What foot do you unclip when stopping?

robyntmorton

I apologise if this sounds like a stupid question, but try and stick with me on this. What foot do you unclip when stopping? Is it personal preference, or is there a reason you would choose one over the other.

I am quite dominantly left footed, and when I went to clipless pedals about three months ago I almost made a fool of myself a couple of times by unclipping my left foot (pavement side) when stopping. Unfortunately, when setting off again, my ingrained response is to go to drive with my left foot, which was the one stopping me from falling sideways. No momentum and no support means that I panic wrench my other foot off the padal to stop myself from toppling over.

I've since learned to keep my dominant left foot clipped in at all times, and unclip my right (traffic side) foot.

Is this something that makes little difference, or is there some reason that I should force myself to learn to do things the opposite way?

cython

I'm probably right footed, but unclip on the left. Not sure why exactly, though always have the feeling that if the foot should slip I'd rather go to the side of the road than into traffic. Having said that, it could be argued in favour of unclipping the right, and preventing a fall to the right due to being unbalanced!

Personally I don't think it makes major odds (other than wearing out one cleat faster!), though like yourself when I've tried unclipping the "other" foot on occasion, it just feels weird!

07Lapierre

I'm left footed.

I I clip my left foot if there is a kerbstone to rest it on. If not I I clip my right foot.

Why do I do this? I've no idea! Never even thought about it before now.

SomeFool

Which ever foot is nearest the ground when I can't manage to trackstand anymore, about 10 seconds usually.

brianomc

I'm right footed, and always unclip the left foot first. I would have more strength pushing off then. I presume that's the reason, I never really thought about it until now.

I have only had to unclip the right foot first once, it didn't happen on time

ednwireland

left

robyntmorton

I'm glad there is no accepted standard, and that everyone does their own thing for whatever their reason is.

On the other hand, now you've got me afraid that I'm overthinking it!

Unknown Soldier

I have always put my left foot to ground, not clipped in, and clipped in.

godtabh

I'm right footed and clip out with my left. Closest to the kerb

RobertFoster

I'm right footed and I unclip my right foot. It feels more comfortable for me to have the dominant foot supporting my balance when stopped and pushing off.

BGT

Righted footed, always unclip the left, seems more natural to transfer the weight to the left side. Theory based on clipping right first for take off sounds like it might be on the money.

stampydmonkey

Left footed and unclip left first generally

but as someone said above, unclip on the rhs the odd time if needed after failing at trackstanding

Beasty

Kerbside/left on the road bikes, right on the track bikes and turbos....

sullivlo

Tend to unclip my left foot. Particularly at a kerb.

I have tried to unclip my right but have fallen over every time.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I'm right footed and generally unclip the left foot first

JK.BMC

Left foot first. Always.
It's the 'standing leg' given that I'm right-footed.
Nearest the edge of the road, usually.
Dismount on the left in cyclocross also.
Clip in on the right first also.
It just happens instinctively. I never think much about it- till now!

Chuchote

I don't wear clips, but will always try to dismount or put foot down on the side away from the traffic, so normally the left when in Ireland, on the right when on the mainland of Europe. 'Swhat I was taught as a kid.

Eamonnator

I was taught, many many years ago, to mount/dismount on the left.
I continue to do that, to this day. So, when stopped in traffic, I always put left foot down.

loyatemu

I always get on and off the bike from the left and push off with the right pedal. Find it quite difficult to do from the other side, so instinctively I always put the left foot down.

sullivlo

loyatemu wrote: »

I always get on and off the bike from the left and push off with the right pedal. Find it quite difficult to do from the other side, so instinctively I always put the left foot down.

I thought I was alone in being unable to mount my bike from the right!

mossym

robyntmorton wrote: »

On the other hand, now you've got me afraid that I'm overthinking it!

you are. use whatever foot gets you stopped without falling and moving again. the foot anyone here uses doesn't matter one bit

Hrududu

sullivlo wrote: »

I thought I was alone in being unable to mount my bike from the right!

I'll walk around the bike rather than mount from the right. No idea why, just pure habit I think

Halfprice

Right foor is my stronger foot an always unclip right foot. Also its easier to get back in when starting off again

Lumen

Unclipping dominant foot seems weird, cos then you don't have it clipped in to start off again.

Chuchote

Hrududu wrote: »

I'll walk around the bike rather than mount from the right. No idea why, just pure habit I think

It's also safer to have your body on the jump-to-safety side and your bike on the traffic side.

Rojo

Left foot and rest it on the kerb!

andy69

I'm left-footed so always unclip the right. Always.

When I put SPD's on my wife's bike and she was trying them for the first time I noticed in the garden that she was clipped in with her right foot (she's also left-footed as well), so I pointed that out and said that was weird she was clipped in with the 'wrong' foot - I said she should unclip the other one and have her left in the pedal. Anyway....off she went down the garden and got to the gates where she went to stop, uncliped right foot as I said, but instinctively leaned over to her left, got all confused and of course fell over! Jeez it was so funny to see but she freaked out and kicked the bike and then called me all the effin this-and-that names under the sun! . Lucky it was only her pride really that was hurt.
Anyway, point is....don't think about it, just unclip whatever side you instinctively do.

AlreadyHome

Seems like most people unclip their non-dominant side!

I unclip my right (am right footed), probably as I felt more confident clipping back in on that side when I was learning and it just stuck.

endacl

Had never about it. Left. Always has been. No idea why. Even on plain ol' platform pedals.

Idleater

Though I'm "right dominant", I quite easily switch to left bar writing. Therefore when I stop I put whichever foot will be most stable wherever I stop. The left side is arguably further down resulting in more of a lean sometimes. Also I can factor in wind direction as it is easier to lean into a crosswind than with it.

arybvtcw0eolkf

I clip out with the left although I'm right handed/footed.

I've never given it any real thought but probably because 1, the left is Kerb side & Two is I get a stronger drive off with my right, dominant leg.

As an after thought, and relating it to my own sport (Judo).. I use my left leg for balance and right is use for the power stuff ~ if you see my avatar I'm in the blue driving through an opponent with my right leg, cycling probably works in much the same way for me.

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Right, I was ****e at unclipping when I started and felt my right foot moved quicker and with more coordination than my left. Hence I unclipped on that side to prevent the dreaded slow topple. Still happened anyway but whatever.

tyuis

I am incredibly conscious of unclipping at alternate sides as I am fearful of one shoe becoming more worn than the other. That is of course after I have taken all precaution to prevent unclipping in the first place. Always try to time traffic lights, track stand etc when safe to do so. Good question though, and its obviously something we think about but I don't think there is one definite best way.

Inquitus

tyuis wrote: »

I am incredibly conscious of unclipping at alternate sides as I am fearful of one shoe becoming more worn than the other. That is of course after I have taken all precaution to prevent unclipping in the first place. Always try to time traffic lights, track stand etc when safe to do so. Good question though, and its obviously something we think about but I don't think there is one definite best way.

I have done 25,000km on my bike shoes always unclipping with the left foot, I don't think you need to worry about this.....

Wishbone Ash

07Lapierre wrote: »

... Never even thought about it before now.

brianomc wrote: »

... I never really thought about it until now....

JK.BMC wrote: »

... I never think much about it- till now!....

Lola Tangy Slyness wrote: »

...I've never given it any real thought ....

I think it's strange that many people didn't think about it til now. I think about it on every club ride, sportive or commute as I think unclipping on the right just seems wrong. As children we were taught to always dismount on the left or, when walking the bike, to ensure that it is to our right, i.e. between cyclist and traffic.

(I have also noticed that a greater proportion of female cyclists put their right foot down).

Wishbone Ash

tyuis wrote: »

I am incredibly conscious of unclipping at alternate sides as I am fearful of one shoe becoming more worn than the other. That is of course after I have taken all precaution to prevent unclipping in the first place. Always try to time traffic lights, track stand etc when safe to do so. Good question though, and its obviously something we think about but I don't think there is one definite best way.

Presumably you mean cleats rather than the shoes. Just swap them over to even the wear.

crosstownk

My left foot/leg is dominant. I always unclip the left foot as it means I can rest it on a kerb (unless I can avail of street furniture). In the event of a fall I'd imagine that unclipping my left would help me fall away from traffic - thankfully I haven't had to test this theory!

FWIW, I alway mount the bike from the left and clip in my right foot first. My right foot will remain clipped in for the duration of the ride until I need to dismount.

magicbastarder

crosstownk wrote: »

FWIW, I alway mount the bike from the left and clip in my right foot first.

i reckon i'm the same.

generally unclip on the left, but sometimes on the right just to occasionally stretch that leg.

Unknown Soldier

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Presumably you mean cleats rather than the shoes. Just swap them over to even the wear.

As a side note, and something I came across as a newbie, wear of Cleats is not done by hitting the ground. Yes they look fooked but it's the parts of the cleat "between the shoes" that dictates wear (clipping in/out etc.) not the part that hits the ground.

I once threw out a couple of cleats because the yellow bits came off them

Alanstrainor

I push off on my right and unclip my left when track standing isn't happening. But recently I've been trying to give my right leg a bit of rest pushing off, so I've swapped.

triggermortis

I always unclip my left foot as I always use my right to do the first pedal stroke. Just can't do it the other way round - and I have decent hand / foot independence as I play drums

onmebike

I've thought about starting a thread like this lots of times...just out of curiosity.

I unclip my left because it's usually the kerb side so would be more comfortable and my right leg is dominant so that help acceleration.

secman

Left so can push off with right foot. Always presumed it was due to bring right handed. As a matter of interest, which way do left handed people do it ? That's of course if it is down to that.

Chuchote

secman wrote: »

Left so can push off with right foot. Always presumed it was due to bring right handed. As a matter of interest, which way do left handed people do it ? That's of course if it is down to that.

I have a lefty friend who normally gets off on the right, and says it's because of that; however, in Paris she gets off on the left, weirdly.

seamus

Right usually, unless there's a high kerb to my left that I can stand on.

Most likely because starting off on clipless I would have found it easier to clip in and out with my right, so it just became habit.

Wishbone Ash

SomeFool wrote: »

Which ever foot is nearest the ground when I can't manage to trackstand anymore, about 10 seconds usually.

stampydmonkey wrote: »

.... unclip on the rhs the odd time if needed after failing at trackstanding

tyuis wrote: »

.... track stand etc when safe to do so....

Alanstrainor wrote: »

...... when track standing isn't happening. ...

Kudos to those who can trackstand and especially to those who do it at very busy junctions. I'd make a full eejit of myself if I even tried. I was behind a cyclist last week along the Grand Canal and he managed to trackstand through multiple sets of lights, some with very long sequences and on the same day I was beside a courier who was doing it while holding a phone to his ear.

Eponymous

I'm left footed and will unclip the left foot probably 90% of the time. Oddly, if I've just climbed onto the bike, I do tend to clip my left foot first. No idea why.

Moflojo

This is a coded thread about masturbation, isn't it?

smacl

Unclip on the left / kerb side by preference unless the turning right up a steep hill like this one where the incline means the right foot is going to be much nearer the ground..

robyntmorton

Moflojo wrote: »

This is a coded thread about masturbation, isn't it?

Does that say more about you, or everyone else? ;-)

robyntmorton

I am finding the sheer variety of answers here to be fascinating, especially those who just hadn't thought about it until I asked.

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Kudos to those who can trackstand and especially to those who do it at very busy junctions.

I am rather jealous of those who are able to trackstand like that. I both deeply admire them, and (secretly) want to push them over for showing off too much.