Another post about cliplessness

[FunSize]

So, this is my first actual post on the forum, I've made some little responses. AAAAND I'm long winded, so sorry if you get bored, I'll try to practice being concise. But i'm not going to be right now.

A couple days ago while in search of rim tape, I stumbled across consignment speedplay pedals with brand new cleats for $60!!!!! So, my boyfriend demanded that i buy them and i left excited and terrified that there is now no excuse for me not to go clipless (i had shoes that i had bought on sale a while ago).

Yesterday, I went on my first clipless ride. I had decided just to go on the bike path since the day before i had ridden 30 mi (a long ride for me). The bike path is just an flat out and back, but the timing was just right that at the point i would turn around, I was at the meeting place for an all women's ride. Which, by the way, is amazing! Having all women to ride with is fantastic and encouraging beyond belief.

My ride to the meeting place was fine, a little fumbling with my cleats but nothing to be worried about. I just kept trying to clip out super early so i wouldn't topple over at any stops. I just kept hearing my bf's voice in my head saying, "Now, I'm going to tell you this, there will be a time that for whatever reason, maybe you forgot to clip out, maybe you didn't twist your foot far enough, or maybe you lean the wrong way, but for whatever reason, you'll approach a stop and there's nothing you can do, and you're going to fall over. This WILL happen."

So encouraging, thanks, hun.

Sure enough... there was a stop sign that we were all pulling up to and i didn't twist my foot far enough and I toppled over. In front of all the women. It would have been really embarrassing, but the women were more concerned that I was okay. They all told me how they've fallen exactly the same way before. Also, they told me that that wouldn't be the last time I fell!! They also told me just to "go with it." Ha ha, don't fight the fall, just do it so you can get up faster and not hurt your hands or arms on the way down.

The rest of the ride went smoothly. No further toppling. And I now see why clipless are so amazing, going up hills is SO much easier.

So.... yay for clipless! I can't wait for my legs to stop hurting from my two in a row "big-ish" rides so i can go out again!