How many times have you fallen?

[ny biker]

First of all, this article helped me a lot for clipping in:

http://outside.away.com/outside/body...-20070330.html

Get your butt on the saddle as soon as you start moving, and this will make you more stable while you clip in your second foot. If it takes a couple of tries to clip in, you can pedal with one foot a couple of times to keep forward momentum. You will be fine as long as you're sitting down and moving.

For clipping out, when I had spd pedals it was more comfortable for me to clip out with my foot at the top of the pedal stroke, turning my ankle in. This was because of scar tissue in my right ankle from surgery years ago. Last year I switched to Speedplay pedals which require you to turn your ankle out to clip out, and this had to be done at the bottom of the pedal stroke, because I couldn't get enough leverage at the top. So I had to relearn how to unclip. With the Speedplays, my ankle doesn't hurt when I do this.

I always put my right foot in clipping-out position (currently at bottom of stroke) any time I think I might have to stop. I always shift into an easy gear as I approach an intersection where it's possible that I'll have to stop, and then clip out so my foot is free before I get there. Shifting to an easy gear makes it easier to get going again, so you can easily build up enough momentum while you're clipping in with your second foot.

When I first got clipless pedals, the LBS guys put my bike on the trainer so I could practice clipping in and out. When I got the Speedplay pedals, the bike was on the trainer for a fitting, so I was again able to practice clipping in and out. Afterwards I practiced a few times in my living room, holding onto furniture for support.

Another way to practice is riding on an unpaved, flat area, like a grassy field, because it's softer if you fall.

I fell the first time I tried to ride with clipless pedals, because I thought I usually put my left foot down first and was totally wrong about that. I fell once at the start of a century ride because someone walked in front of me at the start area while I was moving very slowly. I fell once trying to get clipped in at an intersection (before I read that Chris Carmichael article) and I fell once while I was standing still because I leaned left for no apparent reason (I got a really cool swirly scrape on my right leg from the chain ring as a result).

All of that being said, as I said on the other thread, if you're that unhappy with them, take them off your bike. You can always decide later that you're more comfortable on the bike and would like to try them again.

[skinimini]

Twice--once because of a squirrel (not a clipping accident) and one major clipping accident that resulted in fractured leg and torn ligaments. I haven't fallen in a year and a half and I am petrified that I will. I keep trying to tell myself that clipping accidents are just part of the sport and that they don't have to be disastrous!

[KnottedYet]

I haven't fallen in a year and a half and I am petrified that I will. I keep trying to tell myself that clipping accidents are just part of the sport...

They don't have to be.

You don't have to be petrified every time you get on the bike.

You don't have to ride clipped in to be a "real" rider.

[JuneHawk]

I've sorta fallen once and it was really embarrassing because I was standing around, not even riding and only had one foot clipped in. I lost my balance and tumbled. The bike fell but I managed to unclip right before it took me down with it. I got a nice bruise on my leg but that was about it. I've actually never fallen off my bike, fingers crossed!

[skywalkerbeth]

I do it the other way around.

The side I'm taking off is UP as I slow.

The one staying clicked is down, and I can coast or scoot all over the place using that foot to control the bike.

Hmmm, that seems counter-intuitive. I'd like to try it - but I'll probably fall in the attempt! haha

[KnottedYet]

Hmmm, that seems counter-intuitive. I'd like to try it - but I'll probably fall in the attempt! haha

How are you lowering yourself from the saddle as you slow to a stop?

My clicked in (bottom) foot is on the pedal, as low as it goes, and it is the "step-stool" I use to lower myself from the saddle so I can reach the ground with my unclicked (upper) foot. By the time my bike is just about stopped, I'm off the saddle and standing on the bottom pedal with my upper unclicked foot reaching out for the ground, just gliding to the stop with my bottom foot and two hands in contact with the bike.

Is your saddle so low that you can reach the ground without getting off the saddle?

Is your saddle at proper height, but you are tipping the bike over to one side to reach the ground while staying in the saddle?

I'm trying to figure out the physics of what you are doing. Can you run through the steps for me?

ETA: By the way, the above process of getting down from the saddle and stopping is the same one I use regardless of whether I'm on clipless or platforms. As I'm waiting for the light to change, I use the bike-foot to pull the bottom pedal up and ready to push. My ground foot just hangs out on the ground. When it's time to go I give a shove with my ground foot as I push down on the pedal with my bike foot. This lifts me to saddle-height again. I pedal standing a few beats to get a good start, then settle back onto the saddle.

[amb]

I've fallen 2.5 times with my clips, all in the first week or two of getting them. Once I turned in front of my Dad and he didn't hear me say I was going L (to head to the bathroom) so he ran into me and I just went over (my fault!). Second time I leaned just a hair to the clipped in side at a traffic light, lost my balance and over I went! My pride was left on the asphalt for those at the light to see!. Third time was almost the same...lost my balance while stopped. My co-worker happened to be next to me and caught me (thus the 0.5!).

I think a few tumbles are pretty normal. I have not had any incidents since putting them on in March. I use spd pedals so I don't have to worry about them being right side up.

[skywalkerbeth]

How are you lowering yourself from the saddle as you slow to a stop?

My clicked in (bottom) foot is on the pedal, as low as it goes, and it is the "step-stool" I use to lower myself from the saddle so I can reach the ground with my unclicked (upper) foot. By the time my bike is just about stopped, I'm off the saddle and standing on the bottom pedal with my upper unclicked foot reaching out for the ground, just gliding to the stop with my bottom foot and two hands in contact with the bike.

Is your saddle so low that you can reach the ground without getting off the saddle?

Is your saddle at proper height, but you are tipping the bike over to one side to reach the ground while staying in the saddle?

I'm trying to figure out the physics of what you are doing. Can you run through the steps for me?

ETA: By the way, the above process of getting down from the saddle and stopping is the same one I use regardless of whether I'm on clipless or platforms. As I'm waiting for the light to change, I use the bike-foot to pull the bottom pedal up and ready to push. My ground foot just hangs out on the ground. When it's time to go I give a shove with my ground foot as I push down on the pedal with my bike foot. This lifts me to saddle-height again. I pedal standing a few beats to get a good start, then settle back onto the saddle.

Hello and thanks for the feedback, this is helpful.

I can barely reach the ground with my toes - just just barely - if I am sitting in the saddle. I have to jump off and tip to the side. Saddle is fitted at proper height.

My method right now is:

I see stop sign approaching. My right foot goes to the low to the ground position and I unclick it there and then the right foot is completely free. I'm coasting at this point. Probably coasting for too long to be honest. The left foot comes down and I'm not actually standing on the pedal but I could if I wanted to - left pedal down, foot attached. I come to a stop, sometimes it's still kind of an abrupt stop and I still have to tell myself "lean right". I tip bike over and stand on right foot. I have to tip bike to stand upright on foot.

When it's clear to go, I raise my left foot, spinning it backwards one half turn, and then push off with it. I am coasting through the intersection as I fumble for the right foot. The last ride I started to avoid fumbling in the intersection entirely, leaving the right foot entirely free of the pedal until I made it through the intersection - even using the left foot to pedal alone. Then I'd fumble for the right foot to re-clip once I was clear of the intersection.

Are you actually unclicking the right foot as it is in the upper position? I can only click on and off when that foot is down low. Meaning I am coasting with the right foot low when I unclick and then it's free. Left foot then goes low.

[KnottedYet]

Hello and thanks for the feedback, this is helpful.

I can barely reach the ground with my toes - just just barely - if I am sitting in the saddle. I have to jump off and tip to the side.
.....

I tip bike over and stand on right foot. I have to tip bike to stand upright on foot.

It sounds like you are keeping your butt on the saddle and just tipping the bike over to get your foot to the ground?

Regardless of what kind of pedals you end up using, it might be a good idea to learn how to get on and off the saddle so you can get on and off the bike without having to tip the bike over.

(In other words, get off the saddle before you reach for the ground.)

Perhaps switch back to platforms and take the bike to a vacant parking lot. Keep your left foot on the pedal. Using just your left foot and your hands to contact the bike, practice scooting around pushing with your right foot on the ground. Scoot, stop. Scoot, stop. Just like the scooters we had as kids.

Once you have the scoot under control and can glide a few yards with only your left foot and hands on the bike, practice doing a glide and lifting your butt to the height of the saddle, then lowering your butt. Up, down. Up, down.

Once you have a feel for straightening your leg and using your calf to raise your butt, start actually putting your butt onto the saddle as you glide. Scoot, glide, on, off - scoot, glide, on, off.

Pretty soon you can add "stop" to the mix: scoot, glide, on, off, glide, stop.

Then add pedalling: scoot, glide, on, pedal, off, glide, stop.

You might find you like your clipless pedals a lot more when you can stop the bike without having to use a controlled topple-over to reach the ground. It's much easier if you just step down with your butt already off the saddle, and you have plenty of time to unclip beforehand.

ETA: yes, I unclip my ground foot when it is at the top of the pedal stroke, and my bike foot is at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Once I'm unclipped I'm ready, nothing has to switch positions before I stop.