clipless pedal falls poll

[Possegal]

I fell a few times last summer when I first got them. This summer only once when some guy was turning in front of me and at the last second I didn't think he was going to yield to me going straight. So I slammed the brakes on and fell. Had I not been tired from the previous 35 miles, I may have just turned with him and waited until he passed then backtracked to the rode I was on. But I didn't think that fast. More damaging to the ego as his passenger laughed at me. ERRRRRR, I just swore under my breath and got back up and headed home.

[Biciclista]

It took me more than a year to finally try them. I fell in the school yard and it hurt so i signed up for a private lesson and never fell again. I practice unclipping even now, more than a year later, to make sure I won't forget because I don't want to fall.

[OakLeaf]

There's a danger with saying "it happens to everyone," because then people don't try as hard as they should to avoid it. But I think it happens to almost everyone, and almost all of the time it's only our pride that gets hurt.

My stupidest F.U. (failure to unclip) remains the time when a riding buddy had a minor crash in the front of the group. Everyone managed to avoid him, but in the confusion as we all stopped to make sure he was OK, I thought I had unclipped, and didn't find out that I actually hadn't until I went to put my foot down.

[Grog]

None of the above. I almost fell when I first used them, but the only two times I really fell were after riding for two years. Once when I was leading a club ride (I actually had my other foot on the ground, I'll never know how come I fell to the other side!!) and once when I was riding on gravel and couldn't unclip as I performed a very slow-motion tumble, trying somehow to protect the new white Jett saddle that I hated and needed to return to the store intact!

[Possegal]

I felt better after my only fall that caused an injury, when a co-worker described a very similar fall at a red light while she was in graduate school. As I began comparing the falls she said, oh no, you missed the point, I didn't have clipless pedals, I just forgot to put my feet down. I still crack up at the thought of that.

[smilingcat]

There isn't a choice where I was so used to it, forgot that I was still clipped in and fell over while track standing.

I was waiting for the light to turn green, was chatting with a friend and I forgot I was doing the track stand. oopppsie-daisy I went over in a slow-mo.

I was embarassed and laughing. My friend just shook his head laughing. My bike didn't get a scratch and I didn't get a scratch. But just too funny. I even did the bunny hop thing to try to regain my balance but to no avail. woohhh... hop hop... over I went... then laughing pretty good on the pavement.

Actually, clipless has saved me on few occasions. Toe-clips and cage were not so friendly. There you are really locked in. Got a reach down and release the strap, roll your foot to unlock, then pull back. I prefer clip-less so much easier and safer.

Smilingcat

[TrekTheKaty]

Actually, clipless has saved me on few occasions. Toe-clips and cage were not so friendly. There you are really locked in. Got a reach down and release the strap, roll your foot to unlock, then pull back. I prefer clip-less so much easier and safer.

Smilingcat

I agree! It's saved me more than I've fallen. More than once I've had to slam on my brakes, and if I hadn't been clipped in--my feet would have come off the pedals. When I'm clipped in, I can start pedaling again without falling over.

[maillotpois]

Actually, clipless has saved me on few occasions. Toe-clips and cage were not so friendly. There you are really locked in. Got a reach down and release the strap, roll your foot to unlock, then pull back. I prefer clip-less so much easier and safer.

Smilingcat

When I coached more beginner cyclists for TNT, it was just striking how much harder it was for people who were learning using cages as opposed to clips. Even worse if they used a running type shoe with a waffley or flared sole - almost impossible to get the shoe out of the pedal cage.