My clipless experience!

[shootingstar]

You must always feel safe. Falling isn't going to get easier later in life.

I've cycling last 23 yrs. We don't have a car. I've never gone clipless. I have toeclips.

My partner has done several cross country solo rides and all over the place...hasn't gone clipless and never will. We're talking about someone who logs in 7,000 km.annually.....

If it works for you, great. If it doesn't, nothing lost. You still love cycling. The latter point is key....if you want to do it for life.

[lph]

Ouch, that sounds like a harsh experience, helene! Like everyone has said, you don't have to go clipless at all. But I will say that once I got used to it I loved it and there was no going back. I unclip completely without thinking now, it's just a part of the same movement as putting my foot down.

I taught myself by riding on a long, safe road where I wouldn't have to stop, and clipping and unclipping a million times along that road. Then I rode on my regular commute, unclipping both feet way before I even started to brake for a stop. I only had one or two falls, that came from having to suddenly stop, and (classic) falling over the wrong way. Yeah, feels dumb :-)