The thing about being a new rider...

[trista]

Is the bruises !!!!

From waist down I am covered in bruises. Holy cow! I look like I've started a tackle football team. Just when I got rid of the bruises from my first fall (aka first ride with clipless pedals), I fell AGAIN because I leaned to the wrong side at a red light . Of course there were a MILLION cars in the intersection. They probably thought I was drunk or something the way I collapsed from a standstill.

Not to mention the leg bruises from near-falls and near-misses. I even have a bruise right on my butt! Highly uncomfortable....

I hope I get a little more graceful with experience, LOL.

[Cataboo]

I dunno. I'm still covered in bruises. but maybe my kayak gave them to me.

[TxDoc]

I hope I get a little more graceful with experience, LOL.

Not sure about how graceful it gets but 30+ years of cycling here, and still sometimes I crash...

[blumensh]

You guys are scaring me! I've been been terrified of when my first crash is going to come. A friend was out riding a few weeks ago with a neighbor who was getting in her last ride before a triathlon and she ended up hitting a groundhog She went flying over the handlebars and ended up with a separated shoulder...and he tells me this the day I buy my bike. Now every time I go out I'm looking for ground hogs!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Blumensh, don't get freaked.
I've been riding for 4 or 5 years now, over 7000 miles I estimate, and I've never gotten a bruise from a fall. In fact, I've only fallen once so far- one rather gentle tipover in an empty parking lot while practicing the first few weeks on my new bike. (I realize i may be jinxing myself now)
I ride in busy traffic in town with multi-lane intersections, long rides on major highways, to the stores in town on errands, and on back country dirt roads- the whole gamut.
From reading this forum over several years, I know my not using clipless has a lot to do with my not having fallen. Of course here's a difference between crashing into something or being hit by another bike or a car, and your everyday clipless tip-over falls. Sometimes there is nothing we can do to avoid a crash, but I've been lucky in that respect.
As to clipless, personally I would be terrified by falling when I come to a stop while riding in traffic with cars all around me. If I ever go to clipless pedals I will put a LOT of practice in first in empty parking lots, on grass, or on barren roads -even if I had to drive to get to a good spot to practice. A lot of practice before I ever would go into traffic with them.
Clipless is a personal decision. I think clipless makes little sense when you do a lot of in-traffic riding with frequent stopping or riding in limited visibility conditions (unexpected sudden stops), and more sense when you do competitive speed riding or long open road rides with few stops. Just my rambling thoughts...

[blumensh]

Blumensh, don't get freaked.
I've been riding for 4 or 5 years now, over 7000 miles I estimate, and I've never gotten a bruise from a fall. In fact, I've only fallen once so far- one rather gentle tipover in an empty parking lot while practicing the first few weeks on my new bike. (I realize i may be jinxing myself now)
I ride in busy traffic in town with multi-lane intersections, long rides on major highways, to the stores in town on errands, and on back country dirt roads- the whole gamut.
From reading this forum over several years, I know my not using clipless has a lot to do with my not having fallen. Of course here's a difference between crashing into something or being hit by another bike or a car, and your everyday clipless tip-over falls. Sometimes there is nothing we can do to avoid a crash, but I've been lucky in that respect.
As to clipless, personally I would be terrified by falling when I come to a stop while riding in traffic with cars all around me. If I ever go to clipless pedals I will put a LOT of practice in first in empty parking lots, on grass, or on barren roads -even if I had to drive to get to a good spot to practice. A lot of practice before I ever would go into traffic with them.
Clipless is a personal decision. I think clipless makes little sense when you do a lot of in-traffic riding with frequent stopping or riding in limited visibility conditions (unexpected sudden stops), and more sense when you do competitive speed riding or long open road rides with few stops. Just my rambling thoughts...

That does make me feel better. Right now I'm using cages. I thought I'd give myself some time to get used to cycling in general and then add the clips. I have a steep enough learning curve as it is (I signed up for a Triathlon on 8/22).

[shootingstar]

I have fallen off the bike 3 times since I returned cycling in 1992. 2 of those times were because of black ice in the winter.

And I average approx. 3,000- 7,000 kms. yearly for cycling. Last year it was over 7,000 kms. I haven't lived in household with a car since 1980 so cycling is transportation, fitness and vacation travel method in a heavy way. I'm not a mountain biker either. Most of my cycling all these years are on paved roads, paths and or hard-packed dirt/fine gravel surfaces.

If it's just cycling around the city on shorter trips with many intersections stops, heavy traffic and pedestrians crossing roads, then clipless may not always be practical daily.

But then I'm not a clipless person.

You know, I just came from spending vacation time 6 days in Copenhagen where there is the highest rate of daily cyclists in the world....tons of women...and alot who aren't cycling clipless.

[Crankin]

I've had some bruises, but hey, that's what I expected. None of them were from clipless falls, of which I had one, awhile after I started using them. Most of them were because of my own lack of skill, resulting in a crash. None of them were from crashing into an object or car (just the road). My most spectacular was when I was in Austria and I had to navigate a curb cut on a narrow turn. I was not accurate in getting back on the path and I went down a ravine, but I must say I was laughing all of the way. I knew I wasn't hurt, so I sort of just enjoyed the tumbling. Got a few scratches from thorns and some road rash on my arm. A quick squirt of the water bottle and my Neosporin that I always have in my bag saved the day. I was more concerned with getting dirt in my Speedplay pedals when I walked out.

[Blue_Fedora]

I stayed with cages for a long while... and at first had a few tumbles with them due to my inability to get the timing right when it came to getting out.

I just switched to clipless in May and did very well on the trainer... and very well in the cul-de-sac near our home... and very well in a flat section of off-street bike path. I had good confidence after all that Then I took the bike out on a real street during the early morning weekend hours and did very well there... UNTIL... until on the return journey I had to navigate a particularly hairy (to me) section of road where there was oncoming traffic (though in honesty the traffic was quite a bit away). Mentally it was too much to handle the traffic, the road, the clipping out... and that was the end of it. Tremendous tumble that resulted in my left knee being terribly torn up and road rash across my left butt-cheek. I finally got myself together and resumed heading back to where my car was parked. Then at a complete standstill with the left side clipped out beautiful and just standing there, I just lost my concentration and leaned to the right and that was all she wrote. I experienced the longest tumble ever... it amazed me how long it took between my "oh crap, I'm falling over" thought and the actual hitting of the ground. Felt. Like. Forever. LOL! So from that one day I was torn up on both sides.

Mentally that messed me up and since then I've only been able to use clipless in the cul-de-sac. DH said it would be damaging to the cranks to keep putting on and taking off the clipless pedals so I have returned back to cages... and I'm very mad at myself. I don't know how I'll ever get back to riding clipless again since it's a mind-thing at this point and sometimes that's the hardest (for me) to overcome

Cycling should be enjoyable in my opinion. When it's not and it's too stressful because of the clipless pedals, I won't ride. I love to ride so for now I'm back in the cages and very disappointed in myself.

Bruises will heal, be patient with yourself and continue to enjoy cycling

[Biciclista]

stay with cages as long as you're comfortable with them. OP, are your "clipless" pedals loose enough? I don't fall much either. You've just been unlucky I think.

[Cataboo]

I only used cages a few times before switching to clipless - I gotta say, cages freaked me out a lot more than clips.

I did have a few of those slow motion topples with clips to begin with - and I haven't had any of those since (last 3 years)

Road biking - I've had 3 "crashes" that in the grand scheme of things weren't really all that bad - one I was clipped in and someone that I was drafting behind braked and swerved suddenly - whether I was clipped had nothing to do with it when you're going fast and someone takes your front wheel out. bruises & road rash. then I've had 2 crashes on platform pedals on my surly - and I have no idea why that bike likes to crash me. either I have this mental image of it as a tank and do things I wouldn't do normally on a bike with it or it's the 130 mm stem to make up for the too short top tube that gets me in trouble. Whatever. I don't ride that bike clipped and it crashes anyways.

Now mountain biking is a different story - the more aggressive I am mountain biking means I crash more. That's because of my lack of bike handling skills. Or something. I don't really think it makes a difference that I'm clipped in or not, 'cause generally I'm trying to get over a big log or whatever and topple over on a log. If I do a couple falls like that, then I decide alright, this just hurts and ride a lot more cautiously the rest of the ride and don't fall anymore.

I almost always have a bruise on my butt from the saddle poking into it if I get off the bike and stand over the top tube.

I think the bruises on my arms and legs currently are actually from my kayak - carrying it myself for the arms, and doing self/group rescues for the legs. Least that's the only reason I can think of for why my entire inner right thigh is a huge purple bruise and about 1/4 of my calf is.

I do bruise really easily and usually have no clue how I did it though.

[TxDoc]

Hi Lisa -
actually clipless pedals are much safer than toe-clips or platform pedals, quicker and easier to release and reduce the possibility of sprains and fractures. However, the bulk of bike crashes, at least among the people I ride with, are due to fast sprints on uneven roads or slippery corners which you sometimes find on race courses, or (fortunately less frequently) to a close encounter with a 4-wheeled vehicle while training...

[shootingstar]

I don't know how I'll ever get back to riding clipless again since it's a mind-thing at this point and sometimes that's the hardest (for me) to overcome

Cycling should be enjoyable in my opinion. When it's not and it's too stressful because of the clipless pedals, I won't ride. I love to ride so for now I'm back in the cages and very disappointed in myself.

Bruises will heal, be patient with yourself and continue to enjoy cycling

Rather than get caught in debates and inferiority complexes on clipless vs. non-clipless, choose the method that makes you the most confident cyclist. Otherwise you won't stick to cycling alot/long distances for the long-term. I mean for the next few years/decades of your life.

I am not disappointed in myself for not going clipless.
I would be seriously crazy if I did ...and I wouldn't have joyfully stuck to cycling for so many years in life so far. I would be more disappointed in myself if I left cycling forever.

I would submit that here in North America, we will never get cycling mode share ramped up to critical mass if we keep on the clipless vs. non clipless mentality track (plus have lousy cycling infrastructure).

It deters alot of potential cyclists who want to stick to cycling for a long time.

[trista]

Glad to hear I'm not the only one bruised up

stay with cages as long as you're comfortable with them. OP, are your "clipless" pedals loose enough? I don't fall much either. You've just been unlucky I think.

They are at their loosest setting, but unclipping isn't the issue. Both times I've fallen due to clips (the first time was my very first practice session in the cul-de-sac), I was unclipped on my lead foot. Just leaned the wrong way.

I went clipless because when I am not clipped, I feel like I'm losing 80% of my power. I've been doing spin class forever, before cycling, and i was used to having those clips and putting power to the entire rotation, not just the pushing down part. So when I started cycling on a real bike, I couldn't wait to go clipless. But, my skills are lacking and I am still learning. Hence why I mostly ride on deserted farm roads where intersections are rare. Of course it had to be in one of those rare intersections where I had to fall .

All that said, I use dual-sided platform pedals. First off because when I pull the kids in the trailer, I don't go clipless. I don't like to be bound with them behind me and plus I have to stop a lot. Second, because I don't clip in on the lead foot till I'm out of traffic and have no cars near me. Call it nerves, lack of skill, whatever, but for now I usually wait until I'm away from traffic to clip.

I like the dual-sided pedals a lot - gives me the option of going clipless or not.

[ginaleah]

You're not alone. The only time I have ever fallen on my bike was when I was stopped at a red light at a huge intersection with my lead foot unclipped and the other one clipped in. It happened in slow motion but I landed HARD on my knee and still have a little trouble with it. It's a really unglamorous way to get injured, isn't it?