Fear, fear, fear, plain old fear to clip and unclip. Advice please!

[Maye]

OMG look what I found for my new speed plays! the best of two worlds:
2012 Speedplay platformers!! LOL.
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/pr...6330.31.1.html

[Maye]

Update: today I went for my first ride with the new Speedplay Light pedals and I came to the conclusion that the problem is not the pedals, is the piece behind the saddle I caught myself again doing the same mistake: completely stopped, me standing over the top tube, right leg unclipped, on the floor and then again I moved the left leg like it was unclipped making me loose balance and control of the bike by shifting the bike to the left with my body weight. BUT, I moved the bike handlebars immediately to the right side which prevented the fall. At least that's good but after the incident I was nervous and lost my confidence completely. Needless to say (but I will say it) that after a few minutes, I walked back to my car with my "tail" between my legs like a doggie running away. Tomorrow I'll try it again

[murielalex]

You'll get it! Lord knows if I can, you can.

BTW, I'm getting a set of those Speedplay platforms so I can ride my bike to the gym, just two miles from home, and wear my regular sneakers. Thanks for the link.

[Maye]

You'll get it! Lord knows if I can, you can.

BTW, I'm getting a set of those Speedplay platforms so I can ride my bike to the gym, just two miles from home, and wear my regular sneakers. Thanks for the link.

Thanks for the vote of confidence

I'm getting the platforms via mail, hopefully tomorrow. They look cool and practical.

[Jo-n-NY]

Me too. I am usually a spaz when it comes to things like this. Cycling is my only athletic ability I ever had. If I can master it, believe me so can you.

[Grits]

I haven't posted this because I didn't want to be discouraging, but let me just throw out there (in case anyone else hasn't) the idea that you don't HAVE to ride with clipless pedals. If you really feel like you need to, then sure, have at it, but if it continues to cause you FEAR and STRESS, then do you really need to add that complication to your life? There have been threads in the past with links to studies that show that clipless pedals do not necessarily offer the speed/power benefits that everyone thinks they do. Just decide if it is really worth it to you to continue pursuing it and proceed accordingly. Good luck with whichever!

[Maye]

I haven't posted this because I didn't want to be discouraging, but let me just throw out there (in case anyone else hasn't) the idea that you don't HAVE to ride with clipless pedals. If you really feel like you need to, then sure, have at it, but if it continues to cause you FEAR and STRESS, then do you really need to add that complication to your life? There have been threads in the past with links to studies that show that clipless pedals do not necessarily offer the speed/power benefits that everyone thinks they do. Just decide if it is really worth it to you to continue pursuing it and proceed accordingly. Good luck with whichever!

Hi Grits!
I just want to give them one more chance and practice a little bit more. If I can see that they are causing me more stress than what is worth, I'll buy a good set of BMX pedals and back to platforms. I really love cycling. I'm just a little bit stubborn

[ny biker]

Update: today I went for my first ride with the new Speedplay Light pedals and I came to the conclusion that the problem is not the pedals, is the piece behind the saddle I caught myself again doing the same mistake: completely stopped, me standing over the top tube, right leg unclipped, on the floor and then again I moved the left leg like it was unclipped making me loose balance and control of the bike by shifting the bike to the left with my body weight. BUT, I moved the bike handlebars immediately to the right side which prevented the fall. At least that's good but after the incident I was nervous and lost my confidence completely. Needless to say (but I will say it) that after a few minutes, I walked back to my car with my "tail" between my legs like a doggie running away. Tomorrow I'll try it again

There is muscle memory involved. The more you do it right, the more it will be an instinct to do it right. So, you really had a good experience -- you did it right and you didn't fall.

[Catrin]

It does take time to train/retrain our muscle memory. The main reason I clip in on the road is that my knees are far happier with me than when I do not...

[indigoiis]

Try this in a big, quiet, flat paved area:

Put a flat (regular) pedal on the left side for this practice.


1. As you roll forward, push the right pedal forward until it is all the way down.

2. Stand up with the weight on your right foot.

3. Brake to slow

4. Take your left foot off the flat pedal and place it on the ground.

5. While stopped, move your right foot to the up position (back pedal)

6. Push your right foot down to get going again

7. Put your weight on the right pedal, standing

8. Put your left foot back on the left pedal.

Repeat.

Do this until you are comfortable with this action, and then replace the flat pedal with a clipped, and practice again, this time unclipping the left.

It is far better (in my opinion) to clip out to the left in traffic. At a stoplight, if you are clipping out on the right, you are leaning to the right, often very close to the curb, where drivers don't really "see" you. I make sure, when I am approaching a light, to get as much in the lane as possible and clip out to the left so that the drivers know I am there.

[Maye]

Indigoiis:
Thanks for the advice. This sounds like a good strategy that I will test. Maybe I should learn to clip/unclip one side first(right side, since that's my dominant leg, I know, I know, it might be dangerous) and keep using the flat pedal (left) until I master the right side and then add the left side until I dominate both. Good plan?? I'm liking the idea of being one side clipper, though. I'm planning to do this with with MTB shoes (recessed cleats) and clipless pedal (right side only) on the road bike. I want to take the stress of slipping and falling to the pavement because I'm using my road shoes with cleats. The less things that I have to worry about the better. I know I will laugh about these posts in the future Once I "graduate", I will move to road shoes and pedals. For know back to basics and one feet at a time.

[Penny4]

Indigoiis, that is a good, simple way to think of it. I've been following this thread closely because i am just learning to clip in too.
Question...when taking off from a stop, you pedal forward with the clipped in foot, raise yourself, stand...are you trying to clip in the left foot before you sit down?
In my mind, that is how i see it working, but in reality, I keep missing the pedal. Then I sit down and just keep fumbling for the pedal. I know it is fine to pedal a bit not clipped, and I am doing that at busy intersections until I get more confident. But I guess I am not really sure of the true motion that I should be shooting for....

[smittykitty]

Do what your body "naturally" wants to do.

I wasn't sure what my "natural" side would be in a panic situation, so I road unclipped serveral times and with out thinking, just put a foot down when stopping. Turns out it was always the right foot.

My husband clips left, I clip right.

Had a real close call the other day. Just topped a hill (did my best yet on the bugger) and wasn't thinking about the intersection and the car that was coming along. Just about went down, but my foot popped out at the last second, just after I screamed OH MY GOD!!!!. So, my advice is to figure out what foot will try to clip out in an emergency.

And it will happen ever so often the rest of your riding life! Usually when you least expect it!