Quote Originally Posted by mimitabby
Well, i wasn't going to say anything here; but now i have to. I'm 54 years old and have not gone clipless yet.
I learned to walk when i was less than 2 feet tall, and i was covered with baby fat. So when i fell, i didn't fall far and it usually didn't hurt.
but now, things have drastically changed. My bones are more brittle, my skin
and tendons don't heal like they used to; and i'm now a big chicken****.
It just seems a bit daunting to have my feet stuck onto the pedals!!!

Yet, even I consider switching to some sort of mechanical system...
but i haven't done it yet. So I guess my message here is; clipless isn't for everyone!
I'm sorry my hopefully helpful advice to Saxa was taken out of context Mimi. I agree 100% clipless isn't for everyone and I know several people on the board who have tried them and hated them.....and some people who have never tried them and never will.
If Saxa had asked if they were right for her, I would've responded differently instead of trying to offer advice and support to help her overcome her fear of falling.


and Saxa: good on you for keeping at it.......I'm not surprised going uphill is a problem - something I read here has stuck with me....when trying to clip in while going uphill, turn the bike and ride Downhill for a short distance so you have the momentum you need to give yourself the time to get clipped in, then turn around and continue the climb. Also, like I said earlier, make sure the foot on the pedal when you start up is on the upstroke so you have the full pedal stroke to get your bike going while you're trying to get the other foot clipped in. I believe you'll come to love the advantages of clipless like most riders do and next thing you know You'll be the one passing on advice and sharing funny "yeah I fell over........." stories. :-)