To do Clipless or Not to do Clipless ! ?????

[newbiechick]

singletrackmind,

Thanks for the very helpful input ... I read your post and thought, "Duh!!" Why learn one technique when you know you're going to change to another? And who the heck needs another set of crashes?!

Really appreciate going through this learning process with other women--even if only in cyberspace.

[slinkedog]

I had a lot of fear using clipless pedals at first. My main problem was that I would clip out my right foot and my weight would be leaning left and I would fall over even though I did have a foot clipped out. My husband taught me to turn my front wheel AWAY from the clipped out foot (i.e. clip out right, turn wheel to the left) so that the weight of the bike will naturally fall to the side of the clipped out foot. Also, using the trainer really helped me figure out clipping in/out and getting used to switching gears.

[CorsairMac]

They make a platform/clipless pedal combo that you might be interested in. When I first went clipless I did like someone else here said, I rode for awhile on my platforms is if I was riding clipless, when I put the clipless on, I rode around my neighbourhood without stopping, just pedalling around and clippling and unclipping. I have the combo ones on my MTB and I love that idea as a newbie MTB'er.....regular clipless on everything else. I had straps 1 time lonnnnnnnnnng time ago and I would Never had straps again. I could Never get my feet out and the whole "trying to get my feet back in on take off" was just dangerous.

[carback]

I haven't read all the posts so my apologies if what I"m about to say has already been said.

Stay away from straps (aka rat trap pedals) at all costs. I got my foot stuck in one many years ago and ended up shredding my meniscus.

Practice Practice Practice with the clipless. I sat on my bike, in my basement, with one arm on the wall for support and just practiced clipping and unclipping. It does eventually become second nature.

Make sure you buy pedals that have an adjustment. As you become more comfortable with them, and you will, you can tighten them if you need / want to. And if you do get 'stuck' or forget you're clipped in, if they're set at a loose enough tension, you should pop out of them anyhow (much like a downhill ski binding) thus saving your knees & meniscus.

Keep in mind that forgetting you're clipped in and falling is a rite of passage. It happens to everyone. Usually when you're at a stop sign and tons of people in cars can see you.

good luck.