Ha- I had my clipless fall

My dear sweet grandma was kind enough to come watch my girls while DH and I went out for a nice 30 mile ride. We went on a weekday morning, so the trail was almost completely empty.

We came to the end of the trail and stopped to take a sip of water and turn around. And then it happened. I was still clipped in on my left side and I started to tip. I started yanking and yanking...I guess my brain isn't trained enough yet, because I crashed hard. My whole bike fell on top of me and I was still clipped in.

Of course, even though we had barely seen another soul up until that point, there had to be another cyclist turning around at the exact same moment. :p I fell right on my elbow and got a decent cause of road rash all along my arm and bloodied up my elbow and foot. I was cracking up and was so embarrassed. I still couldn't even get my foot out to get up.

I almost fell at a stoplight last week and thought that was "my fall." Let's hope this is the real one and I can move on. :rolleyes:

I had a similar experience recently but didn't get quite as beat up as you did!

Whaddayagonnado? You get up, rub some dirt in it, and ride on :)

I did the same thing on my very first road bike ride. i wasn't even 1 mile from home. I'd been practicing clipping in and out on a trainer and it all seemed so easy....I took my brand new bike on the road..took a few peddle strokes and then tried to stop and unclip. I beat myself up with the bike seat!! :) I also tore the seat on the ground and ripped up my bar tape. I didn't get rash, just big black bruises from the bike seat all over my rear end!!

Hope you heal quickly!

yikes! loosen up those things! your feet should be able to come out with a lot more ease than that!

Mine don't have a tension adjustment, I needed super big shims put in.

lol - yeah, as least DH thinks I'm pretty tough now. :rolleyes: I was all covered with dirt and gravel. I must have laughed for the next two miles thinking about the fact that someone had to ride up at the exact wrong moment. Of course it couldn't have been just us!

I was pulling up, not to the side. When I sort of flick my foot out, they come off pretty easy. I just couldn't communicate to my foot to pull to the side in time. I kept just trying to pull my foot up. Do you still think that means they are too tight? I don't even know if I can adjust the tension - I guess I should figure that out.

some pedals have tension adjustment, but some don't. What kind do you have? I ride Spd's from my mountain bike. I like them so much, I decided to just stick wit those for my road bike too. I use to have speed plays but I had a lot of learning curve issues with those. The SPD's were a hit for me though! I was able to make them really loose while I got my instincts use to the movement (like you mentioned) - then tightened them once I was comfortable.

Yep! I had my first fall too. It was also on a nice 30 mile ride. At about the halfway point, we were coming to a stop. I unclipped my left foot before we completely got there, but I didn't pull my toe all the way out. When I actually came to a complete stop, my brain also seemed to come to a complete stop. I tried to put my foot down, but the front part of the clip wasn't quite all the way out. My brain came out of it's freeze enough for me to slide my clip all the way out as I was hitting the ground. And yes, there had to be someone else there to witness it besides me and DH. And that person wasn't a bike person, so they just seemed to think some idiot didn't think to put their foot down. Luckily I hit the ground pretty easily. My pride was the only thing that took any serious damage. My DH has now nicknamed me Crash though.

As the 50+ folks over on bike forums would say,
"Welcome to Club Tombay!"

Until you are totally comfortable with the pedals, unclip both feet when you anticipate a stop. Eventually you will be able to just unclip one and not loose your balance.

I learned to ride clipless on a mtb. I'll rather fall in the woods than on the road any day! Not that I didn't have lots of bruises...

I second ttaylor's advice. Through many falls, I started clipping out 1 foot in case I needed to stop. My problem was that I'd always then try to set down the clipped *in* foot instead of the clipped out foot and fell anyway. Two weeks ago it dawned on me to clip out *both* feet until I'm more skilled.

Q

yup, been there and done that. I've been using spd's for about a year now. For some unknown reason, I just fall over sometimes. I probably should just unclip both feet but I guess I like living on the edge :)

Welcome to the club :D

Everyone has done it at some point. I would compare it to a Looney Tunes Bugs Bunny cartoon that had the coyote in it... slow motion, hanging mid air off the cliff edge, then falls.

My worst crash I was looking mighty fine wearing a brand new jersey and shoes :cool: on the road. That fineness went into a gravel drainage ditch. Luckily not into traffic. The car that pulled up next to me at the stop sign called out the window, "Hey! Are you ok? Is something hurt?" Nice motorist. I replied, "the thing that hurts the worst is my pride:o... thx for your concern".

The crash was fueled by new cleats. I was an indoor spinner first, and had been used to clipping in with mtb shoes and *multiple* release spd (SM SH-55). Bought some SIDI road shoes at lbs. They put on spd cleats, but I knew something was different. They were *single* release (SM-SH51). My road bike came with mtb pedals, dual sided spd M505s. Things fit "in" the same, but NOT "out". I traded them back out for multiple release and all is well.

My pedals do have a tension adjustment. They are set soft. That, plus the cleat multiple function, very easy to get in and out. Just be weary of hard hill climbs. If you twist your foot too much certain directions, they might unclip. Knock on wood, never had that happen to date.

Ha! My first fall (from not clipping out) was at the first rest stop of the STP (Seattle to Portland ride). I fell right as I pulled in - more embarrassed then hurt. The next time I fell was at the Clinton ferry waiting area - in front of about 50 motorcyles riders - good entertainment for them. I've never gotten to fall without an audience!

Two weeks ago I headed to the bike path on a beautiful day; the last day of my vacation. Some guy that had never been on that part of the trail before wanted to ride with me for a while. Fine. Then he moved on. Later, I found him on the side of the trail with bike problems. As I was pulling over, asking if he needed help, I forgot all about taking my foot out of the clip. I guess I can't talk and stop my bike at the same time. Anyway, over I went, without ever getting my foot loose. Seriously embarrassed; major bruises all over the place from hitting the ground, the bike hitting me. Completely humiliating. Then when I tried to move on, my chain fell off and for some danged reason I couldn't get it back on without his help. More humiliation. I rode my old bike around my neighborhood for a while after that, letting my bruises and my pride recover. It was more embarrassing than when I fell in the parking lot of the LBS during a test ride; forgot to take my foot out of the toe clip.

My first fall was pulling up to the mailbox from a ride thinking I was all cool, cause I hadn't fallen yet and got to cocky thought I was going to pull up there clipped in grab my mailbox, get my mail and ride up to the house.

HA!!!! Not!!!! I pulled up there, missed hadn't unclipped either foot and was going way to slow, and didn't have time to get my feet out. Over I went.
Nobody was around, but you know how you do that thing where you jump up like all is well, and look around to see if anyone was looking. That's whay I did.
I was bruised a little, but mostly my pride, and it definitely gave me an ego check.

Me, too! My first time out on my road bike, I clipped out on the left, completely ignoring the right. Of course, I came up to the stop sign and leaned right, and fell right over! I got plenty road rash and didn't ride again for 8 months. I finally got fed up with my own wussiness and got on that bike and rode a 6 mile loop around the neighborhood. That was earlier in the year. I am now riding about 80 miles a week and planning to do the MS 150 in Sept.

Just get back on and do your thing!

Horror stories...can't wait to get mine. I'm giving myself a month or so before I commit to a set, but I was riding another bike in a trainer with some borrowed shoes. That is such a weird concept to get down. They're telling you how to unclip and stuff, and you're nodding because it seems simple enough. I almost tipped the whole trainer over! Very intimidating.

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Originally Posted by DDH

My first fall was pulling up to the mailbox....

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Oooh, I had one of those slo-mo falls right in front of my mailbox. It was my first *real* fall with clipless pedals. :o Fortunately nobody was around to see me and my bruised ego. ;)

One of my first times out with clipless pedals, I was using my old bike, which looked more like a comfort bike. My chain had come off so I stopped to fix it,or, rather, I made my husband fix it. I tried to get going again in the grass and hadn't shifted into a low enough gear, obviously because the chain was off.
I somehow slipped off the bike and it went down first. I became spectacularly airborn, and landed on top of the bike with the handlebar in my hip. That was every color of the rainbow for a while, and really good entertainment for some folks, including my husband.

I was riding on the trail with my boyfriend the other day and of-course the sun came out and I forgot to put sunblock on! We had to stop at a gas station. I could not get out of my clips and luckily saved myself from falling as I did the "wall grab!" My boyfriend had to come and help me get out and it was pretty hilarious as there were so many people fueling up their cars. I should have known that they only have stuff that is bad for you: cigarettes, beer, candy, coffee, even acne cream but not sunblock! I ended up asking a group of moms at the park to borrow some!:p

RockyRaquel, you have a teenie avatar. :p ;)

I know!! I don't know how to make it bigger! haha!:o

I slid into a big red and white end of road crossing sign last week. Forgot to clip out- didn't fall, and you are the only people who know. Let's keep it that way.

Just did it today. I seem to be good for a couple a season. Today's occurence . . . it was raining steadily. Pedals were wet, wet, wet. Stopped at a stop sign. When I went to clip back in, the shoe slipped off the pedal due to it being so wet. When that happened, I somehow shifted my weight over to the otherside, somewhat uncontrollably, and down I went. It was with to much force to adjust the weight shift and prevent the fall. :o And, of course, an avid male cyclist was RIGHT there to watch it all happen. :rolleyes: Had to ride 10 miles with my seat crooked because I couldn't get it back into place. :D

I did this for the first time last week. I chalk it up to the fact it was early in the morning and I wasn't awake. And old cleats. And... Okay, I was completely uncoordinated and it just happened.

But I have to say, I'm proud of my scrapes and bruises.

Just had my first failure-to-unclip fall this morning. Couldn't find the wrench to loosen up the tension on my pedals, but did ok yesterday so I decided to just go out and ride again and adjust the pedals later. Today my goal was a substantial hill, to see how much easier it would be on the Bike Friday, seeing as the gears are (effectively, what with the small wheels) SOOOOO much lower. But the gearing is also a bit twitchy. Got to that hill, tried downshifting, chain fell off, and couldn't unclip fast enough. I think my unclipping-side ankle is sprained. Also some road rash on that knee and a bruise with a bit of a cut on the opposite shin. But no witnesses :cool:. So I just sat there in the road intertwined with my bike for a few seconds, then unclipped, got up, got the chain back on, and headed back home. Found out next stop that I'd have to switch unclipping sides for now due to the sprain, but managed that. Now I'd better get showered and dressed. Long pants today to hide the bruise so I don't freak out my Mom. (Trek, if you see this ... shhhhh!)

I've been putting off writing this post, since in hindsight it's quite embarrassing, but everyone else on the forum is so good at sharing so here it goes.

It was Memorial Day Saturday, 2006, and I was about 38 miles into a 45 mile ride and new to this type of distance. I had a new road bike, with clipless pedals. Unfortunately I didn't know much about hydration and bike nutrition, and didn't have near the bike fitness that I have today, and I made a terrible decision. I came to a stop sign and thought I heard a car coming. It turns out the car was on a parallel road, but I didn't know that at the time.

I was completely dehydrated and not thinking clearly, and I couldn't decide whether to keep going through the stop sign or stop. The next thing you know, I'm falling over in slo-mo like Artie Johnson on his tricycle on Laugh In (now I'm dating myself).

I heard the snap as soon as I went down. I got myself out of the clip, my friend picked my bike up off of me, and I said to him "I think I broke something, I heard a snap." I got up gingerly but my left ankle was swelling quickly.

I tried to walk it off. The paramedics showed up shortly thereafter and told me in no uncertain terms that there was no walking this off, that I had most likely broken my leg. When I got to the emergency room they confirmed that I had broken my fibula about 2 inches above my left ankle.

In the ambulance, I was so dehydrated that they couldn't start an IV because my veins were so small. I had lots of bruises on my arms from the many attempts.

It was a terrible lesson in hydration and unclipping. I sat in a La-Z-Boy recliner for most of the next 8 weeks, with my leg elevated above my heart, dreaming of getting back on my bike. That is when I discovered the TE forums and all of you fine folks. It took me a while to not be afraid that I would break a bone every time I fell. I actually had an almost identical clipless fall later in November 2006 when I got back on the bike. Slo-mo fall down on the same leg. This time nothing but a bruised ego because I was on a group ride. But it was good to see that I wasn't always going to break.

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Originally Posted by Duck on Wheels

Got to that hill, tried downshifting, chain fell off, and couldn't unclip fast enough.

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I won't tell our mutual Mom that you were downshifting on a climb? ;) Rest and ice, feel better soon. Then we'll work on shifting as you get used to your new gears. New bike, smaller size wheels, new gearing ... it will take time to know where to be on what climb. :D :cool:

I had my clipless pedals (Why you clip in and out of these, yet they are called clipless I'll never figure out) on my bike when I had it on the indoor trainer for the winter. But when spring came, I was recovering from my hysterectomy and getting used to my new road bike on the road,so I decided to put my original pedals, with those buckles, back on. It isn't wise to try to get used to too many things at once.

Now that I'm used to my new bike, Specialized Allez, and loving it I might add, I have been thinking about putting those clipless back on for the actual real-life ride on the road.

Now, I don't know. I have read a lot of stories about people falling with those shoes. How do I decide:confused: I still have a fear of falling since I went flying over my handlebars last year, and I didn't even break anything. I'm such a whimp:D

When this topic comes up I always think, why do we use these things? How many of us really need to be using clipless pedals? Especially anyone new to riding.

I'd like to put in a vote for platform pedals. Don't fall. Don't be glued to your pedals. Don't expect that you have to fall. I don't think it's an acceptable idea at all.

Ha! I just had my first clipless fall this morning. I managed to get used to clipless pedals in my former life without a fall- so I thought I would be fine... but...
I was riding out of my parking garage this morning, one-handed to scan my card to open the gate. Well, the gate didn't open. Evidentally I needed the weight of a car. So I thought I would try and squeeze between the concrete wall and the end of the gate. I realized I wouldn't fit when I was about 2 inches from the gate and then fell right over. I then proceeded to push my bike under the gate to get out for my ride.
Tomorrow I'll just take my bike up the elevator and push it out the front door.

(Edit: This all happened over a length of about 15 feet- so I didn't have much time to react. I slowed down for the gate to open. I just didn't expect to have to stop.)

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Originally Posted by CATWOMAN

(Why you clip in and out of these, yet they are called clipless I'll never figure out)

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Lol, I've always thought the exact same thing.

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Originally Posted by dachshund

I'd like to put in a vote for platform pedals. Don't fall. Don't be glued to your pedals. Don't expect that you have to fall. I don't think it's an acceptable idea at all.

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I second that! I have platform pedals on my mixte and love them! And I feel very connected to the bike, can even stand on 'em. :D

I have platform BMX pedals on 3 of my bikes (Speedplay Frogs on the 4th bike).

BMX platforms (or the critters like the Spider pedals Rivendell sells) are super grippy and you can adjust the grip pattern with the extra pins if you want. I've felt much better with them than with any of the "standard" bear-trap pedals I've used. Especially riding in the rain we occaisionally get here in Seattle.

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Originally Posted by CATWOMAN

I had my clipless pedals (Why you clip in and out of these, yet they are called clipless I'll never figure out)

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I think it's because the "clip" part of "clipless" refers to the original toe clips, and without toe clips then you are "clipless". The thinking is that if you don't have toe clips on your pedals, then you need something to keep your feet attached..... therefore cleats that clip into pedals. The "less" part of "clipless" refers to the absence of toe clips. Have I confused you even more?

I'm on the verge of going clipless this week. :eek:

occaisionally? :)

I think what I like about "clipless" pedals is the being able to pull up part. When I remember to. It's getting rid of my "saddlebags" because of the muscles it works.