Road Cycling - Help

I am pretty new to biking and am having trouble enjoying my ride because I am worried about safety. I am having trouble getting my feet out of the cages and getting going/stopping? Any advice? Any ideas to build up speed and gain comfort. Thans

Have you considered clipless pedals? I've never been a great fan of cages either, but love clipless. Some, such as SPD's are adjustable so it is easier to release from them.

I agree with going clipless (although I don't like SPDs).

Go out and practice in an empty parking lot. Clip in and clip out a zillion times. Turn it into a game, whereby you have to stop and clip out before coming to a line. Try doing it while riding straight on a paint-stripe (to mimick the traffic situation where a car will be to your left and the curb to your right).

If you want, go practice on the grass (perhaps even with kneepads on). That way, when you fall over, you can't get hurt.

Also, virtually everyone who has ever used toeclips or clipless pedals has fallen over in traffic several times. If you "practiced" falling over, it might not worry you so much when it actually happens.

By the way, the parking lot trick works for any aspect of cycling: cornering, stopping fast, having to change your line in a corner because of dirt, anything.

Also, when handling the bike, do you best *not* to tense up. Don't grab on to the bars with all your force. The looser you are, the better you can react and the more comfortable you'll be.

With time on the bike, you'll get more and more confident about handling it. Like anything comfort and fun will come with time.

Cheers,
Jamie

If you want to use toe-clips easily, you need to keep the straps fairly lose. Make sure you have the correct size cage for your feet. Use a stiff strap. I still prefer leather ones by Christophe.

Use shoes with a flat sole and a clean profile.
To start, put your right shoe into the straps at 3:00 pedal position.
In a low gear, push down to the 6:00 position then coast while you put your left foot in.

Slide your left foot back along the pedal to rotate it, then slide your foot forward into the cage. This trick takes a little practice but is easy once you get it. If you miss the cage, you can pedal on the reverse side then try again. When you get really good, you can start on a steep hill.

To remove your feet, just pull back and out. If your straps are catching then they are too tight. If the soles are catching on the pedals, they are too knobbly. Ive used Shimano leisure cycling shoes, but had to round off some of the tread with a knife to make toe-clip use easier.

You can practice toe-clip use on the bike resting against a lamp-post.

If you feel the need to cinch the straps tight, for efficiency, then you should be riding clipless pedals.

Ive never fallen over due to toe-clips. Has anyone else

I have fallen both in toe clips and with clipless. But, the cause was not the pedals. Rather, my inattention.

Cheers,
Jamie

Personally, I use and like Zefal mini-clips - toe cages without straps - true you don't get all the push you would from being strapped/clipped in, but you get some, you're feet can't fly off the pedals but you can get your feet out quickly.

Richard