Well THAT didn't go well (clipless pedals)

[Blueskycyclist]

Please do not give up. I agree with the suggestion of riding with one foot clipped in and one out, swap them around, then clip in both on a slight downhill or flat sections. Lastly clip in when going uphill. I rode with toe lips for almost 6 months and after 2 weeks in cleats - I have just completed my first solo 100km ride. I can ride faster and more efficiently - no going back now!

[Jacquot]

Wow! I just read through this thread and now I understand why I hear so many people concerned about switching to clipless. I've been clipless on my road bikes for years, but I changed to clipless pedals after several years with clips and straps. Clipless is easy compared to wiggling my foot out of straps. I have to admit, though, that I started off with "strapless toeclips".

Do keep trying! It's so much more efficient. Now if only I could get confident enough to ride a mountain bike clipped in!

Jacquie

[dottigirl]

After reading this (and watching youtube clips - seriously not recommended, just don't), I was almost crying in trepidation before my first ride. I have joint problems and a bad hip so had put off getting them until after my first fall (25mph, got some lovely chainring scars). Eventually I succumbed and bought Motodivas with SPDs.

At home, I got my turbo out and sat on it in front of the telly, clipping in and....hang on, I can't get my feet out!

Lots of mental and physical anguish later, I discover I haven't tighted the cleats enough, so they moved and made unclipping near-impossible. I'm so glad this didn't happen on a ride. Once I got them right, it was much easier.

A month or so later, I've had a couple of tumbles but nothing major. I still unclip both at most junctions and I'm getting better at restarting. What helps as I can feel the 'tug' of the shoe so I rarely forget it.

OP - why are you hopping out of the saddle and leaning? Not sure what you mean.

[laura*]

OP - why are you hopping out of the saddle and leaning? Not sure what you mean.

Her proper saddle height likely means that she can't reach the ground while seated on the saddle. This means that when she stops, she needs to both unclip and get out of the saddle. She might even need to lean the bike slightly so that she can straddle the top tube while standing on the ground - or while standing with one foot on the ground and the other foot clipped in.

[luvmyguys]

OP - why are you hopping out of the saddle and leaning? Not sure what you mean.

Her proper saddle height likely means that she can't reach the ground while seated on the saddle. This means that when she stops, she needs to both unclip and get out of the saddle. She might even need to lean the bike slightly so that she can straddle the top tube while standing on the ground - or while standing with one foot on the ground and the other foot clipped in.

Pretty close to that, yes. My proper saddle height has my toes barely hitting the ground. I can straddle the top tube with no issue. Honestly, though, I'm noticing that when I'm riding without clipping in, I tend to stay in the saddle and my left foot is the first one to come off the pedal, and I lean slightly left. My right foot comes off relatively quickly, and I usually end up balancing on both toes for a second (this was where I was having trouble with clipless). I then get my right foot ready to push off and stay on the left until I can go (like at a light).

The advice that I had seen on previous threads here, as well as what the guy at the LBS told me, was that one tends to fall less if you come out of the saddle as you stop, simply because for most people, your feet hit the ground more securely than if your tush is still in the saddle. Since I tend to stay in the saddle when not clipped in, I do find that I'm countering with the other side fairly quickly. Most people keep one foot clipped in, so obviously, you want to lean to the unclipped foot, because if you lean the other way, you'll be kissing pavement (as I found out numerous times two weeks ago).

I'm trying to get a better picture of what I'm doing naturally, and then I'll see what new habits I'll need to develop. Like I said, I can take it at my own pace with the A530's on the bike.

[dottigirl]

Thanks.

Hmmm, I must do that but I don't notice it. My bike is a 48cm Dolce, so pretty small anyway. If possible, I try to rest one foot on the kerb when I stop at lights, which means I don't need to shift from the saddle. I've never really thought about getting off the seat before stopping, I'll have to try it to see if I feel more or less secure.