Mountain Biking - Falling DOWN!

I have clipless pedals on my road bike and toe clips on my mountain bike. I figured i should get toe clips because I thought they would be easier to get out of. But i have fallen down more times with toe clips than with my clipless..Should I bite the bullet and get some clipless pedals?

yes, yes you should

only one answer

Depending on your shoes, toe clips can be very hard to get out of. I also found they put a lot of strain on my knees. If you want a pedal that you can still stand on when not wearing a clipless cleat, I'd go for a clipless platform type. There are a bunch available at different price ranges but the most popular seem to be the Crank Bros. Mallet C's and the Time Z, both are around $100 US. Take a look at http://www.nashbar.com/results.cfm?subcategory=1078&category=108&browse=&storetype=&estoreid=&brand=&searchbox=&start=11&orderby=&pagename= if you want pictures of them to see what I'm talking about, or check out your LBS if you want to try em out.

only one answer

No there isn't. Get flats :D

I've found that toe-clips are the most dangerous types of pedals for cycling. I used to ride them before switching to clipless and have had more accidents with them both on and offroad than with any other type of pedals. I would definately recommend clipless.

I keep falling down with my clipless also, but I am getting the hang of them. I just dont want to go down steep stuff with them, cause I wont be able to get out if I happen to fall.

i can usually tell when i am going to not be able to get out of my toe clips...the ground must be wet, there must be at least 20 people in a 20 yard radius, and i must be wearing nicer pants...all these elements come together, and im falling over.

Believe it!! You are actually safer with clipless - they will allow you more contol, once you get the hang of them on your MTB. Set the tension lower on your pedals so you can release them easier...

A set of clipless pedals and some shoes will be my first purchase this summer, as a matter of fact. How do you feel about Nasbar products? They have the Nashbar clipless pedals for about 20 bucks

A set of clipless pedals and some shoes will be my first purchase this summer, as a matter of fact. How do you feel about Nasbar products? They have the Nashbar clipless pedals for about 20 bucks

Of the $20 pedals I saw on Nashbar's website, I'd go for the Ritchey ones. They're all pretty much of the same design... clones of the original Shimano PD-M737/747 of 14 years ago. They all will have the same benefits (double sided stomp-and-go entry, multiple exit capability, walkable durable cleats, etc...). OTOH, they will have the same type of failings too... mainly poor mud-performance and limited float. I think the Ritchey pedals will probably be more durable however. For the price, they're a good bargain and a good way to try out clipless without investing too much money but don't expect them to outshine or perform on par to the higher end systems such as Crank Bros. Eggbeaters and Time ATACs.

Don't worry about wiping out with clipless pedals. The first thing you should do when you get some is loosen the bindings so they come out easy. I run mine pretty loose and I've also wiped out quite bad with them (once going down a reeeally steep hill) and I've always come unclipped during the course of the crash. Of course the first few weeks I had them I would fall over just coming to a stop...now that's embarrassing (especially in front of girls).

Don't worry about wiping out with clipless pedals. The first thing you should do when you get some is loosen the bindings so they come out easy.

You are of course assuming that the pedals have a tension adjustment. Some pedals don't as they decouple the principles of release angle, float and tension. If you have a pedal system with adjustable float/release angle then you might want to set it up to have a tighter (less) release angle so you will click out sooner. Later on as you start becoming more comfortable with clipless and your body starts automatically disengaging your feet in falls and accidents (mine is second nature) then you can lax up on the angles so you don't accidently pop out when using a lot of bike/body english.

power grips all the way

What can I add? For me and my style of riding, Platforms are the way to go. However, if your riding style warrants the use of clips, then a clipless pedal system will be a definate improvement.

Now, realize I've been riding road bikes and moutain bikes since before clipless pedals were invented, so I got pretty comfotable using clips. When I finally (after too much trepidation) tried them, I was instantly hooked (Pun intended). I did comply with the obligatory three falls, with one being in front of others, before I got the hang of unclipping. I became a better rider with them. Pedaling efficiency improved, and I could clear sections that I would generally "dab" a foot. Not being able to "dab" forced my confidence to a higher level. However, you quickly learn how to immediately get "out" when you have to. I was riding a trail with my yellow lab leading the way. For whatever reason, she stopped right in front of me. I endoed, unclipped with both feet and vaulted over her in an instant. It becomes second nature.

Again though, with my skill increasing and my desire to try more technical trails and hitting jumps and some drops, I found that I needed platforms for the INSTANT bailability. A millisecond of hesitation (from trying to unclip) could easily mean a trip to the ER. So, I switched back!

L8R

I went riding today with my toe clip pedals, I ate **** off a 5ft drop..Im going clipless before the next ride..TOE CLIPS ARE DANGEROUS!