Crash tallies - going clipless!

[michelem]

redrover77,

I am having the same problem that you are! I get unclipped and go to put my foot down and tip over - BAM! I have a very large bruise on my right "saddlebag" area from 8 days ago and a scraped knee from yesterday. I've started unclipping both feet and then hopping forward off the bike onto both feet. That is working a little better. But, of course, I have to plan way ahead and really slow down for that to work. I don't know how I'll ever do it if I have to stop quickly. I have two-sided mtn. bike spd's. I was told they were good "entry level" pedals. Ha ha. I'm going to have to find someone to tutor me in person. I keep reading up on this whole thing and practicing on the trainer, but when I get out on the road down I go and it HURTS.

Getting going is a problem too. When I am in traffic I sit there and wait and wait and wait and wait until there are no more cars (yesterday, I think I waited 10 minutes before there wasn't anyone at the 4-way stop), because I am afraid I am going to fall over while trying to get going (which I've done - BEFORE getting clipped in). I LOVE the feeling of being clipped in while actually riding/moving. I HATE trying to get clipped in and out.

I'm thinking that maybe I should have gotten the one-sided pedals to start with so I could ride with a foot or two unclipped when I am feeling nervous (like in traffic, until I get out on the open road). It is VERY difficult to pedal unclipped on the clip side of the pedals.

Anyway, good luck to you. Hopefully we both come back here in another week or two and laugh at all the difficulties we were having because we are both pros by that time. Ha ha.