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In a vehicle with a manual transmission, riding the clutch refers to the practice of keeping the clutch partially disengaged when not required. This results in the clutch being unable to fully engage with the flywheel and causes premature wear on the disc. Sometimes used synonymously with "slipping the clutch," although some degree of slipping occurs every time the driver shifts -- riding the clutch can be avoided completely. Another example of riding the clutch is when the driver keeps a slight pressure on the clutch pedal while driving (i.e. if the driver has a habit of resting his foot on the pedal instead of the floorboard) and even though this pressure is not enough to allow the clutch disc itself to slip, it is enough to keep the release bearing against the release springs, cause the bearing to constantly remain spinning, leading to premature bearing failure.

In a standard passenger vehicle, when shifting, the clutch pedal is pressed to the floor to disengage the clutch. The driver shifts to the next gear and then releases pressure on the clutch pedal to re-engage the engine to the driveshaft. If the pedal is released quickly, a definite lurch can be felt in the vehicle as the engine catches up to the driveshaft's rotation speed. However, if the clutch is released slowly the clutch disc will "slip" against the flywheel and allow the engine a smoother transition to its new rotation speed. This slipping causes wear on the clutch (similar to wear on a brake pad when stopping). Some amount of wear is unavoidable, but with better clutching/shifting technique it can be minimized.

Riding the clutch occurs when the driver never fully releases the clutch pedal and so the clutch disc is constantly slipping against the flywheel and thus some of the rotation of the engine is never transferred to the wheels. Most drivers have done this while driving in reverse or in stop-and-go traffic since it is easier to control the throttle and acceleration at very slow speeds.