Help! I am scared of my bicycle!

[bcipam]

I am assuming you always ride with a good helmet and that the helmet is positioned properly on your head. FOrward protecting your forehead, not ont he back of your head.

OK, here's something to practice... falling. I know sounds weird, but once you practice falling and know you won't get hurt (at least badly) hopefully your fear will subside.

Just practice on a nice soft area, lawn, sand, beach is good, you need to fall forward (as that is how most falls occur - up and over bars) tuck in your neck and shoulder, arms in never out and hopefully you will roll over onto to your side and hip without problem.

Falling does occur - it is just part of the sport - either road or mountain. Just keep riding. Remember more falls (and bad ones too) occur at slow speed then high.

[esther231]

I am not clipless yet. I'm using the top clips that came with the bike till I'm more comfortable or I have a need to go clipless so take what I say with a grain of salt. But from reading the posts, when you go clipless, one fall is a given.

You've gotten it out of the way. That rite of passage is behind you and you haven't fallen again.

If you can't get through it, it's okay. You can bike and not be clipless and still do well. Sometimes it's two steps forward and one back. If changing your pedals will make you more comfortable - do it. You can change 'em back again, in a heartbeat, when you want to.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I've been riding for a couple months new, and I still have problems not wobbling sometimes. I chose to stay using PLAIN pedals for now, until I feel way more confident turing, stopping, starting, etc. I feel way more safe with plain pedals as a beginner rider.
I did buy some "PowerGrips" straps today and will put them on (not too tightly either at first). I think they might be a good alternative that will enable me to pull on the upstroke pedalling, but without feeling too scarily attached.
http://www.ekosport.com/pg_how_works.shtml
http://kentsbike.blogspot.com/2005/11/power-grips.html
http://www.performancebike.com/produ...50/62_1016.jpg

I look forward to them, but I don't feel scared about them.

[jobob]

I did buy some "PowerGrips" straps today and will put them on (not too tightly either at first). I think they might be a good alternative that will enable me to pull on the upstroke pedalling, but without feeling too scarily attached.

I also used PowerGrips for a few months before I moved on to clipless pedals. I needed that time to get accustomed to the position and handling of my road bike, and to just get more confident.

[Kalidurga]

OK, here's something to practice... falling. I know sounds weird, but once you practice falling and know you won't get hurt (at least badly) hopefully your fear will subside.

Falling does occur - it is just part of the sport - either road or mountain. Just keep riding. Remember more falls (and bad ones too) occur at slow speed then high.

I'd second that idea. I've gotten banged up several times in the last few years, and most of those times have been on my bike. Each fall has been stupid and embarassing, but not only have I survived, I've also learned to see falling and getting back up as proof of how tough I am. I've even been known to go into work the next day and show off my "battle scars" and tell a funny story about what happened. When I walk in the door with a bandaid on my knee or my arm in a sling, folks just shake their heads and say "She's been reliving her childhood again..."

[salsabike]

I would take the clipless pedals off for now, put flat ones on; get comfortable with road riding; and try clipless again later if you want. Why not make it easy for yourself to like riding, and then get to the clipless part after you're otherwise at ease on the bike?

[annagrace]

Absolutely take the clipless pedals off if it's keeping you from riding, I just put mine on last weekend, so it also took me a long time, a couple months before making the change, I also took a tumble and still nursing my bruises, but I just get back on with a vendetta. It gets better I promise.