fall report

[logdiva32]

just reporting that I finally fell. At a 4 way stop talking to co-workers about lunch or return to office, I forgot I was clipped in to those damn clipless pedals. That was my 1st clipless ride. Made it the whole ride 1 1/2 hour, and forgot at the end. Oh only one of my feet can unclip easily. I ruptured my left achilles and am still building the fast twitch reflex, so I can only unclip with the right foot. I forgot about it all, the pedals, my bad foot, and started leaning, all I could do was tuck and roll.

[ChickWithBrains]

Did the same thing my first real ride with the eggbeater pedal clips. Still have a scar vaguely resembling a gentle mauling by a bear on my left calf...

[SouthernBelle]

You still did better than me on my first clipless ride.

[Jenn]

I thought I'd been doing great until yesterday. DH and my daughter came out to the driveway to see me off yesterday morning on my ride...and he said something....so I got distracted. I pulled my left shoe out and totally forgot about by right one, down I went into the curb. I slammed down right on my thigh and my wrist, which is KILLING me today. I think my pride was a little more hurt then my body which the bruises are lovely! Oh well, I knew it was going to happen eventually. I hope you get to feeling better!!
Jenn

[freelivez2]

I am new at this road biking thing and to hear the stories of being clipped in scare me. I'm so scared of falling. Any suggestions for ease of transistioning?

[LadyinWhite]

I am new at this road biking thing and to hear the stories of being clipped in scare me. I'm so scared of falling. Any suggestions for ease of transistioning?

Practice practice practice. Sit on the bike in a doorway while watching tv or something and just .. click in, click out, click in, click out, click in, click out.. (you get the idea).

The idea is to build muscle memory. The more you do it, the better you'll get at it.

Oh - and fall at least once - it builds character

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I am new at this road biking thing and to hear the stories of being clipped in scare me. I'm so scared of falling. Any suggestions for ease of transistioning?

This goes against what a lot of people recommend, but...
My suggestion is to simply get used to riding your road bike first, with regular shoes and flat pedals. Then get clipless pedals AFTER you are generally comfortable with riding your road bike.
Another suggestion for easing into the clipless world is to use regular pedals and attach "Power Grip" straps to them, which lie diagonally across your foot. The motion in getting your foot in and out of PowerGrip straps is quite similar to the motion of releasing your foot from clipless (twist heel outwards as you pull foot out), and should help you get used to the idea for a while first.

[glockgirl]

Well, this is my first post, and I'm sort of happy to say, that I'm glad I'm not the only one, I've been doing triathlons for almost into my 2nd year, I just switched out my pedals last thursday, first day I'm in the driveway w/ my boyfriend, no clue what to do so start pedaling, and over I went...hmm another scraped knee and back. Frustrated I called the store and wanted to return them, but then practiced a little inside and went for a ride sunday and did okay, will try again today. Still very afraid of falling, doing a tri on sunday, just women, hopefully I'll be so fixated I won't forget

[logdiva32]

I practiced several saturdays in spin class before I hit the road.