Total Posts: 21
1.5 Years Ago

Total Posts: 349
1.5 Years Ago

If you have a stationary bike trainer, hook your bike up and practice cliping and unclipping so you can get a feel for it. Otherwise, find some quiet streets and practice there.

For unclipping, if you do it before you stop it's easier as you have your forward momentum to keep you balanced. I have more trouble clipping in than out so I've worked on my my skills in cycling with one leg to get momentum while I try to get the other foot clipped in.

It doesn't take that long to get used to clipless pedals (I didn't believe people when they told me that but it's true), and once you do regular pedals will feel frustratingly odd.

Good luck!

Total Posts: 667
1.5 Years Ago

Don't mean to scare you but you will fall over at least once. It happens to all of us.

Alison gave some good advice about the trainer and the forward momentum. Anticipate stopping way ahead of time and unclip one foot as you coast to a stop.

If for some reason you do not have to stop at that particular time then pedal with the one leg still clipped (half strokes = push down then pedal backwards till you are at the top of the pedal stroke and push down again). This will give you plenty of time and momentum to get reclipped.

Getting back to the stopping and unclipping...unclip prior to the stopping point and coast to the point. I like to get out of the saddle and try to plant my free leg ahead of me so i LEAN to that side when I stop. A few times I have unclipped my left foot and coming to a stop I lean right and wham, I am down with a bruised ego.

Practice, practice, practice and find a new bike shop. IMHO the easiest clips to get in and out of are Speedplay. =) AGAIN, just my honest opinion.

Total Posts: 21
1.5 Years Ago

Great advice!

Actually very timely too, b/c while driving around today I saw some fully geared up cyclist (including a Lance Armstrong style Team Postal jersey) doing the half stroke thing you mentioned, Jim. If I hadn't just seen a demonstration, it may not have been clear to me, but now that I've seen it -- I feel like that is a good move to know. The anticipation of stopping is clearly what I need to master. I've been using toe cages w/ mtn bike shoes & I've started to anticipate my stops. I did have my "rite of passage" first fall -- it was embarrassing & demoralizing. I think that is why I'm in a bit of a panic about my second fall. I agree with you both -- I just need to accept that I will fall & get myself to practice the stops. Perhaps at 5AM when no one is looking & a car won't be driving by as I hit the ground.

Thanks! How were the weekend events for you two?

Total Posts: 227
1.5 Years Ago

I use Look pedals on the road and SPD's off road w/o much problem, but have never used speedplay but they do look very user friendly.

Which side to unclip from when stoping at a traffic light..... I always unclip with my right foot, prior to stopping, give it a little flex and then stop...I use my right foot cuz thats the longest distance to the street on our sloping streets with crowns in the middle. One good pump with the left leg gives me enough glide to get the old right foot in the clip before the hammer of the right foot comes down,

Off to the streets,

g

Total Posts: 21
1.5 Years Ago

Thanks! I think you are right -- I'm over thinking this. I also think I'll always unclip on the right (I'm right-handed, so that should be my natural tendancy & seems to be what I do with the toe cages) -- I'm glad to hear someone has used LOOK successfully on their road bike. I started with Shimano, but that is when I fell. I switched to LOOK, but after reading Jim's post I was worried that I needed to spend more $$ for a third set of pedals.(UGH!) Thanks for encourging me to keep practicing (on a soft surface) -- I really appreciate all the helpful advice!

Total Posts: 349
1.5 Years Ago

I'd recommend trying to be able to clip and unclip on both sides, there are occasions when you might need to do it on your non-dominant/normal side. That advice is a bit of "do as I say, not as I do" as I can only effectively unclip on my right side. You might as well get in the habit while both sides are akward!

Let us know how you succeed.

Total Posts: 227
1.5 Years Ago

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1.5 Years Ago

Thanks again to all!

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1.5 Years Ago

Total Posts: 21
1.5 Years Ago

I like that idea -- practice in a hallway! I do spin lots & feel like clipping in/out is a fairly easy thing for me & then -- when I'm on the bike I totally lose confidence. I tried practicing with my husband nearby to help me if I fell over -- so there I went keeling over right in front of him & he just stared at me like, "Why did you do that?" (Of course, I was fine - just embarrassed & upset at my husband for not catching me.) Clipless pedals are so different because most people remember learning to bike as a child when we could plant our feet at anytime to catch our balance -- being clipped in means we have to go straight & pedal or unclip on the side that we lean towards & stop. My mind gets it, but I don't have the muscle memory yet. That 2 seconds between reaction & planned action are what I fear.

Gerry -

I will try tommorrow -- I am still a little scared, but if I don't end up in the ER, I'll let you know how it went.

Robin -

Glad there are others who can benefit from the advice here. I think this site is great for picking up new info & getting motivated. Good luck to you as well.

Thanks again, everybody!

Total Posts: 21
1.5 Years Ago

I did it!!! Your advice about loosening the tension on the pedals (with the hex tool) was perfect. I got it to an easy tension & VOILA! I'm a clipless rider -- yeah!

Alison,

I did practice with the left leg, too. My only fear is that the streets tend to crown in the middle a bit & I'm feeling like I may tip towards the right while still clipped on the right side, so I think it's a good thing to practice while the streets are clear & I can ride on the left side of the road -- or perhaps on the bike path at our metropark. In the Spinerval video (Virtual reality - Autumn Country Road) -- I saw how you should really master both sides, since you may be turning left at a stop sign & then going downhill to the left. You would want to be clipped in on the right, so that your bike leans left. Thanks for encouraging me to be a fully functional cyclist.

Jim,

I also practiced the half-stroke pedal. Good move to know. Thanks!

Anyway -- thanks to everyone who helped me get over this fear. You guys are wonderful support for the emerging cyclist. Great advice -- thanks!

Total Posts: 227
1.5 Years Ago

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