I finally switched to clipless and only fell once, but am still scared

[roshelleuop]

I finally switched to clipless pedals!!! Yahoo!!!! I went on my first ride yesterday and only fell once. Luckily, it was on a nice grassy spot and not a gravely hard concrete intersection. Also, I increased my average speed 1.5 mph, so I'm happy about that.

I think the reason I fell is becuase when I couldn't get my right foot out, I started to panic and pulled up and we all know that doesn't work. I actually lauged about it becuase everyone says you always fall once. It can't be all that bad to only fall once out of 20 miles with several stop/go intersections. BUT, I'm still kind of nervous about riding again. My HB keeps telling me soon it will become second nature, but when????

About how long does the nervousness last? I am terrified to fall on concrete and really do some damage to either my knees, let, elbows, etc.

Thank you all!
Roshelle from Milwaukee

[kaybee]

Congrats on going clipless! Now that you have the first fall out of the way, you'll be fine, although there are no guarantees you won't fall again (sorry). For a while, I had a 50% average -- I would fall half the time I rode! I've fallen on the side of the road, in middle of an intersection, and only once in a grassy spot, and I've never had any injury worse than a bruise or a scraped knee or elbow or something. Fortunately, the worst bike damage I did was a scrape on a saddle that I hated anyway. Falling occasionally is part of riding. You'll get more and more confident every time you ride, and pretty soon you won't even think about it, you'll just do it. So, keep practicing!

KB

[morsecode]

I had a spectacular fall (from a standstill ) b/c I couldn't get my foot out of my toe-clip ...
I have some shoes and clipless peddles on order. I am SO looking forward to trying them.

Keep riding with the new peddles, you'll get used to them!
If you are really nervous about falling, maybe you can change your routes for a while to go on bike paths that are flanked my grassy areas... just an idea

[bcipam]

OK just understand - even with experience you can fall. I know many a long time rider - long time clipless user (including myself) who, in a moment of forgetfulness and panic, has fallen. But... really clipless pedals are just so much safer to use then cages and after a while it will be so automatic/natural, you won't give it a second thought. Something to remember, if you know you tipping over, relax, keep arms and knees in and just roll with the fall. Prevents broken wrists and collarbones.

[Deb76]

When I first started using the clipless pedals I would look ahead and anticipate upcoming stops such as stop signs, heavy traffic, etc and while approaching that "have to stop" area I would keeping telling myself over and over again in my head "I am attached, must clip out" and I would make sure to clip out well before I came to a complete stop that way I didn't just stop and tip over while still clipped in. For some reason just looking far ahead and telling myself "I am attached, must clip out" over and over again in my head really seemed to help me a great deal. Congrats on switching to clipless pedals, they really are great and help with climping and even on the flats as you can pull on the backstroke of your pedaling.

[deena]

I got a big from a friend that had SPD pedals, so I, clueless newbie, went to the LBS looking for shoes. The guy was really helpful and convinced me that clipless was the way to go, so I did. A couple weeks later I went back for something else and his first question was, "So how many times did you fall?" We both laughed hysterically, and I felt tons better for *only* falling twice (so far).

-Deena

[Pascale]

OMG - now I'm terrified to change bikes! LOL - the pedals I have aren't clipped or clipless, they're just old-fashioned pedals. Until a few days ago, I didn't realize there was anything else!

[fatbottomedgurl]

I use clipless on my mountain bike. I used to be petrified of not getting out in time, so I would keep one foot unclipped on the downhills and really steep uphills just in case. But I worked and worked at it. I realized today as I was tearing down some rocky twisty downhill with switchbacks that I stay clipped the whole way-- they help me maneuver better and they even kept me on my bike when I should have bounced off (oh, for full suspension...)

[spokewench]

The question is this? What are you scared of? If you are wearing a helmet and you fall because of clipless pedals, you are only going about 1 mile an hour when you fall! The odds of hurting yourself seriously are very minimal!

A little scrape or a bruise. Those are just marks of Bike Honor! You will love those clipless once you are used to them.

[Pascale]

The question is this? What are you scared of? If you are wearing a helmet and you fall because of clipless pedals, you are only going about 1 mile an hour when you fall! The odds of hurting yourself seriously are very minimal!

A little scrape or a bruise. Those are just marks of Bike Honor! You will love those clipless once you are used to them.

Well, maybe that's part of it. Falling is always scarier if you've never done it, and I've never fallen off a bike. And I suppose maybe with a helmet I'd have more confidence. I know I'm going to get completely blasted for this, but I don't currently wear one (I don't wear one on my horse either, it's not an adjustment I've yet made). It's at the top of my "list of things to buy". No lectures, please - there's no point - I"m getting one asap. Now I just have to figure out how the bike is more dangerous than the horse.

[bcipam]

Not lecturing BUT... please do not do any more rides until you get a helmet. I don't care of you just ride in the street outside your house or on a bike path - there are chances of getting hurt - be it you just fall because of the pedals, someone runs into you, your bike has a mechanical, or you are hit by a car... one head injury is one injury to many!!!!!!!!

And yes you should be scared to ride!!!!!!

BTW - cheap helmets are just as good as expensive helmets but protecting the noggin - OK they maybe be heavier and have less air vents and maybe don't come in pretty colors but there's just no excuse not to have bought your helmet first thing.

OK, I did lecture but hopefully you understand I care you don't get hurt.

[Pascale]

Not lecturing BUT... please do not do any more rides until you get a helmet. I don't care of you just ride in the street outside your house or on a bike path - there are chances of getting hurt - be it you just fall because of the pedals, someone runs into you, your bike has a mechanical, or you are hit by a car... one head injury is one injury to many!!!!!!!!

And yes you should be scared to ride!!!!!!

BTW - cheap helmets are just as good as expensive helmets but protecting the noggin - OK they maybe be heavier and have less air vents and maybe don't come in pretty colors but there's just no excuse not to have bought your helmet first thing.

OK, I did lecture but hopefully you understand I care you don't get hurt.

I understand, and thank you. And of course, there's always a chance of getting hurt (I'm considering helmets in the shower). I wonder if I can wear the biking helmet on the horse as well, cuz the horse helmets are heavier and a total PITA.

[roshelleuop]

Thank you all for your kind words of support. It gives me alot of confidence that I'm not the only one that has fallen and even more confidence knowing that it will get better!!! Thank you!!!!

Spokewench - I really liked when you put it in perspective and said you are only falling a few feet and at only 1mph. How bad can I really hurt myself? A bump or a scrape is nothing!!! Thank you!!!!

Pascale - I own both a bike and a horse. I will admit that I don't like wearing my bike helmet and many times, I don't, but I know I need to get better at it. I need to take the lessoned learned from the other folks that have experienced a fall. But I wanted to tell you, no matter what the weather or temp I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS wear a helmet when riding my horse, you should too! They are crazy and you never know when a rabbit or some stupid leaf will scare them. Yes, I will also listen to my wisdom

Thank you ladies!!!!!!

[Pascale]

Pascale - I own both a bike and a horse. I will admit that I don't like wearing my bike helmet and many times, I don't, but I know I need to get better at it. I need to take the lessoned learned from the other folks that have experienced a fall. But I wanted to tell you, no matter what the weather or temp I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS wear a helmet when riding my horse, you should too! They are crazy and you never know when a rabbit or some stupid leaf will scare them. Yes, I will also listen to my wisdom

I know, I've come off my mare a number of times. Mostly during lessons, LOL. It's just one of those things -- life is risky, some things are riskier than others. I was a zookeeper for 14 years, didn't wear a helmet there either (but yet knocked myself out silly at least once a year while trying to navigate exhibits). We're never going to eliminate all risk from life. It's a series of unpredictable events.

HOWEVER, I am committed to the biking helmet, if for no other reason than I do want to do some club rides and they are required. So don't worry, friends!

I'm glad you posted about the clipless pedals - I learned a lot from this thread!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Now I just have to figure out how the bike is more dangerous than the horse.

Um, like maybe because you're way more likely to get hit by a car while riding a bike than while on a horse?....