stick it off to the side. Keep your leg clear of the pedal when unclipped to avoid getting hit. Resting it on the pedal may result in accidentally clipping back in at the last second. At the same time…

3.       Stand on the clipped-in pedal in the bottom/6:00 position and glide to a stop with your butt in front of the seat and both hands on the handlebars (not in aero).

4.       As you come to a complete stop, put your free down, leaning the bike to that side. Take care never to lean toward the clipped-in side. Riders who have been still for seconds or even minutes waiting at a stop sign may find themselves on the ground if they lean their bike the wrong way to look at traffic, wave to a friend, check over their shoulder or even use broad gestures while telling a story!

5.       Don’t try to sit on the bike while stopped.

6.       Only unclip the second foot to dismount. Otherwise, keep it clipped it, returning it to the top of the stroke position (12:00) to push off again. If waiting a long time for others, you may choose to dismount and straddle the bike, provided you’ll have time to get one foot clipped back in before pushing off.

7.       Use the “autopause” setting so you don’t have to hit the buttons on your watch or bike computer whenever you stop and start.

8.       When riding in a group, always decide for yourself when it’s safe to cross an intersection. You know your skill level. Someone else may be confident they can clip in before the next car where it may take a novice longer. It’s useful and encouraged for riders to call out, “Clear!” or “Clear right! Clear left!” but always use your own judgment and never just forge ahead without looking both ways. Stay alert!

U-turns:

1.       When approaching a tight U-turn, it can be prudent to unclip the INSIDE pedal, leaving that foot free to help you balance or to touch down if needed. Watch for loose gravel and debris on any tight turns.

2.       Slow down and shift into a lighter gear.

3.       Keep the outside pedal down (6:00) and the inside pedal up (12:00) and to avoid scraping the pedal against the pavement. Don’t pedal through tight turns.

Stopping and Starting on an Incline:

1.       If starting on an incline be prepared to stand on the pedals and/or push off more than once with the free foot—whatever keeps you moving! Early on, try to avoid this situation if possible. Instead, practice it repeatedly on your own, going up and down the same hill until you have it down.

2.       It can happen that a) an incline is too steep to start on, b) you are forced to stop on a hill by construction crews, accidents, fallen trees, glass or debris, animals or vehicles or c) you are on such a steep climb that you stall completely, even off the saddle. If so…

3.       Be ready to unclip suddenly and lean the bike to that side. You may be off the saddle when you have to unclip. Yell, “Stopping!” loudly to alert other cyclists, especially in a race or group ride. This helps them to avoid you and to look for whatever danger caused you to stop.

4.       If not in a light gear (Ex., you just finished a rapid descent and were starting the next hill before being suddenly interrupted), it may pay to dismount and manually change to the lightest gear.

5.       Use all your power and body weight to get moving, pushing down and pulling up. Once you have momentum, clip back in. If you fail, you may need to stay off the saddle to keep your speed up with the unclipped foot pushing down on the pedal despite not being clipped in at first.

6.       If unable to start again, put a foot down and assess the situation calmly.  Check the traffic. You may need to signals others to go around you. Then ride across the road or even back downhill as you clip in, then U-turn when you have the momentum to get up the hill. This may just require riding in a small circle.

7.       If you just can’t handle the hill safely, develop a plan to turn back and go another route. Signal this to anyone else in your group, keeping in mind that they may not be able to stop safely or turn around to listen to you. Always carry a cell phone for emergencies and have the numbers of those you are riding with or those who may be in charge of SAG (support and gear) for that ride.

8.       Ride in routes that are well-known to your or your friends. Ask other cyclists about any new course before you set out. Check out elevation and grade graphs online when traveling or for any routes you know nothing about. Don’t just look at total elevation—it may be all downhill out and then all uphill back!

You will ride faster with clip-in pedals, which allow you to apply pressure at every phase of the stroke cycle. It’s well worth the investment and a must for endurance racing and training. When (not if!) you fall, just roll with it, laugh it off and take comfort in knowing that we’ve all been there!

Lorraine Hurley is a USAT, Ironman and Training Peaks-certified coach and founder of Empower Triathlon Training Services. Contact me at empowertts@gmail.com or find us on Facebook!