odd clipless questions...

[SouthernBelle]

I'm a little confused by you enquiry about:

couldn't relax my feet - fear they were going to fall out of the cleats and off pedal.

I'm not even sure how your feet could fall out of cleats. Cleats are attached to your shoes. Are you riding in clips?

[fatbottomedgurl]

I noticed when I am scared I tense up too and certainly get tired more quickly. Have to remind myself to pace, and loosen up the grip, arms, etc. I will unclip a foot if I think I need to but but that disrupts my connection with the bike. Going slowly is occasionally an issue for me. The other day I was climbing a steep road 2mph where I could hardly keep the front end down. I hit a little rock and ended up on the ground with the bike on top of me, still clipped in on one foot. Nothing bruised but my ego.

[littlegrasshopp]

I'm a little confused by you enquiry about:



I'm not even sure how your feet could fall out of cleats. Cleats are attached to your shoes. Are you riding in clips?

I meant to say I was afraid they were going to unclip and come off the pedals while I was standing on them. These pedals are so much smaller than my platforms. I realize that this is not at all likely to happen, but the feeling is a bit to get use to.

I'm not sure what's causing me to feel like I'm going so slow though. It's not that trees are passing slower.....you know that feeling you get when you're not pedaling fast enough - you get zigzaggy and wabbly? That's how I felt. So I tried to pedal faster and faster. Helped with the out of control feeling...but not my lungs and legs I think being connected to the bike makes small movements more noticable. I know that will be a good thing as I get use to it though.

[Kitsune06]

I think it might be a concern with foot/weight placement. On flats, (unless I'm wrong) I think the ball of your foot goes over the spindle, the center of your forefoot over the center of the pedal (think the way a mallet pedal looks) and you should get used to putting your weight *there*.

From there, you go to wearing clipless with the cleats on the shoes and lock-ins on the pedals (or in eggbeaters' case, just lock-ins) If there's a lot of slop and you feel like you're going to 'fall off' something might be maladjusted... OR maybe your midsole isn't rigid enough, lending to an unstable feeling?

Trying to get an idea of the problem...

[littlegrasshopp]

kitsune - don't know that there's anything actually "wrong" I think it just feels small compared to the big platform pedals Just need to get use to it so I can calm the heck down again!! Near the end of the ride, even though I was completely bonked - I didn't feel like my heart was in my throat anymore. My arms were actually starting to relax a bit. Now I just have to convince my legs to do the same

[CyclChyk]

LGH - I agree that the "weirdness" is the smallness of the clipless pedal versus platform pedals. I still can't get used to it.

BUT on a happy note, I did manage to stay completely upright on my ride tonite.

Congratulations on your victory over the pedals today!

[littlegrasshopp]

BUT on a happy note, I did manage to stay completely upright on my ride tonite.

congratulations!! HUGE accomplishment! We're going again tonight - but this time to a trail that I know very well and am comfortable with most of. There are some big dips that freak me out but there are trails around them.

[SouthernBelle]

Ah. Understand. You actually feel less connected because there is less surface touching the sole of your foot.

Maybe every once in a while as you are riding give your foot a tug to remind yourself how connected you are. ?? It's a head thing so continued riding should get you by it.