Mountain Biking - A good day turned sour...the type of sour that hurts

I finally got my midterms over for this week and the weather was in the 80's this afternoon. It was PERFECT for riding. This time around, i bring my elbow pads with just in case.

I do my normal trails with more speed this time, i felt a bit more comfortable this time around. I endo'd twice. Once i hit a hill at high speed not realizing it was a large dropoff the other end. i land and i endoed into some brushes. Second time, i was going too fast off a hill and WHAM into the ground. Not bad, wasnt too hurt.

I get to the rock quarry and there is about 10 dudes also biking. They were doing some DJ. it was pretty cool. I never seen anyone DJ before. They seemed to pretty good at it. I saw couple of my friends there that i didnt realize that biked. The had some heavy duty DH bikes with some nice HT. We talked for awhile while everyone was DJin. Then my friend tells me to come with im and do the "loop". He is the coolest dude i met to date. I told him i suck monkey balls but he still wanted to show me around considering i was a newbie.

Let me tell you this, I AM GOING TO PLATFORMS. The story contines........

He shows me this killer trail that i would have never found. It was complete with skinnies that people built. It was CRAZY stuff. Most of the time i walked the trail b/c i was using clipless. I knew if i rode it, i would DIE. He took it like a champ and hit all the stuff i walked on, iit was WICKED.

And for the bad part. Im going downhill on a small section, i loose my balance and i fall. My ankle gets caught btw a tree and my frame. I thought i broke my ankel for a second because it looked crooked. Holy #@!$!!!!. But i moved my ankle around and it was okay. And i also got a bad gash on my shin from something. It was bleeding really good. hehehee. I also hurt my hand, well, the joint of my thumb. i guess i landed on it the wrong way and its pretty sore now. From this point on, i just walk most of the trail. i just lost my confidence with clipless.

I am soooo convinced that clipless sucks for me on the trail. i cant fall anymore trying to get better. it hurts too much. im putting my order in for my platforms tonight.

Loose the clipless. So much safer without and besides once you start styling you will be able to throw down more moves in the air than someone wearing clipless...to many benefits to platforms to stick with clipless (unless racing or speed is the only concern)

ouch. well perhaps the kind with plats on one side and clipless on the other side might be good?

or better yet, clipless inside the platform

Guys, that means you are still attached...

if you're using shimano pedals, there are adjusting screws to set how much force is required to pull out of the pedal, sounds like you're more concerned with falling than anything else though. Just realize, that you could fall, but if you do oh well. Do you tense up on a descent and hold your breath? If so, you need to lower that seat and handle the bike, not let the bike handle you. Go to your local shop and ask if they offer any classes or clinics, or even if you can go ride with one of them to get some skills training. It will make you a better rider, and you meet some pretty cool people along the way.

Well, you're certainly living up to Maelstrom's philosophy of "if you don't crash at least once every ride you aren't pushing yourself hard enough." Try not to break something though or it'll be a while before you get to try out some platform pedals...

im in the same debate right now....i have crashed before because of my clipless pedals. But i do like the benefit of the power to the pedal with clipless, but i sure could have avoided some crashes...

Do they make a pedal that you can use regular shoes OR clipless. I have clipless shoes,,id hate to just hang them up...so id like to have a choice of either one.

thanks

The new platform/clipless from TIME and Crank Bros. claim you can ride either clipped in or setting on top! The Time's are called "Z-Controls" and the Cranks Bros. are called "Mallets".

Do a "search" and read what many here have said!

L8R

Is that the trails at the split rock quarry?If so there are some fun trials in there.My grandmother lives around the corner. Anyway when i rode them I wiped out and walked more than normal.The net day i switched to flats.It wqas a lot more fun not having to think about clipping out.I ride in the flatlands so i wan't used to the hills and rocks.Anyway i love cliplesss but not on every trail.Like others have saaid you might try the platform clipless combo.

Is that the trails at the split rock quarry?If so there are some fun trials in there.My grandmother lives around the corner. Anyway when i rode them I wiped out and walked more than normal.The net day i switched to flats.It wqas a lot more fun not having to think about clipping out.I ride in the flatlands so i wan't used to the hills and rocks.Anyway i love cliplesss but not on every trail.Like others have saaid you might try the platform clipless combo.

yes it was. it was my first time actually riding the massive trails in the backland. some were very techical, i could have, but i just didnt have confidence at that point. there were some hella cool stunts inside the forest.