The thing about being a new rider...

[Eden]

One thing to remember is that clipless pedals are like ski bindings (in fact modern ski bindings were the inspiration for the first clipless pedals) - if you do fall and your foot is twisted your foot will pop out on its own.

[Catrin]

I wish that "I" could "just" bruise. Apparently I just skip the whole bruising stage and head straight to cuts, abrasions, blood and scarring from chain, chain ring, and BMX pedals. My calves are becoming quite a sight! However if that is what it takes, then that is fine. At 50 years old I won't be entering a sexy leg contest. I guess that it depends on the definition of a sexy leg....though they do have many more muscles than they once did

[KnottedYet]

Catrin-
You've mentioned cuts and scarring from your bear trap pedals several times now. What exactly are you doing on your road bike that leads to wolloping yourself on the pedals?

And what is this "leaning" the bike you do to mount and dismount that is grinding up one pedal?

[Owlie]

I fell the second time out on my road bike. I've fallen on ice and scraped my chin. I've had several newbie clipless falls. Two of those resulted in a scraped knee (I fell on the same one twice). I still have a bit of a bone bruise from getting hit with my pedal (SPDs) when I had a minor fall a couple weeks ago.

[Catrin]

Catrin-
You've mentioned cuts and scarring from your bear trap pedals several times now. What exactly are you doing on your road bike that leads to wolloping yourself on the pedals?

And what is this "leaning" the bike you do to mount and dismount that is grinding up one pedal?

I have these pedals. Those metal thingies are not sharp at the top, but the edges get me quite often.

I am getting better, but they most often get me when I am moving the pedal around to get the right pedal at the right height when I am preparing to start. Or when I am walking my bike from my car-port to the apartment and my leg brushes the pedal - generally my right leg as I walk it on the left side of the bike. I seem to be improving at avoiding the pedals as I only have one new pedal wound this weekend out of 60 miles worth of riding. They also tend to draw blood when I am walking the LHT when it is still between my legs.... I really do like the pedals better than the plastic bear-claws I had as the metal thingies keep my feet from slipping 99% of the time.

I lean my bike over to get my leg over the saddle and top tube - the tube is high enough that I really can't do it any other way. Sometimes I lean it over a bit too far and the left pedal hits the ground - the outside "spindle" bit - unsure what that is called. I can't lift my leg high enough to get it over the TT without leaning it... If I were to remember to check to see where the pedal is before I do this then it wouldn't be so scruffed up

Thankfully at least my chain/chain ring bites are decreasing greatly in frequency

I figure taking a file to the edges of those metal thingies would defeat the purpose of having them - and they do their job well!

[trista]

I hit my legs on the pedals of my hybrid when pushing it somewhere all.the.time. I don't on the road bike. I'm not sure why... I think b/c it is so much lighter and lower, I can push it w/ 1 hand and walk further away from it.

I decided tomorrow I'm going to ride free - no cleats. If I like it, I'm going to do that for awhile until I have more experience on the road bike. Maybe doing that will allow me to heal my legs without adding more bruises!

[Catrin]

I hit my legs on the pedals of my hybrid when pushing it somewhere all.the.time. I don't on the road bike. I'm not sure why... I think b/c it is so much lighter and lower, I can push it w/ 1 hand and walk further away from it.

I decided tomorrow I'm going to ride free - no cleats. If I like it, I'm going to do that for awhile until I have more experience on the road bike. Maybe doing that will allow me to heal my legs without adding more bruises!

I don't know how a touring bike actually is considered as far as "classification" is concerned. I have different pedals on my flat-bar road bike and it is lighter than my beloved steel steed. However I don't want to ride it right now - not until I can afford to get a re-fit. I do prefer to push the Wanderer with both hands rather than one.

I am just happy I only got a couple of new scrapes this weekend from it - the rate is decreasing, thankfully for my legs...

Good luck Trista - as far as not being clipped in I feel quite stable and comfortable riding with just my BMX pedals. I do not have toe clips or anything attaching me to the pedals, and I like that just fine for now. Eventually I do want to try cleats again, but not now.