I DID it! Clipless revisited

[Catrin]

Talk about anticlimactic! (though that is a good thing in this situation). I apologize in advance for the book

I knew I'd get no real mileage today as I was helping a friend to feel comfortable riding in my favorite park - she is terrified doing anything outdoors by herself but she really wants to ride. So I went with her and she did great! I am hoping this will eventually decrease her fear, but I digress.

After she left I rode back to my car and changed shoes, drew in a deep breath, crossed myself a few times and began. I started with the parking lot I was in, clipped in just one foot at first, rode a few feet, stopped and unclipped. Rinse and repeated a few times No falling over - or even close to it Time to try both feet...Again no falling over or instability

As mentioned in the earlier thread my fitter has the tension adjusted extremely light - especially for my right foot. I just think about it and THAT foot clips or unclips. Left foot only requires slightly more effort. After about 15 minutes with no falling over, I decided to hit the roads in the park.

It was great! With each stop without falling over my confidence grew - and I also noticed that the harder gears seemed to require less effort and I was less out of breath at the top of a hill. I was, however, a little concerned that as light as the tension is for my right cleat that I might accidentally unclip during intervals or going uphill.

With this in mind I tried some intervals, and while there is a pretty good hill in that park - it requires much less effort than some other hills I know of. I think it will be fine. I did, however, learn that I can't use the platform side with these shoes - they are Bontrager Inform women's MTB shoes and the soles are plastic - they slip on the metal grippers on the platform side.

Part of me wants to just toss caution to the wind and clip in for my 75-78 mile ride tomorrow - but that is probably too much too soon. I am, however, considering doing the flat portion of my route first (clipped in) and then return to my car and change shoes to use the platform for the rest. The miles are more important right now than what pedals I am using...

I wanted to practice longer with them, but the park was really filling up with cars and dogs and children in bikes - didn't seem time to spend all evening practicing new pedals... Still though - got over an hour in with no falling over

[MyRubyE]

That's great Catrin! So proud of you. Keep it up and before you know it you will be a clipless expert.

[Crankin]

Mazal Tov!
I knew you could do it.

[huffandpuff]

Congrats Catrin! I am amazed at the mileage you do on flat pedals. Can't imagine what you will do now that you're clipped in!

[Catrin]

Ok, odd question. Do clipless pedals use additional muscles than platforms? It just seems to me that since they allow us to use the entire stroke rather than just the down part - that this would make sense.

Any chance this can cause soreness at first? Am considering clipping in for the first 30 or so flattish miles tomorrow (outside of 3 hills), then changing to my trusty Keene Commuters and the platforms for the remaining hilly....(well, less flat with some quite steep yet short hills) 45 miles.

I want a little more practice clipping in on hills before committing to 45 miles of them, but I really want to try them on the rural flat roads tomorrow. Does this seem a bit much for my second time going clipless? Trying to push myself without overdoing it...

[bluejellybean]

woo hoo, way to go! That's a huge accomplishment because once you're in, you won't be coming out...it just gets better from here!!