Ha- I had my clipless fall

[cyclingnewbie]

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.

[DDH]

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.

[Southside Sally]

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!

[JLMitchell]

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.

[sundial]

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

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

[beccaB]

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.

[RockyRaquel]

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!

[sundial]

RockyRaquel, you have a teenie avatar.

[RockyRaquel]

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

[Chicken Little]

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.

[Goldilocks]

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. And, of course, an avid male cyclist was RIGHT there to watch it all happen. Had to ride 10 miles with my seat crooked because I couldn't get it back into place.

[witchofthedogs]

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.

[Duck on Wheels]

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 . 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!)

[hermitclub]

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.

[Trek420]

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

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.