Clipless pedal release difficulties

TK Sung

All,

A quick question on working clipless pedals. I finally got shoes/cleat for
my SPD pedals and tried around parking lot a couple of times. I set the
tension to the lowest, but I'm still having a hard time releasing it. Only
reliable way to get off it is to lift my heel and then twist out. If I have
my foot flat or pressed down, it takes a struggle to get it off. I'm
thinking the problem could be either that the binding has too much float, or
my ankle does not have enough lateral flexiblity to overcome the float when
the foot is flat. Does anybody have suggestion that I could try to remedy
the problem?

Thanks in advance.
tk

Ken

"TK Sung" <tksung@wahoo.com> wrote in
news:doipc.48866$i82.34885@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com:
> A quick question on working clipless pedals. I finally got shoes/cleat
> for my SPD pedals and tried around parking lot a couple of times. I set
> the tension to the lowest, but I'm still having a hard time releasing it.

Are you using the cleats that came with the pedals? Did you install them
with the correct orientation? Are the pedals Shimano or a clone?

curt

Not sure if I am reading this wrong, but it sounds to me, everything is
working as it should. The only way to get out of clips is to twist you heal
out to release.

Maybe I am reading this wrong.
Curt


"TK Sung" <tksung@wahoo.com> wrote in message
news:doipc.48866$i82.34885@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com...
> All,
>
> A quick question on working clipless pedals. I finally got shoes/cleat
for
> my SPD pedals and tried around parking lot a couple of times. I set the
> tension to the lowest, but I'm still having a hard time releasing it.
Only
> reliable way to get off it is to lift my heel and then twist out. If I
have
> my foot flat or pressed down, it takes a struggle to get it off. I'm
> thinking the problem could be either that the binding has too much float,
or
> my ankle does not have enough lateral flexiblity to overcome the float
when
> the foot is flat. Does anybody have suggestion that I could try to remedy
> the problem?
>
> Thanks in advance.
> tk
>
>

Denver C. Fox

They are working as they are supposed to. That IS how you release - twist your
heel to the right and pull out.


http://members.aol.com/foxcondorsrvtns
(Colorado rental condo)

http://members.aol.com/dnvrfox
(Family Web Page)

Simon D

I agree with the previous posts, and would add that the more tense and
nervous you become, the harder it is to release. I know it's easier said
than done, but try not to think about what you're doing as you try to
release!

As someone else said, check that you have the right cleats for your pedals.
Also, it's not unknown for shoe soles to foul the pedal body. Usually you'd
notice this on engaging the cleat with the pedal - it will be hard to lock
in. You can check whether this is a problem by locking the shoe to the pedal
without having your foot in the shoe (if you see what I mean!). It may be
possible to trim the sole with a sharp knife if this proves to be an issue.


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Bill

After using spd cleats for 4 years, I still cannot move
my left heel outward to release my left shoe. I always
move my heel inward on the left side to release.
Have you tried doing that?

Bill

TK Sung

"Ken" <nospam@spam.no> wrote in message
news:Xns94E9F1ECF20F0x12@216.251.47.166...
> "TK Sung" <tksung@wahoo.com> wrote in
>
> Are you using the cleats that came with the pedals? Did you install them
> with the correct orientation? Are the pedals Shimano or a clone?
>
No, no cleat came with the pedals. I bought them with the shoes. I
installed it so that my toe will point as far inward as possible so that I
could twist out the farthest. The pedals are Shimano 5xx, I think, that
came with Giant OCR 2.

TK Sung

"curt" <nospam@verizon.net> wrote in message
newsOnpc.40865$L8.24297@nwrdny02.gnilink.net...
> Not sure if I am reading this wrong, but it sounds to me, everything is
> working as it should. The only way to get out of clips is to twist you
heal
> out to release.
>
But would that cause problem when climbing or in emergency situation? I'd
think I'll be pressing my foot down in either situation, and the bindings
won't release easy if I do that. I have to reduce the pressure by lifting
the heel to release.

S o r n i

TK Sung wrote:
> "curt" <nospam@verizon.net> wrote in message
> newsOnpc.40865$L8.24297@nwrdny02.gnilink.net...
>> Not sure if I am reading this wrong, but it sounds to me, everything
>> is working as it should. The only way to get out of clips is to
>> twist you heal out to release.
>>
> But would that cause problem when climbing or in emergency situation?
> I'd think I'll be pressing my foot down in either situation, and the
> bindings won't release easy if I do that. I have to reduce the
> pressure by lifting the heel to release.

Are you wearing road shoes or mtb? Sounds like the shoes' soles are
"rubbing" against the pedal body and making unclipping difficult; hence
lifting the heel makes it a bit easier.

You might try shaving some rubber off around the cleats if that's the case.

Also, try lubing the cleats before each ride for a while...and PRACTICE
PRACTICE PRACTICE! They might just need to "wear in" somewhat to become
easier to release.

Finally, if all else fails, read the directions that came with the pedals.
You might have the cleats installed funkily (today's fun {non?} word), or
even wrong.

Bill "find a grassy field and fall over a few times" S.

maxo

On Sat, 15 May 2004 06:02:50 +0000, TK Sung wrote:

> All,
>
> A quick question on working clipless pedals. I finally got shoes/cleat for
> my SPD pedals and tried around parking lot a couple of times. I set the
> tension to the lowest, but I'm still having a hard time releasing it. Only
> reliable way to get off it is to lift my heel and then twist out. If I have
> my foot flat or pressed down, it takes a struggle to get it off. I'm
> thinking the problem could be either that the binding has too much float, or
> my ankle does not have enough lateral flexiblity to overcome the float when
> the foot is flat. Does anybody have suggestion that I could try to remedy
> the problem?
>
> Thanks in advance.
> tk

In addition to what everybody else has said, I found sometimes that the
cleats break in a bit (wear ) I've even rubbed some paraffin wax on
"sticky" cleats before, though I don't know if I should recommend that.

Can you adjust the float?

Peter Cole

"TK Sung" <tksung@wahoo.com> wrote in message
news:doipc.48866$i82.34885@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com...
> All,
>
> A quick question on working clipless pedals. I finally got shoes/cleat for
> my SPD pedals and tried around parking lot a couple of times. I set the
> tension to the lowest, but I'm still having a hard time releasing it. Only
> reliable way to get off it is to lift my heel and then twist out. If I have
> my foot flat or pressed down, it takes a struggle to get it off. I'm
> thinking the problem could be either that the binding has too much float, or
> my ankle does not have enough lateral flexiblity to overcome the float when
> the foot is flat. Does anybody have suggestion that I could try to remedy
> the problem?
>

Shimano makes 2 styles of SPD cleats, "single-release" and "multi-release". If
you have the former, you might prefer the latter. Multi-release cleats
disengage with either a twist or a roll. I find them much easier to use since
the rolling motion is more natural for me.

New pedals are sometimes difficult to en/disengage, I've good luck lubricating
cleats. If your foot is loose in the shoe, disengaging can also be tough
sometimes.

Dan Daniel

On Sat, 15 May 2004 15:24:00 GMT, " S o r n i"
<sorni@bite-me.san.rr.com> wrote:


>
>Are you wearing road shoes or mtb? Sounds like the shoes' soles are
>"rubbing" against the pedal body and making unclipping difficult; hence
>lifting the heel makes it a bit easier.
>
>You might try shaving some rubber off around the cleats if that's the case.
>

I'll second this as a possible place to look. Made a huge difference
on my first pair of clipless.

TK Sung

" S o r n i" <sorni@bite-me.san.rr.com> wrote in message
news:kCqpc.52887$BG1.31493@twister.socal.rr.com...
>
> Are you wearing road shoes or mtb?
>
It's a mtb shoes. They told me it's just fine for road bike, so I took it
since it was the most comfortable..

>
> You might try shaving some rubber off around the cleats if that's the
case.
>
Thanks, I'll try that. I examined the shoes, and I indeed see scratch marks
on the inner tread near the cleat. It appears that the cleat also got
rotated slightly, probably beacause I used so much force when I was
struggling, mking it even more difficult to twist out. I'll fix those two
and report back on Monday after 25 mi ride!

TK Sung

"maxo" <maxo@NOSPAMhome.se> wrote in message
newsan.2004.05.15.15.29.10.72443@NOSPAMhome.se...
>
> Can you adjust the float?
>
Doesn't appear to be. It's Shimano M505 that came with the bike.