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I just bought some SPD shoes and pedals last night and I was trying them out (on one foot) while balancing in my living room. I ended up falling over because I couldn't get unclipped. What suggestions do you have for breaking out of the clips? Do you simply twist your foot strongly to the outside or will that damage the cleats?

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Do you have access to a gym or fitness facility with a "spinning" class? Gym spinning bikes are often mounted with spd pedals and the bikes are almost impossible to tip over...so potentially a good place to practice your technique. – user313 Mar 24 '11 at 15:53
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Falling over at least once in front of someone is a clipless pedal rite of passage. – whatsisname Mar 25 '11 at 0:20
I've been riding clipless for 15 years and in a moment of not quite paying attention I almost fell over last week. Been probably 14 years since I last had a close call. – curtismchale Mar 25 '11 at 4:34
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You'll get comfortable getting out after a bit of practice. I found that just after that was the most dangerous time. I thought it had become second nature and that was when I started forgetting and fell over for the first time. Haven't done it for a long time now; probably will tomorrow now that I wrote this. – Wayne Johnston Mar 26 '11 at 3:04
Like others have mentioned, you will fall over trying to unclip at least once, and it will probably be at a busy intersection and everyone will be looking at you. My wife's first unclip accident (well, she didnt' get uncliped, that was the problem) happened at the beginning of a big ride we were on last summer. She ended up needing help getting up as her leg and foot were pinned under her and the bike. Totally sucked. – Jared Harley Apr 10 '11 at 4:20
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10 Answers

up vote 14 down vote accepted

Make sure the tension is low at first (should be a little screwn on face of pedal). Generally you will get to a point of looseness where you are popping out unintentionally, go just tigher than that.

Cleat placement also can be a factor. The closer to the toe it is, the easier it tends to be to get out. Be careful about moving too far from the balls of your feet, it could end up with achy toes!

Lastly, see if the sole of your shoe is interferring with the pedal. If it is dragging, you can get little spacers that go between sole and cleat.

Don't worry about damaging the cleat, you will do more walking around on concrete. Also, you will probably fall at least once while getting used to them. It is almost a rite of passage.

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"The closer to the toe it is, the easier it tends to be to get out" - I found the opposite to be true: I find it's easier to pivot about the centre of my foot than about the toe. – ChrisW Mar 25 '11 at 2:29
I'll add that on one pair of shoes with a tread I carved out the tread a bit to increase the clearance. – curtismchale Mar 25 '11 at 4:36
Just went for the first ride of the season and had a few close calls but having the tension low helped a lot – Joe Philllips Apr 10 '11 at 16:46
I feel this depends on the shoe. I have tested both: front and back and it is equally hard. Or if easier then it will hurt my leg after riding. Apparently it is a compromise between easiness to take away and pedaling or? Is there some good way to test different combinations? – user652 Jun 27 '11 at 0:12
up vote 5 down vote

You aren't likely to damage anything that way. However, you may wish to adjust the tension of the cleat retention mechanism on the pedal to be a bit looser, especially since you're not yet practiced at clipping and unclipping.

There is likely to be a small screw on each pedal that adjusts the tension of the spring...loosening it will make clipping in and out easier.

That said, you may also want to tighten it back up once you become more used to the pedals and cleats.

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up vote 3 down vote

Just practice - preferably on a soft surface!

You also need to be a little more aware, especially in traffic, think a little further ahead about where/when you will have to stop so you can be unclipped as you stop at the light.
Suddenly braking to a halt and then having to stop and think before you unclip leads to falls.

You should also get into the habit of always unclipping the same foot first - generally the kerb side - so it becomes automatic.

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Excellent point about thinking ahead. I always like to unclip my right foot when I'm getting near a stop light/intersection, or when in a parking lot. Saves me from having to worry about my foot being stuck on the pedal when I need it somewhere else. – Jared Harley Apr 10 '11 at 4:17
up vote 0 down vote

You might not damage the cleats, but you could tweak your calves - careful with that.

In addition to adjusting tension screws and cleats, dry lube can help.

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up vote 1 down vote

I recently moved the clips twoards the back of the shoe (now, instead of being under the ball of my foot, they're 1 cm further back). I did that for other reasons but, coincidentally, I find them now much easier to unclip: now that the clip (about which I must pivot to unclip) is closer to the centre of my foot.

I was trying them out (on one foot) while balancing in my living room

Hold onto something, e.g. a vertical pipe, when you need to balance at a stand-still like that.

Also people advised me to:

  • Practice away from traffic (e.g. on a dedicated bike path) until I'd fallen off
  • Practice in winter (when I'm wearing a winter coat, when falling will hurt less)
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up vote 0 down vote

My advice (as others have said) is to loose the tension, and with time adjust it.

The cleat will wear naturally, don't worry about that.

I just started using SPDs last week and when I tried (with an "actual" ride on the back of my house) it went very well, clipping in and out was so easy!

Until I made a stupid mistake, had the left foot uncliped and staning on the floor holding my weight, the bike was tipping over to the left side and I didn't even realise I had to twist my ancle and fell on my left shoulder. Not too painfull and a great lesson, I then spent about 30 minutes riding and clipping in and out a lot!

I believe if I didn't fall down I wouldn't have payed as much attention as I did and wouldn't train the in and out, but as with anything else, it's a matter of practice.

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up vote 3 down vote

Just two bits of advice from me. First, make sure that the cleat is tight on the shoe. If you twist your ankle, and the cleat rotates in the shoe, that will not end well. Second, and I'm the only one I know who does this, I find it much easier to rotate my ankle in (towards the bike) than out. Maybe it's the way my leg and/or hips are built. Who knows? I do know, though, that it is much easier for me personally, and I have no problem getting in/out of my pedals in a hurry.

And as everyone else said, "Practice!"

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I rotate my ankle toward the bike as well. But a word of caution, I've found that the side of the heel has become a little worn as it sometimes rubs against the tire. – Kibbee Mar 18 at 17:50
I pick my foot up so it is at the top of pedal stroke before getting out. I prefer to not hit my wheel, chain, or derailleurs. – Jarrett Meyer Mar 18 at 20:10
up vote 0 down vote

I agree with Jarrett - I also unclip by turning the heel inwards and it is also logical in that your foot is facing slightly away from the bike on release, just seems to make more sense and going the other way seems un-natural for me.

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The only problem with inward is that there might not be quite enough space to accomplish that, especially on the right side. – Daniel R Hicks Mar 18 at 10:57
up vote 1 down vote

Are your SPD cleats black or silver? Shimano make 2 types with the black ones restricted to unclipping when you twist your foot in one direction only. The silver cleats allow unclipping by twisting your foot in either direction. If you are new to SPDs I'd make sure to use the silver ones.

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up vote 0 down vote

So after a few years of riding with these cleats, I've learned a couple things:

  • Keep the tension pretty loose (I rarely pop out but it's still easy to get in/out)
  • Twist the ankle so the heal swings outward to break loose
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