Clipless Pedals:

Why:
6 years ago, I went looking for a mountain bike to start riding again. That was about 25 years since the last time. Anyway, I was test riding a bike in a strip mall parking lot. I circled around behind the stores and thought I would get out of the saddle and really put some effort into it. It was going pretty good until my foot slipped off one of the pedals. At almost any speed, the pedal will whip around and whack you behind the leg and just above the ankle. While it did hurt, it didn't stop me from riding. Well, the result was a bruise that more than 2 months for the discoloration to go away and 8 months for the lump to go away. At that point I wasn't sure what to do, but I knew I didn't want a repeat of that episode...

How:
After I had been riding for several months, I found an inexpensive pair of Ritchey ATB clipless pedals and a cheap pair of Sidi shoes. I went through the same learning curve as everyone else. I fell over a couple of times, but it seemed to straighten out after the 3rd or 4th ride. At that point, I went to Taiwan for what would eventually be a 3 years stay. I rode quite a bit over there on a road bike, but the first 2 years was spent on flat pedals as the traffic is often thick and always somewhat unpredictable. The 2 years also spanned the first 6 months on a new bike (as listed below). I started using a pair of Crank Brothers Quattros. The techniques came back to me:

• If there is the slightest hint of slowing down or stopping, unclip
• Always unclip the left foot

As time went on, I relaxed the first rule a bit. However, I would make sure that I was in a position to unclip if I needed to. I'm consistent with the left foot as my left leg is stronger. I also have to be very deliberate about unclipping as I have to rotate my heels inward. Outward is very difficult for me. The Crank Brothers pedals are great because, with no adjustments, there is nothing to play with. Once you get used to the feel, you're done.

That's what I do, but my wife is completely different. She rode with toe clips for the last 25+ years. She bought a new bike about the time that I switched to the Quattros. She decided to try a pair of Candies on her road bike and was falling at least once a week. This really surprised me owning to her long experience with clips. What I noticed was that she was waiting until the last moment to unclip and often had some indecision about which foot to put down. Her solution was to unclip BOTH feet when coming to a stop. Wouldn't have been my choice, but it seems to work for her!