# Failed clipless challenge...



## xtremewriter (May 21, 2007)

so as you know, I posted awhile ago about taking the clipless challenge...and I'd like to know your take on my recent regression...

I loved it at first, I really did because I thought my fear of going over certain obstacles would go away after time. After many falls, I realize that I'm psyching myself out all the time. Stuff I would normally go over, I'm now too freaked to do it. I'll stop right before it and just stare at it like..duh..I could do this if I didn't worry about clipping out (which I didn't normally worry about until I starting falling). I'm not too concerned about falling on non-rocky sections- but when I see the steep downhill with sharp rocks all over, I just freeze now and it's pissing me off. No matter what I do, I just freeze and I want to try it so badly it hurts but I FREEZE!!! It's so stupid!!!

So...do you think it would be beneficial for me to try the Shimano 324 with the platform on once side? I don't want to give up clipless because certain trails I'm clipped in 100% of the time and some others more like 75% and then a few, well I keep bailing before the obstacle when I KNOW I have the skills to do it. Or, like yesterday we went riding where a good section of the trail had a 50ft drop on one side and soft slippery sand. I would of rode a lot more of that trail if I didn't worry about being clipped.

Anyone else try the 324's? They got great reviews on here, I just feel like such a wimp for regressing to these pedals, but I don't want to put my platforms back on either. Even on the really hard, technical trails, there are areas where I NEED to be clipped in(steep hills with rocks and roots to get over)

So be harsh....suck it up and take the falls? OR try the other pedals and once I'm comfortable, go back to double sided clipless. ERRRR You can be harsh...I'm tough, well with comments at least... Maybe that will help me just shut the #$%^ up and ride!:madmax:


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## MtbRN (Jun 8, 2006)

Sorry you're having problems... it sounds like for the most part your clipless experiment is going well, though. I guess I've been using clipless pedals long enough that they feel natural. In fact, I feel LESS secure if I am not clipped in. Of course, I also have that "quick-twist-and-put-your-foot-down" move so ingrained now that I can unclip without thinking about it. 

I think you might be taking a step back to consider platforms. How long have you been using clipless? Maybe you just need to give it some more time. Or maybe get a pedal with a larger surface so you can ride stuff unclipped when you need to?


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## drtgrl (Jul 24, 2007)

*Give it try again....*

I totally understand where you are coming from as I rode with platforms for 10 years before I made the switch this year and I would never go back! My only regret was not switching sooner.

My bike is 'All Mountain', I have the CrankBrothers candy 4ti pedals and they have been awesome! Oddly though one of the spindles snapped off during a ride and I had to send it back to CrankBrothers and ended up putting on a pair of Shimanos with the platform on once side (not sure what model) It was awful :madman: I wiped out so many times and felt it was so hard to get in and out. Believe me if I started on those I would have switched back to platforms in a heart beat. Luckily I had my pedals back from CrankBrothers within a month and under warranty. 

I'm pretty sure CrankBrothers has different pedals for xc / dhill depending on the type of terrain you ride.

I got some great advice from the ladies here to go to a park and hold on to a goal post or get on your bike and hold on to a door way and practice clipping in and out 50 times each side. I went to a park and did this for three days and then slowly made my way to riding around the city and after two weeks of practicing on hills and in parks, I made it out to the trails. Yes I had a few good wipe outs and even invested in armor for my legs but no regrets. After three weeks I had to no problem tackling the roots and rocks. It seems scary at first but once you get the feel of it, it really becomes second nature and you don't even think about being clipped in.

TRUST ME - If I could master it after a two weeks of practicing with a lot of fear and riding with platforms for 10 years, I think you can do it too!

My advice for what it's worth is to switch to a double sided pedal - personally speaking I really like my CrankBrothers.

Cheers and all the best! Keep us posted but don't give up! :thumbsup:


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

here's a consideration. Clip out and just stand on your pedals? I do this all the time but the shoe choice will make or break this. My shoes have a nice sticky sole and it works real well when I want to not be secured for some reason. My former shoes were the hard sole race style shoes, and they sucked as they were too slick.

I'm not a fan of the flip over style - invariably which ever side you want is on the _other _side...


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## mes2003 (Jul 29, 2005)

I have to agree that going back to platforms might be a step back. Plus, you said you need to be clipped in to get over some stuff. Have you tried going out for some mellower rides to try and get over the freezing up? I do that if I have a big crash or endo and get freaked out. I just try and find some nice non-technical or steep singletrack or something slightly mellower than what made me freeze up and once I get bored I know I'm ready to go back to the fun stuff. The other thing that helps me (for the staring at it...duh...moments) I MAKE myself hike up or down and try it again...and again...and again until I get it. My husband forced me to do this when I was a beginner and now I force myself, and I swear it gets far easier every time. Usually I end up laughing at myself that I froze. One last thing--is the tension on your pedals too tight? Maybe try loosening them so you are practically falling out of them? I did that when I first got mine and gradually tightened them up as I got more confident. Hope all this is helpful--I'm not sure how long you have had them or what you have tried. Good luck!!!


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## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

*Change?*

Hmmm, yes, if you have the Shimano SPD pedals, make sure your retention is VERY loose; you can just think about it and you are clipped out. If the pedal release is not silky smooth and easy, get other pedals! You have to have confidence that you can get out of your pedals when you need to. What are you using now?

I like the idea of going to the Crank Bros Candy pedal, with a bit of a platform. If your current set up isn't working, find something that does, and the Candy might work well. I have not had good luck with the cheaper Shimano pedals -- the ones I had didn't have a smooth release.


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## EJP (Apr 30, 2007)

Lot of good advice so far. Also, try putting a bit of White Lightning on the cleat as well as the engagement mechanism of the pedal. This will make it much easier to release your foot from the pedal. Knowing that you will definitely be able to get your foot out does make a huge difference!


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

formica said:


> here's a consideration. Clip out and just stand on your pedals? I do this all the time but the shoe choice will make or break this. My shoes have a nice sticky sole and it works real well when I want to not be secured for some reason....


*Raises hand in agreement* I do this all the time with my ol' Time Aliums and Cannondale Roam shoes.


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## MoMo (May 18, 2005)

I have to agree with everyone else...don't go back to platforms. When I first went clipless I fell and broke my scaphoid bone in my right hand made me a little weary riding with the clipless after that...but, I did what many of the others have already suggested. I practiced cliping in and out multiple times and I also set the tension on my pedals really loose so that I could unclip with just the slightest movement. As I got more comfortable I gradually tightened the tension.


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## bulletbob (Apr 5, 2004)

*What helped me...*

...were Shimano 520's that I got for $37 a pair at Cambria.

I'm not sure what the mechanical difference is between the 520's and the more common 424 style but the 520's allowed me to back the tension out all the way and stay clipped in no matter what stuff I plow through are how much I thrash around. The other super thing about them is that you can unclip very easily when you're not comfortable being locked in. Also, they're a bit lighter which is always a plus.

It's taken me a long time to get comfortable with clip-ins and I'm real punchy after I snapped over and broke my neck last year but these 520's have been a great happy medium, I even bought another pair and slapped them on my roadie.

I have several pairs of 424's you can have 

Hope that helps!


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

A guy here, who had a mental block on riding some sections with clipless.

I put the flatties back on for a while to regain my _confidence_ that those sections of trail are ridable. Pretty soon I seriously missed the clipless pedals.

You could do what I did or see if you have trail options that let you work up to the tricky spots.

Clearly, you want to stay with clipless. So do, one way or another.

I am not convinced that the one-sided pedals are good for anything but commuters and errand bikes: there's always the hassle of making sure you have the right side of the pedal up.


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## beegirl (Apr 23, 2005)

I am trying out the one sided pedals since my bike is also my commuter. I'm starting to get the hang of flipping to the correct side. If you want to try them for a cheap, maybe temporary solution, I've had good luck so far with http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?...oretype=&estoreid=&pagename=Show All Products


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## xtremewriter (May 21, 2007)

Great reponse from anyone. 
One, I know I won't go back to straight platforms and all of you seem to reinforce that. 
Two, I am currently using the Shimano 520's on their lowest tension....right foot is my biggest problem, that's the side I always fall on, but you could probably figure that out from my bruises . 
Three, I've tried standing on my pedals, clipped out, but even though my shoe soles are rubber and not the slippery plastic, it hasn't worked for me so far, which is why I was considering the shimano 324, even though they can be a pain to find the side you want.
Four, oh..only riding clipless for like a month. (Yeh, I'm one of those people who thinks they can do it perfect right away).
Five-I have some white lighting but I haven't been diligent about putting it on, so I'll try that for sure.
Six- Great advice about going back and doing it over and over again. Before I went to clipless, I did this often until I would get over whatever it was, but now that I'm clipped in, I'm still a bit too freaked to do it. Again, these are usually large rock bridges with great jagged edges or a 50 foot drop off to one side.

Ok, so on the one sided pedals.....is the only real pain trying to find which side? or other there other negatives. When I am unclipped, it's for a particular obstacle so I don't feel like I would be trying to find the right side all that much.

but, I could just try the recommendation to just hold onto a bar and clip out over and over until its all I know. 

Maybe some leg armor would make me feel better about this...actually, might be better just to invest in the armor and not different pedals huh?

So maybe leg armor, practice just clipping in and out a lot this week, grease it up....and give it another try next weekend to see if my confidence has increased. Would I look ridiculous if I had elbow pads on too...I don't see a lot of XC riders with armor but I feel like I would be even more aggressive with it. 

Appreciate all the replies. It's pouring rain here today, so maybe it's a good time to practice inside clipping out


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## jaclynj (Jun 11, 2007)

I have shimanos. When I fisrt started using them, I'd just randomly fall over..everywhere (parking lots, gravel paths, into trees!) It took a while, but now I'd never go back. As for the leg armour and elbow pads, I use them on XC trails sometimes when I know its a super technical trail. I would have loved to have had the pads back east when I was learning with clips since the trails were way more technical and rocky. Who cares if you look silly in them if they help you with your confidence?


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## xtremewriter (May 21, 2007)

> Who cares if you look silly in them if they help you with your confidence?


yeh, thought about that after I posted. Sometimes ya forget not to care what other people think....besides...what can they say when I'm passing them on the uphills anyhow


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## gabrielle (Jan 2, 2005)

xtremewriter said:


> No matter what I do, I just freeze and I want to try it so badly it hurts but I FREEZE!!!


This happened to me a few times earlier this year (I switched to clipless after 18 years of riding cages), and still happens occasionally, but if I can do it, you can do it. :thumbsup: *eta*formica was with me the weekend I made the switch & can tell you How Bad it Really Was. 

I second formica's advice to clip out & ride clipped out - that helps a *lot*. Armor would help too - I wore it a full summer a few years ago when I bumped up my riding level & was crashing several times on every ride. My friends kidded me about it but who cares? Beats breakin' a kneecap.



xtremewriter said:


> So...do you think it would be beneficial for me to try the Shimano 324 with the platform on once side?


I have this style of pedal (not these exact ones though) on my commuter bike & I HATE them. The cleat isn't in exactly the right spot & hurts my knee, and they are always on the wrong side (cleat up when I'm wearing street shoes).

gabrielle


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## [email protected] (Aug 24, 2005)

I would try the armor and practice. I find most of the falls I have encountered while clipped-in involved elbow/forearm injuries but I wear both when I ride rocky technical terrain. I would rather keep riding then limp back to the car because I smacked a rock with my knee or something. Your natural instinct is to throw out an arm to slow the crash. I have crashed with the best of them on a regular basis. I wear Corerat on legs and arms. The arms are so light you will not even noctice them. If it increases your confidence wear it, who cares what xc riders think. Believe me it is difficult to be the only one on xc rides all armored up but hey it is your body. I have 2 boys to take care of and can't be slowed down by something that could have been avoided. I even wear a mouth piece that covers the top and bottom teeth. I don't need to look like a hockey player if something goes really wrong. Keep practicing and get pads. You will actually get to the point where you will freeze if you are not clipped in.


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## knobbyknees (Dec 30, 2004)

Multiple-release cleats!

Shimano sells a single-release cleat with their pedals. You have to twist your heel out to clip out. They also sell multiple-release cleats that you can literally pull out of. You can pull up, up and out, back, or twist. The cleats are designed to let you get out of the pedal no matter what. Also check to make sure that the rubber on your shoe is not interfering with the float on the pedal (put your shoe on unlaced with velcro or straps loose, clip in, and then slide your foot out of the shoe, leaving it on the pedal. Your shoe will spin around and you can look at it from the bottom side.

I also second riding unclipped with your gummy rubber-soled shoe on top of the pedal when you start to panic. And armor is good.

You will improve. Give it time. Also, consider finding a good mantra you can say to yourself when you are rattling through the rocks. Something like "I feel stable, bike rattle is harmless"

Patty


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## MtbRN (Jun 8, 2006)

Armor is a good idea (wish I'd had some back in the day- did not even know it existed)
You might just need it until you develop more confidence with the clipless pedals, then stop wearing it when you feel more stable. And the x-country guys need never know after that 

Expecting to be "over" all your issues with this new technology in _one month _is probably rushing things a bit. You definitely need to give it more time. And maybe keep to the less technical trails until you get more familiar with them.


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## Gatorbike (Mar 13, 2006)

I know everyone has already said this but don't give up! I am a really slow learner and I about killed myself learning clipless but it is sooo worth it. I can't imagine riding without them. Set them really loose. When I was learning I rode up to a trailhead where a bunch of guys were standing waiting to go riding and I rode up to them and just fell right over.It's still worth it.


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*I don't know why this is so hard.*

It isn't a function of the brand of pedal, nor the number of release directions or having a platform or anything like that; THEY ALL WORK. There are thousands of people on these forums who somehow manage to use just about any pedal and it is just fine. I train lots of people to use these pedals and generally the biggest problem is between the ears. That is not to discount this as a valid problem but it might isolate the difficulty in managing the problem as these sorts of challenges snowball with frustration/fear/intimidation/exasperation/feeling trapped. Before you know it you are wearing armor to ride your bike because you can't deal with your pedals.

Just loosen the settings for a while. Way loose. Keep them clean and lubed.

Relax.:thumbsup:


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## avinash (Jun 16, 2007)

My girlfriend likes to wear the padding because it makes her more confident about riding tougher sections. It definitely restricts her knee movement (661 4x4), but she doesn't care ...except for the extra heat in there

-Avi


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## alaskarider (Aug 31, 2004)

Berkeley Mike said:


> It isn't a function of the brand of pedal, nor the number of release directions or having a platform or anything like that; THEY ALL WORK. There are thousands of people on these forums who somehow manage to use just about any pedal and it is just fine. I train lots of people to use these pedals and generally the biggest problem is between the ears. That is not to discount this as a valid problem but it might isolate the difficulty in managing the problem as these sorts of challenges snowball with frustration/fear/intimidation/exasperation/feeling trapped. Before you know it you are wearing armor to ride your bike because you can't deal with your pedals.
> 
> Just loosen the settings for a while. Way loose. Keep them clean and lubed.
> 
> Relax.:thumbsup:


I agree that a lot of it is in the head...at least, my fear certainly was/is. But if various tools help with confidence, help to get over the fear, why not? What's wrong with armor if it helps inspire confidence?

To the OP, I love my clipless pedals (Time), but there was a long time during which I was terrified riding rocky sections clipped in. Now I feel safer clipped in than unclipped. It will come--really!


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*The interesting thing is*

that the terror makes for a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Build the skills you need away from rocky sections; it can be done. Walk them; that is perfectly acceptable unless what is between your ears won't allow it. Hurling yourself into them in terror is just plain stupid.

I have girls who ride with me who simply tell me that they ar going to get off and walk and I always support it. It is a smart decision.

I also have a lady I am working with who took her pedals off of her mtb and put them on her commuter. She is adapting to them at her own pace and buldiing skills gradually. There is still the problem of the obligatory SPD fall in front of a dozen cars and onlookers at 1 mph. I guess I could suggest armor. I couldn't though, with a straight face, because we would be rolllng on the ground with laughter.

Conflciting pressures do funny things to people. Take your time. Loosen the pedals.


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## xtremewriter (May 21, 2007)

Hmm...well obviously I'll stick with it...I decided not to get the platform/clipless pedals and just stick with my 520's. I am going to check the release/shoe thing on the right side because that's the one I always get stuck in and then of course, fall to the right. I think they work fine though...easiest tension, releases both ways, etc. 

It is all between my ears I know....my first instinct is to close my eyes:eekster: But...I never did that when I wasn't clipped so I just need to practice and give it more time. Never realized what safety net it was to know I could put my foot down without having to think about it.

Still considering some armor....just to give berkeley mike something to laugh about... 
No, but really,I don't mind getting falling...done that plenty of times..but I do mind falling on things that will potentially put me in the hospital.... No insurance and I'm still paying off a doctor's bill from a snowboarding accident last winter:madman: 

I won't get a chance till ride again till this weekend, but I'm hoping to clear this mental crap by then. Or maybe just a drink...weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

xtremewriter said:


> Still considering some armor....just to give berkeley mike something to laugh about...
> No, but really,I don't mind getting falling...done that plenty of times..but I do mind falling on things that will potentially put me in the hospital.... No insurance and I'm still paying off a doctor's bill from a snowboarding accident last winter:madman:


This is one of those weird situations where not being there makes it really hard to know the right thing to say. I don't know if the problem is that you're being overly cautious or if you're being overly reckless. Are you talking about obstacles that you were really truly cleaning (consistently, with no dabs) with your platform pedals that are now scary being clipped in, or just obstacles that you could keep the rubber side down and survive?

While the last thing I want to do it hurt your confidence, I wouldn't be pushing myself to ride things that scare me without insurance. Don't get me wrong, you can ABSOLUTELY learn to ride clipless pedals safely. Do it on the grass. Then do it on nice EASY trails. Learning to ride with clipless pedals is just a matter of getting used to it. It takes practice, it takes time, but it will become a muscle memory thing. I almost never think about unclipping anymore. I'll pop a foot off to do a moto-style turn on a loose corner and I have no memory at all of doing anything to unclip. I'll jump off the pedals if I lose my balance on a skinny and I'm unclipped so fast it's like I just stepped off. This comes naturally with practice. But it takes a LOT of practice.

I didn't just throw on clipless pedals and start riding gnarly rock gardens in them. _And I still don't like being clipped in if I'm riding something where I'm in over my head._ But what I've learned is that unless I want another trip to the ER, I should learn to conquer those obstacles gradually, not to add more armor and wear platforms so I can plan to bail in the middle of it and hope for the best. Mind you, I wear armor on a lot of trails, and I recommend it. I rode all weekend and didn't wreck, but at the speed we were going, if some freak thing happened, I see it like a seatbelt. Maybe it would help minimize the damage, but I'm sure not planning to crash. I've learned the hard way NOT to look at it like installing a roll cage in a demolition derby car. And I now wear clipless pedals 99.5% of the time.

I was joking with my husband and riding buddies this weekend that this season I've doubled my speed and become twice as big of a chicken. And they laughed and agreed, but all said they can't believe how good of a rider it's made me. Instead of throwing myself down rock gardens, (and not being able to ride because I was so banged up half the time) I spent the time working on skills. I've learned to really control my bike - I can float over moderate rock gardens and rooty sections at full speed, bunnyhop logs and rocks and corner twice as fast as I used to. I used to get comments about how my style was to just bash into everything and hope my suspension would save me, and now I regularly get guys raving about how I pick such precise, fast and flowy lines through techincal stuff. One friend raved about how "beautiful" my cornering has become. And trails I used to think were pretty fun have become pure joy. But when I get to something that really scares me - I walk it. I'll try to visualize cleaning it in my head - and if I can really see it, I'll go back and do it, but I'm not afraid to bail anymore. No one can peer pressure me into it anymore. It's not worth a 5th knee surgery.

Anyway, enough preaching from the beat-up downhiller. I guess all I'm saying is that YES, wearing platforms will increase your chances of making it down nasty rock gardens, but if you really NEED the platforms to do it, just know that probably means you are riding over your head. And in my experience, you'd be a better rider if you worked on the skills rather than working on supressing your fear. Obviously, do what you want, this is just my experience.

(BTW - There are good uses for platforms - dirt jumping, working on manuals/wheelies, etc. I just find them horribly inefficient for actual trail riding, even DH racing.)


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

connie said:


> they can't believe how good of a rider it's made me. Instead of throwing myself down rock gardens, (and not being able to ride because I was so banged up half the time) I spent the time working on skills. I've learned to really control my bike - I can float over moderate rock gardens and rooty sections at full speed, bunnyhop logs and rocks and corner twice as fast as I used to. I used to get comments about how my style was to just bash into everything and hope my suspension would save me, and now I regularly get guys raving about how I pick such precise, fast and flowy lines through techincal stuff. One friend raved about how "beautiful" my cornering has become. And trails I used to think were pretty fun have become pure joy.


*that is freakin' AWESOME!!!!!!*
pure riding poetry to read that.


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

formica said:


> pure riding poetry to read that.


Oh cool, I was hoping it came across right. I've just been feeling so GOOD lately riding, yet sometimes it occurs to me that I'm just not "going for it" like I used to, which I guess makes me feel guilty, like I'm not trying hard enough if I'm not scaring myself to death or falling more. But looking at it over the course of a season - I've really improved this year - much more than any other. And it was scaling it back a notch, not pushing harder that did it.

Of course, it depends on where you are, and sometimes that takes some skilled/trusted friends to help by watching you ride and objectively letting you know if you're taking too much risk or too little. I would hate to just generically say that the fear is all in your head and you should clip in and go for it. Maybe you're trying things that you just need to take some time to build up to.- remember that that's okay. Don't give up on the clipless, but do ride them on terrain that feels comfortable while you're getting used to them.


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*Clearances and tensions*

"check the release/shoe thing on the right side because that's the one I always get stuck in and then of course, fall to the right. I think they work fine though...easiest tension, releases both ways, etc. "

Definitely check the clearance of your clete and the knobs on the soles of yoru shoes. Otherwise you are doing somethng mechanically with your muscles that is defeating release. This can easily happen when stressed. There are involuntary things we do, akin to shutting your eyes.

I have a girl who constantly had a large chainring grease imprint on the outside of her LEFT leg. It had me scratching my head until I saw her climbing something steep, start to fall off to the right, release her left foot and drive it through the bike to the right side to break her fall. Hence the grease on the outside of her left calf. Turns out that she was simply in a death grip with her whole body so nothing moved until the bike started to go down, she struggled to keep her body and head up and the pedal now in a favorable mechainical position in relatin to the clete, in a sense, released from her foot on the left side.

There was nothing wrong with the pedals or the shoes. It was just that her feet and legs froze in a panic. Nothing was going to change in the realtionship between the pedals and the shoes until the fall was pretty far along. A desperate need to get off the bike at all costs and the tilt of the bike made the mechanical position for release.

The classic SPD fall at 0 mph is a perfect example of this kind of panic. Practice and tension adjustments generally take care of this.

So we practiced releasing by driving the heel left and right for hundreds of reptitions. People resist this because they just want to get out and ride. One simply has to do this until a certain critical number of repititions is done and the body (or head) learns. Now, you can do your repetitions in a rock garden with armor, sitting on your trainer drinking beer watching Footballers Wives or on the grass or easy trails in much less time. Your choice.


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## Newbie08 (Jun 24, 2007)

*I feel your pain*

I too feel like a failure when it comes to taking the clipless challenge. 
When I read your post the other day it was if I had written that post. I too have recently had a few, okay a lot of falls. I was doing well for a while but after one good fall I too have gotten timid. I get so pissed off at myself because sometimes it will be a downhill that I have done many times before but the next time I approach it I come to an abrupt stop practically fall off my bike because of that and just can't seem to get going again. I just stare at it frozen unable to move.

Luckily my boyfriend (and riding partner) is the most patient person but I feel terrible cause I feel like I am holding him back a bit and because I feel like I lost faith in myself and my abilities. To help with this falling issue I recenlty purchased some shin and knee guards and I love them. I don't care if I look like a weirdo I feel better. Of course the first day I wore them I didn't have one fall where they would have been beneficial, instead I ate it going downhill and my head and shoulder took the majority of the force. I then decided that night that I want to get pedals with a platform so that I could clip out and be able to pedal as well. I chose the Shimano 647. They should be here Tuesday.

So this is long winded but I just wanted to let you know that I am right there with you.

Any other suggestions from people would be great on how to get rid of some of this fear besides seeing a shrink. Thanks!!


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## ducktape (May 21, 2007)

You know it's kind of funny that I didn't need armour at all, untill I started riding with clipless pedals, it didn't take too long before I figured it would be a good idea to at least get some knee pads.

I started out on crank bros candy C's and it was a similar thing to you but not quite as bad, challenging parts (especially the steep, loose, rocky downhills) made me very nervous and I ended up unclipping and riding that way hoping I wouldn't then clip in by accident! Not to mention if you stall going up hill it's very hard to clip in and get going again. I persisted at it for a year.

After a year I figured it just wasn't worth it, yes most the falls were small but a few times I was pretty lucky as it could have been worse. I switched to a really good set of platforms instead and never looked back because once again I've found the adventure & freedom of biking as it used to be and for me as it should be.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

Newbie08 said:


> Any other suggestions from people would be great on how to get rid of some of this fear besides seeing a shrink. Thanks!!


skills camp


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*Practice*

on easy stuff.


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## xtremewriter (May 21, 2007)

Hi everyone....I apologize for my lack of reply to all your great responses to riding clipless. My mother passed away from leukemia last weekend and the couple weeks before that were just a whirlwind as her condition got worse. Needless to say, I picked myself up off the couch sunday and monday and went out riding. I had not eaten well for a few weeks nor done any type of exercise so the ride was hard on my body, but I used this as a chance to practice a lot of skills. it was a nice break from crying... I was simply to exhausted to even think much less cry.

There were a few times when I bailed simply because I was clipped in but these times were few and far between when I stopped thinking so much about it. One thing that helped me a lot was to change where I was looking. Before, on tricky sections, I would look right down at my tire practically...this time, I made sure to look ahead, find my line and keep my eyes that way and just let my bike roll over the obstacles. I was surprised how this helped me go faster through technical sections DOH!!!!!

Another thing I tried was asking myself if I really needed to brake at certain times or could I get by without braking and keep up my speed. The momentum helped me clear areas without worrying too much about clipping out.

Last thing I tried was making tighter turns(feared this because of clipless) but we went to a trail that was all tight turns and a lot of them to the right...which I have more problems with. But anyway...I kept my body more upright, my pedal up depending on direction and let my bike take the turn...this also seems to have helped. Keeping up the speed also helped me take corners easier.



> I've learned is that unless I want another trip to the ER, I should learn to conquer those obstacles gradually, not to add more armor and wear platforms so I can plan to bail in the middle of it and hope for the best.


haha..I have not added more armor nor did I switch to platforms..or even the platform/clipless pedals....even just a few days going slower and working on my skills has increased my confidence. I still hope for the best on certain areas but so far so good....Still might get armor, but because my budget is limited, I'm more interested in spending the money on a few carbon upgrades...and orange hubs of course.

It was also nice to hear some guys talking about how they rode unclipped on some areas of the trail...I only found one area that it was necessary though.

I appreciate the great tips from everyone...great advice and it gave me the motivation and confidence to keep on....I can't wait till one day I'm looking back on the forum reading about someone trying to conquer the clipless challenge and I'll be at the place in my riding where it's completely natural to clip out!


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## LadyDi (Apr 17, 2005)

I am so sorry for your loss. You are making great progress with the Clipless Challenge. Hang in there!


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## verslowrdr (Mar 22, 2004)

I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. FWIW I call my rides 'Alonatherapy', I really do think cycling helps keep me sane through the hard times.

My sister is currently prepping for a stem cell transplant to treat her leukemia, just had a bilateral bone marrow biopsy yesterday.... CancerLand is taking over our whole family's life, but we hope and pray for a good outcome on the other side of this transplant bit.


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## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

*My thoughts are of you.*

You lost your Mom. I am so terribly sorry. MM


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## xtremewriter (May 21, 2007)

Thanks for your thoughts guys...and verslowrdr.....I'll be thinking of your sister. My mom was given 16 more years of life after a bone marrow transplant 17 years ago. There's hope for many great years of life. Cancer is wicked. I know too much about leukemia...mom had AML the second time around and CML the first.....PM me if you ever need to vent! I


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## Team Pro Laps (Jul 1, 2004)

*Not so fast, Grasshopper....*



Berkeley Mike said:


> It isn't a function of the brand of pedal, nor the number of release directions or having a platform or anything like that; THEY ALL WORK. Relax.:thumbsup:


I have to gently disagree; after using the old Shimano 747s, I bought some low-end, roach Shimano SPDs that I just had to give up on. They were stiff, sticky and couldn't to be adjusted for an easy entry and exit.

I finally got a pair of gently used high-end Shimanos (959s?) and they are still fine and going strong about 4 or 5 years later.

Ironically, the old Shimano 747s are still going strong on husband's bike and they were well used before I ever got them. They just won't wear out. But, I digress.

Some brands (Crank Brothers and Time) have a mark on one cleat; placing the cleat on the correct shoe will ensure an easier release. How do you know the correct placement? Read directions. Shimano has a Multi Release Cleat that releases even more easily than the regular cleats.

The current issue of Mountain Bike Action has a great article on making the change to clipless pedals. Not sure what issue it is; they tend to publish several months ahead.


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## connie (Mar 16, 2004)

Team Pro Laps said:


> I have to gently disagree; after using the old Shimano 747s, I bought some low-end, roach Shimano SPDs that I just had to give up on. They were stiff, sticky and couldn't to be adjusted for an easy entry and exit.
> 
> I finally got a pair of gently used high-end Shimanos (959s?) and they are still fine and going strong about 4 or 5 years later.
> 
> ...


I've got to agree. I've owned some cheaper SPDs that were just awful. I remember having to scrub every bit of dirt out and re-lube them, and then wipe all the extra lube off so they wouldn't attract dirt, and no matter what - they'd get dirty mid-ride and then they'd sieze up and I'd start getting stuck in them or wouldn't be able to clip in.

If you have GOOD pedals (I'd vote for Crank Bros, Time, new, high end Shimano) and they are set up correctly (tension set correctly, cleats secure, and they're in good functional condition, and your shoes are compatible - meaning you might have to cut away some extra rubber with certain pedals) - then yes - it probably doesn't matter which brand you use. If all those things are in place - THEN it won't really matter much which brand you use if you just want basic function.

But I think that a platform around your clipless pedal is vital if you're doing FR/DH type of riding. And that platform needs to be big enough and have enough grip to be useful when you're unclipped. And I think the mud-shedding advantages of some designs are superior to others. And pedals with a lot of float are important for those of us with bad knees. Now I know those things may or may not be important to everyone, and you can have a pedal system that functions perfectly well for you without those features. Do all pedals on the market "work"? Probably. But they're not all the same. And I wouldn't trade my Crank Bros pedals for anything.


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## xtremewriter (May 21, 2007)

Hi again...

Just wanted to let you know that my clipless challenge is getting better. One problem is that I moved on to considerably more technical trails, but I'm getting better at getting out of them without too many problems...Unless I yank right up and well...you know what happens then. I swear I wouldn't of made it up some of the rocky steep hills recently without them...in fact I know I wouldn't because I specifically remember pulling upward and pushing downward...it was so hard to get up, I thought my gears had broken or something...(it hadn't). 

Frankly, I'm clipping out so often was starting to wear me out....ya know...clip out, put food down, get over crap, clip back in...repeat....It's just easier to go over it and chance falling then doing that over and over.

I'm still plugging away though...not as much riding time due to the recent circumstances  which I'm just taking day by day...and work and my last semester at UW madison..18 credits and then I'LL BE DONE!! YEHHHHH...maybe I'll get graduation money for mango king bike parts hehe....


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