Newbie bike fear a year later.

I wrote this in my blog, and figured I would share it as there have been a number of threads about riding near cars, clipless pedals, riding aero.....

Whilst riding I was thinking of how much I have learned this year, how much I have changed....
A year ago I was doing spinning class as the beginning of my training for the biking portion of triathlon.  I did not even own a bike.  I used clipless pedals for the first time - starting with that class.  It was October when I bought my P3C - though I did not ride it outside - I rode it in a class at Landry's on a trainer - where I got used to the Look pedals.  By mid November I bought  road bike - and did my first outdoor rides with clipless pedals - and of course my first falls....I was terrified to ride on the roads with cars and tried to stick just to paths (that partly goes back to an accident 3 years ago but I digress).  I had horrid bike handling skills.  My friends would see the bruises on my legs and ask what had happened and I would nonchalantly answer oh just a clip fall - they were a regular occurence.

The winter riding indoors made me strong, but on a trainer.  I learned how to take my bike apart to pack it for travel - and put it together again.  The first time I did this was about one month before my first triathlon - I took the bike with me to florida and did my first rides.  Aero was HARD - I did not change gears, I did not MOVE once I was aero  There was no drinking water....I was petrified and as a results I ended up doing that whole first race on the horns.

Now I have no issues riding aero, I tend not to have clip falls (but not never....) my bike handling skills have gotten pretty good (thank you to NEBC's introduction to bike racing and Wells' avenue crits for that). In general I am comfortable on my bike, no problems riding around cars, and getting bolder about that little space between the cars and sidewalk....some things will always be difficult...I can put my bike together after travel in about 10 minutes and break it down similarly.

I have a long way to go but it is fun to take a minute and think back....

so for all of you struggling right now, I am proof that it gets easier!

Thanks for posting.

 I am glad I'm not the only one that feels like a super chicken on a bike when they get on it the first time.  Everytime I ride, I get better but I know its going to be a bit of work to get me good and comfortable.

Cat, do you remember one of your first rides down memorial drive in clips?  I remember you having to stop at a million lights and cars "buzzing the tower" the whole ride.  You were a wreck during and really pissed off after.  Now, I picture you calmly unclipping while a car buzzes you and kicking its rear quarter panel.

she's a doc..  So a little more expendable $$$ than the rest of us I'm guessing!