Clipping in practice

[Catrin]

Thanks to everyone for their advice. I was able to set up the trainer easily, and have already spent some time on it riding, and practicing shifting and clipping in/out. I also have a problem with wanting to be seated when I take that first pedal stroke. I think the pedals are giving me the confidence to get over that - I think that my feet came off the platform pedals so often that I didn't trust them enough to put all of my weight on them when I started.

Practice continues

[ny biker]

Thanks to everyone for their advice. I was able to set up the trainer easily, and have already spent some time on it riding, and practicing shifting and clipping in/out. I also have a problem with wanting to be seated when I take that first pedal stroke. I think the pedals are giving me the confidence to get over that - I think that my feet came off the platform pedals so often that I didn't trust them enough to put all of my weight on them when I started.

Practice continues

You're actually better off being seated as you try to clip in the foot that was on the ground. This article helped me a lot with clipping in.

http://outside.away.com/outside/body...-20070330.html

[Catrin]

My trainer has suggested something that I hadn't considered before. He explained that when he is out mountain biking with his wife, if he gets too far ahead that he will stop by a tree and hold himself up, still clipped in, until she catches up.

His suggestion was that I try something like this with my car - for getting started. Clip in my power foot, brace myself against the car with my hand until I clip in the other foot - and take off with both feet already clipped in. This seems like a reasonable idea - as long as I am careful with the alignment of bike and car. Of course, this wouldn't help at a stop sign/light or a sudden stop in the road, so it can't be the only thing I practice...

I am thinking that my first ride after the parking lot session will be on a paved trail - at least there will be no cars in the equation

NY Biker, thanks for the link!

[XMcShiftersonX]

I also have a problem with wanting to be seated when I take that first pedal stroke. I think the pedals are giving me the confidence to get over that - I think that my feet came off the platform pedals so often that I didn't trust them enough to put all of my weight on them when I started.

Practice continues

I actually always start sitting on the seat when I have one foot clipped in. My husband tried to teach me to do it while standing, and I just didn't feel comfortable with it. So I did it my way and I do just fine. I would say if it's working for you, there's no harm!

[marni]

another thing to do is get intoo a set haabit of following a specific sequence when you stop or even go to touch the brakes and or stop. In my case to routine is sit up, unclip my left foot or standing foot, reach for the brake, check my rearview mirror and then brake and counter steer ever so slightly to bring me over to a bit of a left lean so as I put my foot down. I then lift mmy right knee up so that my right foot (still clipped) is at the 9:00 position so that I am ready to push down into a strong pedal stroke when I take off. This has become so automatic that I even do this, really really fast, in a panic stop.

Also, now matter how often you practice, be prepared to accept that you will fall over for failure to unclip, usually at a stop light in or parking lot, front of an audience. COnsider it payment to the bicycle spirits for all the fun you're having.

marni