Clip in, Clip out! (and try not to fall)

So last week I upgraded my pedals to "clipless" pedals. I had mentioned earlier how I had ordered them (thanks mom & dad for the sweet valentine's gift!). The guys at Aggieland Cycling were real helpful; they installed them for me and let me practice clipping-in on the indoor trainer. I'm still not sure why they call them clipless, as you actually clip into them with cycling cleats. Basically when you clip in you are completely connected with the bikes mechanics. I have used them on about five rides at this point and they are wonderful. You can really feel a difference. More of your energy is properly used with these pedals. Only thing is you ARE clipped in, so you have to make sure you clip out in time for stopping. Which is actually easier than being strapped in, but you do have to make sure you clip out while you still have enough momentum. If you wait too long to clip out you won't be able to twist out and you'll end up on the ground still connected to the bike.

They say everyone falls atleast once when they start. I haven't fallen yet, knock on wood, but my time will come I'm sure. I'm ready though. I already fell in my strapped pedals a couple weeks ago. It was quite embarassing. Picture this, I'm at a red light waiting to for the light to change. When the light turns green I go to crunch on the right pedal to get going, but then my foot slips. Well, my left foot was already strapped in. So I couldn't get my left foot out to break the slip. I ended up falling from a standing start. I'm sure it made everyone's day at the intersection. I would have been laughing at me too if I weren't so busy wondering how the hell that happened. I'm sure there will be more great stories to come!

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