Fear of Clipless Pedals

Okay, so yesterday I bought my beginning dream bike. I put it in the trainer and practiced getting on and off at home as well as in the shop. I have no problem getting in and out until I get out to my ride. The group of older and wiser riders oohs and ahs and I get on my bike the first time no issue - just like practicing at home. The second time, I get hooked on the seat and fall down. No big, it happens to us all. The third time, boom again. Fudge. So, now I am skinned up bad and scared to get on the bike. I opt not to ride and my older and wiser friends tell me to go home and practice in regular shoes so I can get used to it.

I agree to do so, but am TERRIFIED. I eventually get over my fear and do so. I obviously keep choking until I get back on and just suck it up, get most comfy again, and just roll with it. I did 17 miles and it was awesome.

However, whenever I think of those damn pedals, I get scared again. Clipping in and out terrifies me now.

I know it is like when I showed horses - if you fall off, you have to get back on to get "over it", but I don't know how to feel comfortable. Any suggestions other than to keep riding in regular shoes until I feel "as one" with my bike? It is a completely different feel - the wheels are bigger, the crank is way different, my seat is higher since I don't need to stop as much (not my commuter) and I feel like if I can do that, I might be comfortable. But any tips as to how to make it feel better?

Same happened to me first time I went clipless. I kept trying and kept falling. You can't have fun if you are TERRIFIED! I for one, cannot use toe clips... I couldn't get in the darn things. So, I had a platform that was spd on one side and plain pedal on the other. I could clip if I wanted or ride on the platform.

After a while with those, I transitioned over to my Speedplays and road shoes and have been happy every since.

Having one clipped and one not would definitely work I think. I could just wear two shoes. I can get clipped in one and life is good. I can pedal with one foot no issue. However, the second one is where the trick comes in.

Thanks for the idea!

I honestly think the sheer difference in weight between my '77 steel Columbia and this 20 pound trek is just a lot for me to handle. LOL. Any little movement and she goes over. Clipping with one may work!

I actually meant a pair of pedals where each pedal is SPD on one side and platform on the other side. So, if you have SPD cleats, you can clip in, but if you miss, you have the full platform to just rest your foot on.

http://www.realcyclist.com/roadbike/...910&mv_pc=r101

Oh, okay, that makes sense. I have looks, but same idea. One side is flat like a normal pedal and the other side it has the opening for the clips.

I used the pedals that tctrek suggested on my Trek FX (my first bike as an adult) and they do help you get over the worst of the adjustment. I went straight to Look Keos on my raodbike though and had the same dread that you had. I actually went back to the LBS with every intention of returning them, but they talked me out of it.

So, with that pep talk, I went to the nearest parking lot and just practiced. Loosen the tension on your pedals so they're easy to get out of, and then pick which foot you're going to unclip when you stop. Always use that foot. Always. Routine is key with clipless. Once you get the movement of unclipping down, then work on clipping in.

Practice in the parking lot or grass until you feel more comfortable. Then take the bike out, preferably not with a big group, to a lightly traveled, flat area and practice some more on the road. I promise it does get easier.

Thanks, Mary Anne. Tomorrow I will go to a local church parking lot to practice or over to a local school. Regardless, I am going to bring both shoes and give it a shot.

I'm completely sympathetic and have only just this weekend solved the clipless problem.
I started a month ago with Shimano ultegra pedals. Could not for the life of me clip out easily. They were adjusted for the lightest tension--still I had to yank that set my bike to shimmying. Ridiculous.
Finally I went to my lbs and said I wanted to try clips and pedals until I felt safe. They put speedplay light action pedals on my bike and the problem was immediately gone, so much so that I thought it was a joke.
No wonder I felt like an idiot; it really is that easy with the right pedals.
For the time being I cannot use Look, shimano, mavik pedals--that type safely. Certainly not in traffic. I'd be a danger to myself and to motorists, not fair for anyone.
The speedplays are giving me plenty of time to learn and be safe. I can learn to use the other pedals later when I have more confidence and strength and muscle memory.
Be safe first.

I would spend a week or 2 getting comfortable on the bike in general if you are not accustomed to riding this type of bike.

I would have a LBS check the tension on the pedals and set them to the losest setting.

When you clip out, are you clipping out on only one foot to set it down? That's how most do it. When I go for a ride my left foot clips in at the beginning (before I ever start peddaling) and i stays clipped in until I get off the bike. (Don't make the same mistake I did and learn to clip out with the right foot, it makes chain ring tattoos on me all the time! Clip out on the left while you are learning so it becomes second nature). It may take some practice for balancing the lean. Do this in your non-clip shoes. Try leaving the right foot on the pedal, and only putting your left foot down. Gently lean a LITTLE to the left as you do so that the bike will lean in the direction of your free foot.

Soon enough it will be in your muscle memory to lean the right way, which will avoud toppling over toward the clipped in foot.

I can't say I recommend this BUT when I was learning, I didn't have anyone to teach me the "right" way. So I learned to clip out by actually rotating my foot TOWARD the bike, rather than outward. For some reason I was stronger in that motion. Not sure this works with your type of pedals, but on SPD's it does. I try to swing the foot outward to clip out now, but if I'm in a hurry to unclip, muscle memory takes over, and I swing toward the bike and pop right out.

It sounds like you are fine on the trainer, so you need to practice the leaning of the bike with one foot still on the pedals.

When I come to a stop, I unclip the foot and hang it downward off the pedal. I squeeze the brakes to time my stop to wear my clipped in foot will stop at the bottom of the pedal stroke. As I'm slowing and my clipped in foot is rotating downward I stand up a little, clearing my rear end from the saddle so that I land my clipped out foot down on the ground and I'm standing over the bike, but in front of the saddle. I can not place a foot flat on the ground while still in the saddle. If I tried to, I'm pretty sure I'd fall over.

I am good now, guys. I listened to your advice and the advice of my ride group and did great. I went to my grandmother's church (where the parking lot is big, open, and quiet) and talked to myself a lot. I practiced a million times in my tennis shoes. Then, I put on clip on (the left, the one I first put on and take out) and left the other out. That was really simple. I then put on my other and didn't fall NOT ONCE!

It was the tilt of the bike and the tension of those clips that became a problem. I put them on the loosest setting with a 2.5mm Allen Wrench like they told me and life was GOOOOOOD. I rode all over town and even crossed a busy road. I remembered to down shift and pull that left foot out every single time, so I think it is working.

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Originally Posted by colorisnt

I am good now, guys. I listened to your advice and the advice of my ride group and did great. I went to my grandmother's church (where the parking lot is big, open, and quiet) and talked to myself a lot. I practiced a million times in my tennis shoes. Then, I put on clip on (the left, the one I first put on and take out) and left the other out. That was really simple. I then put on my other and didn't fall NOT ONCE!

It was the tilt of the bike and the tension of those clips that became a problem. I put them on the loosest setting with a 2.5mm Allen Wrench like they told me and life was GOOOOOOD. I rode all over town and even crossed a busy road. I remembered to down shift and pull that left foot out every single time, so I think it is working.

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Yay for you! I am so glad that this worked for you!

THANK YOU so much for posting this. I came here with the intention to put something similar because of my own anxiety over clip pedals.

I have been mountain biking for several years and have never once thought about clip pedals despite everyone saying how great they are. I bought my first road bike yesterday and am planning to switch to clip pedals but I'm terrified. This post was extremely helpful and I will take the advice to get used to the bike for a few weeks and then go to a parking lot with a grassy area and go for it.:D

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Originally Posted by lisathew8lifter

THANK YOU so much for posting this. I came here with the intention to put something similar because of my own anxiety over clip pedals.

I have been mountain biking for several years and have never once thought about clip pedals despite everyone saying how great they are. I bought my first road bike yesterday and am planning to switch to clip pedals but I'm terrified. This post was extremely helpful and I will take the advice to get used to the bike for a few weeks and then go to a parking lot with a grassy area and go for it.:D

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Don't be terrified! I freaked myself out and delayed getting them for years, but it took only a few minutes to become comfortable. If you can get your LBS to put them on your bike and make the tension as light as possible at first, adjust your cleats, and let you practice on your bike on their trainer for a while, that will really help. But before you try on the grass, make sure you shift down first!

lisathew8lifter - Just as an encouragement, I know several life-long avid mountain bikers who say the clipless pedals enhances their skills and helps them to be better mountain bikers.

Great news! Clipless pedals are the most nerve wracking part of riding IMO. I have the scars to prove how hard it was for me when I first started out. :) I am very happy to hear that through the advice you got here that you are "rocking it!" WTG