Lately, I haven’t been riding any of my bikes much. Over the summer, I went on a weekend trip with David and we had a terrific time, and I rode more than 30 miles, two days in a row. But I also fell over (again) at a crosswalk while clipped in, and although I wasn’t hurt, it reinforced the fear I’ve had of riding while clipped in that has been building since completing the Tour de Cure in June. It’s been holding me back, frankly, and I need to get over it, because on the other hand, riding while clipped in helps me go faster and more efficiently. I’ve also been avoiding road riding, although recently I’ve been riding the newer bike, The Hon. Geoffrey Beans, on neighborhood streets. Basically, I’ve been following some of the suggestions in this blogpost:
Somehow, I overcame my fears. It took a while and a little determination, but I can honestly say that even though I still have a healthy respect for riding on the road, I am confident and comfortable doing it. I own my piece of the road and I make drivers respect me. Who would have thought?So if you have wanted to get on a bike but have been held back by fear, almost everyone goes through it. But if I can overcome it, anybody can! I did a little research, called on a few riding friends, and here is a list of tips if you want to begin cycling for sport, commuting, or fun, but are afraid of riding in the city.WARNING: Cycling is highly addictive- once you start riding you’ll never stop!
Source: Biking for Beginners: 10 Ways to Overcome Fears of Cycling in the City | lasesana
It is addictive and I love my bike and I’m glad you rediscovered yours. Well done Ginny! 🙂
Are you sure you don’t want to ride with me this weekend? 🙂
Bravo!
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You go girl!
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You’re a braver cyclist than I – I switched back to toe clips after one too many sidewalk adagios.
Not for me 😊
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Sidewalk Adagio, an undiscovered piece by Franz Liszt! Movement 1 – Scaredso. Movement 2 – Grupetto Lento. Movement 3 – Adagio ma non andante. Movement 4 – Remontado con velocitá
I can get out of cleats. It’s when I have more than 2 things to worry about plus slow to zero speed that I pull a Nick Danger.
I still unclip one foot, 50 feet before a stop even if I can ride through. 🚴ðŸ»
I developed a habit of clipping out any time I slowed down significantly or got into an iffy situation. Remember you don’t have to be clipped in to pedal with that foot!
Also, if you’re having any trouble clipping out with a sharp twist of your ankle, you should have your pedals/cleats adjusted. Ooh, you can learn from my mistake: KEEP YOUR CLEATS CLEAN. Dirt, mud, or grass bits in your cleats can hamper your ability to unclip. Use cleat covers. I once did a 70+ mile ride with dirty cleats and only figured it out after falling FIVE TIMES because I couldn’t unclip.
Ginny (and I) use SPD cleats … dirty cleats will hinder getting clipped in, but not so much with unclipping.
I’ll trade my huge pink platform pedals. They work just fine!
I’ve been fine with the platforms (not pink) on my newest bike, the Electra Ticino. They’re kind of retro.
Regnad Kcin?
I never rode with clips. Indeed, I’ve given up toe cleats.
Rocky Roccoco…
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I rode the trainer last night clipped in. I could feel the difference as far as efficiency, but I also think the angle on my left cleat needs to be tweaked… Must make time to see Larry Gross somehow for a fitting but can’t make it happen during a normal work day.
By “clipped in”, I’m assuming that your feet are clipped to the pedals? My question would be, is there a need for the extra speed gained by being clipped in? Are you in a rush to get somewhere? Is it worth the extra speed to be clipped in? Is being clipped in really necessary? Does it make you more or less likely to fall? Is falling good? Are there hats?
You are correct … ‘clipping in’ refers to physically attaching your shoes to the pedals. The big advantage to riding clipped in is peddling efficiency. You get power on the up stroke as well as the down stroke. Plus, you don’t have to worry so much about where your feet are … they are on the peddle all the time.
You can get some speed boost, but that’s not really the main goal.
The biggest risk of being clipped in is not unclipping before stopping or slowing (after which you generally fall over). Once you ride clipped in enough, unclipping becomes second nature. At this point I never stop my bike without twisting my foot to the side to pop them out of the peddles.
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