I decided when I bought my new mountain bike that I would like to learn how to use clipless shoes/pedals. So I bought a pair of Shimano mountain bike shoes, and the Shimano pedals that have a platform on one side and you clip in on the other. I figured that would be good for when I want to wear regular sneakers (this is currently my only bike, so I commute and run errands with it too), and also for unclipping when I was unsure of myself or scared. Well, I was right about the first count and SO WRONG about the second.

I started practicing last Sunday in a parking lot. Everything was great. Clipping in seemed really natural - on those pedals the clips consistently flip the top, so I would start pedaling and just clip in, no problem. I biked about 10 miles in my neighborhood clipping and unclipping quite often.

Then, on Monday, I decided that things had gone so great on Sunday that I might as well try using the clipless on my commute. In NYC. From Queens into Manhattan. Everything was fine until I got into a staring contest with a woman in a car at a four-way stop. She was there first. I slowed down and unclipped. I think she motioned for me to go, but I couldn't really tell. So I motioned for her to go. I'm rolling really slowly now, one leg hanging off the side of the bike. We keep staring at each other. Then I guess I thought I needed to ratchet the pedals to stay upright or something because I clipped back in and immediately fell over. Lovely. The woman drove away.

Ok, so I thought I learned my lesson. I decided to use the platform side whenever I was unsure about whether I would need to stop and my unclipping abilities. Well, that's a BAD IDEA. If you are in clipless shoes on those pedals (and you're a newbie like me), you will clip in. Repeatedly. I did the exact same thing on my ride home. There was a miscommunication between my boyfriend and myself about which route we were taking, so I got stuck on the "wrong" side of the street waiting for cars to pass so I could cross. Again, going slowly with one foot unclipped. Go to give myself some more momentum (I guess, clearly this wasn't a conscious decision), clip in, and fall over. I have two huge bruises on either thigh - I fell once in each direction - and a bunch of other cuts and scrapes.

Then I took my bike on the trails yesterday, again with clipless (I had given up for a few days). There were sections that I just didn't want to be clipped in for, and it was really tough putting the pedals platform-side up and not accidentally clipping in. I didn't fall, but I definitely spent way too much time looking down at my pedals, and it wasn't enjoyable.

So I've learned some valuable lessons. Don't get overconfident just because you can clip and unclip just fine in a parking lot and meandering around your neighborhood. That doesn't mean that your next clipless attempt should occur in NYC traffic during rush-hour. You'll get stressed, confused, re-clip-in and tip over. Multiple times.

And the biggest lesson of all: Don't wear clipless shoes unless you plan on being clipped in most of the time. The platform side is nice to have - for when you are wearing REGULAR sneakers. It's not easy to NOT clip in.