First time using clipless pedals...Yikes

Yesterday I rode my bike outside for the first time this year. I know. I know. It has been a spectacular spring. You are probably wonder what was the hold up. Actually, I’m a big chicken. I was afraid to ride my new bike with the clipless pedals. Didn’t want to wreck and not be able to get my foot unclipped.

I finally got up the nerve yesterday because I had really just run out of excuses. I made my oldest son stand next to me while I got on the bike and started to pedal. I went around the cul-de-sac a few times and clipped and unclipped my shoes several times. So far so good.

I felt confident enough to take my bike out for a real spin. I grabbed my cell phone, just in case, then told my husband and kids to send help if I’m not home in an hour. That would mean I was spralled out on the highway somewhere. I did two loops of 6.5 miles each on a course used for the annual Willoughby Lions Club Biathlon. It is about a 10th of a mile from my house. It is a nice loop and many bikers use it to train.

However, there is one spot at the intersection of Reeves Road and Lakeshore Blvd where it is a very steep incline. It is also a very busy intersection – especially with the construction rerouting traffic to those roads. I was stopped at the red light and unclipped my right foot (I’m better with that foot). OK. When the light turned green is where my troubles began. I could not for the life of me get my shoe clipped back in. I tried 4 times before it worked. I almost gave up and just walked my bike up the hill. Finally – success.

So I didn’t go all out because I just wanted to get familiar with the feel of everything, but I was averaging about 16mph and I did get up to speeds of 24 mph. That is so much better than on my mountain bike where I averaged about 13mph in the two sprint tri’s I did last summer. I know I will improve as my confidence with my equipment grows.