I just joined the clipless timber club!

So, after ~6 months of riding my pretty little Trek 1500 I took the plunge and got clipless pedals, Crank Brothers Candies. Did fine on my first ride around the neighborhood, and most of my ride today. But right near the end, at the corner of Page Mill Rd and Junipera Serra for you Bay Area folks, I pushed the button for the cross walk signal and then the next thing I knew I was on the ground with my bike on top of me and my left foot still clipped in. WOOPS! My left knee is a little red and sore, and my front chainring bit my right calf, but there are no scrapes on the bike!

I knew this was going to happen, and of course it was going to happen at a VERY busy intersection for lots of people to see! :rolleyes: My friend who was riding with me was immediately asking if I was OK, and all I could do was laugh! I actually laughed the rest of the way home. I have to say I am pretty proud of my fall! I am a true biker now!

Just felt the need to share....now I just have to get myself psyched up 'cause the same friend says we are doing Old La Honda Road next week :eek:

It is always a most excellent fall if you don't wreck the bike!:) Scars from abrasions are my personal merit badges. Someday I picture myself sitting in the nursing home comparing scars from endo's much like the sailors in Jaws...
Now that was funny!!




karen
applying bacitracin liberally

PA, congrats on going clipless. I know I was really worried when I first got them. I have balance issues as it is (I had a stroke when I was 27) so I was really worried about falling.

I used to go hiking/walking up the hill right near that intersection many years ago. I loved walking up in that area. It's just beautiful. :)

mel

Your entry brought a smile to my face and memories of my own clipless fall from many, many, many years ago. I think we've all done that! My fall was like yours, early in my clipless days but after I'd successfully done a ride and remembered to unclip. In my case, I came to a stop light and totally forgot my feet were clipped in. The bike and I fell as a unit, luckily to the side away from traffic. And it took me a few minutes to get up because I was laughing so hard!

Thanks for the memories, and here's to continued clipless riding with no more falls. Oh, and welcome to the forum too!

--- Denise

Glad to hear your first clipless fall was a "safe" one. I started riding last year and practiced clipping in and out on my bike, supported by the walls of
my apartment's narrow entry hallway--my roommate thought I was a freak! My first fall was also at the dreaded intersection. Thankfully it was 6am and few cars. I blame it on still waking up! Congrats on getting the clipless pedals--you'll notice a big difference. Have fun!
-S

What a great attitude, PA - I look up to you (now that you're back on yer feet:p) I just went clipless for spin classes and will go road-clipless in the Spring. My plan is to practice in the cemetary next door, where only the dead will look & laugh.

Ride on!!

Glad you're liking your clipless pedals! I've been riding for about a year and I still fall every once in a while. And Murphy's Law states that the most spectacular ones will be witnessed by others. There's just no getting around it.

Have fun on Old La Honda. It's going to be a long time before I can make it up that bad boy. :)

I went clipless this summer on my mt bike. I actually bought the bike in Colorado, while visiting my Mom. The first day out, my husband and brother and I rode up to the top of Boreas Pass. Not technical, but 6 miles uphill. As we approached the parking lot on the way down, I went off on a side trail and tried a few log overs. When I got to the truck the guys were waiting for me, and I was so excited, yelling " I jumped a log, I jumped a log". Well I forgot I was clipped in and went down pretty hard. Smacked my helmet, cut my hand.
And wouldn't you know, there standing in the parking lot, are a gang of Aussie dudes finishing their ride at the same time. They looked over at me like I was nuts.
I still have not lived it down.....the guys bring it up every chance they get.

I read the title of this thread as:

I Just Joined The Topless Climber Club!

But I went on to read the first thread about new toys first, and even though I _knew_ it must not have really said topless climber club, I still tried to imagine what that would entail.

Nanci

Welcome to the club. I'm sure we've all done it. I love my Candies and they are very easy to get in and out. I fell after a long ride and was at the end of my driveway and decided to get the mail. I leaned over to open the mailbox and the next thing I know I'm on the ground and my husband is laughing his #$$ off.

Uggh! I haven't had my first clipless fall yet, but I know it's coming. Morgan Hill is a small enough town, too, so there will be at least 5 people waiting at the intersection who know me. I guess I can just tell those non-cyclers, "I'm practicing my roll-overs." and they'll just think I know what I'm talking about.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Nanci

I read the title of this thread as:

I Just Joined The Topless Climber Club!

But I went on to read the first thread about new toys first, and even though I _knew_ it must not have really said topless climber club, I still tried to imagine what that would entail.

Nanci

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LOL - Im sure if there was one of these more men would be in the Timber clipless club.:D

You know what they say... There are those of us who have crashed, and those who will crash.. It's kinda the same thing w/ pedals I think. We all fall at some point!
One day I clipped out, put my foot down and the next thing I know I'm on the ground w/ my bike on top of me?? And yes, I was also at a busy intersection. I still have NO idea how I did it, but my left foot stayed clipped in so it was fun trying to get up! And my chainring bit into my calf as well. I had some good bleeding going. YIKES! In fact I still have the pretty chainring scar to remind me. But the best part.. Once I got the bleeding to stop I finished my ride! :p

Welcome to the club Badger! Been there done that more than once! My best was the day I just fell over - both feet still clipped, hands still on the flats. and of Course it won't happen in the privacy of your backyard - it Must be done for the enjoyment of others!! I have a friend who came unclipped right after takeoff once - she laughed and told me she'd learned that one from Lance Armstrong! (think Tour De France TT!) I'm glad to hear both of you came through it just fine!!

As for the Topless Climber Club - isn't that the team formed by the Assos Womens Bib Shorts?? ;)

"As for the Topless Climber Club - isn't that the team formed by the Assos Womens Bib Shorts?? "



And isn't CorsairMac their premire rider???? All that pointin and shiftin, she sure is MY hero...:D



SAC
just could not resist...typed so fast I actually used my sorta dead left hand.
Your good therapy for this SAC Corsair

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Originally Posted by massbikebabe

SAC
just could not resist...typed so fast I actually used my sorta dead left hand.
Your good therapy for this SAC Corsair

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and that my friend - was YOUR conquered hill for the day!! Glad I could be of service! although we need to change your acronym to SCA=Snow-Challenged Angel

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Originally Posted by CorsairMac

and that my friend - was YOUR conquered hill for the day!! Glad I could be of service! although we need to change your acronym to SCA=Snow-Challenged Angel

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I don't know Corsair, I think she has a bit of the devil in her too. ;) Said with a good Irish Brogue. (Just kidding Karen).

'Tis Fine....:D :D :D :D :D :D :D


The devil still lives in me:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:



karen (SCA)

I started out with clipless pedals, just to get all the new stuff over with at once, and everyone said - "well, you'll fall 3 times and then you'll get it". So after my third fall, I thought "yay - so that's done with!" and proceeded to fall 3 more times. Always at a standstill, usually with the maximum audience possible given the circumstances, and only once ending up with any damage to more than my ego! I think it was fall #4 that occurred on my first ride with TE gals Trek420 and aka_kim - I was hoping to make a good impression - meeting these really nice women who know a lot about riding... and they very kindly gave me "style points" - which was nice!:p

Anybody else here old enough to remember the days before clipless pedals, when wearing cleats meant you had to reach down with your hand and loosen the toe strap to get out of the pedals? Oh, and the cleats were nailed to your shoe. I went over once with clips and cleats when I forgot to loosen the strap. You really had to plan ahead before you got to the intersection. Clipless pedals are wonderful.

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Originally Posted by DebW

Anybody else here old enough to remember the days before clipless pedals, when wearing cleats meant you had to reach down with your hand and loosen the toe strap to get out of the pedals? Oh, and the cleats were nailed to your shoe. I went over once with clips and cleats when I forgot to loosen the strap. You really had to plan ahead before you got to the intersection. Clipless pedals are wonderful.

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Me too! I started with cleats and straps - but my cleats weren't nailed to my shoes. And yes, I did go over once with clips and cleats. And once again with clipless. But I love my clipless pedals, can't imagine riding without them!

--- Denise

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DebW

Anybody else here old enough to remember the days before clipless pedals, when wearing cleats meant you had to reach down with your hand and loosen the toe strap to get out of the pedals? Oh, and the cleats were nailed to your shoe. I went over once with clips and cleats when I forgot to loosen the strap. You really had to plan ahead before you got to the intersection. Clipless pedals are wonderful.

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Funny that you should ask! When I first started cycling in the 60's I got special shoes that had a ridge on the bottom that fit on the pedal, PLUS the toe clips. The shoes didn't fit very well, so I usually just rode using my tennis shoes! Those were the days when I also rode with "sew ups" as they were lighter than "clinchers". Oh the good old days of cycling! OF course that was when all we had were 10 speeds in light road bikes. Other bikes had more speeds but I was too snobby to ride one of "those"!

RE Old La Honda Road- You'll appreciate the power of "clipless" on the climb!
Let us know how you do (My old stomping grounds way back when!!)

Welcome to the club:) It's always good to get that first fall out of the way! After my first fall I actually felt so much more secure on the bike and knew what I would need to do the next time, that I didn't do the first time - like clip out!!!

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Originally Posted by bikerz

... everyone said - "well, you'll fall 3 times and then you'll get it". ... I think it was fall #4 that occurred on my first ride with TE gals Trek420 and aka_kim - I was hoping to make a good impression - meeting these really nice women who know a lot about riding... and they very kindly gave me "style points" - which was nice!:p

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I am SO relieved to hear that Trek420 is kind about this kind of thing. I'll be trying out clipless on the road for the first time, prob'ly together with li'l sister Trek420, in a couple of weeks. Hard to get my 3 falls out of the way in spin class, though I am practicing clipping and unclipping. I've been busy seeing my life in review, just to check whether Trek has anything to take revenge for. I don't think I've done anything particularly nasty. In fact, I even rescued her once when she got a cramp while swimming in a cold lake. Guess I'm about to cash in on that soon.

bikeless in WI

"I am SO relieved to hear that Trek420 is kind about this kind of thing."

Jeepers bikeless, it's me? What'dja ya expect? I'm generally kind to animals and falling cyclists...;-)

"....I've been busy seeing my life in review, just to check whether Trek has anything to take revenge for."

Not that I can think of...hmmm. Reviewing my life...will let you know.

"I don't think I've done anything particularly nasty. In fact, I even rescued her once when she got a cramp while swimming in a cold lake. Guess I'm about to cash in on that soon."

She did! :p Norwegian lakes are coooold.

Going clipless is minor, keep that one for a major favor.

I took a few falls when I first got clipless pedals, most notably in my front room when I took down the Christmas tree. Since then I've had a good month of not falling, and assumed I had this clipless thing figured out. But two days ago I took my worst dump yet, coming to an emergency stop and not getting clipped out. Banged up my knee pretty bad, put on a show for about 30 people and haven't been able to work or work out since. :(
So I guess I still need to think about what the heck I'm doing at all times!!!!

Took my first clipless fall last weekend too. Right at two major intersections. I was ready to come off the bike before my pedal was ready to let me go! I also almost went over a guard rail. I was looking at my rear cassette and did not notice that i was running into the guard rail that protected me froma 20ft. drop. OOPs! Good news, I recovered and went on to fall two more times. Hopefully I am done fallling for the season. I think I will do what the manual says to do and loosen up the clip so it is easier to get out.