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

[ny biker]

I unclip first with my right foot because I instinctively put my right foot down first when I stop.

When I fall due to being clipped in, I fall on my left. Because that's the foot that I can't put on the ground.

Anyway I personally would not try to learn to unclip first with the other foot, because I would fall way too often in the process of trying to change habits.

[Catrin]

I think most of us have a preferred foot for stopping, and for me it is my right foot. My body's preference is so strong for unclipping/stopping with my right foot on the road that I am quite sure I would fall if I tried to reverse that - and I am not about to take that risk on the road. Almost every cyclist I know also uses her/his right foot to stop so I am not in a minority. What I really need to learn is how to use my left foot as my power/starting foot at lights. Right now I both start and stop with my right foot.

On the mountain bike trail I will stop with whichever foot is on the uphill side/away from the edge if there is one but that is different but so far am stuck with starting with my right foot there as well.

[tctrek]

I wish I could unclip on the right... but seems I am left footed and too late to change it!

[goldfinch]

I wish I could unclip on the right... but seems I am left footed and too late to change it!

Me too. Even before I had clipless my left foot would go to the ground first. And I would always push off with my right.

[Crankin]

Me too.
Although, I started out unclipping right. Then, I read an article that said you should start off with your dominant foot. So, I started clipping in/unclipping left and pushing off with my right. Now, I can unclip right, but I absolutely can't imagine leaning and putting my right foot down. Probably would kill myself.
When I was mountain biking, though, I could do this, if I thought about it. I thought having the ability to unclip with both feet was a little more important when mountain biking.
I probably could practice unclipping right, but after 11 years, it's so ingrained, i don't have to think. I can wait until the last minute and I'm fine.

[Megustalaplaya]

I wasn't even concerned about putting clipless on my bike until I read this thread!

Looks like I'm in for a real treat once I get them on. lol!

[leah]

I have been riding clipless for only a month and I do not consider myself to be a super coordinated person. But I am telling you it really can get easy with determination. I do ride just about daily, so I have had more practice than folks who maybe only ride 2-3 times per week.

I now instinctually unclip my right foot every time I even think I may have to stop, and have grown accustomed to gently leaning my bike in the direction of that foot to avoid falling over on the clipped-in side. Also it has helped me to ride with more experienced riders who ride clipless and watch what they do - when they unclip, and how they coast to a stop with the unclipped foot gliding just a few inches above the ground.

I do have to say now I feel really confident riding clipless, and I thought it would be so, so much harder than it is. Not to say it is easy for everyone to get, but it was relatively easy for me. That was surprising

I fell the first day trying it but since then I have not fallen.