Bit of a long one (and strange one)
I've been cycling for many years and Audaxing for last 10 or so. I average around 12,000 Km's a year commuting, Leisure and DIY's. I also ride the rollers indoors quite a bit during the spells of poor weather, but I ride in the safety of the hallway in case of mishaps, although i can ride clipped in for an hour or more without any issues.
Since Dec last year I've been having a very strange feeling like I'm about to fall off the bike! First time it happened i was on the foot of a climb I've done hundreds of times without issue. This time as I started on the main bit i had to unclip as I thought i was going to fall over to the left. I put it down to going slower than normal so went back down to the start and tried again, same thing happened, had to unclip then complete the rest of the climb with the arch of my left foot on the pedal (M520's).
I've been out once or twice since when the weather has allowed, It's been mostly icy and snow here for a while but when I did get out i just could not clip my left foot into the pedal at all, even on the flat roads! As soon as i tried to do it or had my foot in I immediately felt if i was going to fall over, this feeling is really bad if i'm on any sort of incline, even 2% ones! So the only way i feel even remotely comfortable on the bike is if I ride with right foot clipped in and using the the arch of left foot to pedal, not good!
I suffer from chronic and very severe ear infections and have 2 perforations of the right ear and I'm completely deaf in the left ear, but I've had this for a few years now with no effect to my riding. Paid a visit to the doc's who said it might be something similar to vertigo so he gave me a some tablets but all they've done is give me chest pains!
Then i bought some dual sided pedals, flat one side clip in the other, Went out today wearing my MTB shoes with a flat sole and recessed cleats, right foot clipped in and left on the flat pedal surface and i just couldn't put the ball of my left foot on the pedal without this fear of falling over, This was really bad at slow speed or starting from lights etc. Just completely gripped by a fear of falling off or over. I had to get off and walk up a small hill less than a mile from home, despite my foot not being clipped in I just felt that i wasn't going to make it so came to a complete stop and couldn't get going again. Got home set the rollers up and using the same bike and gear managed half an hour with both feet clipped in!
I'm now beginning to wonder if it's psychological problem? or riding indoors to long? or if it is indeed an inner ear problem.
(and i don't want a trike!)