Quote Originally Posted by spokewench View Post
I disagree Shefly. First, it is good to practice on flat pedals first just to get the motion down so you don't have to worry about unclipping etc. Of course, you should practice with clipless pedals before you go race on them! DUH

Also, I'm not sure if you've had this happen but I have; and that is when you get off, you unclip your left foot, but it slips off the pedal and that's always fun; and also sometimes I've had it reclip by accident and that is kind of fun too! So, that is the worry for me.
Everyone is different. I've only ever taught people who were used to clipless pedals, and they didn't have issues learning to unclip. If flat pedals work for you, go for it!

So, what I SAID and what I actually DO when dismounting are different. The instructions I gave are the instructions you will get from most all coaches. However, I NEVER unclip with my left foot first. My dismount is unclip right, right leg over and behind, coast into barrier/hill/obstacle, unclip left foot and dismount. I KNOW I will get out of my pedal every time (have them set on lightest tension possible). A slight hip rotation will also help ensure unclipping when required. This works for ME, but may not work for everyone.

SheFly