Feeling like a clipless idiot!

OK....so I've had clipless pedals for 6 weeks now and still don't seem to get it. I did what the LBS advised and used flat pedals on my new bike for 3 weeks to get used to the bike. At the same time I purchased my shoes and cleats and used them on my spin bike at home that has clipless pedals. Feeling quite comfortable with the road bike after 3 weeks I went for the clipless pedals. The LBS gave me some pointers and warned me that I WILL fall. OK...that I get. I practiced in my driveway a few times and stopped in the grass - and yes fell - however that I expected.

DH and I then set out for the road. He had the idea that at the end of the ride (we chose a ride without any stop signs / lights) he would ride ahead and "spot" me in case I couldn't release in time. That's exactly what happened. I stopped with both feet firmly clipped in and he caught me (great guy). The next time I went solo....nicely got my left foot released and in a premature celebration of success forgot to unclip the right and went down again. Since that time my DH has been "spotting" me and I've been having no trouble for the past several rides and decided to go solo again today. So I'm coming up the to stop - successfully clipped my left foot out about 200 ft ahead - I always give myself plenty of time - came to a stop and I don't know how I did it but when I went to put my left foot down I caught the pedal and it clipped back in - you all know what happened next.

At this point I'm about ready to take the bike back to the LBS and get flat pedals back. I however love riding with the clipless pedals and it gives me just enough of an advantage over my DH who rides with flat pedals to keep up with him. I'm so frustrated!!!:(

The thing about riding clipless is that you have to focus and always do it exactly the same way. You have to be somewhat compulsive in the beginning to always clip in/clip out, start/stop the same so that it becomes like breathing...

I have found that unclipping left foot first works best for me. You can unclip it in advance of the stop. Try to unclip and just let your left leg hang down a little in front of the pedal, you are braking/coasting to the spot where you want to stop. Right foot is still clipped in and most likely in the down pedal position. When you are ready to stop, fully engage the brake and just put your left foot down to complete stop. Obviously, you have to leave the saddle to get your left foot all the way down on the road. Leave your right foot clipped if you are just stopping for a stop sign or some obstacle. Make sure to keep your brake engaged so you don't roll off with your right foot clipped... you are a one legged girl on a skateboard at that point! Bike is leaning a little to the left.

When you're ready to go, just lift your right foot to about 2 o'clock position, push off on your right and hoist yourself back into the saddle. Now you're rolling and can clip in your left foot again. I have found that I sometimes have to make one or two pedal strokes to get my darn left foot re-clipped. That's ok, cause your right foot can make slow revolutions while you get the left foot clipped again.

If you repeat this over an over an always do it exactly the same, eventually it becomes a habit and clipping in/out is natural.

You can do this fast as well, if you don't know in advance that you have to stop, you can quickly unclip left, apply full brake, hop down from saddle and plant your left foot leaving right foot clipped in.

I have seen people unclipping on the right and even unclipping both feet at once and hopping down and it looks incredibly difficult to me... maybe because I am now brainwashed to unclip on the left. Also, on the trainer or spinning bike, it's opposite for me, unclip on the right.. but I'm used to that as well.

Excellent descriptions, tctrek. The only thing I'd add is to be careful of how you lean your weight as you come to a stop. I also unclip and stop with the left foot, but every now and then I'll accidentally lean my weight to the right as I put on the brakes. Fortunately, each time I've been able to get my right foot loose and down in time to catch myself.

Whichever side you're comfortable unclipping and stopping on, be sure to lean your weight in that direction as you come to a stop. That way you end up as a tripod composed of two wheels and whichever foot you've put down.

My first commute with clipless I must have unclipped 200 times... whenever I slowed down, whenever I stopped, whenever I thought I might have to stop, whenever I even thought about stopping, and just for practice... :p

You can practice by finding a safe stretch where you won't (probably) have to stop, and just clip and unclip, pedal a bit and repeat, over and over. Pedal, unclip and stop, pedal, unclip and stop. It does become second nature, and you don't have to fall over many times. Maybe you've already "done your time" on the ground :)

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Originally Posted by Kalidurga

Excellent descriptions, tctrek. The only thing I'd add is to be careful of how you lean your weight as you come to a stop. I also unclip and stop with the left foot, but every now and then I'll accidentally lean my weight to the right as I put on the brakes.

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Oh yeah.. the dreaded lean your bike to the right and roll away with it! That's how I ended up in a creek with mud up to my ankles the first time I rode clipless. Braked, left foot down, let go of the brake, leaned right, coasted into the creek :eek: It was humiliating, but a lesson well learned!!

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Originally Posted by tctrek

Oh yeah.. the dreaded lean your bike to the right and roll away with it! That's how I ended up in a creek with mud up to my ankles the first time I rode clipless. Braked, left foot down, let go of the brake, leaned right, coasted into the creek :eek: It was humiliating, but a lesson well learned!!

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Hehe... I've never ended up in a creek from leaning the wrong way, but I have done some funny dance moves ;)

Leaning the wrong way is what got me this. And I'm still disappointed it didn't leave a scar.

That would've been a pretty scar. Looks almost like bird's wings.

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Originally Posted by Kalidurga

Excellent descriptions, tctrek. The only thing I'd add is to be careful of how you lean your weight as you come to a stop. I also unclip and stop with the left foot, but every now and then I'll accidentally lean my weight to the right as I put on the brakes. Fortunately, each time I've been able to get my right foot loose and down in time to catch myself.

Whichever side you're comfortable unclipping and stopping on, be sure to lean your weight in that direction as you come to a stop. That way you end up as a tripod composed of two wheels and whichever foot you've put down.

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The first day I used them, THREE, yes THREE times I did the unclip and shift my weight (usually by looking over my shoulder) and BAM, down I went. It's like I had absolutely no learning curve. My niece didn't know whether to laugh with me or worry about me.

I don't make the mistake anymore, but took me a few tumbles to catch on. :)

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Originally Posted by lph

My first commute with clipless I must have unclipped 200 times... whenever I slowed down, whenever I stopped, whenever I thought I might have to stop, whenever I even thought about stopping, and just for practice... :p

You can practice by finding a safe stretch where you won't (probably) have to stop, and just clip and unclip, pedal a bit and repeat, over and over. Pedal, unclip and stop, pedal, unclip and stop. It does become second nature, and you don't have to fall over many times. Maybe you've already "done your time" on the ground :)

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What she says. Until it's such a habit that you unclip/turn your foot when getting up from a chair :p find a quiet stretch of road and just clip and unclip for no apparent reason, sometimes stopping, sometimes just pedaling and clipping in and out .... left foot, right foot, at the 9 o clock, 6, 3 .... all parts of the pedal stroke.

Does not take long for it to be a habit.

Don't assume you'll fall. Assume it will be easy and then it will be. Practice track standing on the grass.

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Originally Posted by indigoiis

Practice track standing on the grass.

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That's a whoooole 'nother thread. And one of the things I forgot to work on learning this summer :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by indigoiis

Practice track standing on the grass.

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Hmmm... I'm pretty good at clipping in/out these days, but track standing?
DH and I play a game coming up to a red light going as slow as we possibly can hoping we don't have to unclip and stop... I can get down to about 2 mph, but then I have to put a foot down or I'm going over :D.

I am very new to clipless pedals too.
My husband has been a cyclist for almost 30 years so I have been exposed to them for years.

Every time I come to a stop I am thankful that my husband told me to lean towards my free foot. I don't know if I would have naturally done that without his instructions.

I have not fallen yet. (I am sure my day will come)

I did great with my clipless pedals at first, but lately I've been having trouble un-clipping. It's like I forgot how to! Practice makes perfect, keep at it!

I totally fell over in my own driveway tonight, right infront of my neighbor's entire family. I KNEW it was happening and just couldn't think fast enough. Lucky you, you have a spotter :)

Thank You all sooooo much for your comments. They are very helpful. I just love this forum...everyone seems so genuine and willing to share their experience. I want to get comfortable with this whole clipless thing before the weather gets warm again because at least with tights on the road rash is not too bad - don't wanna try it in shorts.

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Originally Posted by tctrek

...DH and I play a game coming up to a red light going as slow as we possibly can hoping we don't have to unclip and stop... I can get down to about 2 mph, but then I have to put a foot down or I'm going over :D.

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Not long after our switch to clipless, I watched my DH ride slowly up to a red light and then tip over sideways, like Arte Johnson on Laugh-In. When I caught up to him, he was laughing and said that he had wondered how slowly he could go before tipping over.

Just don't try this...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv0hFd--1Fk

Don't give up..it does get easier. I actually unclip with my right foot. It feels more natural to me. I don't have very much advice other then keep trying, you will get it. Like you said in your above post, try to unclip in advance and keep your cleat away from the clip if you can. Maybe practice on the road near your street...ride as slow as you are comfortable riding and practice clipping in and out without putting your foot down. Good luck and keep at it!!:D:D

Oh, I just switched to clipless a few weeks ago. The first and only time I fell (the day I installed my new pedals) I unclipped on the left, came to a stop, and leaned left. However, just like with you, my foot had gotten itself at least partially clipped back in. I panicked, couldn't get unclipped in time, and fell down. Since then, I have been letting my left leg hang straight down in advance of stopping. That way I know it won't accidentally clip back in. Also, with it stretched all the way down, I kinda reach that foot toward the ground as I come to a stop and this helps me lean the right way (towards the unclipped foot). Riding clipless still makes me a little nervous, and I still think I'll fall again, but I'm getting the hang of it - you will too!

Clipping in fast again after stopping for a red light or stop sign is also a bit of a challenge. I ride with groups that push me to my limits, so if I don't clip in fast enough I risk getting dropped (or having to bust my a** to catch the group). I kinda look down during the stop to see how my pedal is positioned so I know whether I need to turn it over or not when I get started. That way I can clip in pretty fast. When I forget to do that, or let the pedal spins as I trip to position it, I lose precious time!

She is exactly right, that method worked for me. I would just add to choose a parking lot with a slight slope, so you can get the clipping in part down first without having to pedal.

I know lots of people swear by always using the same foot. I force myself to practice using either or both feet. Saved me from a nasty fall once.

I dread the day I have to give up my clipless, I have a mobility problem with one ankle and sometimes can barely turn my foot. Then I will be one of those people who advocate for clipless but ride with platform pedals.

I unclip right first, but I usually unclip both feet, even after five years of riding with clip pedals. You never know when there might be an emergency. For some reason it's never been an issue to clip back in, although I'm glad I went back to mountain SPD pedals (after a couple of years of Shimano road pedals).

Thanks again!!! That video reminds me of what happened to DH and I on our way home in his truck a few years ago. We came upon a group of riders and one rider was pretty far behind. DH slowed down and passed that rider and then the rider proceeded to mover over and grab the tailgate and hitch a ride until he caught the group. I couldn't believe it.

For now I'm using SPD pedals because that's what is on my spin bike. I like that they are 2 sided and don't have to worry which way the pedal is. I'm doing really well with clipping in but then again I practice several times clipping in and out before the ride. I'm going to work on it in the driveway (it's pretty big and flat) and maybe stay close to the grass - my road rash heals but I'm upset about the road rash on my brand new bike. I"ve ripped the handlebar tape on both sides (can be replaced) but also got a brake lever, both pedals, and the rear derailler (at least I think that's what it's called - it's the thing that says "Ultrega" on the back wheel that is part of the shifting mechanism) - still trying to learn the lingo too.

It might help if you loosen the spring on the pedals. That way it'll be easier to clip out. Also, do you have the multi release cleats? I've found them to be a bit easier when you need to get out quick (for mountain biking anyway).

I was going to suggest going the other way, LOL! If she's inadvertently clipping back in just from resting her foot on the pedal, when she wants to stay unclipped, then tightening the spring could help. I'm actually starting to experience that - the spring on my right pedal is a little loose after 9,000 miles and I was thinking of tightening it up to match the left.

I had been practicing on my trainer and was feeling pretty cocky. I took the bike off the trainer to load it on my bike rack for a visit to my Mom's two weeks ago. My maiden clipless voyage in the wild went without a hitch - took a spin prior to loading it on the rack. Fast forward to my Mom's the next day - didn't even get out of the garage - BAM! :eek: I was stunned. Had to pull my foot out of the shoe to even get up. Thought that maybe because my Mom's driveway is short and steep (well certainly steeper than mine :p) I'd walk the bike to the road and start with my left foot. BAM! Fell on the other side this time. I was not going to let the bike get the best of me and finally clipped in successfully. My ankle was bothering me, so I cut the ride short. I haven't been back on the road bike since - I'm waiting for my ankle to heal. I would have sworn I broke it the day of the fall, but I can walk on it so I know it's fine - just tender still. I've learned from reading the boards that I should have started the crank at 2:00 not the 6:00 I clipped in at. Thanks for letting me lurk. :D

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Originally Posted by tc1

I know lots of people swear by always using the same foot. I force myself to practice using either or both feet. Saved me from a nasty fall once.

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I NEVER use the same foot for that very reason. I feel much more comfortable being able to unclip from either side & rarely have a problem coming to a stop and putting one foot or the other down. (Having said that, my fingers, eyes, toes, legs and anything else I can find are crossed 'cause I KNOW I'll fall the next time I get on the bike!)

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Originally Posted by drdwin

So I'm coming up the to stop - successfully clipped my left foot out about 200 ft ahead - I always give myself plenty of time - came to a stop and I don't know how I did it but when I went to put my left foot down I caught the pedal and it clipped back in - you all know what happened next.

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Sorry about your frustration. I hope you can still give it a try.

From your description, I think you probably didn't put your right foot on the bottom when clipped out your left foot (the pedal should be on the top). Then you just lower your left foot.

Check this picture, especially the part (2) to (3) in the bottom. (click at the picture to see it more clearly)

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_O8pum8JiUxw/Se...al%20101-1.jpg

Note that the foot to unclip first is the one you use for balance at a stop .

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Originally Posted by solobiker

Just don't try this...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv0hFd--1Fk

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LMAO!!! OMG, this was funny!! Thanks for sharing!

This thread is great...thanks for posting it!

Years ago I had SPDs on a mountain bike that I used more as a zip around town ride. I didn't ride all that much before getting knocked-up and stopping for the better part of a decade.

When I first started using the pedals I had DH leave them pretty loose, so it was easy to clip in and out. Eventually I found that they needed to be tightened just a little bit to keep my feet from releasing at random.

He claims he only adjusted them by maybe a half turn...but I came to a complete stop at a stop sign and couldn't get my feet out of the pedals to save my life. As I was going down in slow-motion I was laughing and saying "oh sh*t oh sh*t oh sh*t." Only my pride was hurt.

I have SPDs again (as I'm using MTN shoes), but I'm going to adjust my own pedals, now. I don't trust my goofy hubby to not punk me for a good laugh, again. :p

I tried clips for the first time today, not on my bike, or with my shoes, everything was too big...but I somehow managed to do it without falling and it didnt seem too difficult. Everyone says you will eventually, so after today I decided to get some for my road bike and I'm sure I will be falling soon enough, I hope not though! Hope it works out for you

I've been riding for a few months now and just had my first clipless fall - felt like a real idiot :o

I was on a group ride with about 15 other women so at least there was plenty of concern and sympathy - someone put a dressing on my elbow and then we were away again

I felt a bit shaky for a few minutes but lived to tell the tale

Hi Macski!

Wow, another Canberran :) How cool! I am quite new to cycling, only been doing it for about 3 months. Learning sooooo much so fast, and looking forward to my first clipless stack - am getting some pedals and shoes for Christmas present! This forum is great for support, answers, lots of stuff. I was wondering, what's the women's group that you ride with?

Cheers,

Librarygirl

I'm such a gumby. I started riding clipless this fall and have fallen so many times. My riding buddies just laugh at me. They'll keep. Just wait till they start riding clipless.

Glad I'm entertaining. My hips are getting tough!

Melissa

It's great to find another Canberran on the forum. I've been lurking for a little while but yesterday was my first post.

I always feel inspired after visiting here.

I've been riding with Pedal Power's New Horizons Women's Group (another inspiring group) - it's been a 10 week course for beginning women cyclists.

But I've joined FIT (Females in Training) and from Jan plan to go to their Friday morning coaching sessions and then work up to some of their group rides.


Cheers, macski