Always happy to be alive after a ride - fear of riding?

[gabriellesca]

I did my training and century back in 2008 in my sneakers and cages. But last summer I switched to clipless and every single time I ride I feel an underlying constant fear. Fear of not being able to unclip, fear of falling, crashing, dogs, flat, dropped chain, a car hitting me. You name it. Embarrassing to admit, but I actually ride around the town I grew up in, which is beautiful and a tiny bit hilly, just because I know the roads so well.

I think it all stems from going clipless - but just wondering if anyone else has gone through this and is it just a matter of confidence and riding more often? I rode every week last summer and that fear still isn't going away. And I don't even have anything that spurred it other than falling over in an empty parking lot when I was trying out the new pedals.

Any advice?

[KnottedYet]

Do you love your clipless pedals?

Are they worth it to you?

I ditched mine. While I thought they were fun, they interfered too much with my riding. I'm much happier without them.

[Owlie]

I did my training and century back in 2008 in my sneakers and cages. But last summer I switched to clipless and every single time I ride I feel an underlying constant fear. Fear of not being able to unclip, fear of falling, crashing, dogs, flat, dropped chain, a car hitting me. You name it. Embarrassing to admit, but I actually ride around the town I grew up in, which is beautiful and a tiny bit hilly, just because I know the roads so well.

I think it all stems from going clipless - but just wondering if anyone else has gone through this and is it just a matter of confidence and riding more often? I rode every week last summer and that fear still isn't going away. And I don't even have anything that spurred it other than falling over in an empty parking lot when I was trying out the new pedals.

Any advice?

Knot's right, you are free to ditch the clipless pedals if you want to.

If you don't want to or are determined to master them...practice. Find some grassy (dry!) area to practice in so you won't get hurt if you fall. Practice clipping out in the event you have to stop suddenly.

I hate to admit this on here, but every time I ride, I have some of the same fears, especially if I ride on the road. You can't control what drivers, dogs, or the road will throw at you. What you can control is your reaction to it. I'm sure you know this already, but ride predictably and with caution, know how to fix that flat or that dropped chain (I'm sure you know how to do that, so maybe practice?), read up on what to do if you encounter a loose dog, and practice clipping out in an emergency. (If you decide to keep them, that is.)

[Kubla]

I have considered going clipless, but never followed through despite encouragement from those who endorse it. Between traffic and the other factors you mention, I'm not sure I'm nimble enough to unclip if necessary. I tried cages briefly as a compromise. That didn't feel right, either.

Looks like I'll be riding off into the sunset with platform pedals. Maybe you could try switching back to platforms for a while and see if your anxiety lessens?

[ny biker]

Seriously. You need to do what makes you happy.

[Catrin]

If they are limiting you, then there is no reason not to go to a good pair of grippy platforms like BMX pedals. I love my BMX pedals, but sadly I've a knee that is only happy with my Frog pedals - I've more knee pain with platform and SPD pedals.

I hear you about hills, I've this head thing about climbing a nasty hill clipped in, and will often avoid the hill...I need to get over that.

I think you also said that you've problem with your ankles? Your ankles might appreciate the greater freedom of a good pair of platform pedals, but that is your decision to make.

[jelee1311]

Do you always ride alone?I've found its been easier for my to face my fear when I ride with others. I do a group ride once a week with a bunch of awesome women. Feeling so comfortable has helped me get over been afraid of riding clipless and riding on roads with no bike lanes. My pedals are still SPD/platform in case I'm in a situation where I feel claustriphobic I can flip them. Clipless has helped me improve my speed and stroke but its not essential. Riding should be fun and for me is therapy as much as exercise,so do what feels good

[Crankin]

I often have a free floating anxiety at the beginning of a ride, and once in awhile it lasts awhile. With me, it's more related to fear of the unknown, riding an unfamiliar route, a long or hard ride, etc. It happens when I am with someone or a group, and not usually when I am alone, because I don't ride alone much; when I do, it's usually a short familiar ride. I feel the same way when I am in the car and I don't know where I am...
I practice deep breathing when I start feeling anxious. It might help you to visualize a "good" ride before you start, or any other "happy" place. Your mind is producing what are called "automatic thoughts," in other words, you assume and believe that something bad is going to happen, when you have no evidence that it will.
I agree, there's no reason to use clipless pedals if this is really the cause, but I suspect it's a whole bunch of things that are making you anxious. The thing is, that everyone has had stupid clipless falls, there's lots of different kinds of pedals, so if one is harder to use, you can try another. Is there someone you can ride with, in a different area? A person you trust? Part of cycling is exploring new places, so it seems a shame to just ride in one place.
You can deal with this. You need to do it in small steps and use some of the relaxation strategies I mentioned.

[Dr.Doo]

Those same anxieties are what have kept me from converting to clipless over the years, I had no idea others felt the same. Now I've come back to riding I still have those same fears. I ride with toe clips but with the straps fairly loose so that access and exit is easy.

[chicago]

I often have a free floating anxiety at the beginning of a ride, and once in awhile it lasts awhile. With me, it's more related to fear of the unknown, riding an unfamiliar route, a long or hard ride, etc. It happens when I am with someone or a group, and not usually when I am alone, because I don't ride alone much; when I do, it's usually a short familiar ride. I feel the same way when I am in the car and I don't know where I am... .

God bless ya Crankin, sounds like you have what I've been suffering with my whole life. With the help of therapy, and getting down to my family history crap, I am starting to get down to the root of my anxiety. It's a long road to this point, but at 49yo, I can say I feel a whole lot better than I have for most of my life. ... and as for the thoughts and evidence... I learned there may not be current evidence to my anxiety, but there sure was a heck of alot int he past

That being said, about the biking with pedals to the OP. It would be easy for me to say "oh just put on the pedals, and screw the fear", or "if you don't face the fear it gets worse", but that's not any better than the people at work telling me to continue to take the bullying at work from another peer because it's just a "job". I finally did something about the bully, I went to HR last week... reprecussions to come I guess this coming week, and maybe if it bothers you so much that you're still fearing the ride with the pedals, it's time for action.

So!!!!!!!!!!!

Let's start here...

1) The biggest question of all... and this is key, and you have to answer it honestly yourself. Do you, with all honesty, not have the fear when you are riding without the clipless pedals? Depending on the answer, is where you need to start to take action. If it's really about the pedals, and falling, you can conquer it if you want to. If it's really about the pedals and you want to ride with clipless, you can make it happen. There are different clips you can buy, you can loosen your clips to the point where they pop out very easily, you can loosen only one pedal so you can pop out on one side very easily. You 'can' get to the point of comfort I'm sure, but there might be some work involved... and if it's not about the pedals, you can deal with that too.

I love riding with clipless. It makes me feel 'locked in' which I have come to love. I have a tremendous amount of control over my bike than I do with regular pedals. I can clip out pretty easily... however, I can guarantee you if a car hit me from behind, I doubt very much I'd be able to clip out. If a dog ran in front of me, chances are I'd probably not be able to clip out fast enough. I know that, I know the risks of riding on the road with dogs, cars, holes, etc... and I accept it. There are times that I'm alone on a road, and I feel fear. I feel the fear and go forward anyway. I weigh the risks and if it's a crazy risk, "I" don't do it... but the next guy might. I do what I can, as best I can, and I do try to never let fear stop me.

If you want to get to a place of comfort you can, you just have to be honest and you have to do some work

but I think the keys points are 1) do you want to continue to ride with clipless or not? If not, then you're done... if so, you're on to a great journey of learning about yourself and fear and the many ways you can deal with it... and you'll learn that you can conquer it... if you so desire... if you have the willingness... but it takes honesty and work.

[OakLeaf]

What about taking an LCI course? Or another handling skills course?

Low-speed falls really have to do with getting off balance, not with what pedal system you're using. There's a *small* learning curve involved with switching from "reach down, loosen strap, pull foot up and out" to "turn ankle and kick foot to the side," but it's a small one.

When you can handle sharp turns at low speed, and recover from being slightly off balance - some of the things you practice in a safety course - then you'll have plenty of time to unclip, which only takes a fraction of a second and no hands.

I developed the same issues with motorcycles after a couple of low-speed tip-overs, and at this point haven't been motivated to devote the practice time to dealing with it. You're obviously not clipped in or strapped in on a moto, but off balance on two wheels is off balance on two wheels ...

[chicago]

What about taking an LCI course? Or another handling skills course?

Low-speed falls really have to do with getting off balance, not with what pedal system you're using. There's a *small* learning curve involved with switching from "reach down, loosen strap, pull foot up and out" to "turn ankle and kick foot to the side," but it's a small one.

When you can handle sharp turns at low speed, and recover from being slightly off balance - some of the things you practice in a safety course - then you'll have plenty of time to unclip, which only takes a fraction of a second and no hands.

I developed the same issues with motorcycles after a couple of low-speed tip-overs, and at this point haven't been motivated to devote the practice time to dealing with it. You're obviously not clipped in or strapped in on a moto, but off balance on two wheels is off balance on two wheels ...

wait a minute, with straps and cages, you seriously don't have to reach down and undo the strap if you want to take your foot out do you?

[featuretile]

I have also been afraid to use clipless pedals. About 6 years ago I had a skiing accident and tore my ACL. It took almost 2 years to recover. I am afraid of falling and re-injuring my knee. I would not want to have to go thru that recovery again.

A while back someone on this forum suggested half toe clips. They do not have straps. If your feet fit snuggly in the toe, they stay in place, but getting out of them is like you don't have anything on. I am perfectly comfortable with these. I do not like platforms without the half toe clips. I feel that my foot slides around too much.

Club members keep asking me when I will go clipless because it would help with speed and power, but I don't want to. Guess I'll always look like a newbie.

[ccnyc]

I often have a free floating anxiety at the beginning of a ride, and once in awhile it lasts awhile. With me, it's more related to fear of the unknown, riding an unfamiliar route, a long or hard ride, etc. It happens when I am with someone or a group

I have this also. I take a homeopathic remedy the night before and the morning of a ride and it absolutely reduces my ride anxiety. It's like Valium without the drug haze.

My ride anxiety is not from riding clipless (been doing that for years), but from NYC riding - potholes, jerks in cars, on bicycles or on foot, going up and down the ramp on the GWB, as well as being anxious about my energy levels for the ride ahead.

[OakLeaf]

wait a minute, with straps and cages, you seriously don't have to reach down and undo the strap if you want to take your foot out do you?

We certainly did! The cleat for toe clips is just a channel that runs parallel to the pedal spindle. That sits on the back part of the pedal, and the strap keeps pressure on so that your foot doesn't accidentally pull up and out.