Well, I did it!

[denda]

I finally got clipless pedals. They just came yesterday, so I have not had a chance to try them yet. Wish me luck!

[Smilie]

Good luck! I recommend to try them out in a grassy park, so in case you *do* fall, you will just hit the soft turf.

[denda]

It's not "if" I fall. It's "when"!

[Geonz]

YOu've gone over!

Oops, you haven't *fallen* yet

(still toe-clipped here )

[bmccasland]

Or you get a leg cramp in the foot that you normally unclip, and your brain doesn't process directions fast enough to unclip the OTHER foot.

[indysteel]

Good luck. Just a few more bits of advice: Make sure the tension on the pedals is fairly loose.

Go to a park or empty parking lot and practice getting in and out over and over again.

Most people unclip just one foot when they come to a stop light or stop. It helps if you unclip the same foot--in my opinion it doesn't really matter which one--every time.

Don't get discouraged if it's difficult at first. It does get easier and it becomes second nature over time.

If you're using road (verus mountain) bike shoes, be careful when you come to a rolling stop. Your foot will slide on the payment if you put your weight down the wrong way. You'll get used to that, too. And if you have MTB shoes instead, this is a non-issue.

Good luck and have fun. Everyone falls at least once (or more ). It's a rite of passage!

[gingerale]

Okay, I'm going to fess up. I'm terrified of them! I ride with just plain old pedals. I'm so scared to get locked into something because I am afraid of falling.

Good luck with yours!!

[Smilie]

I'm so scared to get locked into something because I am afraid of falling.

Falling is the easy part. It's the landing I don't much care for!

[gingerale]

LOL! Yes, I should have clarified that.

[Jiffer]

Maybe you should put only one pedal on for now. Which ever one you "don't" plan on unclipping out of when you stop. Just a thought. I didn't do this, since my first experience with clipless pedals was on the back of a tandem and I didn't have to clip in and out very often. It was a great way to learn. But I'm trying to think of what I might do if I were learning now.

If you do put both pedals on, always remember that you don't really HAVE to clip into both to get going. I had to remind a friend of that when she was learning and having a hard time clipping in as she was getting going at a green light. You can pedal some before clipping in, just be careful that your foot doesn't slip off, so be careful how much pressure you use.

Also, whatever you do, practice in a place where you can start and stop often and practice clipping and unclipping. Find a tree or telephone pole or something and tell yourself that it's a stop sign, and then pretend stopping at it. You'll get the hang of it in no time.

[fastdogs]

I'm taking the toe clips off my hybrid bike- I'm scared of them after this last fall. But I think my problem is that I have them on the hybrid, but not on the mtb, so never really got the habit like I'd need to- I ride both bikes during the week (most days hybrid, but a few days mtb) and probably, for me at least, I need all or nothing- clips on both bikes or clips on none.
The last fall felt worse because it was in front of a sloped driveway- downhill slope, so it felt like I fell further. I really banged up my knee. I was just enjoying the nice day, getting out during my lunch break, and trying to decide whether to try out a new route. As I was meandering along, considering the hills up ahead versus the more rolling terrain of my usual route, I changed my mind and decided to take the regular route. A car was coming, so I had to stop, and completely forgot about the toe clips. Up till then I was really liking them; I'd fallen once before but it was a pretty easy fall where I landed in the grass beside the sidewalk.
vickie

[denda]

Thanks for your comments.
By the way, I will be using mtb shoes.

[fidlfreek]

Don't forget the gloves! KEY.

Also, its all about planning ahead. You have to think 15 seconds in advance and get your foot out before you panic because you've lost so much momentum and your balance is shot.

Now I feel actually SAFER with my clipless pedals because I feel like the bike is part of me!

[RoadRaven]

Most excellent, denda
Well done you

One piece of advice I would like to give you, which is the best piece of advice I have picked up on this forum in that I use it everytime I go for a ride on my roadbikes...
When you brake/stop/unclip (I, as Indy suggests also, always unclip the same foot... always) turn your front wheel away from you - so it points away from your unclipped/about-to-touch-the-ground foot. This way, the bike will always lean toward you and you avoid the "slow-mo topple" which is associated with clip-in pedals.

I'd be cautious about Jiffer's suggestion, although it might work to get used to only one pedal at a time, but clip-in pedals, and non-clip/flat pedals are different heights, and so this could make you "feel" uneven.

[denda]

RoadRaven- Thanks so much for that tip. I will try to remember that about the wheel. That makes a lot of sense!