Finally Clipless

[CR400]

Well all I finally did it, I got my clipless pedals put on and went for a ride tonight. I did fine, had no trouble getting unclipped but had some trouble getting in the first time. It seems to take a little more thought on getting in then I was thinking it would. Oh by the way they are speedplay x series. I love them, it was weird to stand and pedal and be able to move my feet around so much on the pedals. Although I suggest to anyone else going clipless for the first time, don't learn at night and on a road unless you have good balance. But I was desparate. I'm going to do a century tomorrow.

[RoadRaven]

Being clipped in to your pedal makes a world of difference... just remember that you have them when you go to stop and you'll be great
Enjoy the century tomorrow, looking forward to hearing about it

[anne_77]

I'm sure you'll love the clipless pedals. Good luck tomorrow! Be careful - at first I had a problem where I would fall on the opposite side of where I unclipped. Now I sometimes unclip both just to be sure if I'm in a dangerous spot.

[bikerchick68]

congrats on the new pedal system! It'll be interesting to hear how the century went... did ya feel like you had more power, more energy, better climbing, better speed due to the change??? Hope you have a great ride!

[CR400]

Well mercifully it didn't end up being a century. In fact not even close. I ended up only doing 30 miles. Which was fine by me because it was cold, I hadn't really rode in two weeks, and I set way to fast of a pace for myself early. I averaged close to 18mph for the first 10miles. Which riding rolling hills with no help that was a little fast, I noramally would average close to 17 for the same trip.

So I think the new pedals helped. Because I didn't have to worry about my feet slipping around on the pedals when I dig in to accelerate. Yes it did feel like I had more power. Also didn't have to worry about the pedals getting away from me when I got into the upper 20's like I used to.

[CorsairMac]

congrats on joining the ranks of the clipless and on your ride! Tell me about the cold - we've got freeze warnings out for tonight which means my commute tomorrow with be a tad nippy!

[Rakekay]

I haven't tried clipless yet -- I've only been riding for about three months. I'm planning on spending a good bit of the winter taking spinning classes at the gym, and I'm wondering if that would be a good place to learn to use clipless -- at least I wouldn't have to worry about falling over if I couldn't unclip fast enough.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Also, what kind of shoes would you recommend? Obviously I want whatever I buy for spinning to also work on my road bike, but that's just a matter of putting the right kind of pedals on my road bike come spring, right?

[makbike]

Congrats on the clipless pedals. I rode for nearly 20 years with toe clips before I made the big leap last year, under the watchful eyes of my boyfriend. He worked with me to make sure I was comfortable with them and once my confidence was "normal" I set out on my own. Well you guessed it, I fell on that ride. I was worried about my wrist (I landed on it) for my wrist had spent 6 weeks in a cast just a few months prior due to severe tendinitis. My wrist felt ok and I wrote it off as a stupid mistake on my part. However, 6 weeks later my wrist was really bothering me so I returned to the hand specialist and quickly learn, after viewing my own radiographs, that my wrist substained a fracture in that fall. Again, I sported a cast and I really felt stupid. As it was explained to me, falling is part of the rite of passage with clipless pedals and some fall harder than others.

Enjoy your new pedals and remember to unclip a foot before you stop!