Is there a correct way to fall?

[blueskies]

For those who are new to being clipped in, I think a key is to practice clipping in & unclipping, a lot. When I first got mine, I would go to a quiet bike path, and ride along, clipping and unclipping repeatedly. Ten times on the right, ten times on the left. Practice the skills that you need to be safe, so that unclipping becomes part of your muscle memory.

If you are going to fall, here's advice on how, from mountain bike legend Neal Overend, who rode for his whole career without a broken bone, quoted from the book Bike for Life:

- Balancing act: Practicing track stands and general balancing will help you avoid slow-speed falls. "It'll give you that extra second to clip-out," says Ned. And avoid toppling over on your hip.

- Slip out fast: Set up your pedals to get out of them easily in a crash. Clean 'em out, keep 'em oiled, and you can pull your foot out quickly and avoid a knee injury. (New riders might not realize that the ease of release is adjustable, just like ski bindings.)

- Soft landing: Minimize impact when you hit the ground. Fight the urge to stick an arm out; that'll risk a broken collarbone. Instead, keep your body in and try to let the handlebar and pedal hit the ground first. Before you hit, tuck your arm in and roll, letting your whole body absorbe the blow.

I would also add that it's good for new riders to learn & practice good form for a quick stop. You want to avoid the crash, when that car turns in front of you...

Blueskies

[indigoiis]

I had just this kind of fall yesterday. It was a quick stop, I came up on someone's rearend, and tried to get my feet out of the straps (I don't have clipless pedals yet.) The feet wouldn't come out. Over I went.

I landed completely bike over. So I guess I rolled. I didn't get hurt. I was still holding on to the bike but was mortified that I had toppled into this cute guy's bike.

[blueskies]

I landed completely bike over. So I guess I rolled. I didn't get hurt. I was still holding on to the bike but was mortified that I had toppled into this cute guy's bike.

If you were Meg Ryan, you'd be engaged to that guy by the end of the movie.

Personally, I'd never ride with my feet in straps again. Just too hard to get out. Clipless pedals are way faster, and to me, that means safer.

Glad you didn't get hurt!

[aicabsolut]

I learned from horseback riding to tuck and roll (or at least tuck). Don't try to catch yourself. Sometimes, you may wind up hand-down for whatever reason, but don't brace yourself and be rigid if that happens. Just go fingers to elbow to shoulder to back if you can. It's hard to do when you do the slo-mo topple, because you think you can catch yourself--and your bike, but it's not usually like just tripping and falling.

I wouldn't get into the habit of unclipping both feet to stop. That makes getting off the saddle difficult, and it's really hard to keep upright if you're putting your feet down while you're still seated, unless your saddle is crazy low. Generally, it works if you unclip one foot early, hang it down to the side, slow down almost to a stop, then as you stop, lift off the saddle with the clipped in foot (in the 6 o'clock position, where that's at the bottom), drop onto unclipped foot, and point the front wheel slightly towards the side that you keep clipped in (meaning the bike will be less likely to lean to the wrong side). I don't know of a lot of traffic situations where you'd be able to rely on unclipping both sides and doing whatever maneuver you have to to get stopped and off the bike. Practicing stopping this way won't be any harder than what you're doing.

Be sure your pedals are set as loose as they can safely be while you get used to it, and start out unclipping well in advance of a stop or potential stop. I used to unclip going towards most intersections where a stop was likely (I have those pedestrian counters that help), then I'd rest the cleat on top of the pedal and continue going that way. If I was going to make it through, I'd clip back in. If not, I was prepared. Eventually you get more comfortable with it, but sometimes stuff happens anyway.

[Geonz]

I don't have clipless ... but I was surprised to read over at bikejournal.com a whole thread about it being better *not* to get out of the clips when crashing - that the bike takes more of the impact! I can't imagine not wanting to be "Free" if I'm falling... if I go clipless I'll do more research.
I always wondered what I'd do in a fall, knowing that "tuck and roll" is what I should do but also knowing that without practice it is unlikely. Welp, as I launched from the bike I went into automatic pilot for how I entered the water at swim team practice. Fortunately that was with a belly flop designed for maximum surface and minimum impact, so indeed, I had *lots* of road rash on my elbows and hips, but my head was up and I didn't stick out a hand to stop myself; I splayed out my arms to diffuse the impact. Yucky, but no ER. (However, if my nice business partner had not *insisted* that I wear a nice bicycle jersey - and the only clean one had long sleeves - instead of an old T-shirt because Bill was taking me out for a ride and loaning me his fast bicycle, I mihgt have needed to go to dig that gravel out of my elbow. If only his nice, fast bike didn't have such good brakes!)

[amy]

I have to say, all these messages are inspiring me to take Aikido and learn how to fall. I've always wanted to take it. Now, how do I fit in 50 hours of work, yoga, biking, and Aikido?? Oh, and I guess my husband, too. Hmmm...