I bit the dust!

[bonnie526]

I introduced myself two (or so) weeks ago and confessed my silly falling-in-the-kitchen clipless story. Well, I've ridden about 50 miles since then without any trouble. I've actually gotten pretty good at getting clipped in (and out). :D

Well, last night was the night. I had planned on going 15 miles. When I got to the 7.5 mile mark I pulled off the side of the trail to get a few big gulps of water (still feel kinda shakey when I drink and ride so I don't do it much). After I stood there for a minute, I decided that I could go ahead to the 10 mile mark and make it an even 20. So, I took off in the same direction I was headed. I made it about half a mile before I came up on a road crossing (I was on the trail, btw.) I hate crossing this road because it bends back and goes over a hill so you can never really tell if something is coming or not. I unclipped early, slowed down to an almost stop, saw that no one was coming and started to cross. As soon as my front tire hit the road, a car popped up over the hill. Now, I could've made it across the road a good three times before it got to me but for some reason it freaked me out. I slammed on the brakes, not realizing that my good clipping skills had me already stuck to the bike and down I went. There was grass just a few feet back but no, I fell in the gravel at the edge of the road and partly on the road. Oddly enough, I don't even remember being on the ground. I've never moved so quickly. I just bolted right back up on my feet.

The lady in the car stopped to see if I was okay. She seemed a little concerned. I think she may have thought I was on drugs or something. Hahaha! People who don't know about clipless pedals have a really hard time figuring out why a person on a bike would just fall over!

I was right next to a trail put-in and fortunately the parking lot was totally empty. The woman in the car was the only witness and I was back up on my feet before she even got very close. So, my pride isn't too damaged. I can't say the same for my knee/elbow though. Some bloody scrapes, a knot and big bruise on each. I was mostly concerned about my brand spankin' new camera and cell phone which were in my jersey pocket. They were both fine though. I sat on the bench near the put-in and wimpered for a bit then I went to get my water bottle and tissues from my bike so I could clean up my wounds. Poor bikey. The brake housing (if that's what you call it) is scratched up and my new seat is scuffed. My pretty new Sidi's are also scratched/scuffed. I was really upset about that...not the blood gushing from my knee. You can see where my priorities are. ;)

Riding back was pretty horrible. I was super tempted to call dh to come pick me up. I wanted to be tough though. The good news is that I was in so much pain from my knee/elbow that the ride seemed pretty effortless and I was bookin'. :D I'm feeling pretty stiff today but I'm gonna try to get in a ride tonight or tomorrow. Dh said that he was proud of me for not calling him b/c he was sure that whenever I had my first fall I'd call him and then demand that we sell the bike. Haha...yeah, I'm kinda wussy like that. I think biking has made me tougher though. And I still love it and can't wait to get back on the horse...as soon as I can bend my knee. :p

[margo49]

Well done.
I called for help in my recent crash 'cos I landed on my head and didn't want to risk what is left of the brain cells after years of gin.
I think the adrenalin carries you thru

[AuntieK]

Awww, Bonnie, sorry about your fall!

It's true about people not knowing about clipless pedals. Once I tipped over as I was turning around to stop next to a friend. I couldn't get my foot out of the pedal in time, and over I went. We we out near a boat harbor at the time, and there was this guy camped there. I didn't realize he was there until I hear this roaring laughter and him commenting to someone in the trailer that he was laughing at some girl who just fell over on her bike. I just looked at him and said, "Hey, no making fun! I don't see you out here trying to ride your bike!" He continued to laugh and asked what I was doing. So I explained to him about the clipless thing and he said that he had no idea and now understood why I had tipped over. I think the guy was totally drunk--and it was only about 8 am!

Hope you're feeling better soon!

[Bad JuJu]

Well, the fall sucks, but it sounds like it made you stronger (remembering that old saying, "Whatever doesn't kill you....). Good for you for finishing your ride on your own, since you felt well enough to do it.

Keep your wounds slathered in neosporin--my doc's nurse says this will help it heal faster and reduce scarring, in addition to reducing the risk of infection. Hope you're back on your bike soon!

[Bikingmomof3]

Bonnie,
I am sorry to hear of your fall. I am pleased it was not worse and the driver stopped to be certain you were okay. I am glad you felt well enough to get home by yourself. Heal quickly!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

As a new rider of only about a month now, I make a habit of always stopping and WALKING my bike accross any road/intersection that I feel at ALL nervous about. When my biking skills have improved and I don't do the wrong thing in unexpected situations, that's when I'll start riding the more iffy crossings. Walking across a few of these tricky roads makes me feel smarter and safer at this point in time.

[Cassandra_Cain]

Hey Bonnie - I'm really sorry to hear about what happened. That is really unfortunate and a major downer.

Practice certainly helps a ton when it comes to clipless pedals, but all it takes is one time for you to slip up and you could have serious consequences - particularly when dealing with traffic. I take extra, extra time and space in busy street crossing while clipped in - it isn't a guarantee, but at least I feel as if I can't clip in on the 2nd or 3rd try, I can still get across.

Hope you get better real soon - I was hit by a car a week ago today - it is no fun at all!

Best wishes ;)

[Dr. Liz]

Sorry to hear about the crash. But don't feel too bad. It's happened to a lot of us. Fr'instance, about a month ago, I came to an intersection, thought I could slow down and balance until the car passed, and well, I didn't. I fell over, right at the intersection. Similarly, the people in the car stopped, asked if I was okay ("I'm good, but my ego is a little bruised"). Luckily DH was far enough ahead of me that he didn't actually see it, and so he couldn't harass me about it. The big lesson I've learned? Don't panic. You've always got more time than you think, and as soon as you panic bad things happen. Of course, I learned this lesson the hard way (well, okay, it took me a few times, as I'm a bit of a slow study....:rolleyes: ).

Don't worry about it. You'll get it. (If you're feeling nervous, practice a little in an empty parking lot before you go out on your ride.) And good for you for finishing the ride, and even better for wanting to get back out there!!

[Kano]

Bonnie -- OUCH! I'm sorry that happened! But, congrats on your resolve to get yourself home again! I hope that your "Owies" don't slow you down for long (my grandson would kiss 'em better for you)

DDH-- I don't think it's different for men/women. It's just new ... So far, the closest I've come to missing clipping out was on the driveway, as I arrived home, but even then, I had more room/time than I thought at first when I remembered! I was mighty concerned too, reading about how one "must" fall as part of the learning process, didn't want to fall and get scraped up, believe me! I still don't! Hemmed and hawed the purchase for several weeks, then decided to do it, but wait until after a "big-for-us" ride. I guess in a way it was a celebration of accomplishing that ride that we stopped and got the pedals on the way home from it. So far, DDH, I've been wondering what all the fuss was about!

Maybe it's like taking the training wheels off when we're kids -- we just know when we're ready ???

Karen in Boise

[emjae]

Glad that , if it had to be, the fall was what it was & wasn't worse. I think the suggestion of practicing, practicing in a parking lot (preferably empty) is really smart. Good healing.

[Saxa82]

Bonnie,

I know what you're feeling, since I just went clipless last week and have fallen 4 times, 3 times on day 1, then once when I thought I was ready to go out on the roads after practicing hours on the trainer/in driveway, but, alas, my brain said no and my body went whomp. My left leg looks like a war zone, with bruises all up and down and my knee has two scrapes, plus I still have scars there from my run in with a NASTY dog at the end of April.

The good news is that things will get better. I just came back from 23 or so miles, no problems. However, I must say that the learning curve does take some getting used to. The traffic thing I am still not up to yet, same with any hairy hills, up or down. As other gals on this site have attested to, as well as my DH, you will learn how to do this and it will become so much easier. I think the more hours you are actually in the saddle will help. A guy my husband rides with, retired and new to cycling, just went clipless and it was hard for him, but he's getting out there and doing it. He and my DH just did 94 mi today, and this older gentleman knew on a truly massive hill that it was just better for him to walk up it than try to contend with clipping out on the way up and risk falling. However, near the top he tried to clip back in and promptly toppled over. But he got back on and continued. So, you just have to keep trying and it'll get better with every ride.

[Fredwina]

Try pedaling with one foot unclipped . I find this helps in sketchy situations.

[pyxichick]

One thing my BF told me when I first started riding is to downshift before you get to a stop. This way you're in an easy gear to start from.

I find that this also helps prevent me from falling over. For some reason, it seems like I tip over more easily when I'm in a higher gear, and I don't have the momentum in my pedal stroke to clip out.

[Bikingmomof3]

As a new rider of only about a month now, I make a habit of always stopping and WALKING my bike accross any road/intersection that I feel at ALL nervous about. When my biking skills have improved and I don't do the wrong thing in unexpected situations, that's when I'll start riding the more iffy crossings. Walking across a few of these tricky roads makes me feel smarter and safer at this point in time.


Lisa,
Being new to clipless and the roads/drivers around here, I think I will take a page from your book and walk my bike across the intersections.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Good for YOU, Jennifer! It's often a better idea to stay on the safe side and give yourself time to become more skillful. There are so many drivers out there who are talking on their cell phones or not paying attention. Probably falling into their path is not the best way to practice clipping out.
I want to stay alive long enough to get really skilled on my bike. ;)

I like to think of it this way as well: I can use lots more practice stopping, hopping off and back on my saddle, and getting pedalling again- it's way good practice for me. Besides, I feel so proud of my beautiful new bike, when I walk it across a big intersection at the red light it almost feels like I'm leading a prancing thoroughbred horse across the road for everyone to wistfully admire! :D :D

[bonnie526]

Thank you all for the kind words and advice. :D

[bigredbike]

I hope you're healing nicely Bonnie. I'm just about healed from my first big tumble on my new clips. Happened about a week ago.

I def. don't think men are any more or less inclined to fall while getting used to be clipped. Actually, it took me a while to get up the courage to clip in because my DH went over like a ton of bricks the first time he was clipped in. It was a sight to behold. He's a big guy on a big bike (6ft 2, 200 lbs riding a 63). At a stop light no less with about 10 cars watching the 'show'. His poor elbow was 3 x the size of normal for a week! :(

The downshifting thing is really helpful. I've been working on that as well pyxichick. I've not fell again and am getting more comfortable but it's just so much to remember -- clips, brakes, balance, shifting, watching for cars, watching the road for debris, signaling. Gah!

I gave a big 'ole dumptruck drive the scare of his life last night as I nearly pulled out in front of him. What can I say, I was thinking of my clips, and of all the other 'minor details'. I will be thankful when it all becomes more automatic, that's for sure.