Fear of Clipless Pedals

[colorisnt]

I am good now, guys. I listened to your advice and the advice of my ride group and did great. I went to my grandmother's church (where the parking lot is big, open, and quiet) and talked to myself a lot. I practiced a million times in my tennis shoes. Then, I put on clip on (the left, the one I first put on and take out) and left the other out. That was really simple. I then put on my other and didn't fall NOT ONCE!

It was the tilt of the bike and the tension of those clips that became a problem. I put them on the loosest setting with a 2.5mm Allen Wrench like they told me and life was GOOOOOOD. I rode all over town and even crossed a busy road. I remembered to down shift and pull that left foot out every single time, so I think it is working.

[Catrin]

I am good now, guys. I listened to your advice and the advice of my ride group and did great. I went to my grandmother's church (where the parking lot is big, open, and quiet) and talked to myself a lot. I practiced a million times in my tennis shoes. Then, I put on clip on (the left, the one I first put on and take out) and left the other out. That was really simple. I then put on my other and didn't fall NOT ONCE!

It was the tilt of the bike and the tension of those clips that became a problem. I put them on the loosest setting with a 2.5mm Allen Wrench like they told me and life was GOOOOOOD. I rode all over town and even crossed a busy road. I remembered to down shift and pull that left foot out every single time, so I think it is working.

Yay for you! I am so glad that this worked for you!

[lisathew8lifter]

THANK YOU so much for posting this. I came here with the intention to put something similar because of my own anxiety over clip pedals.

I have been mountain biking for several years and have never once thought about clip pedals despite everyone saying how great they are. I bought my first road bike yesterday and am planning to switch to clip pedals but I'm terrified. This post was extremely helpful and I will take the advice to get used to the bike for a few weeks and then go to a parking lot with a grassy area and go for it.

[tiva]

THANK YOU so much for posting this. I came here with the intention to put something similar because of my own anxiety over clip pedals.

I have been mountain biking for several years and have never once thought about clip pedals despite everyone saying how great they are. I bought my first road bike yesterday and am planning to switch to clip pedals but I'm terrified. This post was extremely helpful and I will take the advice to get used to the bike for a few weeks and then go to a parking lot with a grassy area and go for it.

Don't be terrified! I freaked myself out and delayed getting them for years, but it took only a few minutes to become comfortable. If you can get your LBS to put them on your bike and make the tension as light as possible at first, adjust your cleats, and let you practice on your bike on their trainer for a while, that will really help. But before you try on the grass, make sure you shift down first!

[Catrin]

lisathew8lifter - Just as an encouragement, I know several life-long avid mountain bikers who say the clipless pedals enhances their skills and helps them to be better mountain bikers.

[annielynn]

Great news! Clipless pedals are the most nerve wracking part of riding IMO. I have the scars to prove how hard it was for me when I first started out. I am very happy to hear that through the advice you got here that you are "rocking it!" WTG

[Owlie]

I have a lovely fresh scar on my left knee from when I fell the first time I rode with both feet clipped in. It happens...and multiple times to some of us. I just got my SPDs two weeks ago. Yeah, I was terrified that first ride. BF had to talk me through it after I sent a freaking-out text message to him at 1 am. I ended up riding with one regular shoe and one bike shoe (and somehow did that for 20 miles...), then tried riding around my neighborhood with both feet attached to the bike.

[lisathew8lifter]

lisathew8lifter - Just as an encouragement, I know several life-long avid mountain bikers who say the clipless pedals enhances their skills and helps them to be better mountain bikers.

hi Catrin,
my hubby wears them and swears by them. i have a tendancy to get hung up on rock gardens, tree roots, etc and just have this fear of my feet not coming out! if this works out with the road bike, i may try it. i have enough scars from the pedals on my legs, shins, etc to last me!

[BikerDar]

I second or third the recommendation to pick one leg/side as your clip out side. This helps you remember to always LEAN in the same direction too.
One of my first falls was coming to a stop in front of a group of experienced cycling friends and saying 'look at me I'm clipless', then promptly leaning in the direction I had NOT clipped out of. ooops.

Besides picking the side, the other thing I tell my trainees when they are first starting out is, if you even think you might need to stop for any reason, or it starts to cross your mind to touch your brakes, clip out. If you're in traffic and approaching a light you don't know the timing of, if you're on a bike path and coming up on some unpredictable peds, if a rider in front of you is being squirrelly, etc etc, clip out. and yes yes yes to loose tension.

I'm a big fan of Speedplay pedals. You get a little side to side motion before you disconnect which is great for folks with knee issues. For some folks the lack of play in other pedal systems causes problems. The only downside is that the pedals are very small, they are just a small lollipop sort of thing, and you may be tentative about standing up on them initially when climbing, but once you get used to them and their lightness and ease of use, you may just be as hooked as I.

There was a great article in Bicycling Magazine about clipless pedals. I'm going to try to attach it here, not sure if it will work. It was just a few months ago. I found it really interesting and helpful AND persuasive.

[lisathew8lifter]

Don't be terrified! I freaked myself out and delayed getting them for years, but it took only a few minutes to become comfortable. If you can get your LBS to put them on your bike and make the tension as light as possible at first, adjust your cleats, and let you practice on your bike on their trainer for a while, that will really help. But before you try on the grass, make sure you shift down first!

thanks Tiva! i don't have a trainer at home, but i'm planning to stay around the culdesac or even just a LOW traveled area at first. we have some huge hills and i have said i'm not going up those until i am familar with shifting and the pedals.

i need to get shoes since the LBS didn't have any my size, so that is next on the agenda and all recommendations on those are welcome and appreciated!