clipless pedal falls poll

[redrhodie]

I'm curious how many of us have fallen from clipless pedals?

[TrekTheKaty]

Twice while learning--once when tired and stupid! (Luckily the bike was new so retuning/unbending was free at the bike shop! Although, they very politely informed me "it looks like the bike has been on the ground." I said "new clipless pedals" and she smiled as she handed me my bike!)

[MrsB]

Im so glad that I bought used for my first road bike. My bike has so many scratches from me falling over from clipless pedals. My last fall was a few weeks ago when I hadnt ridden in a couple weeks. I got on my bike, rode to the end of my road and went to stop for traffic and bam I went over. It hurt so bad! I bet ive fallen at least 4 times since I started riding in August.

[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

[tc1]

No falls from the frogs yet. When I first got the bike, I made sure my routes always went through a section of bike trail that had 5 stop signs in less than a mile, so I could practice. And I always practice and use either foot.

I know I will fall, though. My right ankle is kinda wonky. At the end of a really long ride, sometimes I can't turn my heel the minimal amount needed to unclip.

When I get to that point, I will ride in boots. That's what I wear for my mountain bike rides.

[Blueberry]

I have fallen in clipless pedals - but it wasn't that I forgot to unclip - it's that the cleat got stuck (cheap Look clones that wore significantly in just a few rides). Knock on wood, I haven't had a problem otherwise...

I didn't vote since none of the options really fit...

CA

[redrhodie]

Oh, I guess I should have put another line: I fell after having clipless pedals for a long time.

I don't know how to edit the poll, sorry!

[Miranda]

Surprisingly enough, I really didn't fall when I very first started to use them. I feel when something changed from my pedal exit that I didn't expect. On the road, a cleat that released differently than what I had. Trail, couldn't get a foot down fast enough on an obstacle I knew I couldn't clear (dhrrr... crash at the RR x-ing gate vs. on the train tracks).

I think that was one of the best pieces of advice I ever got at a lbs... plan ahead for the stop, and get a foot out a ways ahead, not right when you are on top of it.

[arielmoon]

I had one stall and fall since I started riding. It wasnt at the beginning either. I was so focused on figuring out what was creaking on my bike I leaned to the side where I had not unclipped yet.

[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.