Second ride, first fall

I decided to be brave today and rode my bike about 11 miles. I scoped out a "bike-friendly" road on my way to run this morning. I've only ridden on roads once before (and my first ride was entirely within a park).

I fell once at a four way stop. I unclipped my right foot but didn't set it down. Instead I kept moving slowly waiting my turn to go. A cyclist coming from another direction didn't wait his proper turn and I ended up stopping completely to let him through and of course, tilted over the wrong way :o I've got a bloody knee (and I'm sure a nice bruise under that in the morning) and my poor bike got scuffed up (happily not the frame...bar tape took some damage, chipped the little plug that goes into the handlebar at the end, and my saddle got scuffed) but I'm sure it could have been worse. I'm so glad my left foot unclipped as I was going over because if not I would have been stuck under the bike without a way to gracefully get up :D

The one thing about biking that I'm not used to are the hills. When you run, you're working the whole time. On the bike (especially since I'm scared of descents and speed) I'm coasting the whole way down hills and feel like I'm sort of cheating as the mileage goes up.

I almost died chugging back up the hills coming home. I sure did wish my bike came with a triple instead of the compact double! But I made it and can only hope it gets easier from here on out.

All in all, I'm proud I got out there. This whole biking thing is still really scary to me, and I hope I can get more comfortable.

Sorry about your fall and glad there wasn't more damage. When I first began riding clipless the guy at the bike shop told me to always unclip the same foot, always start off with the same foot and make it a habit. That won't help if I'm confused about whether I'm stopping or going, so maybe add "come to a complete stop at all stop signs" until the stopping and going are perfected, along with the clipping/unclipping. Should only take a few outings and then you can do the "rolling" track stand stops that a lot of cyclists seem to do.

I like going fast down steep hills. Now I can't believe how reckless I have been! Fortunately wreck less, too, so far. I know one thing that helped was when I read a post saying to bring my knees in up against my frame, make sure my arms are loose, elbows in, while coming down, and of course hands on my brakes and use both brakes to control my speed. The knees in helped keep the frame of the bike more steady.

Cycling seems like an easy sport to make fast progress in. Best cycling advice I ever got: Just keep pedaling!:)

Hope your next outing helps build more self-confidence and doesn't involve skin on pavement!

Sorry about your fall - but good for you for getting out there! I'm a newbie too - I haven't even tried the clipless yet!

You'll get better in time and you'll feel more confident the more you ride. Definitely don't get discouraged. I fell just a couple of weeks ago myself. I make sure that I unclip one leg (always the same leg) well in advanced if I know I'm going to be stopping or there are a lot of people coming up ahead. I'm still not 100% in the clips but I definitely like the way it feels when I'm clipped in and riding .. just not when I'm coming to stops I don't expect. ;) Also, make sure you check your bike since you fell. I loosened my seat after my fall and didn't realize it until 3 uncomfortable rides later. Check my blog for more info! :D

If it makes you feel any better, my first clipless fall was in the parking lot of the Lehigh Velodrome as skads of brilliant riders gathered for various road rides. They all looked off into horizon as I picked myself up. Later, I discovered a bloody knee under still-perfect tights!

Congrats on getting out there. Many happy, safe miles to ya!;)

LOL My first clipless fall was in my spare bedroom right after I installed them and I couldn't wait to try them out. It was dark outside and I didn't have my trainer yet so I propped myself up against a wall and naturally leaned too far in the wrong direction and DOWN I went with a thud. :D

:o
I did that couple times, too, when I first started riding clipless. Once in front of the post office, and once in my driveway! Embarrassing, but no one was around to see :p

I knocked one of my brakehoods out of position on one of my falls, and it was really challenging to get it back in place w/o unwrapping all of my handlebar tape!

Oooh, is it time to talk about first falls caused by clipless pedals?

I had just brought home my first-ever mountain bike. Actually, not home, but at my aunt's house, which had mini-gravel (foreshadowing) along the sides of the driveway. I was going to use DH, then DBF's, old gloves, but they were in the house and I didn't want to have to take off my shoes, go inside to get them, and come back out and put the shoes on again. (Good thing the helmet was with me, anyway!). So ... how hard could it be, right? I got on the bike, pedaled a few strokes in the driveway, braked to a stop ... and ... well, completely forgot about being attached to the bike. I dunno, it just didn't process, I didn't have any kind of balance, I just ... tipped over. Hand first into the gravel. Which I carried with me in the palm of my hand, just below the skin, for several years before it finally broke down enough to be carried away by my bloodstream.

Adding insult to injury, later that day I rode my first MTB trail. I was the last person in the group (I wanted to be last so they wouldn't see me -- pure foolishness that they shouldn't have allowed, in retrospect). Long story short, I ended up hanging head-first in a creekbed, attached to the bike, unable to get up because that would have required putting weight on my hand, and it hurt too much from the earlier fall. I figured eventually they'd notice I was missing and come back for me. I was correct.

On the plus side, I absolutely never ride anywhere without gloves now ...

I just got my first road bike, and as BeeLady mentions, I'm finding it's handy to choose a foot. My left foot is my "chocolate" foot, the one I most like to start with, so I unclip my right foot before stops, and actually never unclip my left foot. I reverse-pedal it into a good starting position. This way I only have to worry about clipping in with one foot when I get started. Note -- I've been riding clipless on mountain bikes for several years, so this may not be a great tactic for someone absolutely starting on clipless.

Other options -- you may want to find out if your pedals have adjustable tension. If they do, you may be able to loosen them considerably, making it much easier to get in and out. For some reason, shops often don't do this or even mention it when you're buying a bike.

Finally, if clipless pedals really freak you out -- it's okay to go without them. Honest. I rode my mountain bike for a few months with clipless, then realized that I was spending way too much time before every obstacle trying to decide if I should clip in or out, with the ultimate result that I would slow down and end up not even trying the obstacle. So I bought flats with "traction pins" (aka the pointy side of screws sticking out of the pedal for traction and flaying-of-skin) and used those for a while. They gave me some confidence, until eventually I found that I really missed being able to pull the pedal up as well as push down, and I really missed being attached to the bike when rattling down a hill. So I switched back to clipless, and by then they were just right for me.

Thanks, everyone for the encouragement and for sharing your own silly stories :). I was thinking I should come to a complete, foot-down stop at all stop signs even if there are no cars just as a drill for myself. There's just so much to think about, it's a little overwhelming. I've discovered more bruised parts, but am really thankful something more terrible didn't happen. I guess I need to just keep getting out there. I was going to throw the bike in the car and drive up to the park to ride but am proud I just rode there. Of course, I fell inside the park, so there goes my theory about feeling safer there.

Can you find a very quiet stretch of road or parking lot where you can practice? My forum mates here taught me to do that. I call it "bike rodeo" time and head to the quiet park. I am a very slow study when it comes to cycling, and this is my first sport (take up in my mid 40's) so my body's just learning balance & coordination now. Take things at your own speed, you're on nobody's timeline but your own. This is supposed to be fun, and I think if you listen to your inner voice it will say, "hey, it's a good day to try this or start doing that." You'll know you're right by the smile on your face.

When my LBS man found out I was shaky on the clipless thing, he adjusted my cleats so they come out super-easy with the slightest twist. (I use SPD so I can use the same shoes in spin class.) It was more a psychological aid than any thing else - but I felt more secure, so I WAS more secure and smooth in my movements.

Regarding descents, you'll feel like you're cheating less if you keep pedaling. My trainer's pretty insistent on keeping the legs moving on downhills so they stay warm and fluid. I'm just pushing air - no resistance, but I find that I am then more ready for the next hill, which in my neck of the woods, is just a breath or two away.

Relax and enjoy, relax and enjoy, and let your skills build in a natural, organic way. :) You're doing great!

Yes, I think until you are very comfortable with the bike and the pedals, you should come to a complete stop whenever it's required by law. As you gain more confidence riding very slowly while you're looking someplace other than where you're going (i.e., very far down both sides of the intersecting road), then you'll want to roll through the stops. But for now, don't even think about it and don't worry about what the other people in your group are doing.

Indecision will get you every time. That's how I fell in the middle of a busy intersection last month :eek: "Are we going?" "Are we stopping?" Too much attention to what the rest of my group was doing (especially the one guy who will just ride through any freakin' thing), and not enough commitment to my original decision to stop, and in the process neglecting to downshift, and a steeply crowned road, and next thing I'm lying on my side with cars hauling it down from 45-50 mph :eek: including a cop from whom I got a well deserved lecture and luckily not a ticket :eek: :eek:

For now, I would recommend to err on the side of caution when deciding whether or not to unclip, as you get more confident, you can coast slowly until the light turns, or even come to a stop and only unclip after a second, and finally, master the track stand (never tried but have seen it done).

The compact double will get you up anything up to and beyond 20% incline (that's 20 meters elevation gain on 100 - maybe the US does it differently). It's a matter of strength, which will come.

It also depends on what cassette you have in back. I have an 11-27 Shimano now, [used to have a 12-29 - Campy - which is the one that got me up 20%] and will get a 12-28 SRAM if it works with Shimano, which it is said to [Shimano ends at 27].

Last weekend I just went on my first ride outside this year and was being reintroduced to all the wonderful things (being outside, feeling fast unlike on the trainer,etc) and all of the not-so-wonderful things (i.e. the HUGE pot holes, stupid drivers) and the clipless came right back to me! So no worries--once you learn it once and you'll be fine :D Those injuries are an investment for future prevention ;)

Anyway, I always unclip my left foot because I find it awkward to begin my pedaling with my left foot. I prefer my right foot to get going on my bike :) I did ride with a guy, however, who always unclipped his right foot but he wasn't left-handed so I guess it's just a matter of preference with what you feel most comfortable.

My left foot happens to be my less coordinated foot....between the two, it's the last one to clip in....always.

I started out on SPD and now I have LOOK pedals. I loooooove LOOKS :) I have kind of a wider foot and so they help distribute the hot spots :) They have a counter weight so they never are the wrong side up.

Surprisingly, I have never had a clip-related fall. I attribute it to being coached by a more experienced rider :D I've had close calls but my only really bad fall was a consequence of being a newbie and riding with someone else. I tapped her back wheel and fell. I can't even remember the fall I just remember freaking out because I knew I was going to hit her and then I was on the road.... :eek: :confused:

Anyway, good luck with your clipless pedals! :p My favorite practice exercise is to go around the block and stopping at each corner. That way, you know when to expect to stop (UNLIKE traffic lights! :mad:).

Happy clipping (and unclipping)!

Wow...OakLeaf...that seems so scary!

I've had a couple of close calls where i've unclipped my left foot but for some reason wanted to step down with my right. Thank god there was a little wall and my boyfriend to grab on to, otherwise I would have gone down! Also, i've had times when I had to stop suddenly and I manage to unclip fine, but then my cleats slide over the concrete and I end up looking like a wobbly mess.

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Originally Posted by F8th637

LOL My first clipless fall was in my spare bedroom right after I installed them and I couldn't wait to try them out. It was dark outside and I didn't have my trainer yet so I propped myself up against a wall and naturally leaned too far in the wrong direction and DOWN I went with a thud. :D

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LOL! :D It was a dark and stormy night.......

Well, I did a brilliant fall when I was coming to a stop by the mailbox in front of my house. I didn't unclip fast enough and I had one of those slo mo falls. :o

My second most memorable fall was when I was clipped in and happily spinning on the trainer. Then I stood on the pedals to jam and my trainer gave way and I had a slo mo fall in the bedroom and remained clipped in. I tell ya, if it can happen, I'll find a way. :p :rolleyes:

when I am in a jam, I usually pull both feet out of the clips at the same time. That burst of adrenalin has never failed me. But when things are calm, I always unclip the same foot. I unclip more than i have to, because i do not believe i have that many falls left (I have osteopenia), better to be prepared in tough places.

At least you weren't like me the other day. I went to reach for my water bottle and stupidly forgot that my left foot was still attached (I already took my right foot out) so I ended up losing my balance in the process and fell over at a 4 way intersection for all to see. I bet I got some laughs :) But this was also my first time using the clipless pedals. The sad thing was that I wasn't even moving and that I already had one foot on the ground lol. I have bruises to remind me of my stupidity.

If you keep at it, clipless pedals will become second nature. I can't ride without them anymore. If I do, my feet lift off the pedal and THEN I'm in trouble!

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Originally Posted by tulip

If you keep at it, clipless pedals will become second nature. I can't ride without them anymore. If I do, my feet lift off the pedal and THEN I'm in trouble!

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Me too, tulip! I cannot imagine riding on flat pedals now. It is amazing how it becomes second nature.

The first time I ever tried them - with SPDs - I was standing completely still. I clipped in with my right foot, had my left foot solidly on the ground, and fell over to the right....on the ground....in front of a bunch of college guys (including my embarrassed son). I came away with a wonderful chainring bite on my calf. I claimed it was a bear....:rolleyes:

:o I was on a trail with hubby doing a 20 ride and Enviromental warden in his car was coming toward us. He pulled off the trail and left plenty os room for us to ride on by. So far so good, right, WRONG. My caring husband:rolleyes: who was ahead of me decides that he's going to stop because he wants to be safe, (how sweet, right, WRONG) I was right behind him with no time to unclip or stop. So I plow into him and fall gracefully to ground, hubby is fine. Was I hurt, no, was my husband laughing at me, YES, so wan't the warden as he drove past us. Good thing I can laugh at myself, to.:o

Effy: LOL... that's kind of how I had my first fall, too. Guy I was following flatted, we slowed, and he slowed faster than I did.. I unclipped and quickly leaned the OTHER way. Fell straight onto the road, in front of an SUV. Lucky, the SUV driver had better relfexes than I did!

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Originally Posted by IFjane

Me too, tulip! I cannot imagine riding on flat pedals now. It is amazing how it becomes second nature.

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For me it's the opposite--I use flat pedals, can't imagine riding clipless!! Especially with the amount of stop-and-go involved in a lot of my riding. The other day I was riding home from some errands and slid on a patch of sand; I was able to get a foot down quickly and avoid crashing. If I had been attached to the pedals, it would have been a crash on a fairly busy street instead of just an embarrassing slide! No thanks.

LOL;) It's is amazing that we fall in the most unusal places and circumstances. Embarassing, very much so, the last time I don't think so. I have a feeling that I have plenty of falls ahead of me. :D:D

OMG, and I thought I was the only who ever fell off a bike when it was stationary! I feel so much better! :-) (Didn't have it mounted in the trainer securely enough, it shook loose and off I fell, talk about feeling like a dork!)

Thanks for the smiles! BTW - I'm still on the plain ol' pedals, maybe will work my nerve up to go back to clipless but not for awhile....