General Cycling Discussion - If no one sees it happen...?

I had been riding with toe clips until my past two rides, the first ones with spd pedals. The mechanic at the shop, after putting the cleats on my shoes, warned me to remember to unclip, and reminded me that everyone has forgotten and fallen over. Well, I fell over after only about four hours with the new pedals. I did not, however, forget to unclip. At the end of a good ride, in my driveway, outside my garage door, I unclipped the left foot, came to a stop, and promptly fell to my right. If no one sees it happen, does the cyclist really fall over?

I remember the first time i ever fell in clipless pedals. It was nearly the same thing that happened to you but i fell the other direction. I was rolling up my driveway on a slant and I unclipped my right foot and fell to the left. I bashed my knee cap pretty well too. My dad and my friend were standing near me so they didn't skip the ridicule lol.

Originally posted by tokus
My dad and my friend were standing near me so they didn't skip the ridicule lol.

Luckily, no one saw me. My son is 15, and had he seen me fall, he would never let me forget it.

Originally posted by Prosody
At the end of a good ride, in my driveway, outside my garage door, I unclipped the left foot, came to a stop, and promptly fell to my right.
Remember Laugh-In? :D

Laws of Bicycling:

Sub Law Regarding Clipless Pedals:

Falling over due to trouble unclipping is required to occur at an intersection with as many people watching as possible.

Flirtation Corrolary:

If the cyclist is in the process noticing a fellow attractive human being, the likelihood of falling over and crashing is required to be increased.

Altercation Corrolary:

If the cyclist recently has had an altercation with an automobile driver where the cyclist has pulled up to the intersection after having audibly uttered profanities at a driver who is also currently at the same intersection, the stars will align in such a way as to make it a virtual certainty that the cyclist will fall over while trying to unclip.

Advisory regarding the above law:

Do not practice trackstanding when others are watching.

If no one sees it happen, does the cyclist really fall over?

You only dreamed it! If there are no witnesses it didn't happen.:D

I came back from a 40+ mile ride and decided to stop by the movie rental before going the few blocks home. I pulled up uncliped for the stop had to make one more strok, perfect posistion, hit the brakes steppppp, what the, crash!!!!!!
There where whitnesses and a skinned knee! :rolleyes:

Originally posted by Prosody
If no one sees it happen, does the cyclist really fall over?

Unfortunately, yes. I have scars to prove it.

One of my first lessons about cycling, from my dad, was that everybody falls over at least once in these type of situations and all that really matters is THE BIKE!!!

If you fall to the right, you push the bike hard to the left and never let it hit the ground. YOU absorb the shock. His saying was, "Bodies and egos mend, scratches on bikes don't."

My first day out with clipless pedals entailed a fall at an intersection. I thought for some reason that I would magically be able to trackstand now that my feet were clipped in. Needless to say, I didn't remain balanced for more than a quarter second. I couldn't bring myself to look at the driver's faces.

But I do believe that a solo fall happens, for you won't ever forget it.

At least I know why I fell. I was stopping, turning slightly to the left with my left foot unclipped. I forgot about that thing called inertia, which thrust me, as I turned and stopped, ever so slightly to the right. I guess I'm just a victim of inertia (a bike potato?).

i think im guna stick with my old fashioned toe clips & shoe plates after reading all this ;)

I havent fallen yet but close so i know its coming.I read where they say when you first start,go to a park and ride on the grass,its softer i guess untill u get use to it.

When I first got my shoes and pedals, I tested them with one foot on the ground and everything worked fine. Of course, as soon as I got around the first corner, I just had to test them again,,,Big mistake! I had lasted all of 45 seconds. I prefer to think of it as a tree falling in the woods. Problem was, I landed on my shoulder and was so sore for about 3 days I actually made the second mistake,,,, I told my wife! Now, all the family and half of our friends think that I am dumb enough to actually tie myself to a bicycle, and regretfully, I guess I am.

LOL,so true about people watching! I made the transition to clipless with nary a fall, although I kept thinking it would happen. It didn't happen until I got new Look pedals and on my first ride, yep, I fell over at a red light and of course, everyone in their cars was watching. And as I was trying to untangle myself, I saw a guy go by on his bike and I thought oh ****, but he didn't see me. And my brand new pedals got scratched on the sides, oh well.

I run Time ATACs, and when they're new, the spring tends to be really stiff, and hard to release from. Anyway.. the first crash I had was actually in my driveway. I was bunny hopping, track standing.. just showing off around a friend. I was trackstanding and just fell to one side, twisting my ankle and scraping myself up. Wasn't a very nice feeling. My friend made fun of me, until I let him try the clipless pedals and he had a WAY WORSE crash in my driveway. He was popping a wheeling, and the bike flew out from under him and he couldn't unclip. I thought it was about as funny as the time he laughed at me for falling in the driveway :o



I still fall sometimes if I get caught off guard, too. My front tire washed out on Saturday in some sand and I just fell sideways. Fortunately it was in some soft leaves, so no damage (except to my ego) was done. I have a hard time unclipping during crashes, too... which is REALLY bad for my knees and ankles sometimes.

My fall was similar - unclipped the left and fell right. It took me a few weeks on my first pair of clipless pedals to fall that first time. I guess I was waiting for the right moment. It was a 4th of July poker run on the local rail trail (Youghiogheney River Trail). It DEFINITELY happened as can be attested to by literally hundreds of witnesses. Perhaps the most painful part was hearing my wife ask "Are you okay - what happened?" in the otherwise dead silence. That's alright....she's riding HER first pair of SPDs on a trainer now.

Originally posted by easyrider
One of my first lessons about cycling, from my dad, was that everybody falls over at least once in these type of situations and all that really matters is THE BIKE!!!
Well, after riding on SPD pedals for almost four problem-free months (not even a close call) I finally did the 'clipless crash' on today's ride with the club. Plenty of witnesses... had to grin and bear it! :D

We were rolling up to a regroup point and as I was slowing to a stop with the right foot unclipped, I was busy talking to one of the riders and did a slow flop over to the left. Unfortunately I didn't do a good enough job of protecting the bike and ended up tweaking the left shifter inwards a bit and scratching it up a little bit. I moved the shifter back to its proper alignment (it just moved on the bar -- no big deal) and accepted the 'congratulations' of the 20 or so riders that were there at the time.

Ironically, the person I was first talking to when all this happened had a clipless crash on his brand-new Cannondale a couple of weeks ago in the parking lot after the ride...

Originally posted by Jim311
I have a hard time unclipping during crashes, too... which is REALLY bad for my knees and ankles sometimes.

I only seem to have a hard time unclipping either during or after a slow-crash/fall. Everytime my worst-fear crashes happen at high speed, my feet have magically freed themselves.

Here is my chronology

Tuesday - Shoulder surgery to reapir damage done on a Wal-Mart bike (endo from hitting front brake too hard)

Friday - Receive new Cannondale as a get well present from wife

Saturday - On my third group ride ever - Attempt to ride on clipless pedals for the first time while taking Oxycontin sporting 30 sutures and a pin through my shoulder bones - Fall over in parking lot before ride starts - skin knee - get up - grin - set new PR for distance - go home - lay in bed for hours...

Originally posted by Prosody
If no one sees it happen, does the cyclist really fall over?
No.

(What do they teach people in the schools these days? :rolleyes: )

Originally posted by Puckloki
Falling over due to trouble unclipping is required to occur at an intersection with as many people watching as possible

True, true.....

The last ime I fell was right in front of a real hot roadie babe. Upon getting up, I turned to her and pointed to my best friend, "He fell earlier" was all I could say. Well, it was true.:D

Originally posted by Greg
"He fell earlier"

So, it's o.k. as long as everyone is taking turns?:)

As long as you didn't crash into the hottie on the way down it isn't too bad. You should have played hurt and worked the sympathy angle.