My first "long" ride with clipless pedals....
 

I've tried clipless in the past....but they were only test rides around the block or for less than a mile. I used to think, meh, they are okay but I don't really need them.

So this past week, I thought, maybe I ought to try them for a longer ride and see if I like them. The short answer is yes, very much so.

I've been thinking clipless because I'm building a new bike and wanted to try some things out on my old bike first. I have a Giant Escape and had been riding it with pinned flats. Changing out pedals/shoes can get expensive so I went the used route for the pedals. I got Speedplay Frogs because that's the only ones I'd ever tried and clipping in and out seemed really easy and I like the float. I got a set on ebay with cleats for $20 and a pair of Shimano MT33 shoes from Nashbar for $45...all set.

This morning I went out on a 15 mile ride, lots of uphill, and quite a bit of stop and go.

First up, the clipping in and out experience. I read quite a bit about people crashing while clipped in. With these pedals, I'm not sure how anyone could do that. Stepping into the pedals is so easy and coming out is equally as easy. It just takes an easy twist and you're out. I'm not sure how easy SPD pedals are to clip into but these are a breeze and the double sided pedal makes it a no look proposition. I will say though that I was very aware of this and was thinking about it when coming to the numerous stops along the way...so perhaps it was because I was paying attention. Since these are used cleats and pedals I think the cleats need some adjustment. There are some set screws that allow some forward/backward play and I noticed some play on one of the pedals.

Riding on flat terrain. I would say my experience here is neutral.. It seemed the same to me. But with these pedals I can pedal on corners and turns because I'm not scraping the pedal. So that is a plus. Putting down power seemed a little easier because the platform I'm pedaling is easier. I was riding 5.10 free riders.

Riding uphill. This is where I noticed the most difference. Going uphill seemed quite a bit easier. It's easier for me to spin clipped in. I'm not sure if I noticed any benefit because of the upstroke, but I'm sure It made me mash down on the pedal less. So at the top of some hills that I normally ride, my legs aren't as tired. And overall, I'm not breathing as hard.

My average speed didn't increase. On this route, with 1 cat 5 climb, I normally average between 13 - 15 MPH...hey, I'm a 40 y/o smoker that is just getting back into riding (yeah, I know I need to quit). I think I'm doing fine. And clipped in, my average speed was the same.

Overall, I liked it. Call me a convert. Riding clipped in makes me feel more connected to my bike and with the added benefit of easier spinning, I'm sold.

,,,,, You feel connected huh, so what does smoking cigarettes make you feel connected to?? a lung machine??? oh was that too harsh? I'm sorry....

LOL..not harsh at all and I take all that you can give for the smoking bit. I know it's bad for me and it'll eventually kill me. My friends throw shots at me all the time. It's one of those addiction things. Sure, it's easy for someone to jump in and say, just quit. It's not as easy as that.

Sure, it'll kill you if something else doesn't get there first. We're all going to die from something.

,,,,,,Hey on the serious note ,, and I know that's serious, I 'll explain,, every day of the week at work at 6;30 am we do some excersize and I'm the leader of that!! anyway there are always some disgruntlement from someone but I tell them that I'm gonna shame them into quiting smoking or shame them into sliming down , so far there are two guys on chantex or how ever you spell it, but they are trying and the company pays for everything,so I guess you are going to have to give it a try too........

Thanks for the encouragement. I've tried Chantix. Twice. Both times, I did end up quitting. To get into the head of someone addicted to something is hard to do. For me to explain is hard as well. I've quit several times over the years. The hard part is the first week. If you can get past the first week with the withdrawal symptoms, then it comes down to habit. I understand this. I've done it. I've been there. So, weeks go by and then I go out with customers (I work in sales). We have a few drinks, and then judgement gets impaired and I say, well, I can have 1. Then 1 leads to another. Then another. Then it's all downhill. In your head, your brain tells makes excuses so that you can "cheat". I know rationally that it doesn't work but when you're craving a smoke, you do some stupid things and you allow yourself to justify anything to make it happen. You start to sweat. You start to get jitters, you start to think, come on, 1 wont' hurt. I'll just have this one to get me over the hump. That's the problem. That 1 leads you down the path of smoking more. Hopefully that helps you to understand the struggle. I've been smoking so long that I identify with smoking. It's what I do. I smoke after a meal. I smoke in the AM. Heck, I smoke before I get on the bike, mid ride if we stop for coffee, and after.

The terrible thing is that I'm in pretty decent shape. I'm 5'5", 135 lbs. I lift weights 2 - 3 times a week. If I'm lucky enough to be home and not on the road, I ride the other days. I've got an athletic build with a 10" drop (38" chest 28" waist)....yet I smoke. Yeah, I know it's bad. Yeah, I know it'll kill me. But hopefully, this explanation gives you a little understanding of what it's like for a smoker or addict of any kind. It's easy for someone that isn't addicted to say, just quit. Yeah, we get it. At the end of the day, it all comes down to excuses and ME. So words of encouragement are great but at the end of the day, it's my demon that I have to slay.

I have a old pair of shimano 600s I was thinking about trying.....okay that said, watching my dear father "drown" in his bed because of years of cigarette smoking was a pretty good motivator for me to quit smoking. I have quit several times before but always stupidly started up again. But this this quit I feel will be the permanent one. Once I got it in my mind it was nicotine I was hooked on! Not the smoking. So I just sucked on the lozenges for awhile and then weened myself off those with wintergreen life savers. Whole process took about six months. Thier plan is for the birds. I sucked those things when I wanted too. Give it a try. Just remember. "you're a nicotine addict. Not a "smoke" addict.

Usually it happens at the end of a ride. You coast up to your car and forget that you're clipped in until your bike starts to lean over. Once it starts leaning you panic a little bit and over you go. Generally it's not a big deal, more embarrassing than harmful.

Rode 22 miles today and no falling over today either. Not even at the end of the ride. I did have your comment in my head though, so I was very conscious of unclipping :D.

The falling over thing with clipless being constantly stated reminds me of RC flying and the constant "you will crash" stated to all the beginner folks on the RC forums. It is beaten into the head of the beginner so that it is almost automatic that they will indeed fall over (or crash as a beginner RC pilot.)

When I first started flying RC, I got suggestions on how to fly rather than constantly beaten in my head that I will crash. Thus, I was able to focus on flying correctly and I never crashed (until I started doing things the plane wasn't designed to do, but I was no longer a beginner then.) I feel it would be the same with clipless, I would be focused every time I stopped so that I wouldn't forget and fall over. I can't even think how you would forget that you were clipped in starting out with clipless pedals.

It also happens when folks don't anticipate the possible consequences of a situation. Anytime there is even a HINT that you might have to stop, you should unclip one foot. It is also good to be consistent. By that I mean get in the habit of unclipping the same foot first. That way it becomes second nature and you don't have that momentary indecision as to which foot to unclip.