digibud

great question. I'm guessing it took me a few weeks but that's really hard to remember. I do know that after getting a new pair of shoes that oriented a bit differently it took me a long time...several weeks or a month or more before I was getting on the bike and being clipped in without looking at the pedal or giving it any thought. I'm finally at the point where I swing my leg over, clip in, push off and my other foot clips in without me looking down or thinking about it. My only failure to get unclipped in recent years was when my cleat loosened and I turned my foot but the cleat didn't move with it. Down I went without realizing what had happened. Back on the bike it happened again with a big WTF ? from me till I figured it out.
My problem is I am automatic at unclipping my left foot. I ALWAYS unclip my left foot. If something odd happens so my balance is upset and I am tipped to the right with my right foot at the top of the circle I am in trouble and have almost gone over because of that. Typically that happens if a person pulls up too close to my left side as I'm about to unclip (kid, dog, whatever) and I'm forced to put my right foot down at the last moment. Very unnerving...