clipless pedal falls poll

[redrhodie]

I'm curious how many of us have fallen from clipless pedals?

[TrekTheKaty]

Twice while learning--once when tired and stupid! (Luckily the bike was new so retuning/unbending was free at the bike shop! Although, they very politely informed me "it looks like the bike has been on the ground." I said "new clipless pedals" and she smiled as she handed me my bike!)

[MrsB]

Im so glad that I bought used for my first road bike. My bike has so many scratches from me falling over from clipless pedals. My last fall was a few weeks ago when I hadnt ridden in a couple weeks. I got on my bike, rode to the end of my road and went to stop for traffic and bam I went over. It hurt so bad! I bet ive fallen at least 4 times since I started riding in August.

[Possegal]

I fell a few times last summer when I first got them. This summer only once when some guy was turning in front of me and at the last second I didn't think he was going to yield to me going straight. So I slammed the brakes on and fell. Had I not been tired from the previous 35 miles, I may have just turned with him and waited until he passed then backtracked to the rode I was on. But I didn't think that fast. More damaging to the ego as his passenger laughed at me. ERRRRRR, I just swore under my breath and got back up and headed home.

[Biciclista]

It took me more than a year to finally try them. I fell in the school yard and it hurt so i signed up for a private lesson and never fell again. I practice unclipping even now, more than a year later, to make sure I won't forget because I don't want to fall.

[OakLeaf]

There's a danger with saying "it happens to everyone," because then people don't try as hard as they should to avoid it. But I think it happens to almost everyone, and almost all of the time it's only our pride that gets hurt.

My stupidest F.U. (failure to unclip) remains the time when a riding buddy had a minor crash in the front of the group. Everyone managed to avoid him, but in the confusion as we all stopped to make sure he was OK, I thought I had unclipped, and didn't find out that I actually hadn't until I went to put my foot down.

[tc1]

No falls from the frogs yet. When I first got the bike, I made sure my routes always went through a section of bike trail that had 5 stop signs in less than a mile, so I could practice. And I always practice and use either foot.

I know I will fall, though. My right ankle is kinda wonky. At the end of a really long ride, sometimes I can't turn my heel the minimal amount needed to unclip.

When I get to that point, I will ride in boots. That's what I wear for my mountain bike rides.

[Blueberry]

I have fallen in clipless pedals - but it wasn't that I forgot to unclip - it's that the cleat got stuck (cheap Look clones that wore significantly in just a few rides). Knock on wood, I haven't had a problem otherwise...

I didn't vote since none of the options really fit...

CA

[redrhodie]

Oh, I guess I should have put another line: I fell after having clipless pedals for a long time.

I don't know how to edit the poll, sorry!

[Miranda]

Surprisingly enough, I really didn't fall when I very first started to use them. I feel when something changed from my pedal exit that I didn't expect. On the road, a cleat that released differently than what I had. Trail, couldn't get a foot down fast enough on an obstacle I knew I couldn't clear (dhrrr... crash at the RR x-ing gate vs. on the train tracks).

I think that was one of the best pieces of advice I ever got at a lbs... plan ahead for the stop, and get a foot out a ways ahead, not right when you are on top of it.

[arielmoon]

I had one stall and fall since I started riding. It wasnt at the beginning either. I was so focused on figuring out what was creaking on my bike I leaned to the side where I had not unclipped yet.

[chicago]

I have fallen off my bike once since I started riding in March 2007. The time I fell was not in the beginning... but when I when into the grass and couldn't get out and couldn't get unclipped! I just felt into the grass, so it was not a big deal.

but I would never think of anything but clipless pedals... I love the feelling of being clipped in It makes me feel strong

I don't see an option for "I've only fallen once and it wasn't in the beginning"

[alpinerabbit]

I'm a hybrid, so I can't really vote.

• I have never fallen on a road bike with clipless pedals. Not when I first tried one 15 years ago, not when I started cycling for real. I had a near-hit last spring but that was out of stupidity, after what, 6000 km of cycling.
  
• I have fallen twice so far on my new MTB. Go figure. Once from "technical difficulties" i.e. panic on the trail, once from new cleats and pedals too tight, in alliance with stupidity.

[TahoeDirtGirl]

I haven't fallen on my commuter bike, I clipped on it (prior to the ankle problem).

I tried it on the mtn bike. It just didn't work. Maybe as I get alot stronger I will be able to mash through rock gardens, but I'm not at the power I would like to be, I think that has a lot to do with it plus my wonky feet and knee.

[limewave]

I also can't imagine riding with platforms or even cages over clipless. I tried cages once on my mountain bike and it was a disaster. I love my clipless pedals, makes such a huge difference when I'm trying to climb steep hills on the trails.