First clipless ride and I didn't mangle myself!

Hi everyone! First time posting here :)

I got clipless pedals for my Schwinn Super Sport last week and after an evening of practice clipping in and out and "falling" into my couch to practice emergency unclipping, I felt ready to take the newly upgraded bike for a spin. Went on the Silver Comet Trail in GA (rails to trails) yesterday and I only fell twice. I got the hang of unclipping for automobile traffic stops, but when we pulled over to take a break, I forgot I was attached to my bike. Twice! Only one bruise on my leg to show for it, though, and a big lesson learned (plus a modification to my biking mantra).

What a huge workout it is to be clipped in, though! I'm glad I can work more muscles, but boy am I sore this morning!!

Pretty soon all those extra muscles you're now using will translate into great efficiency. Good job getting started!

And, welcome to the boards!

Big congrats, karen!!!! I have two new goals now: memorize your mantra, and figure out a way to mount my couch on the lefthand side of my bike and bring it on rides with me.

You must fall gracefully not to be mangled. Good job!!

Way to go, Karen! I also made it through my first clipless ride without incident, and it was a great confidence booster. I ended up falling over three times while adjusting to my clipless pedals, but amazingly, I didn't really hurt myself at all. I did get an awesome bruise on my butt the third time, but unfortunately I couldn't show it off to anyone due to its location. I hope you remain fall free...although you probably will tip over at some point. I was happy to learn that tipping over isn't as scary as I expected.

I was pretty darn amused at my first fall... My friend and I pulled over into the benched area and I just slowly fell over to my left (into grass, thank goodness!)

The replay in my head now comes with the "whistle-boom" cartoon bomb sound. It's much more entertaining that way!

I love your new biking mantra, it is cracking me up! I do not have my "clipless" pedals or shoes yet (in fact, I hope I said that right), but I will be keeping your mantra in mind when I do get them.

The mantra really seems to help!

Also, if you've got a nice cushy couch, I'd refinitely recommend practicing next to it once you get your new pedals. Set yourself about 18 inches away from it and clip in the foot by the couch. Then lean and see if you can unclip before you hit the couch!

I will be taking your advice regarding the couch, and I guess I will probably get to tip over at some point, willingly or not (thank you, Sara). Can't wait to practice though, it sounds like it will be night and day (efficiency-wise) with these pedals.

I imagine it will be eventually be night and day. At first, it's much more work on the muscles, as evidenced by my silly walk today! My [edit] glutes are really hurting today since I worked them by pulling up on the pedals occasionally instead of the usual push down motion :)

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Originally Posted by zondian

I will be taking your advice regarding the couch, and I guess I will probably get to tip over at some point, willingly or not (thank you, Sara). Can't wait to practice though, it sounds like it will be night and day (efficiency-wise) with these pedals.

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And, don't assume you will fall a lot. Seems to vary. I tipped over once (forgot I was in the pedals), but that was it. Can't explain why it wasn't more problematic to me...guess everyone is just different.

Okay, got the pedals, practiced in a hallway and fell once. Then moved outside to the pavement, practiced with one foot clipped in and starting, then unclipping, stopping. It made me so nervous, I didn't realize how stressed I was about it. And the whole falling thing, it's like :i'm falling, I'M FALLING!!!, i fell. ow. I think that knee pads would be great while practicing.

Anyway, I had one fall on my actual ride, coming to a stop where a lot of people were gathered, removing extra layers, so I slowed way down to stop as well, and over I went. Now I know what that feels like. It is really weir

The gist of this is: I thought of you throughout my ride, Karen, and kept the "I am attached to my bicycle" mantra ever present in my head after that. Thank You!

I hope it helps you out :D

Congrats on getting your new pedals!

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Originally Posted by karen

I got clipless pedals for my Schwinn Super Sport last week and after an evening of practice clipping in and out and "falling" into my couch to practice emergency unclipping, I felt ready to take the newly upgraded bike for a spin.

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I wish I would have thought of the couch thing when I learn about the clipless. I fell twice the first day out on them too. Once just trying to get out of the driveway and the other, well just a bad choice, and fell over trying to get my foot off the pedal.

Welcome to TE!

Congrats on a succesful first clipless ride. :) Here's to many more to come! Before you know it, clipping in and out will be second nature.

Karen,

your post is every encouraging! I am tempted to borrow my daughters arm and knee pads as I learn to use my new clipless pedals this evening! My bf will be there with camera in hand in case i tip over....

congrats on your first experience!:p

Congratulations Karen....we all began the same way. There will be a time when you will find it hard to ride with a platform pedal.

~ JoAnn

Hi all...first-time poster here. :) Hope I'm doing this right...no computer genius here, either!

Congratulations on your pedal switch!

I switched to clipless myself about 3 weeks ago. So far I've only tipped over 3 times, all slow-motion crashes that bruised my pride more than my body, thankfully. Once in a while I still need to remind myself: Unclip first, *then* stop. I have faith that eventually this will sink in. ;)

Happy biking!

Janee in WNY

Karen,

I love your new mantra too. Wish I had read it BEFORE I went out riding today. After fall #1 of 3, I keep saying "You are clipped in, you are clipped in, you are clipped in).

Today was my first day on my bike in a long time. And today was my first time ever riding clipped in. I have my training wheels/pedals (that's what I told the guy at the bike shop when I went in for a bike checkup and to get shoes). My training pedals have the clips on one side and are flat on the other (like the spinning/cycling bikes at the gym; just without that toe cage).

The first time I had to stop, I unclipped with no problem. The next time, I remembered that I should unclip as I was falling over and laughing uncontrollably at myself. After the 3rd fall, I kept 1 foot clipped in and used the other training pedal (yes, I chickened out).

I think next time I'll try another trail/path. This one had too many sharp curves and very narrow. Too much stopping or slowing down until you almost stopped (that was fall #3).

Well, tomorrow's a new day. I look forward to going on another practice ride after my run.

You know it seemed like I was a natural at it when I first started. But I had a couple times I couldn't get unclipped and it really scared me. But I am much better now and not so cocky about.

I didn't fall for a few weeks after I got my clipless pedals.

Now I think I've gone down four times...:rolleyes: All but one were very slow speed brain fart types of tip-overs. The other one, well...it wasn't due to the pedals! Keep your eyes on the pavement and keep away from those bike eating cracks! :o

Falling is ok. It's not fun, but you do learn what to do when you realize you're going down. :D

The only tip over I've had was being clipped in while making a too-tight slow turn. Bounced right back up -- I didn't know I could move so quickly!

I agree with the lady who posted that after a while you'll have a difficult time with "regular" pedals. Once I got on my old bike that got platforms back when I got the road bike I ride more often, and was it ever a struggle! No upward pull, and my feet kept "falling off" the pedals!

(DH keeps swiping my wheels when he breaks one of his, so the poor thing is languishing in a corner -- I'll need pedals for it when I ever get to keep the wheels again!)

Karen in Boise