Help with First Road Bike for my 70th Birthday!

[Cyclingfun]

I've been away for a while but now back and just want to congratulate you on The Birthday and on the plans for The Bike. I've got a Ruby (Comp) and absolutely love her. I've no knowledge of the Apex system but am trying out clipless pedals. I have one suggestion, based on a close encounter with tarmac that I've had, is to get the pedals that are two-sided so you can comfortably practise your gear shifting without being committed to fixing in your feet. My mistake was trying to learn two things at once and my error with the gears led me to stall and overbalance onto the right side and only remembered too late that my right foot was still attached! No big harm done on that occasion but could have been nasty if the road had been a busy one. Trouble with parking-lot practice is that, in my experience, they tend to be on level ground so not a place for trying out gears on hills... I'm getting on better with the gears now so (if it would KINDLY stop snowing!) I feel ready to put in the cleating practice. Good luck to you and looking forward to seeing your pics and hearing how you get on.

[Citycyclegal]

Thanks, I have been researching the responses on the forum regarding clipless pedals. I actually talked to the LBS and had them put toe cages on regular pedals for a start. I am supposed to get fitted on Wed. but we have yet another round of snow coming in tomorrow!! so I will wait and see how bad it is since it is a bit of a drive there. Terry has the 2 sided pedals for sale on theMonday Madness sale for $60 so I am tempted to order them. Although the fellow I have been working with at the LBS has been great, he's an experienced rider and may not know how worrisome is can be to be trying clipless pedals for the first time. He shied me away from the double-sided saying how heavy they were. He was sympathetic to taking things "in stages" however, and gladly just put some inexpensive cages on. It's the hills I am concerned about, when I first try being clipped in.

[thekarens]

Just my .02 as someone who is new to being clipped in. I'd start with "comfortable" places as far as being clipped in goes...your subdivision, an empty parking lot, park, etc. I spent several days just going in circles in my cul-de-sac, then I moved out into the subdivision, then to the park and then on a group ride. Once you're comfortable with those things hills won't seem quite so scary. I figure if nothing else, if I find a hill I can't pedal up I can always walk it

[Crankin]

What shop are you buying from?
A salesperson who is telling you not to buy the dual sided pedals because of weight, raises my concern. That's something a racer would be concerned about. He or she might also tell you not to use spd/mountain style pedals on your road bike. You are obviously experienced in many facets of cycling and that will help you. I agree to starting in stages and I also did something similar to Karen when I got my first clip less pedals. First in my neighborhood, then around the area, where the streets were flat, and finally I rode for about 3 weeks with only one foot clipped in and the other resting on top of the cleat. Finally, I felt that was dumb and I was naturally starting to clip in. However, using clip less on hills makes climbing easier; you start out on small hills and build up.
The one thing I will caution you about with the dual sided "campus" pedals, is because they have the cleat only on one side, that side is heavier and it makes the pedal flip over when you are starting off. Not all of the time, but sometimes you have to kick it to flip it to whatever side you want, be it flat or cleated.
I will talk to you at the workshop, but I am interested where you bought your bike...

[Owlie]

I work in a bike shop. I do tend to caution people new to clipless against the campus pedals because if you want to clip in, they flip over, and having to look down at your pedals at intersections can cost you--I definitely don't talk about the weight! Provided that you're aware of the tendency for them to flip over and it becomes instinct to turn them so that the clip-in mechanism faces up, they're a viable option. (I still tell people to consider a dual-sided (ie, you can clip into either side of the pedal) SPD-type pedal as well if they're thinking of the "campus"-type pedals.)

[Catrin]

I tried out the campus-style pedals when I first learned to ride. I didn't like them. It took those few extra seconds to flip the pedal to clip in (when it worked the first time), and the platform side was so slick that I couldn't keep my feet on the pedals, so I really couldn't use the platform side. I moved onto good quality BMX pedals and was quite happy with those until I went clipless a year or so later (Speedplay Frogs). That was my experience, but that doesn't mean everyone will have the same issue.

[marmac]

if i can ride clipless, anyone can. i am in my 60's and not the most coordinated person on the planet. i have the dual sided pedals, shimano A530's. i don't find it too difficult to transition between the flat and clipped side. the idea of toe cages scare the daylights out of me and i think they would be more difficult that the clipless.
if i am changing sides, i just wait until i have my speed up before i clip in. it is sometimes easier to be on the flat side if the situation could create a quick need to stop ie,
MUT and there are alot of kids on bikes or walkers who aren't paying much attention to where they are walking. the only thing i had problems with was the cleats that came
with the pedals. i needed to switch to the multi release cleats. they are much easier to clip out with.