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

[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....

[ny biker]

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....

Sit down on the saddle immediately after pushing off with the clipped-in foot, so you're seated while you clip in the other foot. You will be more stable while seated.

[Maye]

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....

Welcome to my struggles in the clip-less world!! I'm VERY stubborn so I'll learn this no matter what :-).

[CyclChyk]

I agree with GRITS post about not riding clip-less. I have been away from riding for the past 5 years or so and only recently returned, but I have serious balance issues(<~click on this thread link and you will see ) and riding clip-less turned out to leave me with a hematoma and lots of scars....

I ended up with the Shimano pedals that you can clip in on one side, and ride platform on the other. I ending up always riding platform and to this day, do not ride clip-less. I for one do not regret this, nor do I find I am a weaker rider, as I thought I would be.

Good luck to you - no matter how you end up riding, at least you ride!

[indigoiis]

Maye,

Forget about clipping out with the other foot completely. The other foot will always be clipped in until you are off the bike. So whether you do right or left is up to you (I recommend left, then you can use your dominant foot - the right - to be your standing-on-pedal balance and kick off leg). While you practice this, do NOT think of clipping or unclipping at all. Think of the motion

Slow,

Stand (on right)

Step out (on left.)

Practice with a flat pedal until you get the hang of slowing, standing, stepping.

Slow, Stand, Step out.

Repeat.

Once you graduate from flat pedal to clipless, you can clip back in after you sit back down on your saddle. That motion will be

Push off / Pedal, standing on downstroke.

Sit, resting unclipped foot on pedal.

Pedal one or three revolutions with the one foot still unclipped, to get you going...

Clip in.

p.s. I learned this method here. I'm not sure who taught it to me... Oak?

[missjean]

no matter how you end up riding, at least you ride!:d

+1 :-)

[Maye]

Ladies,
Today I practiced what Indigoiis suggested (THANKS!!) but both pedals with platforms after a while of practicing I decided to go for a short ride of 6 miles. Wow, OMG, I felt FREE!! The joy of riding a road bike for just pure fun and fitness was BACK!! That doesn't mean that I will give clip-less pedals up, oh no, but now I'm taking this easy and one step(pedal) at a time :-) I have to admit that the fluidness of using clip-less pedals wasn't there but for now is ok to do this in many different ways.

[indigoiis]

Yay! Small victories, big happiness.