Problems unclipping from pedals - is it the pedals or my leg?

pepperpat64
pepperpat64 Posts: 423 Member
edited March 2015 in Social Groups
Hello all. I just bought my first pair of clipless pedals and am having a really annoying problem. I'm able to clip in to both of them fine, but have a very difficult time unclipping with my left foot. (My right foot is great.) I compared the shoe clips and the left foot seemed uneven, and having so little experience with them, I went back to the bike shop to have the whole system checked. The shop guy checked out both the pedals and shoes and said they looked fine, but adjusted my left clip anyway. He also showed me how to adjust them myself. I rode home but it was just barely easier to unclip.

Today I adjusted the shoe clips myself to move them farther forward to match my foot placement preference, and also compared them to make sure they were both even. I then put the bike near a table which I could lean on while testing them. Again, right foot - no problem. Left foot - well, my left shoe is now stuck on the pedal because I simply could not remove it no matter how hard I tried, and had to take my shoe off to get off my bike! I then tried to remove the shoe from the pedal and could not, but I think that's because I worked so hard to unclip it that I loosened the shoe clip and it's just kind of sliding around.

Obviously I'm taking it back to the shop this week for them to look at it and REALLY test it this time, i.e., by making one of the shop guys try it with their own shoes, as well as by putting a whole new clip system on so I can try it myself. But another concern I noticed is that my left leg itself seems to not have the strength, the leverage, or some other issue causing it to be unable to unclip. I do have a minor alignment problem with my left hip, and I wonder if that could be what's wrong. Not asking for medical diagnoses or anything of course; if the bike shop guys find nothing defective about the pedals themselves, then I'll go to the doctor ASAP. But I am wondering if there are other riders with hip/knee/etc. problems that have caused issues with unclipping.

I'm also venting somewhat, because I had planned to ride to work every day this week in keeping with Florida Bike to Work Week, and now that's out the window, because I won't be able to get my bike looked until Wednesday. Sad face.

Thanks for reading and sympathizing, and I'd appreciate any suggestions, input, snide comments ;-) or whatever you care to offer.
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Replies

  • cloggsy71
    cloggsy71 Posts: 2,208 Member
    Firstly, what system are you using?

    I use SPD-SL's.
  • pepperpat64
    pepperpat64 Posts: 423 Member
    Wellgo WPD-M17C. They're clip on one side and platform on the other. Here's a link: http://en.wellgopedal.com/products_detail_8_229.htm
  • derrickyoung
    derrickyoung Posts: 136 Member
    okay, not an expert but will try and help with what little I have learned while laying on my side at stop lights and stop signs.

    First moving the cleat forward may not be the answer. The cleat and the spindle should be under the ball of your foot. Start by putting your shoes on then find that hump at the base of your big toe on the side of your foot and place a mark on shoes at that point. Now that is where your cleat should be positioned is in line with that mark as a starting point.
    Then there is the height of the cleat matching to the shoe. depending on the lugs on your shoes with the platform on the pedal you may be not getting as much room to manipulate that foot. A shim or two might help.

    It could also me an alignment issue with that foot/leg. If you pronate excessively or have some other physical issue that is making it more difficult to click out.

    When you went back to the bike shop did they mark your shoe for cleat placement? Did they look at your pedaling stroke at all? If not I would find a different bike shop and try them. I would also try a pair of pedals that offered a little more float. The platform may not allow for your float to float and track properly.
  • racingislife97
    racingislife97 Posts: 40 Member
    That's a Shimano SPD knockoff from Taiwan. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing, but I suspect it's a bad thing.
    First, clip both shoes into the pedals, then remove your feet from the shoes. This is a pretty good opportunity to hurt yourself, make sure nobody is recording it for a Youtube video.
    Second, using both hands, one at the toe, one at the heel, unclip the left shoe from the pedal. Then unclip the right one. If it feels the same, and you used the same motion both times, try to clip them back in by hand and repeat a couple times until you are sure.

    Assuming they both feel the same, it's not the mechanism. If they are different, there is an adjustment screw that makes it easier or harder to clip out of the pedal. You should set them to "very loose" since you're new to clipless and not confident with them.

    Again, assuming they feel the same, it looks like the sole of the shoe could rub/get caught on the pedal as you try to release. This could be from putting pressure on the outside edge of the show, dragging the heel, hard to tell without seeing it.

    When you go back the LBS, have them put the bike on a trainer so you can "ride it" without risk of falling over. Practice clicking in and out, don't leave until the problem is solved, or at least identified.

    All that said, good pedals are expensive, and I respect that bargain brands are a good way to start with most bike accessories, but being able to click out reliably is extremely important to you, and your safety. If you can't upgrade to a set of better pedals, ask the LBS to replace the cleat on the shoes with a real Shimano cleat, if it fits, it may work better. It's quite possible the fault is with a cleat that is malformed.

    Be careful about moving the cleats around on the shoes, small angles and small changes fore/aft can play havoc on your knees and hips. A good bike fitting is also expensive, usually starting around $150, but the difference in comfort and joint health is worth many times that. At the very least, google "bike fitment" so you can get the bike close to correct for you.

    Good luck,
    Dale
  • veloman21
    veloman21 Posts: 418 Member
    The pedal should have a release tension adjustment screw. It may be that the tension is set too high, try decreasing the tension and see if that improves things.

  • derrickyoung
    derrickyoung Posts: 136 Member
    Found this article


    by Jim Langley

    Please note: This article is about positioning bicycle cleats on cycling shoes. If you are looking for information on how to install and remove pedals, please go here.

    The balls of the feetA good neutral starting cleat position that works for most riders is to place the cleats so that when the shoes are clipped into the pedals, the balls of the feet are directly over the center of the pedal axles (also called the pedal "spindles").

    It can be tricky to locate the exact ball of your foot and place the cleats so that the balls are directly over the pedal axles. Note that the ball of the foot is defined by Biology-Online.org as “the padded portion of the sole, at the anterior extremity of the heads of the metatarsals, upon which the weight rests when the heel is raised.”

    So, if you stand with your bare feet fully on the ground they touch at the heels, the balls of the feet and the toes (assuming you're not completely flat-footed). And, if you stand on tip toes, you are standing mostly on the balls of your feet.

    Again, you should position your cleats to center the balls of your feet over the center of your pedals axles (see diagram).

    Here's an easy way to get it right

    1. With your shoe nearby, and with bare feet, place a dot of paint or a drop of whiteout (correction fluid) on the center of the ball of one foot. If you can't see the bottom of your foot well enough to do this accurately, have someone help you.
    2. Immediately, so that the paint or whiteout doesn't dry first, slip on your shoe, close the straps and stand to put pressure on your foot.
    3. Remove the shoe and you should find the paint dot transferred to the inside of the shoe clearly marking the ball of your foot. Repeat steps 1, 2 and 3 with your other foot.
    4. You can't see the dots on the insides of your shoes from the outside when you're positioning the cleats so use this workaround: simply stick a straight pin through the side of each shoe (the side next to the crankarm). Make sure the pin exactly bisects the mark inside the shoe and sticks straight out of the shoe, not at an angle. Now, when you flip the shoes over to position the cleats you will have a pin in each as an indicator telling you exactly where the cleats needs to be positioned to put the balls of your feet directly over the pedal axles (note that you could also look at the pins and paint a line on the shoe soles if you prefer). Usually centering the cleats over the pins will be the right spots to center the balls of your feet right where they should be directly over the pedal axles.

    Exceptions
    Try the ball-over-the-pedal-axle position first and give it a chance to see if it feels right because it works for most riders. If it doesn't feel right, the most common adjustment to make it feel better is to move the cleats back slightly, perhaps 1/2 inch. This puts a little more of your foot over the pedal. This is often preferred by larger riders with longer legs, people who push bigger gears, climbers and time trialists, riders using long crankarms and slower pedalers.

    Conversely, if you tend to ride at a high cadence, spin smaller gears, like sprinting, ride shorter crankarms and are a toes-down pedaler, you might move the cleats forward slightly, but don't overdo it. Maybe about 1/4 to 1/2 inch (about 6 - 10 mm). If you get too far out on your toes you increase the risk of "hot foot" and even Achilles injuries so experiment but only a little at a time.

    Lastly, if you're an ultra-distance rider you may want to push the cleats all the way back. This type of riding often causes numbness and hot foot. A great solution discovered by long-distance champ Lon Haldeman is moving the cleats fully to the backs of the slots, which relieves pressure on the feet and has no negative side effects for this type of riding, apart from a slight increase in the possibility of toe overlap with the front wheel if you're riding a bicycle with aggressive front-end geometry.

    Angle adjustment
    Most clipless systems include some "float," the ability of the cleats to move slightly so that you will automatically find a natural angle to hold your feet when pedaling. However, it's important to get the cleats close to the right position when mounting them. If they're angled incorrectly there might not be enough float in the system to allow you to correctly position your feet, which could result in pain when riding or even a knee or foot injury. It can also make it harder to get in and out of clipless pedals.

    A good neutral starting position that works for most riders places the cleats so that when the pedals are mounted in the shoes there is space between the heels of the shoes and the crankarms that's about 3/4 of an inch (2 cm), or about the width of an average man's index finger.

    If you experience any discomfort when cycling that's associated with your cleat position, I recommend visiting a shop with an experienced cleat fitter and paying a professional to dial-in your position.

    Two tricks that help some riders: If you adjust your cleats carefully and still find that your ankle(s) is too close to the crankarm and sometimes brushes it (or worse), a simple fix is to place an automobile spark plug washer(s) between the pedal(s) and crankarm(s). The washer will slip right over it, not effect the threaded connection to the crankarm and provide several mm of clearance.

    If you need more clearance, a great solution is SCOR Productions’ KneeSavers. These are custom pedal extensions that allow you to add 20, 25 or 30mm between your pedals and crankarms. You can read all about them and place an order here. A reader also told me about this generic version of these extenders available on Amazon.com (photo, right).

    Mark the position
    Once the cleats are perfectly positioned on your shoes be sure to mark them so that when they need replacement it's easy to find the perfect position. Some shoe soles have marks on them for this and some cleats come with marking stickers, etc. Or, you can just trace a line around the shoes in indelible ink. Or try a gold paint pen for carbon-sole shoes.

    More tips
    Be sure to lubricate your cleat bolts before installation, which will ensure you can get them tight enough to remain tight. And, be sure to check the bolts/screws after a few rides to make certain they are remaining tight.

    If you keep a spare set of cleats on hand you will always have them if the cleats on your shoes become too worn or they break. Spare cleats also come in handy for comparing with your used cleats to determine if they're worn enough to replace them yet.

    Speaking of cleat wear, you might look into rubber covers for your cleats, which are offered by a few companies. You carry them on rides and slip them over the cleats when you stop for protection and for additional traction when walking. Here are the ones I use:

    Be sure to keep your clipless pedals and cleats lubricated where they meet each other to prevent clicks and creaks. A good cure is the car-care spray Armor All, which you can find in any hardware store. This works on plastic, carbon and metal cleats/pedals.
  • bsexton3
    bsexton3 Posts: 472 Member
    I have a bad left knee. It has no MCL and a very weak ACL from a college flag football game. So, I didn't buy clipless shoes for years, figuring I could not unclip. When I finally got my first pair, I was amazed how well I could unclip my bad foot. Yes, it is easier to unclip the good side, but the bad side is the curb side, so it is the one I usually unclip when I stop at a light.

    Even so, they are fairly easy to unclip. I would put the problem on the tension of the pedal and not your leg.
  • zoom2
    zoom2 Posts: 934 Member
    This sounds similar to issues I had with a pair of Shimano 105 SPD-SL pedals I had years back. 2 other people I knew bought the same pedals within a week or two of me and we all had release issues with them. Even on the lowest tension they wouldn't release for anything and after >1 year of using clipless prior to the SPD road pedals I was falling at least once/ride because I was unable to unclip...painful and embarassing. I returned them and switched to LOOKs and had 0 issues. I've never had issues with Shimano mtn. pedals, either.
  • wildtxn
    wildtxn Posts: 97 Member
    I specifically switched to Speedplay pedals due to my knee issues allowing for a little more float and haven't had any issues whatsoever.
  • ntnunk
    ntnunk Posts: 936 Member
    +1 on the Speedplays here as well. I have Zeros on both road and TT bikes. My wife had a lot of the same kinds of complaints the OP does, i.e. trouble unclipping one side, with SPD pedals. I finally convinced her to try Speedplay Light Actions and she's hooked. She loves them, and no more problems.
  • pepperpat64
    pepperpat64 Posts: 423 Member
    Thank you all for this helpful advice. I'm a total noob to clipless pedals and all the information that's been provided will help me when I go to the bike shop tomorrow. The salespeople there just seem to believe I don't know how to unclip, but that's simply not the case. If they can't correct the problem, I'll insist on a refund and save my money for a better quality model.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I have these:

    http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-PD-M780-XT-Race-Pedal/dp/B008K7LR3Y

    And I know, "support your local bike shop" but trust me, I support them enough. I don't feel guilty ordering a few things online.
  • pepperpat64
    pepperpat64 Posts: 423 Member
    edited March 2015
    I have these:

    http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-PD-M780-XT-Race-Pedal/dp/B008K7LR3Y

    And I know, "support your local bike shop" but trust me, I support them enough. I don't feel guilty ordering a few things online.

    You are right about that! LOL. I also prefer to support local merchants, but the two bike shops closest to me are small and have limited product availability, and even worse, rather hit-or-miss customer and maintenance service. Much depends on who's working on the day I happen to walk in and that can be very frustrating. I'm going to check out a couple other shops a bit farther away to see if they're more reliable. Failing that, I'll drive an hour to the Performance Bicycle near Orlando. I have no problem buying products online but find there are some things that I just need to look at in person and discuss with a knowledgeable salesperson. Another downside of small, locally-owned shops is they often don't want to give refunds for unsatisfactory products, just a store credit. Big chains and online stores are usually much more agreeable to money-back returns.
  • derrickyoung
    derrickyoung Posts: 136 Member
    If money permits do not be afraid to hold onto your old pedals. Pedals are something that having a spare set kicking around is not the worse thing in the world
  • lpherman01
    lpherman01 Posts: 212 Member
    Thank you all for this helpful advice. I'm a total noob to clipless pedals and all the information that's been provided will help me when I go to the bike shop tomorrow. The salespeople there just seem to believe I don't know how to unclip, but that's simply not the case. If they can't correct the problem, I'll insist on a refund and save my money for a better quality model.
    If you want a dual purpose pedal, then get the Shimano A530s. We have them on our cruising bikes and they work very well.

    BK.jpg

  • AlwaysInMotion
    AlwaysInMotion Posts: 409 Member
    Hmmmm. Few years back, I broke my leg due to a failure to uncleat from a freakishly stiff SPD pedal. I'm gonna check to see if they were Shimano 105 SPD-SLs (might have been). Grrrr.

    I really love my Speedplay Light Actions on my road bike. So easy to clip in/out and lots of float. Just wish they weren't so "delicate" (always losing a cafe cap & replacing worn cleats). It's just the nature of the design. I still love them - they're worth the "fuss".
  • kcjchang
    kcjchang Posts: 709 Member
    That's a Shimano SPD knockoff from Taiwan. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing, but I suspect it's a bad thing.

    ...

    If you can't upgrade to a set of better pedals, ask the LBS to replace the cleat on the shoes with a real Shimano cleat, if it fits, it may work better. It's quite possible the fault is with a cleat that is malformed.

    Works pretty much like my Deora XT except for the tension adjustment screw is not fixed at the ends but free floating. Feels cheap but have no problems with adjustment holding. Actually a really good deal once you get used to paying more than half the price for the same functionality and a few ounces heavier.

    The cleats are not 100% interchangeable. Shimano cleats has a harder time engaging with non Shimano system, something with the hardening. Got mine with the new road bike and work much better than mine Time (1990) especially after a few miles (paid a pretty penny for since it was the only thing on the market with float at the time).

    OP, try a different LBS. If they can't adjust the tension or explain it to you, throwing more money will not solve the deficiency.
  • faugsu
    faugsu Posts: 330 Member
    Pepper, any progress?
  • pepperpat64
    pepperpat64 Posts: 423 Member
    edited April 2015
    Yes, faugsu, thanks for asking. :) I went back to the LBS and showed their repair person exactly how hard it was to unclip my left foot compared to my right. First thing he did was check the pedal tension, and it was too tight like I suspected. He adjusted them and it's better now. But more importantly, he showed me how to adjust them, which should have happened when I bought the pedals in the first place! This LBS was great when I bought my bike and when I buy accessories, but not so good on following through. Unfortunately the other one within a few miles of me isn't great either, so I'll have to check out a couple shops that are quite a bit farther away.

    As I use the pedals more, I definitely see the benefit of better quality pedals, and not the dual-sided kind either. But these didn't cost much so I consider it a not-too-expensive learning experience. I think we all have those. As soon as I can afford it I'll get some really good ones.

    Thanks again to all who offered advice!
  • Just_Ceci
    Just_Ceci Posts: 5,926 Member
    This reminds me, I need to adjust the tension on my left pedal. I had one of those couldn't get the foot out of the pedal at the stop sign moments on Monday. Even after hitting the ground hard, I still had trouble getting the foot out, so I could get up. (Of course there were people watching!) Fortunately, nothing broken, just some nice, colorful bruises on my left wrist.