Commuting - My first clipless fall!

I got clipless pedals and shoes last night for my fixed gear commuter. SPD MTB stuff. I tried it out in the driveway where I live (its long, is lined with garages). First I leaned up against the house and practiced clipping/unclipping, and then I gave it a shot with riding. All was fine until I tried to stop. I unclipped with my right foot, and then leaned left!

At least nobody saw it! A short 2 mile ride in traffic today was uneventful, the only time I had to stop I did unclip properly without landing on my butt!

Anyway, clipless is great so far. If not for all the good comments about it here, I'd never have tried it :)

Edit: I also found that Cannodale shoes fit wide feet just fine. I usually wear a 12 wide street shoe, and a cannondale size 47 shoe fit me perfectly.

Finally, welcome to the dark side... :)

Ah, you have to unattach before you slow down.

At least nobody saw it! A short 2 mile ride in traffic today was uneventful, the only time I had to stop I did unclip properly without landing on my butt!

well, that's kinda important for a person's self-esteem :D

i got clipless about 3 weeks ago and got used to them right away. anticipating the stop and unclipping in advance makes it all easy... yeah, until one day i was waiting in line to get my commuter card punched (long story) with a bunch of cyclists and cars in line too. i had unclipped, stopped and was just day-dreaming when all of a sudden i lost my balance and just like that toppeled over :o not only was everyone watching but it was also raining and muddy :( i fell on my leg, cushioning my bike which won me a few bruises :mad:

...scarred me for life, is what it did :p

My first clipless fall was a stupid move on my part. I had new clipless on a new mountain bike and decided to practice some wheelies. Right back on my ass, feet shot up in the air, where I would normally just have stepped back with platforms or clips.

I don't fall. I do periodic surface density tests of the road.

I have been riding clipless for 2 months now, and no issues at all. I think it is because I rode with toe clips for 2 years before this, and got used to having to make an extra motion to escape the pedals.

In reality, I don't see what the big deal about clipless is. Toe clips are 90% as good for me. I suppose if I was trying to be a racer I'd love the clipless. It does give a little better spin than toe clips. As it is I kind of feel like I wasted the $50 I spent trying it out. I'll keep using it but I don't know if I'll buy new stuff if the shoes or pedals wear out.

I have been riding spd mountain pedals for a while and decided to upgrade to new sidi carbon road shoes along with speedplay zero's. I thought there wouldn't be any issues with unclipping. I took my bike out without trying to unclip first. Big mistake! I came to a stop and found myself squirming to get out of the pedals. Needless to say they didn't budge and I banged up my left knee pretty good. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The speedplay manual says to lube the clips initially so unclipping is easier. Didn't read that til' after I fell.

I thought I was one of those people who would never fall due to not being able to unclip..

Guess I was wrong..

I have been riding clipless for 2 months now, and no issues at all. I think it is because I rode with toe clips for 2 years before this, and got used to having to make an extra motion to escape the pedals.

Same here. 2 or 3 0mph crashes in the first week with toe clips, then 3 years more of toe clips w/o falling over, and now I'm past 2 years with SPD, with only a few close calls but no crash. I'm proud:D

unclipped, stopped and was just day-dreaming when all of a sudden

:rofl: that's the kind of thing that would happen to me. everything i read about clipless convinces me that they just weren't made for my mental type.

Well I did my first real ride with clipless this morning, 22 miles of fixed gear riding up between here and another valley north of me. There was one particular hill I couldn't have done with the platforms I'd been using before. I couldn't have generated enough power to get up it. As it was I barely did.

And, all of the things I've heard about clipless are true. Its really great! After my first 'incident' I have had no problems. We'll see how the coming week of commuting goes ;)

My first fall was because the cleat screw came out and it caused the cleat to stay when the foot was turned to unclip.

I now know that crank brothers screws are too short. Luckily the shoe maker had a longer set in the box.

slight scratch on the left pedal, and the Bontrager skewer took the rear scratches. Nothing else hit the ground.

Its been two weeks and three falls....my left knee looks like burger but I think my brain is starting to get it.

First fall after 10K error freetest of SPD and was within 4 Feet of end of ride in front of my garage...hubris.

Second coming out of parking lot and was in very low gear and had to stop but could not uncleat...

Third I was out of the pedals and just spazzed out and fell

Otherwise I love them. Did my 40k saturday ride in high winds and rain and they worked great no slipping and strong on rises

I have toe clips (without straps) on my commuter and SPD clipless pedals (Cannondale Carve shoes) on my road bike. I got to figure the whole unclipping thing on the trainer at my LBS, so I haven't fallen yet.

The first thing I noticed about unclipping vs getting out of toe clips is that with toe clips I think about keeping my left foot on the pedal and my right foot comes off the pedal naturally, with clipless pedals, I have to think about unclipping my right foot and my left foot stays on naturally.

In short, giving yourself enough time to think and plan with clipless pedals is always a good idea.

Well, I thought I was doing pretty good today. Had a couple of situations on my commute where I had to unclip somewhat unexpectedly, and I did fine. Still learning the art of clipping IN quickly, but I'll get there.

All was fine until about 2/3 of the way home, I went to stop and put my foot down on the curb. Didn't unclip correctly, and (in slow motion as always) went on over. I don't know what it looked like, but I just got up, shook my head at myself, and got back on the bike.

*sigh*

... if you are riding fixed, you must master the art of unclipping both feet at the same time.

Bracing the top tube with your knees is a good remedial action for the lack of footpegs.
Do not fear your cranks going 140 rpm ... fear your knees going that fast.
PLAN ahead ... do not stay clipped whilst you are approaching your final destination. Use your muscle memory to clip without thinking, and for the love of all you hold sacred, under no cirscumstances dare to LOOK at your pedals. It is certain death.

Dont ask me how I learned all these things without having killed myself ...

Thanks for the advice! Had I unclipped JUST before I needed to put my foot down, I'd have been fine.... I shall learn!

Hey Ryko ... nice site! I like the idea of a MTB for fixing around. I know that my regular conversion is holding up but I am a little too rough on the rear wheel - train tracks, cracks, curb hopping, small children, senior citizens driving buicks - and it looks like a fantastic idea.

Also I would not mind at all switching for 26 inch wheels ... plenty of them on the cheap for fixed snowbikes. Choices, choices , choices ... eh?

Hey Huhenio, thanks! My MTB is great. I really really REALLY like it. I got a IRO 135mm fixed/fixed hub laced to a Velocity Cliff Hanger. Can you say bomb proof!? I've been riding it for about 2 months now and its a great wheel, and it was a GREAT price too. I got it at IRO. I ride 26" because its cheap and very strong. Also, with most MTB's you can go from 1.25" slicks in the fair weather months as I do, and then go to fat knobbies, or like I am, studded in the winter. Most road bikes don't have the clearance, unless its a cross or touring bike.

I also plan on doing some long distance cycling with this bike next year, and I figured that clipless was definitely part of that equation. My ride over the weekend proved that to be true. Clipless and fixed is just a perfect match, I think.

Being the royal cheapass bastard that I am, I had a hard time spending 120u$d on clipless and shoes. My wife got them first, since it was the only solution for her delicate "hot foot" condition. Then I came to terms, slapped myself a couple times, and got me my Shimano SPD's.
I cannot go back to straps now ... ever.

Oh man, I had the exact same problem. By the time I was done buying the shoes, pedals (used but still...) and cleats, and booties for wearing the shoes in the winter, I was at almost $200. I had to buy Nokian studded tires, too, but my boss offered to pick up the tab for them, so I could get to work safely during the winter. So that sealed the deal ;)

It must be nice to have a boss that is accomodating to your bike commuting. That is great.

Wow. Your boss was so supportive he offered to SPEND MONEY???? To enable you to commute?!?!?

I am floored. I don't think I've ever had a boss that would have done that. You don't happen to be a cute chick by any chance? That might explain it.

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

Nope I'm not a cute chick! My boss is really great. It was kind of self serving though. I'm one of 5 guys that run an entire web hosting outfit. If I die or get injured, the business gets hurt BAD. So for him its insurance ;)

But yes, its just really really awesome. WAY awesome.