Originally Posted by
BaggerRyder
It took me a long time before I decided to go clipless but once I did I often wonder why it took me so long to make the transisition. I ride on shimano PD-A530's, which have a platform on one side and clipless on the other. At first the choice of these pedals was because they gave me the option of not clipping in, which was comfortable for me, but now I never ride without being clipped in, unless in areas with a lot of stop and go.
Exactly the same story as me, and same pedals too
Been contemplating even getting pedals that don't have the platform side to avoid the odd minor inconvenience of having to flip the pedals over from platform to clipless side after stopping at a light.
Originally Posted by
BaggerRyder
When I first started learning to ride clipless, I hooked the bike up to an indoor trainer and pedaled and practiced clipping in, clipping out, etc until I was comfortable. Like others have said clip out well in advance of your stop and all will be good. I've fallen over a couple of times, once while anticipating a light to change that did not change, and another when I first started riding clipped in and kind of zoned out and forgot I was clipped in. But once you get used to it, and get used to the mechanicals of clipping out it will become second nature.
Everybody warned me that I would fall over while learning to ride clipless; it actually hasn't really been an issue. For the first few weeks, I'd be clipping out on one side well in advance of roundabouts, stop signs and traffic lights, just in case I would have to stop and jump off. There have been a couple unexpected stops I've had to make where I've had to unclip last second and have always gotten out with the exception of one time (where I was unclipped on the wrong side and just leaned the wrong way and couldn't correct it before I fell over). You can adjust the tension on the clipless spring on your pedals; while I'm pretty strong, I've got it set pretty light. Have never come unclipped by accident, and I can get out without thinking now.