I did it! I'm clipless now too!

[CorsairMac]

Okay, I think I have finally done it. Last year my husband tried to get me converted to SPD's, and after many tears I gave up. I never even tried them on the road because I couldn't reliably clip in even in the house -- I missed about a third of the time. Unclipping was easy, it was clipping in that I couldn't do. We adjusted the tension, we tried different pedals, but I found them so painful to my ankles and knees that I just couldn't make my foot work that way. Instead he tried me on toe clips and straps, and unlike the rest of the civilized world, I liked them a lot.

I just bought myself Speedplay Frogs for my birthday, and we put them on the bike on the trainer last night, and this is totally different. Clipping and unclipping isn't even an issue, it is so easy. We are going for a ride tonight, and I hope I don't fall ... I fell on my first ride with toe clips, but unclipping (uncaging? this clip/clipless terminology is maddening) before a stop is already really ingrained with me, so I hope this won't be too different.

Let us know how it goes - keeping you in my thoughts. Just as a "reminder?"....if in doubt ever at all about anything while on the bike, unclip and rest you heel on the clip, that should help you to feel more comfortable about dealing with whatever is coming up than trying to do too many things all at one time.

[xeney]

Well, it didn't go so well. I really like the Frogs -- easy to clip/unclip, etc. -- but when I finally tried them on the street, I fell hard on my second try. It was really dumb. I have them on my old beater bike, because my husband convinced me that I was definitely going to fall at least once, so I should not put them on my newer bike if I didn't want it to get banged up, but the problem is that my beater bike is a tiny frame and I have to be careful about hitting the front wheel with my foot.

And I wasn't careful -- actually I missed clipping in with my right foot, and the foot slid, and I hit the wheel, and down I went. My left foot stayed clipped in and that kind of wrenched me over pretty badly. I banged up both knees, twisted one ankle, and pulled a hamstring badly enough to result in the whole back of my thigh turning black a couple of days later.

That was last weekend. I am mostly better now, except my right knee has just gotten worse, to the point where I can hardly walk, and I am definitely going to have to go to the doctor. My husband, veteran of many knee surgeries, thinks I damaged the meniscus.

I did practice some more with the clipless pedals in the park, on the grass, and I didn't fall again and I was doing fine, but I have been afraid to try it again on the street because I really, really do not want to fall on this knee again right now.

I think I may have to accept the fact that I am just too clumsy for clipless. Toe clips are retro, and retro is cool, right?

[pooks]

The theory of clipless makes me salivate. I mean, push AND pull? I might finally break 10 mph! (I wish that were a joke.)

But the reality of who I am and how clumsy I can be terrifies me when it comes to clipless. I haven't tried cages; am a little nervous about them, too.

Good luck with your knee. I had horrendous bruising and a hematoma from one of my falls, but no joints involved. I hope your husband is wrong.