Last week I went on a 20 plus mile bike ride with the Westerville bike club. When I got there it was like when you were little and everyone else lost their training wheels and you still had yours on. Everyone had clip in pedals but me. No big deal I thought, I’ve done three triathlons without them and have ridden with friends without them just not very fast.
The ride went really well. I rode with a very beginner group. The other two girls were brand new to bicycling and the one girl’s father lead us on the ride. I learned more about switching my gears during the ride. At one point the father, Dave, tells me I should really get clip in pedals. I wanted to say “ya think?” But I said I just ordered shoes and would get the pedals soon. Our group stayed together at a nice pace and finished the 20 or so miles in 2 hours.
I bought my pedals and shoes over the weekend and the bike shop put the pedals on for me. I knew I would fall when I started riding with the pedals but I don’t think I fully prepared myself. It’s like riding a bike all over again. Once your shoes are clipped in you ask yourself “how do I balance?” I fell once on the pavement and then switched to grass and fell another three times. Then I started to get the hang of it.
The next day I went out and practiced and rode for a bit to get more comfortable. The ride went very well and I didn’t fall at all. Today I rode with the bike club again. I only recognized one person from last week and he rides in the B pace and I ride in the C pace. I started out ok but then I fell behind the C pace. I stopped at a stop sign and didn’t clip out thinking I wouldn’t have to fully stop. Then I fell. I got back up and continued on and two people stopped and started after I passed them. They then passed me and I lost my map when I pulled it out. I turned around and headed back for my car. When I went up a hill on the way back I wasn’t in the right gear so I clipped out before I could fall and walked up the hill. Then when I got back to my car I forgot to clip out and and fell.
I’ll try again next week with a way to attach my map to my handlebars but if I fall behind I plan to keep going on my own.
