Crash tallies - going clipless!

[redrover77]

DH told the BSGs the next day... who told me is it easy to unclip left and lean right (or vice versa) and to practice on a field.

Cyclo Kitty... doesn't unclipping on the left and leaning right mean falling over??? That's exactly what I'd been doing wrong...

Yes... my new tactic is now unclipping on both pedals, but to practice keeping my right foot on the pedal as long as possible - cos I've noticed that once I put my left foot down on the ground, my next move is automatically to move the right foot down too. Also will try turning my handlebar away from left foot...

The problem is over here in the UK it is left hand drive, so my left faces the kerb. Which means when I do topple over, I topple over onto the road, and luckily, the last 3 times I fell there weren't any cars - can't bear thinking about if there were!

Will persist persist persist! Thanks for all your encouragement This forum's great!

Will report back on next ride (this weekend, hopefully a on a 2 or 3 day tour!)

[LadyinWhite]

I read through this thread thinking to myself "It's been ages since I've crashed." I crashed the first day I went clipless last year. I crashed a few weeks later after tightening the cleats and then coming up on a group of cyclists who stopped very unexpectedly. Spent the winter in PT getting the knee back in shape after that one.

This morning I head out, happy as a lark, down the driveway and towards the main road. Resetting the bike computer as I go, keeping an eye on the approaching intersection (very busy road), coast towards the stop sign and unclick the left w/out thinking about it. (Last summer I worked very hard to get into the habit of unclicking left instead of right so as to avoid the grease tattoo).

Braked, cruised to a stop and as my left foot came down, my right foot reached for the ground too, yanking the bike right out from under me. CRASH!

I was so surprised. I actually said "What was that all about??" out loud. Untangled my legs and stood up to survey the damage.

Lovely road rash on the on the right calf, pedal bites on the back of my left foot. The Girl seemed ok til I climbed on and headed across the road. The saddle was crooked. Had to stop, break out the tools, readjust the saddle into place, readjust the cadence reader.

SHEESH!

FINALLY - after all that - I headed out and enjoyed a comfortable rolling hills ride of 20miles w/out mishap. Got back home just as the sprinkles started.