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

[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!

[run it, ride it]

I wonder if I can wear the biking helmet on the horse as well, cuz the horse helmets are heavier and a total PITA.

Bike helmets are not approved for equestrian activities. You just don't sustain the same sorts of impacts. A bike helmet is inadequate.

I highly recommend the Tipperary Sportage as a schooling helmet. It's lightweight, has a flattering profile, and offers protection to the base of the skull. It is in fact the cheapest helmet on the market ($60) with the highest safety rating.

Having destroyed more than one riding helmet (mostly freak accidents during light riding), and having also found myself tangled between a bicycle and the under-chassis of a car with a barely-spared skull, I can tell you, a helmet is vital. It may be a personal choice right now, but ending up paralyzed, brain-damaged or dead will put a lot of undue stress on friends and family for a completely preventable pending accident.

[Pascale]

I wonder if I can wear the biking helmet on the horse as well, cuz the horse helmets are heavier and a total PITA.

I'm so sorry - I was completely kidding on this comment, forgetting how easily comments can be misconstrued online if you don't actually know someone. If I thought they were interchangable, I'd never bother to get a bike helmet and just use the Troxel I already have for horses. Bad me!!!!

[run it, ride it]

Aww, but I was all ready with the rebuttal arsonal of news stories URLs...

Whew, no worries. Glad to see you've got a head on your shoulders worth protecting!

[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?....

[roshelleuop]

Lisa - Yes, you will most likely not get hit by a car on a horse, however, you have the very good chance of getting thrown onto concrete, thrown into a tree, thrown into a wall, thrown into a fence, or thrown 10 feet past a jump that your horse decided not to jump. I've got the scars to provie it!!!

You also have to rememeber, on a horse, you are twice as high than on a bike.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I know, I used to have a horse, hunting and jumping, etc. Been kicked, and fell off horses plenty of times. But actually I never felt as much in danger on a horse as I do riding my bike around town on the same road as cars. Only riding bike a month and I've already seen/had some pretty scary moments totally due to car driver carelessness.
In any case, I think helmets are advisable for both activities!

[fatbottomedgurl]

I feel naked w/o a helmet just like not wearing a seatbelt.

[Pascale]

Well, the chances of me getting hit by a car are next to zero, since I only ride on rail trails. I do ride my horse on roads, so there's a double whammy! LOL

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I guess rail trails are fairly safe as far as cars go, but please do wear a helmet if you EVER ride where ther are cars!

[roshelleuop]

I just wanted to thank you all again!

You ladies are awesome!!!!!!

Roshelle from Milwaukee