Forums >Cross Training>Magnetic bike clips?
tomatolover
I am terrified of “clipping in” to bike pedals after falling a couple of times. I saw an ad on Facebook (of course Facebook) For a company that sells magnetic clips and advertises as a safer alternative to normal ones. Is this a thing? Have any of you tried it/heard about them? Here’s the link
https://www.bythlon.com/?fbclid=IwAR2d7CaagFeTQViECk8m_KmeTrURBk419MmthkvMWnjwHslN109b5hqDnck
Ha ha. Interesting idea. You will get used to the clipless pedals after a few times out and then really like them. When I first started they intimidated me too! And I fell quite ungracefully a few times before I got the hang of them.
"Shut up Legs!" Jens Voigt
Clipping in just takes time. When I got my first pedals, the shop told me don’t worry about falling, everyone does it. In fact, your most embarrassing fall will happen a few weeks after you get really comfortable. And they were correct.
I was fortunate enough to get to try out several pedals on a trainer before buying. What a lot of difference there was. Wound up using speed play frogs, a mountain bike pedal. Easy to walk in, easy to clip out of. Lots of play so it felt natural.
I’m pretty sure pedals are all an experiment of one,
Indeed. I felt pressured by the group I rode with to "join the club" with a bunch of bro-science of how it would make you faster, solve whirled peas, and any number of other things that smelled of bullshit. I tried them anyway, did my share of falling over, got really used to them and then switched back to platform pedals.
I did not get faster or more efficient when I switched to them.
I did not get slower or less efficient when I switched away from them.
Your mileage may vary.
When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
Interesting idea but, hmmm, maybe not for me. I'd have to try them out.
As a mountain biker from long ago (before mountain bikers went back to platforms) I would NEVER consider riding trails without being 'clipped in'. Just feel way more comfortable riding technical terrain if I'm clipped in.
The first time I got pedals and clips I put them on the bike in the garage and then, like a dummy, got on the bike without checking release tension and spun around a few times in the garage and thought .... "cool, I'm gonna like this". Then I came to a stop and could not clip out, fell over and hit my elbow hard on the concrete floor. Very, very ouch. I then writhed around on the floor trying to unclip but couldn't because the adjustment was full tight. I had to take my shoes off to get out from under the bike. Left the shoes still clipped in to the pedal. Adjusted them properly and never looked back (till now!).
FWIW, I just started riding a few years ago; just on-road and no racing or anything. After seeing so many people having trouble with standard clips, I ended up trying Speedplay Frog pedals/cleats for my first ones and never looked back. (I see John Wood above also uses these.) All the advantages of being clipped in (which I like climbing hills, especially) with very smooth and easy release when wanted. As a bonus, the recessed design of the cleats means you can walk around normally with bike shoes on. Haven't fallen yet...knock on wood.
Be safe. Be kind.
It is interesting to read all your thoughts on this. I guess it is just what I need.
spammer crud
Clipless pedals are the way to go. At least in the dirt. My only experience is with SPD style, and I think I only fell over cuz lernin' 3-4 times. It's pretty easy and becomes second nature to twist your heel sideways to unclip. After a few rides lernin', I can't remember falling over because I couldn't unclip. Previously, I fell MANY times because I couldn't get my foot out of the olde tyme strapped pedal cages. And on the trails, it's nice to be able to lift the bike up with your feet when jumping over logs or 50' deep fissures. And it's true, being attached to the pedals IS easier to pedal, rather than the stomp-stomp-stomp of flat pedals, you get to LIFT a little with the other foot, making everything smoother and using less effort on the stomping foot and associated muscle groups in the arms, abs, and back.
There's always some new magic pedal or bike gizmo, but they rarely are better mousetraps. I'm Eggbeater and Frog curious, I may test them someday.
60-64 age group - University of Oregon alumni - Irreverent and Annoying
This post has been extremely beneficial to me, and I couldn't be happier driving directions