This weekend was cleats weekend! I had the shoes, the pedals – all the pieces that are required. I was the pinnacle of ‘all the gear and no idea’.
The pedals were attached, the shoes were on – I was poised, having been rowing all morning, on the edge of the road absolutely bricking it! So I did what anyone would do… I launched myself off and found the point that I was meant to be attached to! Feeling immensely proud of myself I sped off up the road feeling great on the bike.
Traffic lights came and went and every time I managed to get myself off and on again very efficiently. I met a bunch of guys at the traffic lights also on route to Richmond Park who found it very entertaining that every time I clipped in successfully I would grin and before that the concentration level on my face was intense with my tongue stuck out until I was clipped.
After the laughter had subsided they did provide some good tips, which included always taking your left foot out first so you don’t fall into traffic.
Once in Richmond Park I went off with a new lease of life under my feet, only to have a young girl jump into the road where there was me and a car! Having to emergency stop, which on a road bike is tricky, I realised I couldn’t move my feet which must have looked hilarious as I was sitting there desperately wiggling my feet. Only then did it dawn on me I was going down hard and so was my bike.
Thankfully the car managed to stop before the girl and I only hit the front of the car mid-fall. The car owner, poor bloke, was a bit shaken up to say the least, so I gave him one of my power bars as he looked like he needed it.
I have to admit, I walked the next mile to the café to have a rest and get some nerve back again.
So all in all pedals seem brilliant and Chris did a great job of putting them on! My ‘crash’ course on using them got rid of the fear of falling off, so hopefully I will now get better at releasing my feet!
Another bonus, least now I look like I know what I am doing and am out of normal pedals…
