Well, I finally did it, I went Clipless today...
I got my Felt Road Bike back yesterday after a major tune-up, it's first after around 300+ miles....
I went out for a 10 mile ride today, and decided to drop by my LBS to thank him for doing such a great job, he was busy with other Customers so I decided to have a look at the Pedals...and asked him to screw a pair of Clipless on my Bike...
Then I realized I have to get home, I was 5 Miles away, 5 miles of busy roads
Anyway, we all have to die sometime, so I went ahead...
He put the Pedals on, put the cleats in my shoes, gave me some basic instruction and off I went into a busy Parking lot to practice...
I'm really stoooooopid sometimes....
Anyway, not only couldn't I get clipped in for ages, when I was I really struggled to clip out....so I went back to the shop....
When I got there my LBS Guy was talking to someone who had just rode up on a VERY spendy looking Bike...
They asked me how I got on, I just shook my head...
So the Guy who had just rode in said "OK, get back on the Bike, let's have a look"
He asked me to take my shoes off and stand in my normal position, my Toes pointed outwards..."So I'll set the Cleats so that when you clip in your Feet are in their normal position" said the Guy...
So he took my shoes into the workshop and I said to my local LBS Guy "Wow, he's very helpfull huh"
My LBS Guy told me "Yeah, he's one of the VP's of Shimano, North America" I then remembered their HQ is in Irvine, So Cal, pretty local....
So I'd like to thank Shimano, North America, for their excellent Customer Service!! There was no need to send a VP down on his Bike on a Saturday morning to adjust my Cleats and answer all my questions....this is waaaaaay beyond good Customer service in my Book...he was a very nice Guy and obviously very knowledgable...
But on a serious note, it's great to think that the People from Shimano are real Cyclists and love it as much as we all do...this Guy was telling us he did a Century on thursday, a 30 mile mountain Bike ride on Friday and there he was riding on Saturday, he knows my LBS Guy very well apparently...
But I rode home, 5 miles on a busy street, trying to watch the Traffic and saying over and over "Clip-out...Clip out"
I was happy to get home, now I need to take everyone's advice, practice on grass, clip in and out at least 60 times before going on the Street....again....
It would be great to hear other Riders' first time experiences, was it a piece of Cake or a near death experience?