Clipping out up a steep hill?

[gabriellesca]

Sorry if my questions and paranoia about going clipless is getting to be really annoying ... but you guys are such a wealth of knowledge, I can't resist.

Any tips for clipping out when you're climbing a super steep hill, going super slow, and need to put your foot down?

The time I saw a teammate fall into a moving car was when she was trying to unclip coming up a hill - she was riding so slowly - I mean like 3 mph - and she couldn't unclip quickly enough. I realized last week while I was going up a hill, standing, so slowly that I almost fell over (it was a really hard hill for me), that how would you clip out if you were going this slow? I mean - in toe cages you still have to pull your foot back and then down. I guess.

Is there any kind of trick to this or am I, like usual, being a total freak of fear?

[TrekTheKaty]

That happened to me once. Knowing that if I tried to clip out, I would fall, was all the inspiration I needed to keep pedaling!

[gabriellesca]

LOL - yes, that's a good point - but on that hill last weekend I barely made it - though I did make it up without putting my foot down - but hmmmm, clipped in I don't know how I'd do it. I'll avoid that hill tomorrow morning. ;)

[ny biker]

Any tips for clipping out when you're climbing a super steep hill, going super slow, and need to put your foot down?

Shift into your lowest gear and keep pedaling. That's what I do. And when I'm only going 3 mph, I start to laugh at how slowly I'm going.

[DarcyInOregon]

It has happened to me a few times, needing to unclip on a hill. A few times the grade was too steep and too long, about a 20% grade that was over 1/2 mile, and I was down in my granny gear and it was too much. I looked for a paved drive on the side, turned into the drive because it was flat, and was able to unclip. A few times I didn't anticipate the grade being quite so steep, over 17%, didn't shift down in time, dropped the chain, couldn't unclip, and fell over. Falling over doesn't bother me. I get some road rash and rarely a bruise. I topple over a few times a year for whatever reason, usually a dropped chain and no time to unclip. I am not a dufus that drops my chain all of the time, but it does happen to me a few times a year.

For me the worse case scenario is being on a new rural route, go up a steep hill, and the steep grade ends at a stop sign on a busy rural highway with no flat area to unclip before reaching the highway. I learned to turn my bike to the right, pray there is a paved shoulder and then unclip.

[redrhodie]

The week I went clip-less, I nearly had that same fall. Somehow, my foot unclipped at the last possible second, and I caught myself. I haven't had that happen again since, but I think if I was in that situation again, I'd try to turn into the direction of the foot I unclip (providing there were no cars coming) so that I was at a less steep angle, then I'd either unclip, or try "paperboy" it up the hill (zigzag across the rode). If there were cars, well, I don't know what I'd do.

[Bike Chick]

The last time I tried to unclip on a steep hill, I went down and had to nurse a bloody knee the rest of the ride and pick road grit out of my leg for the next few days.

Your timing has to be just right when you do it. Clip out with the foot that's closest to the ground.

Or.......just put your head down and keep pedaling;)

[gabriellesca]

Thanks guys - good to know its not a totally easy thing to do that I'm so worried about.

Darcy - I know this is a really stupid question but what happens when you 'drop your chain?' My chain has never come off - is that what you mean?

[gabriellesca]

ps. I rode on my new pedals for the first time today. It was super windy here (30 mph) so I knew I wasn't going for a long/normal ride. I rode around the parking lot a bit - clipping in and out. I did fall once when I had come to a stop and was struggling to clip out with my right food instead of my left (my regular foot) - I was thinking it might be easier since I have more power in my right leg. But then I realized that I was trying to pull up a bit to clip out instead of pushing a bit down and to the outside. So I rode around the parking lot and then down the street. I did 6 very slow miles - just kept clipping in and out - practicing stopping and starting.

But I can't imagine relaxing enough to ride at a normal speed. I wouldn't go over 10 mph - I was just so paranoid that I would need to stop and wouldn't be able to get out.

Does this get easier? Do you get used to it/confidence enough that you pick up your speed.

I have to admit it felt TOTALLY different than my toe cages but it was still a little scary.

[AnnieBikes]

Dropping the chain can be happening for several reasons. It can be from a bike that has a bit of cable stretch (as with a new chain over time) or if the limit screws on the derailleur are not set properly and the chain either goes off on the frame side of the chain rings or the pedal side. If it happens, it is easily fixed by pulling forward on the derailleur and putting the chain back onto the smaller front ring. You might get some grease on your hands but that's why I wear black shorts! If it happens very often,take note of which side the chain drops to so you can get your bike shop to reset the limit screws. If it happens only rarely, it can be a bad shift and I think that happens to all of us at one time or another!

Check out this website for help on a dropped chain...not trying to hijack this thread!! :eek::eek:

http://www.bicyclesouth.com/chain.htm

[AnnieBikes]

Gabriellesca.it is so normal to be so scared!! I was absolutely petrified when I started and I assure you after you ride with them a while, you will become totally comfortable with them. My bike shop said to be prepared to fall off 11 times (who knows where THAT figure came from!!) I have fallen but I have gotten better and better and now don't even think about it. It DOES take time to become comfortable and what you are doing is right...practice, practice, practice. Plan to clip out a bit BEFORE you are ready to stop...plan ahead always and you will not fall. You will learn to go faster and you will learn to feel confident. It just takes TIME!! Good luck and don't give up!

[TrekTheKaty]

11 times! In what time period? I'm up to 3.

I forgot zig zagging. My DH rides a particularly RUDE route in Babler State Park, MO. My Brother-in-Law first tried the zig zag on that route, and he said it's better than walking :)

[DarcyInOregon]

Darcy - I know this is a really stupid question but what happens when you 'drop your chain?' My chain has never come off - is that what you mean?

It is like Annie said, the dropped chain typically comes from a bad shift and usually on a steep grade. When cycling up a steep hill, when shifting down, you actually have to let up a little bit on the pedaling to enable the shifting. But if you are going "oh nuts" and you are pushing to pedal just to keep a momentum going you might not be able to ease up a bit and the shift results in a dropped chain.

Last month I was on a 58 mile ride with a friend. At about mile 22, on a rural road with hardly any traffic, there is a steep hill with about a 15% grade. I've gone up that hill maybe 10 times already this year and I had no problems with my shifting, never even gave the shifting a thought because it was just automatic. However this time I didn't ease up enough when I shifted down, and the chain dropped. Now I've biked enough years that I know when the chain drops on a hill to not waste seconds thinking "oh the chain dropped, what should I do" but at the same instant that the chain drops I have to unclip and plant one or two feet on the ground. But nope this time instead of doing any of that I call out to my friend that my chain dropped and I was going to fall over, and you see my point, in the amount of time I spent hollering out to my friend I could have unclipped and planted my feet on the ground. It wasn't like there was any traffic to worry about so I could have been anywhere on the road. So I toppled over and got a few scrapes. It still turned out to be an amazingly good ride with a lot of nice speeds and finished with energy to spare.

[gabriellesca]

11 times - HOLY ****! Maybe I need to fall more often so I can see its okay and not a big deal. The fall today killed my knee - but then I tend to be a wimp. I really think seeing my teammate fall into a moving car because she couldn't clip out really freaked me out. I kept thinking of that all day. And I'm just worried this was something that is going to deter me from getting back into cycling instead of help me get back into it. But I will go out again and ride this week - I just hope I feel more confident and can enjoy it. I'm off on Wed, Thurs, and Fri - so I think I will ride each day down on my favorite route. Maybe a few of those rides being able to stop and start up again, etc., will give me some confidence.

Darcy - That sounds scary - but you seem like its not a big deal for you! :) I'm such a newbie I don't even know grades to hills, etc. - and the chain - I think I understand it and now that you mention it I think that my chain did come off once (is that the same thing?) and I managed to put it back on. But I'm going to stop thinking about that now as I don't need another thing to add to my paranoia. :D

[Pedal Wench]

Check out this website for help on a dropped chain...not trying to hijack this thread!! :eek::eek:

http://www.bicyclesouth.com/chain.htm

Ha! That's my local bike shop!

[AMP]

Today was Mother's Day, my 57th birthday, and I got to ride my spankin' new Bianchi Infinito with clipless pedals for the first time. For about ten feet and 3 seconds.... I clipped in with both feet, didn't bother to check what gear I was in, couldn't move the pedals fast enough and went right down. So, all the fear I had about how I was surely going to crash, how I wasn't going to be able to get my feet off those pedals was right on. And then after the shock and the indignity, I realized I was actually quite all right. I got back on, clipped in and out about thirty times each foot while I held onto my parked truck, checked my gears, and then rode for an hour around an enormous parking lot clipping in and out the entire time. Not gracefully and not without muttering some awful stuff about new technology.

But actually, I'm glad I spilled. Helped my panicky fear. I needed to get that out of the way. My LBS told me I'd have three spills. Better than 11. I figure I'd better keep out of traffic for everyone's sake and off very steep grades until I'm much more intuitive with these pedals.

I can't help but remember that learning to ride a bike was not without it's perils and that so many women have bravely mastered these pedals. I think we can all do it, but we need to give ourselves enough time to learn to this new--and scary--skill safely.:D

[Crankin]

You don't have to go through any of this to put a dropped chain back on! You have to think quickly to do this, but it's second nature to me now. As soon as you feel the chain slip, you put your bike in the big ring and keep pedaling. The chain goes back on by itself. Really.
If you are on a steep hill, this might be hard, but you can carefully shift the chain down to the next lower ring as you keep pedaling once it's back on, but you have to soft pedal. The trick to steep grades is to put your bike in the granny gear (or small ring if you have a double) before you start the climb and put the cogs in a higher gear, so you can shift down as you need to.
You can put a dropped chain back on if you are off of the bike the same way. Put the bike in the big gear, pick it up and rotate the pedals by hand until the chain pops back on.
I do not like those steep climbs with a stop sign at the top, either.
Clipless pedals are not that scary. Make sure you have the tension set at the easiest setting, if you have spd pedals. All this talk of 11 falls is crazy. I never fell and as I said earlier, I am not that coordinated.

[OakLeaf]

I do not like those steep climbs with a stop sign at the top, either.

+a million. Especially if the road you're crossing is busy. Especially if it's wet. I've come close to getting in serious trouble in that situation.

What I like even less is those steep climbs with a stop sign in the middle.

Back to the OP - I think a lot of it is about anticipation, just like all the other aspects of hill climbing. Think of clipping out as your final downshift. :p Just as you need to shift before you run out of power, and lighten up on your pedal stroke so you're not putting a lot of torque on the chain when you shift, it's the same with clipping out. Know when you're starting to run out of steam, know the minimum cadence and maximum power where you're no longer able to keep the bike upright (by feel, not necessarily by gadgetry, although those are nice if you have them), and don't be so hung up on getting up the hill without walking that you don't clip out until it's too late.

And it's possible (but just as likely not) I might have had 11 FTU falls since I first started riding clipless in 1987. Certainly not in any short period of time after I first learned.

[gabriellesca]

AMP - I wish I had such a healthy attitude. I'm so frightened of falling and I've only done it twice and both times it really upset me. Isn't that silly? The first time I was out on a road I had no clue where I was and none of my teammates were around. I really wiped out on that one (and that was just me turning to see if they were coming). Yesterday's fall scraped up my knee but you're right - I survived - it wasn't that bad. For me its all about the memory of my friend falling into that moving car. It really scared me.

But I do have to keep trying - not give up. So many people have gone through this and have learned it - and it seems to be second nature for everyone now. Just like anything in life, its all about attitude. So its time for a better attitude. :)

I'm planning on going down to my old hometown Wed, Thurs, Fri, and Sat - to ride those streets. I know the hills - and the hills I can't get up - I know where all the stop signs are - where traffic gets heavier. So I'm going to go down when kids are in school and parents are at work and ride. I'm hoping it will help give me a bit of confidence.

Thanks for the tips about clipping out on hill. Oak - great points that I hadn't really thought about.

I'm just wondering how long until when you ride you go back to your regular speed and you don't constantly clip in and out? :D I did it over and over again yesterday as if to just double check that it all still worked. :)

[gabriellesca]

ps. One time we saw this woman who was flying down a super steep hill with a stop at the bottom and a super busy road at the stop. She didn't have time to stop quickly and unclip and really wiped out - she was in bad shape. We had to call an ambulance. That is really scary. When I go down super steep hills I still use my breaks (I know I shouldn't) - but how in the world do you handle a hill like that? Unclip as you're going down in case there is a stop at the bottom?

[OakLeaf]

NO, don't unclip during a descent! That really increases the chances you'll lose control.

Covering your brakes is good; feathering them when you start getting beyond your comfort zone is good; riding them until your wheels lock and your tires skid (another loss of control), or until your rims heat up and you lose braking power, is not good.

Do a search on descending, there are lots of good tips on the forum.

[Biciclista]

This particular thing has also terrorized me. In the first year I was using my SPD's, my husband led me up a very steep hill. There were cars behind me. i started to panic because I knew i couldn't unclip because i might fall over from inertia... So i headed towards the curb and threw myself to the right, bike and all, where there was some nice grass! YES! That particular fall was not painful.
I have my SPD's set up at the loosest settings so i can just yank my feet out any which way (Which i have done more than once!) and i did that day too.


I have gone through a lot of pedal types and what i have now is an SPD type that has a regular pedal that you could use with street shoes and the SPD for the other.
Gabriellesca, you should try riding with just one foot clipped in for a bit. Once you realize that you can get out of the pedals whenever you want, it gets less terrifying.

About a month after i started riding with the SPD's, i was riding with my son, he noticed i was clipping and unclipping and was concerned that the cleets were too loose. i explained to him that i was practicing... he never had to do any of that. he just got onto the bike, clipped in, and that was it... sigh...

[gabriellesca]

Thanks Oak - that is what I do - feather my breaks. But I took some heat on my team for applying them during a decent. I didn't care what they said, I felt safer using them.

Biciclista - that sounds terrifying. Its that kind of situation that really makes me wonder why, as someone that is NOT athletic and a major scaredy-cat, I chose cycling as my hobby.

My boyfriend and I have been talking - he's concerned this fear will deter me from riding. I can tell he's trying reverse pych on me because he's encouraging me to go back to toe cages and that is not like him. :o So I told him - I will ride 4 or 5 times on the pedals - as I mentioned good routes I know and know what to expect. Then I will reassess. If I still can't relax enough and am not enjoying the rides because I'm constantly clipping in and out and scared - then I'll go back to toe cages!

[ny biker]

Thanks Oak - that is what I do - feather my breaks. But I took some heat on my team for applying them during a decent. I didn't care what they said, I felt safer using them.

They saw a woman crash spectacularly because she lost control on a descent, but they still think you're not supposed to brake on a descent?

Go ahead and use your brakes. Oak's advice is spot-on.

[Catrin]

It sounds to me like you are doing great! I had a failed experiment with clipless earlier this year - but I just got on a bike for the first time in my life in December 2009! I was overly ambitious with my timing and need to get all the other stuff into muscle memory before I start adding things like clipping in. I won't admit how many times I fell over in a 3-day period...

It DID work right for me a few times though, enough to see the advantages of being attached to the pedals. I am currently using BMX pedals - and while I will eventually make the switch again, it may not be this year, but time will tell :o

Anyway, I wanted to say that I think you are doing great!

[gabriellesca]

Thanks Catrin - mostly this is really p*ssing me off - I hate that there is this thing out there that is frightening me and I just want to overcome it. I saw everyone on my team ride with them and I know that there is obviously some strong benefits. I want to make this work and do NOT want to chicken out.

I'm a pretty slow and overly cautious rider anyway. I'm not into speed and rarely ride in a group or on busy streets. In the 17 weeks I trained for my century - not once did I have to stop abruptly or have a panicked moment where I had to put my feet on the ground quickly. (I had lots of panicked moments decenting though.)

So I need to grow-up and just practice - enjoy the ride while I'm doing it. And realize that if all of you could learn to do it - I can too! :)

[gabriellesca]

Actually ........ on my century - I remember coming up a small but semi-steep hill - it came up quickly and I was pedaling slowly and wanted to stand to get out of the saddle. I didn't have the power in my legs so I did need to put both of my feet down at that point.

I think its those kinds of moments I feel most worried about - when I don't have the power to go further - so I need to put my feet down. I'm worried that I won't have the strength to unclip that quickly.

I'm also scared of riding with cars that are parked and what if one of them backs up not seeing me - but then again - even with Toe Clips - I'd have a problem having to break suddenly.

Oh boy - I need to chill. I was so hoping this would be easier.

[OakLeaf]

I'm also scared of riding with cars that are parked and what if one of them backs up not seeing me -

You want to be in the lane of traffic, NOT in the parking area. You don't want to be weaving in and out of the traffic lane as you pass parked cars. You also want to stay far enough to the left of parked cars that you don't get "doored."

[ny biker]

I'm also scared of riding with cars that are parked and what if one of them backs up not seeing me - but then again - even with Toe Clips - I'd have a problem having to break suddenly.


Tips on safe cycling:

http://www.bikearlington.com/pages/biking-in-arlington/safe-riding/

http://www.bikearlington.com/tasks/sites/bike/assets/File/Safe_Bicycling.pdf


Oak is right about staying in the traffic lane.

Also remember that you will see rear brake lights turn off in car where the driver is about to do something that you need to be alert to. They will take their foot off the brake because they're about to pull out of a parking space or back up, or they've just shut off the engine so they're probably about to open the door.

You can do this. Just take a deep breath and go.

[gabriellesca]

Yes - I'm in the traffic lane - not in a parking lot.

This is silly - I'm sitting here doing the worse thing I could do which is reading everyone's posts on falling and having accidents - some because of going clipless and others just because of road/riding issues.

I've now totally frightened myself into thinking that I should sell the bike and take up knitting. :(

[AMP]

Gabriellsca, we can do this together. What I've learned in my 57 years is to take acceptable risks. Fourteen years ago I was schooling a young gelding and wanted to get off. I thought, Oh, Cowboy UP, woman. Well I wound up with a broken neck, plates, pins, bone grafts. Not an acceptable risk.

Everybody told me how lucky I was not to be paralyzed. My husband (the ultimate man) said why couldn't I be like regular lucky people and just win the lottery? When I laughed all trussed up in a neck brace and head gear, he told me I looked like Elsa Lanchester (bride of Frankenstein) and that I was drooling.

But actually, I was lucky. I not only survived the wreck of my dreams, I got to reassess. And I get to tell the story.

So here I am with my new bike which I love, and these ^%$^% pedals. I will learn this. We will learn this. It will become intuitive and comfortable. It will become necessary for the the power we will need to get up those hills. [I]Clipping in will become fluid and balanced.

We will learn from Oak and others.

And then we will teach and train others more afraid than we are now. And we will be kind and make them laugh.

Since I'm a teacher, sometimes it's tough for me to be a student. Humbling. I need that too. It keeps me safe.

[ny biker]

Yes - I'm in the traffic lane - not in a parking lot.

This is silly - I'm sitting here doing the worse thing I could do which is reading everyone's posts on falling and having accidents - some because of going clipless and others just because of road/riding issues.

I've now totally frightened myself into thinking that I should sell the bike and take up knitting. :(

Go read the daily posts about the rides people do. Find the one from yesterday's about Mother's Day rides. There's lots about good rides (and challenging rides too) in addition to the ones about falling down.

And besides, who's to say you wouldn't stab yourself while you're knitting...:eek:

[gabriellesca]

AMP - what a great post. Thank you so much. I loved it. What courage you have - an inspiration for me. I know that you are correct. I know that I'm being silly to be so frightened. My doctor always yells at me for going on line - stressing that people rarely post good things on the internet.

NY - I would TOTALLY stab myself. So funny! I needed that laugh. Yes - I'm going now to read about the great rides. I've had great rides btw. Last weekend I had 2 really awesome rides. I felt so good and up riding. When I was done I felt fantastic. I'm just scared that I won't get back there now because of these new pedals.

But I'm going to take AMP's comments to heart! Acceptable risk!

THANK YOU!

[Pedal Wench]

One more thing to think about. You're doing lots of practice at slow speeds. Well, for me, that's when I get nervous about being clipped in. When I'm just riding along at my normal speed, I don't need to think about being clipped in. And it becomes a habit that when I slow down, I unclip, in case I'll need to put a foot down. So, go and ride at your normal fast speed - you don't need to unclip when you're cruising along!

[gabriellesca]

Great point Pedal - I'm a pretty slow rider anyway - and always very cautious - slowing down when lots of traffic or hills, etc. - But its a good point. I just want to be able to get on and ride without being so paranoid the entire time that I'm constantly clipping and unclipping.

My bf says 'stop - you're thinking too much - just ride' - I think he's right! (ps. I can also feel that I'm getting sick - so that might have something to with this whiney thread.)

[Biciclista]

you have a point. I told you about my scary falling over on a hill but didn't tell you the rest of the story.
I got stronger and got used to my pedals too. I avoided the 20% grades for a while, and got used to going up gentler grades. I went from that to doing two very intensive hill rides, all without any problems. I do still get edgy on steep climbs but I know i can do them, i am so busy getting my bulk UP the hill I don't think about unclipping.

As for going downhill, be gentle on your brakes, but by all means, USE them.
The faster you are going, the more spectacularly you can hurt yourself.
There are a lot of us (men too) who do not just GOOOOOOOOO down a hill.
I start feeling unsafe when I approach the car speed limit and in some places, way before that happens..

I almost never fall. It took me a year to get used to my SPDs and i was in my 50s when i tried it. you can do it too.

[gabriellesca]

THANK YOU so much for that Bici!! That helps too. THe more positive stories I can hear the better I feel.

You all are so incredibly kind to indulge me!

THANK YOU!

I'm not feeling great tonight - I was going to go out and get on the bike just because this is bugging me so much. But I'll have plenty of time later this week to ride.

[BikeDutchess]

And after you have given it a good try & lots of practice, you may also consider a different style of pedals. I don't want to turn this thread in to a comparison of different pedals, but just know there are other options that may work for you if your first choice does not work out.

[tulip]

You are psyching yourself out. You are letting your fear control you, not the other way around. Don't try 4 or 5 times. Try 100 times. Ride your bike with clipless pedals for 100 days and then make a decision.

Relax, keep your rides short, and get used to it before you go out on longer rides. And for goodness' sake, STOP focusing on these images of people crashing! There are 1000, maybe 10,000, more examples of people NOT crashing while clipped in.

All I hear you talking about is your fear, your falls, your witness to someone else crashing. How is this helping? What about the times you are not falling, what about your successes?

[sundial]

I really think seeing my teammate fall into a moving car because she couldn't clip out really freaked me out. I kept thinking of that all day.

Your body follows what your mind focuses on and since you were thinking about her fall, it set you up for yours. :o

Like Darcy, I ride a steep hill clipped in and when I get to where I'm about to either a) fall over or b) blow up or c) roll backwards, I steer the bike at a 45 degree angle to reduce the incline and try to refocus and climb. (Note: check for traffic first. :) )I remember one time when I did unclip one foot and placed it on the ground, it slid backwards. :eek: :mad: If I'm too pooped I simply pull off the road and wait until I catch my breath.

[TrekTheKaty]

The advice I got when I went clipless (surely, from here) was to practice clipping & unclipping while leaning against a wall--both sides, please. Then try it on some grass. Then I did a few laps around the neighborhood. Once, I did a whole organized ride with one foot clipped out, because there were so many unexperienced riders and children (St. Louis Midnight Ramble). However, I don't advise that--I ended up with blisters :-)

[ny biker]

Relax, keep your rides short, and get used to it before you go out on longer rides. And for goodness' sake, STOP focusing on these images of people crashing! There are 1000, maybe 10,000, more examples of people NOT crashing while clipped in.

I was thinking this, too. Picture yourself riding along, enjoying yourself, smiling, everything going well. Imagine yourself successfully clipping out and putting your foot down with no problems. Focus on that.

[AMP]

Hmmm... I don't think this is a whiney post at all. Naturally I'm rivited because I'm in the exact same space.

I read some old cycling forums on this topic and I can confidently report that fear of pedaling clipless is pretty universal. But there is some great advice : so far I've learned that 1) I don't have to use clipless if I want to, 2) I need to make sure the tension is easy; 3) anticipate problems and clip out early; 4) if I fall, I can get back up and start pedalling again: and here's the best bit of advice: if I'm riding up a steep hill and am losing power, I need to clip out and WALK.

That made me laugh. I forgot I had that option. How sensible. I get to ride my bike and keep myself safe.

I haven't read this anywhere, but is it possible that my ankles are weak in that area?

When I fell, my arms supported me pretty well because of strengthening from yoga and I didn't get hurt.

There doesn't seem to be any crossover exercise because the outward movement of the heel clipping out is so peculiar to this sport.

Maybe I need to crush out cigars or do the twist like Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction. Maybe I just need to get stronger ankles.

[withm]

You are psyching yourself out. You are letting your fear control you, not the other way around. Don't try 4 or 5 times. Try 100 times. Ride your bike with clipless pedals for 100 days and then make a decision.

Relax, keep your rides short, and get used to it before you go out on longer rides. And for goodness' sake, STOP focusing on these images of people crashing! There are 1000, maybe 10,000, more examples of people NOT crashing while clipped in.

All I hear you talking about is your fear, your falls, your witness to someone else crashing. How is this helping? What about the times you are not falling, what about your successes?

This is excellent advice.

When I was learning - I rode around the block for a couple miles (it was only 1/4 mile for the loop) seemingly endlessly, coming to a full stop, unclipping, and putting my foot down even though it wasn't required at every corner. Going through that entire drill some 20-30 times in a single afternoon was boring but was all I needed to develop that muscle memory. The key is to practice, practice, untill you are comfortable. It does not take long.

No pole vaulter ever cleared 10' on the first try. And every attempt ends up in a fall. Yet they continue to practice until they get it right. As cyclists we don't have near that kind of challenge. Clipping in/out is so ingrained that most of us never give it a second thought.

It's not rocket science. It's learning a little coordination in order to become a skilled rider. If it were really as hard as some people make it out to be, nobody would be riding clipless.

[Bike Chick]

Don't overthink it! Just practice and it will become second nature.

[marni]

I do not like those steep climbs with a stop sign at the top, either.

Or how about the rides in the Hill Country with t he cattle guard half way up the steepest part of the steepest hills? Just when you realize that you are in your granny granny gear and can't get up enough speed to get over it safely. And it is such fun tip toeing over those things. One ride I did had nothing but hills, and most of them, or at least 14 had cattle guards on them. I walked a lot that day.

marni

[Faster Pussycat]

For me the worse case scenario is being on a new rural route, go up a steep hill, and the steep grade ends at a stop sign on a busy rural highway with no flat area to unclip before reaching the highway.

This was my situation last week except on a steep hill in a reasonably busy suburb! I was with a group and they stopped at the top of the hill as there were cars parked on each side and we were going to make a right hand turn but needed to give way to traffic. I unclipped ready to stop and the girls moved forward. I pedalled over and my foot clicked back in (I use speedplays). I had already started to lean my weight to the left to stop but just couldn't get my foot out in time. I didn't help that I was totally unfamiliar with the route.

The worst part wasn't the fall - it was that on a 500m stretch of road I fell right next to a pallate of roof tiles on the verge. Which my head bounced off of. I was pefectly OK except for some dropped dignity and the need for a new helmet.

gabriellesca, I used to think that every other cyclist knew something I didn't. That they all had these superior skills and reaction times and I just didn't think too fast. In all honestly, this isn't the case. In a lot of situations they are likely to come a cropper as well. Some things are just harder to navigate than others. So keep practicing and take baby steps, you will get there.

I have had quite a few nerve blocks in my upper c-spine and so my balance is rubbish. It has taken many months of solid practice just to be able to take a water bottle. About four times a week I head to a quiet, big car park and just practice skills. Starting, stopping, riding one handed etc.

I am an over thinker as well and there is some truth to just doing it. At the same time you need to enjoy your cycling and being scared kinda sucks the fun out of it.

It really is a matter of practice and don't beat yourself up because it doesn't come as naturally to you as it may seem to come to others.

[gabriellesca]

You guys are so right - I am overthinking this to death and I am letting myself picture non-stop the falls, how bad my falls have hurt, my friend's fall. I'm not picturing the positive side of going clipless - of enjoying the benefits of it (which I'm sure I will feel once I relax). I'm so caught up in the negative that I'm not seeing the positive. I trait that I battle in every aspect of my life but that I am working on.

Shoot - there are so many good suggestions and posts I want to respond to them all. AMP - I like that we're in similar places and both trying to get through it. Tulip - DEAD ON - you're so right that I'm focusing only on my fear and the negative. I know I need to change this. Sundial - I always forget to paperboy it (isn't that what it is called) - I can always do that if I need to and there are no cars. NY - TOTALLY need to just envision it going smoothly. Withm - I do keep thinking this - hello - everyone rides this way - I can too! And Faster - thanks for just reminding me that it may SEEM easier for others.

Everyone here has been so helpful - sometimes I need a smack. And I need a smack! :)

This may be a bit much - but the one thing I've learned through cycling is how it is such a metaphore for life in general. I think of how when you approach a hill from the base it looks huge and you think you can never get over it - you can't imagine how you will have the power to get up it - and then slowly you make your way up - chugging along - and you get to the top and you're so proud! There was this hill on my training rides and it was so huge to me - we would take a route that took us down it for weeks. The first week we had to go up it I paniced. But I got up it and celebrated all day. :) So ........ you now have me excited to do this. To get past this fear. To picture myself reaping the rewards!

When I signed up for my Century in 2008 with Team in Training I NEVER thought could train and ride it. No one in my life thought I would do it. On the morning of the ride my brother-in-law told my sister he thought I wouldn't make it 5 miles. But I did 17 weeks of training - every training ride - I only sagged 2x - and I rode every mile of the 103.3. So if I can do that - I certainly can do this!

(How's that for a pep-talk?) THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

[ny biker]

When I signed up for my Century in 2008 with Team in Training I NEVER thought could train and ride it. No one in my life thought I would do it. On the morning of the ride my brother-in-law told my sister he thought I wouldn't make it 5 miles. But I did 17 weeks of training - every training ride - I only sagged 2x - and I rode every mile of the 103.3. So if I can do that - I certainly can do this!

I don't like your brother-in-law. Don't listen to him. Or any other doubters, for that matter. Listen to us instead.

[gabriellesca]

He's actually an awesome guy and I adore him. I think he started driving the route and couldn't imagine I would finish. He also saw me starting out and I was a wreck and very slow at the start - getting used to all the riders etc. - He and my sister rode the ENTIRE 103.3 miles - they would go up ahead 10 miles and then park or find a little place to put lawn chairs out and then cheer me on. WHen I came in at the end of the day (10 hours later) he was bawling right along with me and my sister! So he's a good guy!

But I know what you mean - not good for people not to believe in you. I think they were just shocked that I did it. I was too!

[sundial]

So if I can do that - I certainly can do this!


Gabriellesca, alot of hill climbing is mental. Focus 10 feet in front of you and pedal away. You can do this! :) :)

[gabriellesca]

Thanks Sun!!

[Faster Pussycat]

Also, if you really don't feel ready to go to cleats - dont. Although there are lots of advantage they will also be lost if you get put of riding.

So perhaps do a few more rides, get a bit more confident in your handling skills and then look at cleats again?

Confidence is what is left after you take out the fears.

[TrekTheKaty]

On my first century, I was considering bailing as we headed into hill AFTER hill at mile 80. I had trained in the area, so mentally I thought I was prepared. However, fatigue was setting in and I was seriously considering throwing my bike in a ditch. My Brother-in-law and I started a mantra,

"The ferry (that took us across the river and into the flats) is over this hill."

"OK. It must be this hill."

"Seriously, this HAS to be the last hill."

We crested a hill and there was a buff cycling dude with an expensive bike sprawled out in the grass on the side of the road, looking like a (as we'd say in skiing) yard sale! I yelled, "Are you OK?"

He said, "Yeah. Just resting."

I started laughing so hard, that I forgot how much I was hurting. (I think we made it to the ferry about 3 hills after that. We thought we were home free until a group of tri-bikers said, "Only one more 18% grade to go!" Now that's why I don't usually socialize with other cyclists--I didn't need to know that!)

It's all mental. Just like a marathon. I was never a good runner, just more determined/pig-headed.

[Thorn]

We thought we were home free until a group of tri-bikers said, "Only one more 18% grade to go!" Now that's why I don't usually socialize with other cyclists--I didn't need to know that!).

Chuckle. I was just on one of those one big climb after another rides. I've done it before. I actually love it--do enough long slugs up gradients in the teens and the 8-10%-ers at home don't feel so bad.

Anyway, I was standing near two guys at the last rest stop. It is on a lovely bluff and you can see forever in all directions. One of them said, "It has to be all down hill from here". I turned to them and said, "uh, no....there is one more big hill waiting for you. Can't you hear it taunting me? The hill's voice is getting strong. It is saying, 'Save some for me. You know I'm steep. And I can last longer than you'."

They both looked at me like was this crazy old lady (which, of course, I am). Fine.

At the end of the ride, one of the guys came up to me and said, "Uh...we didn't believe you. You undersold that hill. It was a killer." :D

There is always another hill. Master one and a bigger one appears. Zen out. Relax. Smile. You'll be surprised what you can do.

I've only met one hill in the last couple of years I've had to bail on. I used the driveway method that Darcy suggested. Thankfully, there wasn't traffic.

[tctrek]

That happened to me once. Knowing that if I tried to clip out, I would fall, was all the inspiration I needed to keep pedaling!

<<snort>> good one!

[gabriellesca]

I think that's one of the reasons I love cycling - it is teaching me to take things as they come - one day/one hill/one ride at at time. Not that you can tell from this post and all my fear - but I am making progress!

I like the 'looking like a yard sale' - funny!

[sundial]

I was never a good runner, just more determined/pig-headed.

Yep, it pays to be tenacious. Even if you're going 3 mph up a hill you're still going and besides, there's nothing more satisfying than passing a weight weenie roadie that's blowing up on the hill. :)

[sundial]

On my first century, I was considering bailing as we headed into hill AFTER hill at mile 80.

I would have bailed at mile 30. You're a tough cookie, Trek. :)