Cycling for Noobs

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EvilPixie Aug 2020 9:56am, 17 Aug 2020 18,317 posts	EvilPixie fraggle I no idea what you mean I would never plonk in front of cars! (shame face) The longer the ride the further away from a junction I unclip as my brain needs longer to work out what to do! LOL
MazH Aug 2020 10:14am, 17 Aug 2020 10,916 posts	MazH I wore the shoes on my 30 miler saturday to make sure they were a comfy shoe for a lengthy time, and the stiffness seem to help. Plus they are more closed in, not mesh fronted like trainers, so my feet were less ventilated, i.e. not cold!! I was suffering from cold feet.
LindsD Aug 2020 10:14am, 17 Aug 2020 39,800 posts	LindsD In the days of cycling proficiency we were taught to always put left leg down. HOwever, I@m confused about the looking over shoulder bit then - does that mean you can't look over your right shoulder? And what do you do then? Wouldn't you want to do that before pulling away? Or am I getting confused with driving a car now? confused face
EvilPixie Aug 2020 10:18am, 17 Aug 2020 18,318 posts	EvilPixie I guess if you are stopping and leaning to the left to unclip then looking right might make you want to put your right foot down
um Aug 2020 10:21am, 17 Aug 2020 3,144 posts	um LindsD - I found (twice) that looking over the same shoulder as the foot that's clipped in leads only one way ... once your (well, my) weight is over that side with no support, it's a sudden downward fall. No matter how firmly your other leg is planted on the ground. At least unless you've angled the bike well to the side while you look round.
LindsD Aug 2020 10:24am, 17 Aug 2020 39,801 posts	LindsD That does make sense. I think I'll need to try it.
MudMeanderer Aug 2020 11:13am, 17 Aug 2020 1,933 posts	MudMeanderer I'm not sure why which side the kerb/pavement is on should alter which leg you'd unclip with - unless you're dismounting I'm not sure I'd want to be close enough to the kerb for it to make a difference.
GordonG Aug 2020 11:22am, 17 Aug 2020 8,278 posts	GordonG MM, I always think/fear that the side I unclip (or, fail to unclip) on is the side i'm more likely to have more weight on. If I fall over i'd rather hit the curb than fall in front of a moving vehicle. I don't actually put my unclipped leg down on the pavement, just the side of the pavement. but maybe it's just poor unclipping technique on my part. I cycle 3000 miles a year and I still worry about it!
EvilPixie Aug 2020 11:32am, 17 Aug 2020 18,319 posts	EvilPixie I know that being clipped in on a hill is beneficial but apart from small ones I can't not unclip! and if I do stay clipped in and get to the top I do a victory cheer!
MazH Aug 2020 11:34am, 17 Aug 2020 10,918 posts	MazH I was swinging my ankle outward for practice on my cycle saturday... Even that feels a bit weird... but will let you know how i get on