Learn to use clipless pedals (SPD)

The clipless pedals, also called SPD (Shimano Pedaling Dynamics), are now the standard of the professionals and are also catching on among the amateur cyclists who use the bike for weekend excursions or for city trips.
Between the Sunday cyclists and urban cyclists, however, there is some skepticism about this kind of pedals, mostly linked to their practicality.
The hooking/unhooking technique needs some tries before you are fully mastered: let’s see how to learn.

A clippers pedal is made up of two “forks” ruled by springs that wedge in to the cleats secured to the sole of the shoes.
When we lean the foot on the pedal, the force applied to the “forks” causes the latter to find space in the specific lodging of the sole (the cleats) and where are blocked, pushed by the force of the springs.
The hooking is only possible when the foot is parallel to the frame so if we try to detach it simply by lifting the foot nothing happens (the pedal will move with us).
To succeed in the unhooking, however, we must rotate the heel outward by releasing the coupling between the fork and the cleat.

To get acquainted with the right moves you can try a series of exercise:
1) Place yourselves next to a wall and saddle up. With the shoulder to the wall, hook both pedals. In this position rotate the foot outward until you hear the “clac” of the unhooking. Repeat the movement several times both with your left foot and with your right foot.

2) Place yourselves next to a wall and saddle up. Then hook up the pedals, separate yourselves from the wall and pedal a bit. Slow down and try to release the pedal while you are still in motion. If you can’t, you can simply tilt and lean your shoulder to the wall. Repeat the movement until it appears automatic.

3) Choose a quiet road or even better if closed to traffic and car-free. Get on the bike, hook up the pedals and start pedaling. So imagine finding yourselves in a race or on your home-work journey and suddenly you have to braking. The rapid unhooking movement should already be spontaneous, however, continue until you feel more secure.

4) Try to face unhooking in a real situation, at the beginning on a short and simple path. Then evaluate your level of safety and if it’s not good, resume previous exercises before trying again. You only need perseverance and workout.

If you are going to switch to the clipless pedals, but don’t want to exaggerate in the jump between flat and SPD, you can make do on hybrid pedals that on the one side have “forks” and on the other are completely flat. You can use the shoes with the cleats on the flat part and decide to hook them only in certain situations. The transition from flat to SPD will then be even less direct and easier to handle.