the ultimate folly - clipless Lesson

[mimitabby]

hi guys, Today at 4pm i have a lesson at cycle U where I am going to learn to go clipless.

It's kind of ironic, because I have been communicating with Kent Peterson about my power straps... he's a guy who has ridden thousands and thousands of miles and has a blog (http://kentsbike.blogspot.com/)

owell. I'm an equal opportunity learner.
Let's hope it isn't pouring out this afternoon.

[bmccasland]

I found clipping in wasn't a problem, it was getting used to clipping out BEFORE I stopped. Contributed to blood spots on the front steps at the office and a broken nose to prove it - provided excitement for the security guard sitting there watching a bank of TV screens.

[FreshNewbie]

Awsome, did you already pick your pedals? I never tried cages but to me they always looked much more intimidating than clipless pedals

[DrBee]

I still have some really nice scars on my right leg from September. I was coming to a stop sign and the car in front of me didn't go. I was totally balanced at a full stop and then realized I was stopped and then the "oh no - must unclip" thought came to mind. Unfortunately I was toppling over at the time. The chainring and I became well-acquainted.

I'm with you FN - cages look much scarier to me.

What kind of pedals are you going with? Tell us! Tell us! Good luck with the lessons!

[violette]

I also agree...getting in is no problem, but getting out before you stop can be tricky. Make SURE you know ahead of time when you're going to stop, because you'll fall fast.

[mimitabby]

well, ladies, that's why I'm going for a lesson. I don't have any trouble clipping IN either. It's getting out in time, getting the timing and coordination
down, and getting over the terror that I am going to try to combat with this lesson.

PS I don't want to break my nose or my ribs or...

[FreshNewbie]

You will be just fine, first couple of times you will want to unclip way before the stop but then you will know how to react and will be doing it closer to the stop. What I always do is if I see some situation that might require a stop, I put my left leg (which I unclip) at 12 o'clock and ready to snap out, that way I feel i am ready to stop. Good luck with the lesson, please report on your choice of pedals

P.S. try speedplays ;)

[Chile Pepper]

I love my look pedals. Some days they are the only thing that can get me up a hill--as in, oh my god I'm going to fall over if I don't get to the top. Very motivational. Good luck!

[SadieKate]

Mimi, there is no guarantee that you will fall. DO NOT GO INTO THIS BELIEVING YOU WILL FALL! Can I shout that loud enough? If you believe this and are nervous and tense, it will be a self-fulfilling prophesy.

Learn to coast standing up on the clipped in foot. See how that feels? What it takes to balance the bike? Can you make gentle turns with your weight only on the one foot? Yes, right? You're halfway there.

[ace]

You're going to do great, Mimi, I just know it :o

Congrats on facing your fear and being so brave!

-Ace

[mimitabby]

I already fell, when i tried it in the school parking lot. There are a lot of years of braking that I have to grapple with and relearn how to do it.

[SadieKate]

Doesn't mean you're going to fall again.

Hint: until you can clip out instinctively, don't talk to anyone but yourself while stopping. Talking to yourself through the motion is a good thing.:p

[sgtiger]

Good luck on learning to use clipless. I think you'll like them once you get the hang of it. I'm with FreshNewbie, try the speedplays.

[DrBee]

Mimi, there is no guarantee that you will fall. DO NOT GO INTO THIS BELIEVING YOU WILL FALL! Can I shout that loud enough? If you believe this and are nervous and tense, it will be a self-fulfilling prophesy.



So true SK - I rode for hundreds of miles before I fell. And, it was just a case of not paying attention (which is not uncommon for me).

(unrelated sidenote - SK - check your PM's)

[maillotpois]

Hijack: Fish! Bee! Nice to see you.

Returning to falling thread.

SK and Fish are right - don't assume you're going to fall.

[SadieKate]

(unrelated sidenote - SK - check your PM's)Check yours. It's been a hectic week. Sorry!

[Grog]

PS I don't want to break my nose or my ribs or...

I'm with SK: don't go in there thinking that you would fall.

Being attentive - not talking to others - when you brake is also a good trick. DOn't worry about being rude by interrupting a conversation!!

Think about unclipping both feet (and reclipping your sweet leg before starting off again, for strength).

And if you do fall, which you won't, of course: TUCK the stuff that sticks out IN. Like elbows, hands/wrists, knees. You want to maximize the surface on which you fall, not whang your elbow on the pavement. I've practiced that with my bike club (in the gym, and on the grass) and it too me from:
- a first crash (nothing to do with clipless) scratching my elbow and knee,
- to a clipless fall directly on my knee cap (as I was doing bike skills exercises at extremely low speed)
- to a recent, and still mysterious, authentic clipless 'timmmmmmmmmmmber' fall that I absorbed with the whole length of my left tight and upper arm. That body fat on the thighs has to be for something!!!! It will also protect your ribs. I stayed on the pavement laughing very hard (I was leading that ride...) instead of hurting, for once.

Good luck! You'll be awesome.

[SadieKate]

And if you do fall, which you won't, of course: TUCK the stuff that sticks out IN. . . . .
- to a recent, and still mysterious, authentic clipless 'timmmmmmmmmmmber' fall that I absorbed with the whole length of my left tight and upper arm. That body fat on the thighs has to be for something!!!! It will also protect your ribs. I stayed on the pavement laughing very hard (I was leading that ride...) instead of hurting, for once. It's very important to go for style points. More points are awarded for keeping "the stuff that sticks out IN." :p

If you can land with your hands over your hand and "stick the landing", artistic merit goes skyhigh.

[missymaya]

when I got my first set of clipless peddles, I practiced in an empty parking lot of just clipping in, pedaling a little, and then clipping out while still moving, really not using the breaks. It helped 'feel' the clips when coming out. After getting comfortable doing that, I practiced the "what if I had to stop quickly" clip out, hitting the breaks and unclipping. I found it easier to do a transition like that.
Also, another thing to remember, if you feel like your not unclipped and your stuck, do a little downstroke to keep yourself upright a little longer. There were moments where I did some slow timber falls just clipping in, pretty funny looking back on it, not thinking that all I had to do was a little pedal stroke or rachet with my other foot. pretty funny looking back on it.

Hope all goes well and have fun:D

[chickwhorips]

mimi you can do it!!!! i know you can!!!!! :D

[Susan126]

Let us know how it went Mimi!

I learned to ride clipless on (of all bikes to learn on!!!) my mountain bike way back in 1999! My first few rides I had "badges (more like scabs) of honor! :p
But now, 8 years later . . . I wouldn't ride my mountain or road bike without them! They have become so second nature that I can (literally) unclip while falling then jump off my bike and land on my feet unscathed!

Ok with that said watch me fall tomorrow on my mountain bike ride! . . . I better find some wood to knock on!

:D

[FreshNewbie]

That's some skill Susan, I only went as far as manage unclipping while falling and landing my foot on the ground. SadieKate is 100% right though, if you zombify yourself " I will fall, i will fall" then it will definately happen, at least it did to me. As most of my falls that happened while learning, happened because I was scaring myself.

[Grog]

not thinking that all I had to do was a little pedal stroke or rachet with my other foot. pretty funny looking back on it.


I wouldn't recommend that at a busy intersection when you don't have priority!!!!! You could end up in traffic (more unpleasant than a fall on your own).

[silver]

It's very important to go for style points. More points are awarded for keeping "the stuff that sticks out IN." :p

If you can land with your hands over your hand and "stick the landing", artistic merit goes skyhigh.


:D :D

I'd give more technical points to the one that lands with your hands over your head WITH the bike in them to save it from any scratches.

I'm actually pretty good at this. :o

signed,
mistress of falling

[DarcyInOregon]

The only thing I can add is when you unclip, keep focused and don't let the foot slip over the pedal and clip back in again right as you are coming to a stop.

Yep, that happened to me a few weeks ago. I was coming to a stop in a tiny rural town on one of my longer rides. It was time to get my rear off the seat, drink some water and munch a bit of fitness bar. I saw a gloriously handsome dog, about 120 pounds, long black silky hair, and that dog was just so awesome my attention riveted on the dog. And that is when it happened. I was already unclipped, braking to a stop, and the left foot clipped back in, and over I went. Right in front of people who stood there with their mouths open at the sight I presented. I just put a tiny scrape on my left knee is all.

Darcy

[mimitabby]

I'm with SK: don't go in there thinking that you would fall.


And if you do fall, which you won't, of course: TUCK the stuff that sticks out IN. Like elbows, hands/wrists, knees. You want to maximize the surface on which you fall, not whang your elbow on the pavement. I've practiced that with my bike club (in the gym, and on the grass) and it too me from:
- a first crash (nothing to do with clipless) scratching my elbow and knee,
- to a clipless fall directly on my knee cap (as I was doing bike skills exercises at extremely low speed)
- to a recent, and still mysterious, authentic clipless 'timmmmmmmmmmmber' fall that I absorbed with the whole length of my left tight and upper arm. That body fat on the thighs has to be for something!!!! It will also protect your ribs. I stayed on the pavement laughing very hard (I was leading that ride...) instead of hurting, for once.

Good luck! You'll be awesome.
hmm, how do you tuck your hip bones in? That's where I landed and it hurt!

I'll tell you all about the lesson later.

[DrBee]

Pedals mimi - what kind of pedals did you pick?

Good luck this afternoon! You'll do great!

[HappyAnika]

You will love it and never look back! I've had two close calls, but technically no falls at 1,100 miles and counting. Just practice, then it becomes instinct. I now make the clipping out motion when riding my beater mtb with cages in tennis shoes, its just habbit. Have fun! :D

[mimitabby]

Pedals mimi - what kind of pedals did you pick?

Good luck this afternoon! You'll do great!

I have very nice SPD's after considerable research. Since DH and both sons all use this kind it made sense to have the same kind; I also got the cleats that unclip in multi directions.

[SouthernBelle]

Actually the falling wasn't that bad. Maybe I was graceful at it.

Mims, it's really not that hard. Our horror stories have built this up to a huge thing in your head is all. I ended up laughing at myself like an idiot.


Hmm. Maybe I am an idiot. Nah.

[mimitabby]

Just remember i'm in the Really Scared thread too. For some people, this
is an easier transition than others.

[SouthernBelle]

Mimi, a thought.

tonight can you set your bike up, like in a trainer or rack, and just sit on it and clip, unclip while you watch TV?

[snapdragen]

mimi - here's what I did when learning to ride clipless. I kept one foot unclipped all the time, in my case the right foot. Once I was comfortable I started clipping both feet. When I knew a stop was coming, I'd unclip long before the stop. After awhile, it became second nature.

You can do this! Make sure your pedals are adjusted to the loosest setting.

[lizbids]

My experience n clipless pedals has been good, but so far only went 100 miles or so :)

One thing I find that is difficult is balancing on the cycling shoe. Because the shoe is so stiff, I find that when I unclip and stop a light or something, I feel like I have to stretch my foot like crazy just to get it to touch the pavement...then it doesn't feel like much traction b/c you're not on the balls of your feet as if you were wearing sneakers. Occasionally I've slipped and pulled muscles in my calves--bad, too! One time the bottom of my jacket became caught on the nose of my saddle when I tried to hop off to stable myself. I was a mess! Any suggestions??? (and ps--my saddle is at a great height, wouldn't want to futz with it).:confused:

[salsabike]

Lizbids, you have to step off ONTO the foot/pedal you plan to leave clipped in--that means you unclip the foot you want to put on the ground, step off the saddle and put your weight onto the other pedal where you plan to stay clipped in (while NOT leaning). Then you step forward onto the unclipped foot, and bring the clipped foot back up to about the 2 o'clock position, ready to go again.

[Eden]

My experience n clipless pedals has been good, but so far only went 100 miles or so :)

One thing I find that is difficult is balancing on the cycling shoe. Because the shoe is so stiff, I find that when I unclip and stop a light or something, I feel like I have to stretch my foot like crazy just to get it to touch the pavement...then it doesn't feel like much traction b/c you're not on the balls of your feet as if you were wearing sneakers. Occasionally I've slipped and pulled muscles in my calves--bad, too! One time the bottom of my jacket became caught on the nose of my saddle when I tried to hop off to stable myself. I was a mess! Any suggestions??? (and ps--my saddle is at a great height, wouldn't want to futz with it).:confused:

Are you staying on the saddle when you are stopped? Maybe I am reading this wrong, but that is what it sounds like. Unless you are riding an Electra if you can put your foot on the ground and remain on the saddle that indicates that the saddle is too low. You should have to dismount when you stop...

[mimitabby]

Hi guys, I'm home, and exhausted!

It went really well. THe first thing she made me do was ride but NOT clip in.
So right there and then I discovered that I could do that! (ride without clipping in)

Then we got to the soccer field and rode around on the grass. I clipped in and
we were off (this is a good workout btw!) We rode around for almost an hour, clipping in and out and in and out, but only with the right foot. The left foot stayed clipped in almost always. One time I couldnt unclip right foot and magically left foot sprung out of clip in time so i did not fall.
SUCCESS.

[ace]

I am so happy it went well. It will only get better from here, too! :)

[chickwhorips]

way to go mimi!!! good job.

feel more confident now?

[SouthernBelle]

Excellent. You trying on the road tomorrow?

[mimitabby]

ON THE ROAD TOMORROW? AH come on guys. (wah wah wah)
It's supposed to be really crappy so I was thinking of NOT riding.
okay, i'll ask my son/husband/one of the muscle armed guys to do it.

[PinkBike]

way to go mimi!!
youre gonna wish you'd done it sooner!!
congrats!!

[salsabike]

Yay Meem! Pretty cool, huh?

[Grog]

Great Job Mimi!!!

:d

[Wahine]

Congratulations Mimi!! It sounds like you had a big day. Good for you. We're all very proud.:D :D

[midlife]

I find I have to think ahead (usually one pedal revolution!) then clip out. Have fallen twice, once in my own driveway (up hill) when first learning and on a footbridge. Strange bruises, lucky noone but my husband could see them:eek:

Hardest thing I have tried to learn was with our tri club we were trying to master getting your feet in and out of tri shoes while keeping the shoes clipped into the pedals. This is so you can run your bike faster through transition, rather than have to run in bike shoes. Could get my feet out and on top of the shoes, but getting them back in again was a bit much of a challenge.

Got Looks. Having first ride in about 4 weeks tomorrow and plenty of traffic lights in the first 5-6kms so will have to have my wits about me. Once I couldn't stop quick enough and upclip (I tend to click down thru the gears a bit so starting again isn't impossible) and had to roll around the corner then unclip! Opps.

[Susan126]

You will be a pro by summer and look back to these first few days with amazement and wonder what all the fuss was about!

Go Mimi! :)

[LadyinWhite]

Yesterday I hopped on the princess' mtb to head up to the food store. (We put my old rack on her bike when I switched to road cycling so I could have a beater bike for exactly this purpose. I use the Trek grocery bags that attach to the sides of the rack)

ANYWAY - so yesterday I head out to do exactly this and I haven't sat on a bike up right or w/out cleats in a year. I nearly crashed about 6 times on my way to the store!! LOL.. :eek: I was laughing and weaving around like a drunken sailor.

Finally I stopped and raised her seat even more and that made the bike manageable but barely!! I felt like I'd never ridden a day in my life. This new plan of using her bike to get groceries will work but any thoughts I had of taking long leisurely rides on a MTB every now and then are definately OUT!

Funny how quickly we get used to being clipped in and suddenly NOT wearing cleats is what feels so freaky!! LOL

T.

[mimitabby]

We're not riding today, but now my bianchi has SPD pedals.
It's really too crummy out. 100% rain all day AND wind?
Nah...

[Susan126]

The weather does stink here. At this rate I'll never be ready for the 100 mile Century Apple Bike Ride in Wenatchee! :(

Mimi, I think tomorrow is supposed to be a little bit better. But if the roads are damp or wet I won't ride. I have a fear of wet roads. I guess it's mountain biking for me tomorrow. Probably just dh and me . . . maybe we'll hit Banner Forest over in Port Orchard. Quite a drive but we can stop at the Tides restaurant for lunch! :rolleyes:

How true how true LadyinWhite . . . riding without being clipped in does feel strange. When you're clipped in you are pushing and lifting! You get the most bang for your pedaling! Plus the stiff soles . . . all your energy is going into your bike.

[DrBee]

Congrats on your success Mimi! Wahoo! I had a feeling you'd do well!