Fear, fear, fear, plain old fear to clip and unclip. Advice please!
This may sound weird, but I've been riding all my life on bikes with plain pedals. I can pop my feet off both pedals easily at any time I want to. Now that I can afford a better bike and I want to take my cycling passion up a notch I bought a new Treak Lexa road bike with clip less pedals but I feel trapped in these things. I am locked into the bike which is not necessary bad (I know); me and the bike, just one being ;-) But its not easy to clip out. In fact, I usually clip out of the right, come to a stop and then clip out of the left. Most times I can remember to do so, but my muscle memory is so strong that the left foot "thinks" to be able to step right onto the ground and it does try to do so and the bike starts leaning over, I lose my balance, and fall. This happened first in the "maiden voyage" at a big intersection and thank goodness I was at the border of the intersection with no cars behind plus two very good experienced riders with me that alerted the drivers of the falling cyclist (oh boy). I was so ashamed and this happened at the end of a 12 mile bike ride that went really well.
This keeps happening and I am developing a phobia of riding, which is so weird for me. I've always been a very confident rider.
Help! What can I do? What about those Look Keo easy pedals? I currently have the Shimano PD-R540 SPD-SL. Should I enroll a basic road biking class? I need something, because I just don't know if I can keep going in this downward spiral into a fear of riding. I really enjoy riding and the enormous benefits associated to it and I don't want fear to interfere with this process. I won't give up but I need some advice in order to overcame this fear that makes me feel like I'm starting to learn how to ride a bike for the first time (silly I know!).
BTW, I got fitted a week ago and the fitter re-arranged the clip position and and loosened one that was way too tight. Money well spent, for sure!
Mariela
'12 Trek Lexa SLX