the ultimate folly - clipless Lesson

[SadieKate]

(unrelated sidenote - SK - check your PM's)

Check yours. It's been a hectic week. Sorry!

[Grog]

PS I don't want to break my nose or my ribs or...

I'm with SK: don't go in there thinking that you would fall.

Being attentive - not talking to others - when you brake is also a good trick. DOn't worry about being rude by interrupting a conversation!!

Think about unclipping both feet (and reclipping your sweet leg before starting off again, for strength).

And if you do fall, which you won't, of course: TUCK the stuff that sticks out IN. Like elbows, hands/wrists, knees. You want to maximize the surface on which you fall, not whang your elbow on the pavement. I've practiced that with my bike club (in the gym, and on the grass) and it too me from:
- a first crash (nothing to do with clipless) scratching my elbow and knee,
- to a clipless fall directly on my knee cap (as I was doing bike skills exercises at extremely low speed)
- to a recent, and still mysterious, authentic clipless 'timmmmmmmmmmmber' fall that I absorbed with the whole length of my left tight and upper arm. That body fat on the thighs has to be for something!!!! It will also protect your ribs. I stayed on the pavement laughing very hard (I was leading that ride...) instead of hurting, for once.

Good luck! You'll be awesome.

[SadieKate]

And if you do fall, which you won't, of course: TUCK the stuff that sticks out IN. . . . .
- to a recent, and still mysterious, authentic clipless 'timmmmmmmmmmmber' fall that I absorbed with the whole length of my left tight and upper arm. That body fat on the thighs has to be for something!!!! It will also protect your ribs. I stayed on the pavement laughing very hard (I was leading that ride...) instead of hurting, for once.

It's very important to go for style points. More points are awarded for keeping "the stuff that sticks out IN."

If you can land with your hands over your hand and "stick the landing", artistic merit goes skyhigh.

[missymaya]

when I got my first set of clipless peddles, I practiced in an empty parking lot of just clipping in, pedaling a little, and then clipping out while still moving, really not using the breaks. It helped 'feel' the clips when coming out. After getting comfortable doing that, I practiced the "what if I had to stop quickly" clip out, hitting the breaks and unclipping. I found it easier to do a transition like that.
Also, another thing to remember, if you feel like your not unclipped and your stuck, do a little downstroke to keep yourself upright a little longer. There were moments where I did some slow timber falls just clipping in, pretty funny looking back on it, not thinking that all I had to do was a little pedal stroke or rachet with my other foot. pretty funny looking back on it.

Hope all goes well and have fun

[chickwhorips]

mimi you can do it!!!! i know you can!!!!!

[Susan126]

Let us know how it went Mimi!

I learned to ride clipless on (of all bikes to learn on!!!) my mountain bike way back in 1999! My first few rides I had "badges (more like scabs) of honor!
But now, 8 years later . . . I wouldn't ride my mountain or road bike without them! They have become so second nature that I can (literally) unclip while falling then jump off my bike and land on my feet unscathed!

Ok with that said watch me fall tomorrow on my mountain bike ride! . . . I better find some wood to knock on!

[FreshNewbie]

That's some skill Susan, I only went as far as manage unclipping while falling and landing my foot on the ground. SadieKate is 100% right though, if you zombify yourself " I will fall, i will fall" then it will definately happen, at least it did to me. As most of my falls that happened while learning, happened because I was scaring myself.

[Grog]

not thinking that all I had to do was a little pedal stroke or rachet with my other foot. pretty funny looking back on it.

I wouldn't recommend that at a busy intersection when you don't have priority!!!!! You could end up in traffic (more unpleasant than a fall on your own).

[silver]

It's very important to go for style points. More points are awarded for keeping "the stuff that sticks out IN."

If you can land with your hands over your hand and "stick the landing", artistic merit goes skyhigh.

I'd give more technical points to the one that lands with your hands over your head WITH the bike in them to save it from any scratches.

I'm actually pretty good at this.

signed,
mistress of falling

[DarcyInOregon]

The only thing I can add is when you unclip, keep focused and don't let the foot slip over the pedal and clip back in again right as you are coming to a stop.

Yep, that happened to me a few weeks ago. I was coming to a stop in a tiny rural town on one of my longer rides. It was time to get my rear off the seat, drink some water and munch a bit of fitness bar. I saw a gloriously handsome dog, about 120 pounds, long black silky hair, and that dog was just so awesome my attention riveted on the dog. And that is when it happened. I was already unclipped, braking to a stop, and the left foot clipped back in, and over I went. Right in front of people who stood there with their mouths open at the sight I presented. I just put a tiny scrape on my left knee is all.

Darcy

[mimitabby]

I'm with SK: don't go in there thinking that you would fall.


And if you do fall, which you won't, of course: TUCK the stuff that sticks out IN. Like elbows, hands/wrists, knees. You want to maximize the surface on which you fall, not whang your elbow on the pavement. I've practiced that with my bike club (in the gym, and on the grass) and it too me from:
- a first crash (nothing to do with clipless) scratching my elbow and knee,
- to a clipless fall directly on my knee cap (as I was doing bike skills exercises at extremely low speed)
- to a recent, and still mysterious, authentic clipless 'timmmmmmmmmmmber' fall that I absorbed with the whole length of my left tight and upper arm. That body fat on the thighs has to be for something!!!! It will also protect your ribs. I stayed on the pavement laughing very hard (I was leading that ride...) instead of hurting, for once.

Good luck! You'll be awesome.

hmm, how do you tuck your hip bones in? That's where I landed and it hurt!

I'll tell you all about the lesson later.

[DrBee]

Pedals mimi - what kind of pedals did you pick?

Good luck this afternoon! You'll do great!

[HappyAnika]

You will love it and never look back! I've had two close calls, but technically no falls at 1,100 miles and counting. Just practice, then it becomes instinct. I now make the clipping out motion when riding my beater mtb with cages in tennis shoes, its just habbit. Have fun!

[mimitabby]

Pedals mimi - what kind of pedals did you pick?

Good luck this afternoon! You'll do great!

I have very nice SPD's after considerable research. Since DH and both sons all use this kind it made sense to have the same kind; I also got the cleats that unclip in multi directions.

[SouthernBelle]

Actually the falling wasn't that bad. Maybe I was graceful at it.

Mims, it's really not that hard. Our horror stories have built this up to a huge thing in your head is all. I ended up laughing at myself like an idiot.


Hmm. Maybe I am an idiot. Nah.