Fear, fear, fear, plain old fear to clip and unclip. Advice please!

[prinessbeca]

Well I've loosened my pedals so they're a LOT easier to get in and out of now, but it's definitely still a challenge. I'm still pretty scared to go anywhere near traffic, but I'm getting to be more confident when it's just me in an open area/parking lot trying to unclip. Still takes me a good 20 rolling feet to get BOTH feet out and actually come to a stop, so I have to plan ahead. I guess I just need to practice practice practice until I can someday do it instantly and stop right away?

Anyone else get their foot unclipped and then accidentally reclip it right away again? That's the trouble I'm having with my right foot. I get all excited that I got it unclipped, and then bam! It's attached again. Silly pedals.

[indysteel]

I'd say a lot of us--although this isn't universal--only unclip one foot, and the same foot at that, when we come to a stop. In time, it will become second nature.

[ny biker]

Yes, I unclip my right foot when I need to stop and put that foot down on the ground, while leaving the left foot clipped in. I only unclip the left foot if I'm getting off the bike completely.

To start out, I always clip in with the left foot and start to pedal with that foot, sit down on the saddle, then clip in right after I'm moving. Being seated makes you more stable while you're clipping in with the second foot.

[suzgilzen]

Hi all, I am a new road biker (just got my bike April 13 - had ridden a hybrid on trails and some quiet roads for 5 years) and just got the clips and pedals a week ago - I got the Shimano's that have the clips on one side and really like them - I don't actually see any reason to "graduate" to something else - I have the clips on one side, and that's fine.

I'd gotten the advice about developing a routine, and have done that, so I am fine at routine stops (like at an intersection) but have fallen twice, at non-routine stops. The first one was so funny actually. I am working on building mileage for a 500-mile ride I have in 2 months. So this week I was going out on Monday for a 40-mile ride. I was heading out of the driveway and heard the dog barking at me from inside the house (not being happy that I was leaving - the dog is "my" dog and very loyal to me). I remembered something, turned around, started to get off the bike - forgetting the clips, and down I went, scraping one knee.

The dog's barking ratcheted up considerably ("Oh noooooo, Mommy's doooowwwwwwwnn! Mommmmmmmyyyyyyyyy!"). Eventually my husband came out, helped me dust myself off and encouraged me to go on and do the 40 miles. Several hours later, when I returned, the dog gave my legs a thorough licking - liking the salty sweat. But when he came to my knee, he slowly, gently, and indeed tenderly licked my scrape. What a sweetie. Then I went, showered and cleaned it myself.

I'm getting better, and have only fallen twice. I'm learning that if I clip in my shoes, I should engage my brain, too.

I'm so glad to have found this forum. Thanks, all, for the encouraging and informative posts (been reading a lot about saddles as well).

[Owlie]

Well I've loosened my pedals so they're a LOT easier to get in and out of now, but it's definitely still a challenge. I'm still pretty scared to go anywhere near traffic, but I'm getting to be more confident when it's just me in an open area/parking lot trying to unclip. Still takes me a good 20 rolling feet to get BOTH feet out and actually come to a stop, so I have to plan ahead. I guess I just need to practice practice practice until I can someday do it instantly and stop right away?

Anyone else get their foot unclipped and then accidentally reclip it right away again? That's the trouble I'm having with my right foot. I get all excited that I got it unclipped, and then bam! It's attached again. Silly pedals.

You really only need to pick one foot to plant consistently, and unclip that one foot. It will become second nature. I used to have to unclip well in advance, but now I can nearly come to a stop before unclipping.
As for the accidentally clipping in:
What pedals are you using? I use SPDs with the single-release cleats (black) that came with the pedals. The way I avoid accidentally clipping back in is to rotate my foot slightly on the pedal so that the cleat and pedal can't "mesh". I can still push the pedal a bit if I need to, and I can clip back in quickly, but not if I don't want to.

[Catrin]

It DOES get better with practice and time. My first attempt to learn how to clip in (SPD) failed miserably and I moved to BMX pedals for a year or so. Last spring I moved to Speedplay Frogs. I liked them much better but I still had to clip out well in advance, etc. So far I've only fallen twice with these pedals and both were due to user silliness.

These days I still like to anticipate clipping out if I can - I don't like to wait for the last second but I can as my recent experiments riding in our downtown area have proved. Yesterday I realized that my foot hadn't unclipped for some reason, probably distraction on my behalf, but I was somewhere that I could turn the wheel away from the road and go a couple of more feet which gave me time to unclip and stop without falling over. Whewww!

[Maye]

It DOES get better with practice and time. My first attempt to learn how to clip in (SPD) failed miserably and I moved to BMX pedals for a year or so. Last spring I moved to Speedplay Frogs. I liked them much better but I still had to clip out well in advance, etc. So far I've only fallen twice with these pedals and both were due to user silliness.

These days I still like to anticipate clipping out if I can - I don't like to wait for the last second but I can as my recent experiments riding in our downtown area have proved. Yesterday I realized that my foot hadn't unclipped for some reason, probably distraction on my behalf, but I was somewhere that I could turn the wheel away from the road and go a couple of more feet which gave me time to unclip and stop without falling over. Whewww!

I'm still in the learning process. Like you, I anticipate when I have to clip out by remembering: "hey you are clipped, remember to clip out the right foot".

[smittykitty]

Do what your body "naturally" wants to do.

I wasn't sure what my "natural" side would be in a panic situation, so I road unclipped serveral times and with out thinking, just put a foot down when stopping. Turns out it was always the right foot.

My husband clips left, I clip right.

Had a real close call the other day. Just topped a hill (did my best yet on the bugger) and wasn't thinking about the intersection and the car that was coming along. Just about went down, but my foot popped out at the last second, just after I screamed OH MY GOD!!!!. So, my advice is to figure out what foot will try to clip out in an emergency.

And it will happen ever so often the rest of your riding life! Usually when you least expect it!

[Catrin]

I'm still in the learning process. Like you, I anticipate when I have to clip out by remembering: "hey you are clipped, remember to clip out the right foot".

It isn't so much that, but it is simply part of my stopping process. I don't generally slow down enough if I don't unclip a little early. Don't ask me why, but there you go. I can still stop, it just isn't very graceful & I then get tire marks on my leg

[TigerMom]

Currently I unclip left foot first (which is my natural tendency). But I have been reading a lot of forums and don't know whether I should practice unclipping right foot first instead.

Pros about unclipping right foot first is falling away from traffic and on to the curb (in the United States, not Britain/Australia) and being able to stick my right foot on the curb to rest.

Pros about unclipping left foot first is being less likely to damage my crankset if I fall left and less likely to have a chain link/crankset "tattoo" on my leg. Also, someone had mentioned about cars more likely to push you out of the way if you have your right foot on the curb.

I think that I am still new enough at unclipping to try to train my body to unclip right foot first. What should I do??
____________________________________

2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm switched to 145mm 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle

2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle

[ny biker]

I unclip first with my right foot because I instinctively put my right foot down first when I stop.

When I fall due to being clipped in, I fall on my left. Because that's the foot that I can't put on the ground.

Anyway I personally would not try to learn to unclip first with the other foot, because I would fall way too often in the process of trying to change habits.

[Catrin]

I think most of us have a preferred foot for stopping, and for me it is my right foot. My body's preference is so strong for unclipping/stopping with my right foot on the road that I am quite sure I would fall if I tried to reverse that - and I am not about to take that risk on the road. Almost every cyclist I know also uses her/his right foot to stop so I am not in a minority. What I really need to learn is how to use my left foot as my power/starting foot at lights. Right now I both start and stop with my right foot.

On the mountain bike trail I will stop with whichever foot is on the uphill side/away from the edge if there is one but that is different but so far am stuck with starting with my right foot there as well.

[tctrek]

I wish I could unclip on the right... but seems I am left footed and too late to change it!

[goldfinch]

I wish I could unclip on the right... but seems I am left footed and too late to change it!

Me too. Even before I had clipless my left foot would go to the ground first. And I would always push off with my right.

[Crankin]

Me too.
Although, I started out unclipping right. Then, I read an article that said you should start off with your dominant foot. So, I started clipping in/unclipping left and pushing off with my right. Now, I can unclip right, but I absolutely can't imagine leaning and putting my right foot down. Probably would kill myself.
When I was mountain biking, though, I could do this, if I thought about it. I thought having the ability to unclip with both feet was a little more important when mountain biking.
I probably could practice unclipping right, but after 11 years, it's so ingrained, i don't have to think. I can wait until the last minute and I'm fine.