Couldn't get clipped out and fell

[Peddlin' Patti]

Sorry about your fall. I fell twice in one week. I unclipped my right foot which I had been doing for about a month with no problems. I was leaning to the left and fell over. The next time I went out the same thing happened. Now I'm so paranoid of falling that I clip out on both sides because I don't want to fall again. My dh doesn't ride and says I'm too old to be getting banged up. I feel like a kid with scraped knees and elbows.

[salsabike]

Congrats, you just joined a big club.

I'm posting a link to a thread on this forum on our most embarrassing moments. A number of the posts, including mine, are associated with falling while clipped in. Read it--it'll make you feel MUCH better.


http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=5555

[betagirl]

I had my first clipless semi-fall a few weeks ago. For some reason, it took me 2 years to join this club. Call me incredibly lucky. I had several close calls though. Anyway, I was commuting to school, and had to stop at a busy intersection to wait for the light. I stepped off my pedal and my cleat slipped out from under me. I did this leap off my bike, clipped out of my left pedal, and somehow landed on both feet. I let my bike fall. Needless to say I had an audience of about 50 people, either in their cars waiting at the light or walking around. I was half embarassed, half impressed with my reflexes. Or that's what I told myself that the people were thinking to make myself feel less silly

[Diggles]

So how long was it after you began riding did y'all go clipless?

I'm curious b/c my friend goes clipless & highly recommends it...although he has similar stories of falling over & that embarrassment potential sorta terrifies me.

We went for (my maiden voyage) a ride yesterday & I couldn't keep up with him cuz my feet kept slipping off the f'n pedals. He says clipless allows you more power b/c you can pull on the ups & push on the downs.

Thoughts?

[caligurl]

So how long was it after you began riding did y'all go clipless?

my first road had clipless on it when i brought her home! hubby highly suggested i start out fresh with them.... so i listened to him.... i did have to return the look pedals and get speedplays (i cuouldn't clip out of the looks... i LOVE my speedplays!)

so to answer your question... my very first ride!

[bikerz]

so to answer your question... my very first ride!

Me too! (Six falls to my credit, but none in the last year - thank goodness!)

[pikato]

Me three!!

It just seemed more logical to start from the beginning with clipless, than getting used to something else & switching to clipless later.

[Brandy]

So how long was it after you began riding did y'all go clipless?

I'm curious b/c my friend goes clipless & highly recommends it...although he has similar stories of falling over & that embarrassment potential sorta terrifies me.

We went for (my maiden voyage) a ride yesterday & I couldn't keep up with him cuz my feet kept slipping off the f'n pedals. He says clipless allows you more power b/c you can pull on the ups & push on the downs.

Thoughts?

I put clipless pedals on my road bike before I took my first ride. I had been taking indoor cycling classes and used cycling shoes with clipless pedals in there, so I didn't need to be sold on the effectiveness! I say go for it

[colby]

So how long was it after you began riding did y'all go clipless?

When I bought my new bike, she didn't come with pedals... so I went all-in, and bought clipless pedals and shoes right away. Before that, my only experience was on platforms, and with mountain/hybrid bikes. So, my first day on a road bike and I'm having to figure out everything from shifting to getting ON and OFF the bike in the first place!

The motion of clipping in and out itself isn't really difficult, it's knowing when to do it and where the rest of your body should be. It's something you definitely have to adjust to, and pretty much plan on the fact that falling can happen, will most likely happen, and will not be fatal. I think even being aware that this is a possibility might help you loosen up a bit

The more time you spend on the bike, the better you'll get. I had a minor victory recently just figuring out how to pedal without clipping in (an AHA! and DUH! moment all in one), and another today when I had to clip out really quickly, leaned the wrong way, nearly fell, but clipped my other foot out and recovered in an amazing and magical movement that I may never be able to repeat.

One of the funny things is how many other clipless riders I've noticed now that I have been riding them. People at stop lights, crossing the street, on the trails, on the road... whether I'm driving, riding, or running, I am a lot more aware of what it takes to be a put-together rider

[Kano]

and pretty much plan on the fact that falling can happen, will most likely happen, and will not be fatal. I think even being aware that this is a possibility might help you loosen up a bit

See, now I'm not so sure I agree with this, Colby! Riding around with "sooner or later I'm gonna fall" rolling around somwhere in the back of my head is what's making me say, "Hmmmmm, do I really want to do this?" every time I give thought to getting the pedals, even though I KNOW how much of a performance booster they are!

(the knowledge that it will happen when I'm on skis tends to affect my skiing too, but snow is usually softer than chip-seal and I've got more clothes protecting my skin!)

Karen in Boise

[RoadRaven]

I rode for about 4 months using toe cages - no straps or buckles...

I would never go back to that now, clipping in gives me soooo much power and control.

And Kano... dunno how many times I have heard this litttle bit of biking wisdom...

There are two types of riders... those who have crashed... and those who are going to crash...

May all your falls be low-impact at low speed .... (like the time I headed off, put so much power in to the first thrust down that my wheel spun and I flipped forward over my handle bars... the only thing that was damaged was my pride...)

[colby]

See, now I'm not so sure I agree with this, Colby! Riding around with "sooner or later I'm gonna fall" rolling around somwhere in the back of my head is what's making me say, "Hmmmmm, do I really want to do this?" every time I give thought to getting the pedals, even though I KNOW how much of a performance booster they are!

(the knowledge that it will happen when I'm on skis tends to affect my skiing too, but snow is usually softer than chip-seal and I've got more clothes protecting my skin!)

Karen in Boise

That's true, Karen, it could be a little bit disconcerting as well. I think the real point is to relax about it, instead of stressing every time you clip in and out. That's helped me a lot -- if I worry about falling too much, I think about what I'm doing too much, instead of listening to what my body and feet are doing and going with the simplest solution. The more you do it, the less you think about what you're doing.

You're probably pretty likely to fall, but you'll want to practice everything at a slower speed. All of the times I've fallen (just twice) were when I was at a complete stop! It doesn't hurt much to fall when you're not going anywhere.

[sunrunner]

I just "upgraded" my old bike from cages to clips...and the very first day I fell, in my own yard, lol...the next day I went ridign, and fell again..both times to the right. When I had my cages, i always left my left foot in and just took out my right, so my habit is to lean to the right when stopping or dismounting, but silly me can't unclip my right foot for the life of me, lol...anyway, i am getting it know after some embarassing moments, but i have found it is easier to unclip just one foot and then bring that foot to the ground when stopping or dismounting...
I'm glad to hear you didn't hurt anything when you fell - that is always my big fear..i'm such a wimp when it comes to scrapes and bruises...
HUGS

[dachshund]

My first fall was in the parking lot of the bike store With the sales guy yelling "don't stop - don't sto--". Bang.

Now I know not to stop pedaling or I'll tip over. Har har.

I was determined to get the clipless newbie thing out of the way first thing. The only other time I fell was when I caught my foot swinging my leg to dismount. I lost my balance and was on my butt. There were cars going by, but I pretended no one saw me. There were no cyclists around. I decided my left leg isn't the one I should be balancing with. But this wasn't related to clipless issues, it was a Total Klutz thing on my part. (I open kitchen cabinets into my head, so it's undeniable.)

I went through two different types of SPD pedals and ended up liking the Speedplay X5s. I'm impressed with y'all who "got" the SPD pedals right away - I just couldn't. But I really like the cute little X5s.

[emily_in_nc]

My most embarrassing fall with clipless was at a rest stop of a metric century, of all times. Cyclists all around, of course. I was going for a personal best metric time so made it to the rest stop with the "B-paced" riders (per my club's designations, 16-18 mph average speed), which made it even more embarrassing for me since these were not newbie/casual cyclists, for the most part. I was in the parking lot getting going again after my eat/drink stop, and the back of the chamois pad of my shorts caught on the nose of my saddle, messing up my "mounting the bike routine", and down I went, sideways, without any warning. Several guys yelled over "Are you okay??" Yes, I was fine, no harm done...except to my pride.

We've all been there, done that at some time or another, and even experienced cyclists (as I was a that point) will occasionally take a tumble. Clipless are still well worth it for the advantages they offer. I ride Eggbeater Candy's on my mtb and love 'em. Have never been unable to clip out before I fall!

Emily