Brand new to road cycling

[RockyRaquel]

I got the Keo Elle pedals and the Specialized Women's BG torch Road shoes. They made it so it was pretty easy to get in and out of. I just seem to keep leaning to the opposite side I click out of!!

[mimitabby]

I have SPD's and have them VERY loose works great. After a while, your muscle memory will click in and clicking out will be just as much of a reflex as putting on the brakes is now.

[VeloVT]

I think the mistake most people make when they first get clipless pedals is that they practice clipping and unclipping one foot while stopped a few times, then figure they've got it down and it will be easy when they have to do it riding. Then they go for a ride (even a ride around the parking lot), and go to slow down, come to a near stop, and brain goes "wha huh? I'm supposed to do what now?" and over they go. I know I did this um, more than once, and when I took my bf out to try clipless pedals for the first time I forgot to warn him about this, and he fell over the first time he tried to stop (I had ridden his shiny new carbon bike and put him on my less precious bike in case he should fall -- it's nice to have compatible pedals with the person you ride with most -- and sure enough, he fell over and put a big scuff on my hard-to-find pink Arione). However, it was my fault for not giving a pre-lecture about this because I anticipated it...

So here's what I would tell someone now, before they actually got on the bike ...
Your brain needs to be trained to automatically associate slowing/stopping and clipping out -- and by trained, I don't mean "told", because for lots of people anyway, that's not enough -- they know what they're supposed to do but brain just doesn't do it. To teach your brain to do it automatically, you have to practice the process over and over while thinking about the steps consciously. So, every time you see a stop sign or intersection in the distance, instead of thinking, "i'm going to stop out there", you think "ok. Step one: clip out. Step two: slow down. Step three: stop and lean to the same side you clipped out." When you see a stop far enough ahead in the distance, rehearse this in your mind once or twice before you actually do it ("ok, what am I going to do up there? I'm going to clip out, slow down, lean and stop. alright, here it is, clip out, slow down, lean, stop!"). DON"T ever just think "stop" -- think "clip out, slow down, lean & stop." At the beginning, this may mean that you clip out WAY before you need to... this is fine, know that with practice clipping out **will** become subconscious, and you'll be able to sit on your bike clipped in at almost a dead stop as you approach intersections, because you know you'll be able to clip out when/if you have to.

I had a really hard time adjusting to clipless. (I didn't have anyone to help me though). It probably took me two months to really feel comfortable on them. That was two years ago, and it's subconscious for me now. It seems like a lot of people here have had a faster learning curve than I did -- but know that if you're slow getting the hang of it, you're certainly not the only one.

Also though, when people have a hard time with pedals (and I'm not talking about knee issues or injuries, I'm just talking about having a hard time clipping in & out) and their first reaction is "I need a different kind of pedal -- this pedal JUST DOESN'T WORK for me!", I tend to be a little skeptical of that.

So, Good luck!!!!

And no, I'm not this pedantic about everything .

[RockyRaquel]

Thank you all so much for your replies - I am going for a ride tomorrow with my bf and hopefully all goes well!

[Pedal Wench]

I got the Keo Elle pedals and the Specialized Women's BG torch Road shoes. They made it so it was pretty easy to get in and out of. I just seem to keep leaning to the opposite side I click out of!!

Then get used to using the other foot. Seriously, most people get in the habit of using the same foot most of the time. Granted, it's best to be able to use either foot, but most folks don't.