the ultimate folly - clipless Lesson

[midlife]

I find I have to think ahead (usually one pedal revolution!) then clip out. Have fallen twice, once in my own driveway (up hill) when first learning and on a footbridge. Strange bruises, lucky noone but my husband could see them

Hardest thing I have tried to learn was with our tri club we were trying to master getting your feet in and out of tri shoes while keeping the shoes clipped into the pedals. This is so you can run your bike faster through transition, rather than have to run in bike shoes. Could get my feet out and on top of the shoes, but getting them back in again was a bit much of a challenge.

Got Looks. Having first ride in about 4 weeks tomorrow and plenty of traffic lights in the first 5-6kms so will have to have my wits about me. Once I couldn't stop quick enough and upclip (I tend to click down thru the gears a bit so starting again isn't impossible) and had to roll around the corner then unclip! Opps.

[Susan126]

You will be a pro by summer and look back to these first few days with amazement and wonder what all the fuss was about!

Go Mimi!

[LadyinWhite]

Yesterday I hopped on the princess' mtb to head up to the food store. (We put my old rack on her bike when I switched to road cycling so I could have a beater bike for exactly this purpose. I use the Trek grocery bags that attach to the sides of the rack)

ANYWAY - so yesterday I head out to do exactly this and I haven't sat on a bike up right or w/out cleats in a year. I nearly crashed about 6 times on my way to the store!! LOL.. I was laughing and weaving around like a drunken sailor.

Finally I stopped and raised her seat even more and that made the bike manageable but barely!! I felt like I'd never ridden a day in my life. This new plan of using her bike to get groceries will work but any thoughts I had of taking long leisurely rides on a MTB every now and then are definately OUT!

Funny how quickly we get used to being clipped in and suddenly NOT wearing cleats is what feels so freaky!! LOL

T.

[mimitabby]

We're not riding today, but now my bianchi has SPD pedals.
It's really too crummy out. 100% rain all day AND wind?
Nah...

[Susan126]

The weather does stink here. At this rate I'll never be ready for the 100 mile Century Apple Bike Ride in Wenatchee!

Mimi, I think tomorrow is supposed to be a little bit better. But if the roads are damp or wet I won't ride. I have a fear of wet roads. I guess it's mountain biking for me tomorrow. Probably just dh and me . . . maybe we'll hit Banner Forest over in Port Orchard. Quite a drive but we can stop at the Tides restaurant for lunch!

How true how true LadyinWhite . . . riding without being clipped in does feel strange. When you're clipped in you are pushing and lifting! You get the most bang for your pedaling! Plus the stiff soles . . . all your energy is going into your bike.

[DrBee]

Congrats on your success Mimi! Wahoo! I had a feeling you'd do well!