I tried clipless pedals on Saturday

[Susan126]

Sorry to hear about your fall and broken wrist, gilly. I feel your pain as I have been there. Not a broken wrist but 5 broken ribs in July 2000! Could not ride for two months (painful when I breathed hard). But I healed nicely, got back on my bike, and haven't stopped riding since then. Here's to a quick recovery!
Sue

[Jo-n-NY]

I am so sorry about your fall. I agree with AutumnBreeze, may your be the last post about a fall especially at this time of year. Of course Long Island doesn't know that it is spring time and the month is May because it is down right FREEZING here. ugh sorry to go off topic for that bit of venting

[KkAllez]

Whoa...that's awful! So sorry to hear it. But did you get the pinecone?

Saturday my son was trying to teach his girlfriend to a)ride a road cycle b)ride clipless. She clunked over in the driveway, had a helmet on, but it really bothered me. I had told my son that when my new bike comes in she can bike with us. However, we are going to put the regular pedals on until she is simply used to a road cycle before we do anymore clipless. I would have felt awful if she had been hurt. I'm not sure what she has biked on before. Mostly likely a kiddie bike or a mountain style bike. Nothing more than delivering the papers on a bike though. She's only 15.

[KSH]

OUCH! Sorry to hear it!

Yea... you must always THINK of unclipping BEFORE you even apply your brakes.

[Bike Goddess]

I rode my road bike with clipless pedals (the Look variety) and tennis shoes for a month before I tried clipping in. I wanted to get used to the bike handling and speed before I did anything else. Fortuneately when I did eventually clip in, I did pretty well the first time. I practiced clipping and unclipping first on one side then the other as I was riding down a level street with no traffic. After that, I fell at a couple of stops- either didn't get unclipped fast enough or was going so slowly up hill that when I stopped I couldn't get going again by clipping in. I have since learned that on a hill if I have to stop, better to go down a bit and then clip in- little trick of the trade!

So moral of the story- it takes a lot of practice, but once you've mastered it, you'll love the outcome!

[gilly]

Thank you ladies
Right now the biggest pain is not being able to ride

Yes I got the pine cone, my husband picked it up for me

I loved the feel of pedalling with clipless, and I think I'll do okay when I get back on my bike.

I think my main problem is that when I'm in toe clips (loose) I always leave (stop) off the same pedal, but at the 'top' of the stroke.. obviously, this doesn't work with clipless.

I had actually unclipped before I hit the ground. `Unfortunately, I had stopped - realised my pedal was at the top, back pedalled to get to the bottom and unclipped - sadly, none of this was fast enough, and 'back' pedalling when your facing up hill at a standstill is not the recommended thing to do. lol

Still, the 35 minute walk to work (and back again of course ) will keep me fit.

[CorsairMac]

actually Gilly - I unclip at the top of the stroke. The thing I have to remember is to make sure my front tire is turned in the direction of the "unclipped" foot, especially if on a hill. That way if you lose your balance, you'll "fall" on the unclipped foot.