Road Cycling - DOH, finally fell at the light...

Well it finally happened... I thought I cheated it. Never thought it'll happen to me. Oh no sir, it happens to everyone else but it simply can't happen to me...
I was going home after my morning ride. Got to a light, slowed down and waited for my girlfriend cause she missed the last light, did everything right, unclipped, was getting ready to plant my left foot down when I hear *click* "oh s**t, i'm clipped back in!" *WHAM*, down I go. My left knee took most of the fall, tore the scab off the road rash I had from a week ago, I got up just as my girlfriend rounded the counter and timidly said, "ok.. let's turn at the next light and go home.." :(

Witnesses: Two cars that were passing by, probably 3-4 more cars behind me, 1 other biker, lady pushing a cart waiting to cross the light. Thankfully, no one laughed, at least not that I could hear.

doesn't sound like it was *too* bad
wrong that you opened back up your rash from last week
I guess it really does happen to everyone
(crap, I reckon I'm next then)
gotta hate it when you can't clip back in when you really want to and you magically clip back in effortlessly when you don't wanna. figures.
hope you're alright :)

My "I thought I had the clipless peddals licked" first fall happened right in front of my LBS on our mainstreet during rushhour. It taught me a lesson. I'm not sure what that lesson was, but I'm sure it will come to me eventually. :)

yeah, i just got clipless pedals as well. and also as well, i thought it wouldn't happen to me. i figured i'd just clip out ahead of time, while cruising up to the light or other stoppage. well, the other day i was trying to unclip, but i couldn't get my leg to twist enough and down i went. the lady in the car next to me says: does that happen often? i said: apparently it happens to everyone at least once.
then again today i pulled into a parking lot to wait for someone and wasn't paying much attention and down i went. so that's twice. i'm done for good now, right?

Well it finally happened... I thought I cheated it. Never thought it'll happen to me. Oh no sir, it happens to everyone else but it simply can't happen to me...
I was going home after my morning ride. Got to a light, slowed down and waited for my girlfriend cause she missed the last light, did everything right, unclipped, was getting ready to plant my left foot down when I hear *click* "oh s**t, i'm clipped back in!" *WHAM*, down I go. My left knee took most of the fall, tore the scab off the road rash I had from a week ago, I got up just as my girlfriend rounded the counter and timidly said, "ok.. let's turn at the next light and go home.." :(

Witnesses: Two cars that were passing by, probably 3-4 more cars behind me, 1 other biker, lady pushing a cart waiting to cross the light. Thankfully, no one laughed, at least not that I could hear.


ROFL! I've got it twice in the past two weeks. One in front of a line of about 25 cars. The second time, the only people around were about 75 zillion construction workers, who got a good chuckle out of it!

I am still working on my left pedal. No matter what I do, it is so stiff that I cannot unclip until my right is unclippped and firmly on the ground. I fear another fall is in my future.

Never happened to me with clipless. Back in the day with the old cage a strap system I fell over once. Downtown in front of a line of cars, even. I felt like an idiot.

Well it finally happened... I thought I cheated it. Never thought it'll happen to me. Oh no sir, it happens to everyone else but it simply can't happen to me...
I was going home after my morning ride. Got to a light, slowed down and waited for my girlfriend cause she missed the last light, did everything right, unclipped, was getting ready to plant my left foot down when I hear *click* "oh s**t, i'm clipped back in!" *WHAM*, down I go. My left knee took most of the fall, tore the scab off the road rash I had from a week ago, I got up just as my girlfriend rounded the counter and timidly said, "ok.. let's turn at the next light and go home.." :(

Witnesses: Two cars that were passing by, probably 3-4 more cars behind me, 1 other biker, lady pushing a cart waiting to cross the light. Thankfully, no one laughed, at least not that I could hear.
My girlfriend got a fractured arm doing that last week on her brand new bike at a stop sign :( she's tough though and rode back ok. The doc says it's minor no sling or cast so shes lucky and should be back on the bike in a week

Never happened to me with clipless. Back in the day with the old cage a strap system I fell over once. Downtown in front of a line of cars, even. I felt like an idiot.
Me too but now I reciently put together a fixie commuter w/ toe straps and holy cow I almost went over. B/c I like to tighten the straps up and forget that oh yea they don't give. I learned to start wiggling the foot as I approach the stop to get out now...

If you had witnesses that would make it an "official" Bus Stop Flop. :D

Happens when you least expect it...

Heh yeah I flopped alright. Thank god it wasn't a busy intersection. I actually wanted to fall on my shoulder but mid fall I was in the process of twisting my leg out to unclip again and ended up on my knee which I'm convinced is banged up internally from so many falls.

In my case, I did my 1st clipless fall in front of two cars going by at the intersection where I stopped (all of half a block from my house - so to make it even worse, these could have been my NEIGHBORS). One pulled over immediately to ask if I was all right; the other I rode by a minute later where he had parked, and HE asked if I was alright, too. Had to tell 'em both I was fine, but my ego was certainly bruised. ;)

I hear *click* "oh s**t, i'm clipped back in!" *WHAM*, down I go. My left knee took most of the fall, tore the scab off the road rash I had from a week ago, :(
.

uh you're braver than I... How about saving your life by swapping out those cleats for a Multi-release cleat. The multi-release is like a ski binding. When you "want out" you are out. They release from any angle...and NOW!

They're usually the same price as the regular ones about $20 and go right into your peddal. Your LBS will probably try to tell you, "oh you don't need them". I disagree. If you have to stop suddlenly or in an emergency, you can go down hard. There's nothing like dropping a bike in traffic.

I use the Shimano M-55, ... they release any which way your foot moves --FAST -- so you have time to put your foot down.

Just wondering... but when you guys fall... what kind of damage does it do to your bikes?

Scratched pedals, brake levers, and derailleurs?

I havent fallen on my road bike YET but fell on my MTB... only scratch was pedals and grips... :D

Ive never dropped motorcycles yet either... *knock on wood* ... but damage to the fairings will cost $$$ if i do. :(

Just wondering... but when you guys fall... what kind of damage does it do to your bikes? Scratched pedals, brake levers, and derailleurs?
I went down a few times over the years, usually coasting uphill to a stop with new cleats/pedals. I always managed to go down so the clipped in leg takes most of the damage. Some light damage to bar tape & a few scratches on the brake lever is the worst so far.
My most embarrasing fall was at a 4way signal on the way home from work. Lots of witnesses on my left exiting from the Dept of ecology and on my right exiting from a supermarket lot. Almost landed on a homeless guy sitting there with his "please help" sign. He looks down at me & says "I hate it when that happens"! Don

practice track stands for a year and you'll never fall over again. :)

and yes, i've done it too. :)

I fell over next a Jetta full of HOT highschool girls, so don't feel bad.

Fall over in front of your own house, on a Saturday, when everyone is at home, seems to be outfront doing yard work and you're all dressed "really" looking the part of Ubercyclist. I swear several lawn mowers all turned off at once that day.

Happens when you least expect it...

Yep.

For the past year I've though "Idiots, how can you forget to unclip. Christ what a bunch of ninnies".

Then last night, there I was in the garage, leaning against a car at a 45° angle, flailing about trying to get my feet unclipped.

It had just started raining as I finished my ride, so I'd ridden up along side another car on the drive, snaked my way into the garage, dodging the trash can, grill and assorted grandkid crap. With the snowblower looming large in my path, I braked and prepared to dismount.

The only witness was the neighbors cat.

What a loser. Going on about 15 years with clipless and it has never happened and I will venture to say that it never will. Got to be a really uncoordinated idiot to let that happen.

What a loser. Going on about 15 years with clipless and it has never happened and I will venture to say that it never will. Got to be a really uncoordinated idiot to let that happen.

I never thought it'll happen to me either.. just you wait :p

I can usually tell when I am about to go down with toe clips and straps, because there will be a lot of people around, mostly good looking females, the ground has to be wet or dirty, and I have to be wearing my best pair of pants. Its a rare occasion, but that seems to be when it does happen.

uh you're braver than I... How about saving your life by swapping out those cleats for a Multi-release cleat. The multi-release is like a ski binding. When you "want out" you are out. They release from any angle...and NOW!

They're usually the same price as the regular ones about $20 and go right into your peddal. Your LBS will probably try to tell you, "oh you don't need them". I disagree. If you have to stop suddlenly or in an emergency, you can go down hard. There's nothing like dropping a bike in traffic.

I use the Shimano M-55, ... they release any which way your foot moves --FAST -- so you have time to put your foot down.

How do they work? Wouldn't they pop out by accident if they release at any angle?

How do they work? Wouldn't they pop out by accident if they release at any angle?

You don't have to "remember to unclip". When you want out...you're out.They mount on your shoe like any other cleat and go right into the pedal. Nothing special...that is until you need to get off your bike fast.

They seem to stay in place when you need them. For example today, I decided to go a shortcut across town. On the gravel shortcut, I hit an unexpected new load of gravel on an incline. I braked hard and just lifted my foot off the pedal and it comes off.

I'd imagine if it kept came off while you were moving, that the cleat wasn't installed correctly on the shoe.

ROFL! I've got it twice in the past two weeks. One in front of a line of about 25 cars. The second time, the only people around were about 75 zillion construction workers, who got a good chuckle out of it!

I am still working on my left pedal. No matter what I do, it is so stiff that I cannot unclip until my right is unclippped and firmly on the ground. I fear another fall is in my future.

Falls are bad news. esp in traffic. try the multi-release cleats. They could save your life.

ROFL! I've got it twice in the past two weeks. One in front of a line of about 25 cars. The second time, the only people around were about 75 zillion construction workers, who got a good chuckle out of it!

I am still working on my left pedal. No matter what I do, it is so stiff that I cannot unclip until my right is unclippped and firmly on the ground. I fear another fall is in my future.

Have you tried taking the tension on the spring in the pedal down? For some reason, they were adjusted to their tightest when mine came, I turned it down a lot and it releases pretty easy when I twist my foot.

The shimano multi-release, as far as I can tell, allow you to unclip by either twisting your foot or rocking your foot.

doesn't sound like it was *too* bad
wrong that you opened back up your rash from last week
I guess it really does happen to everyone
(crap, I reckon I'm next then)
gotta hate it when you can't clip back in when you really want to and you magically clip back in effortlessly when you don't wanna. figures.
hope you're alright :)

Maybe this will work. Mark the side of your shoe that's closest to the crank (with the foot clipped in). Then when you want to clip-in, just look down at the mark on your shoe and line it up with the clip. You'll still have to wiggle your foot to get it into the cleat but at least it'll be lined up.

usually I can't clip back in those few times because I've overlooked the fact that I'm trying to clip into the wrong side :D (overzealous after a light and prolly too tired)
cool idea tho

usually I can't clip back in those few times because I've overlooked the fact that I'm trying to clip into the wrong side :D (overzealous after a light and prolly too tired)
cool idea tho

Oh you have those pedals with a clip on one side and flat on the other? Ha ha Good one!

You don't have to "remember to unclip". When you want out...you're out.They mount on your shoe like any other cleat and go right into the pedal. Nothing special...that is until you need to get off your bike fast.

They seem to stay in place when you need them. For example today, I decided to go a shortcut across town. On the gravel shortcut, I hit an unexpected new load of gravel on an incline. I braked hard and just lifted my foot off the pedal and it comes off.

I'd imagine if it kept came off while you were moving, that the cleat wasn't installed correctly on the shoe.

How would you spin then? Can you still pull up on them? Im curious...

How would you spin then? Can you still pull up on them? Im curious...

From what I read, you have rotate your foot back or forth to unclip with single release shimano cleats. Multirelease cleats allow you to do that along with tilting your foot sideways. Under a lot of power, I'm using pulling straight up so I think it'll hold then.

The only time I tried multi-release cleats was when I used to run Shimano SPD pedals on my MTB. I did not like them at all because I do use bike/body english and got a lot of inadvertant releases. I now run Time ATACs on my MTB and they release in various ways too... none of which are normally attributed to bike/body english. I can unclip by doing a heel-in, heel-out or sliding my foot sideways off the edge of the pedal.

For road biking, I run Speedplay Zeros and they're more restrictive. It's heel-out only.

However, that said, I have never had a problem with any clipless pedals where I've gotten into a crash/accident and found myself still engaged to my pedals. My feet have thus far been smart enough to automagically perform the correct release action. The only times they have failed me is when I lock my toes up against my front wheel due to overlap. In those cases, I seriously doubt any pedal release mechanism will work because basically, everything is jammed together and there's no freedom for any kind of movement.

How would you spin then? Can you still pull up on them? Im curious...

You spin just like you do with a regular cleat. The thing even looks like a regular cleat.

Welcome to the club! Falling once is a good humbling experience. Track standing is a good idea but never say never. I fell once while 1 foot was unclipped. I was at an intersection talking with another biker and for some reason let all my weight swing to my clipped in side (left) and just fell over. The large chain ring cut a nice gash over my archilles. After that happened I have a better sense of "being".

My "I thought I had the clipless peddals licked" first fall happened right in front of my LBS on our mainstreet during rushhour. It taught me a lesson. I'm not sure what that lesson was, but I'm sure it will come to me eventually. :)

it's to ues only platforms or use training wheels :)

What a loser.



Funny, I'm coming to that conclusion about you.

I don't know if my peddles are set up right because they are very easy to get in & out of. The biggest problem so far is flipping them around to get into becouse they are one sided. I've got the small ultegra ones that don't make you walk an the cleats. But I can unclip very fast and easy. Maybe they need to be tightened up?

A stupid fall is the hallmark of all experienced riders.....

A stupid fall is the hallmark of all experienced riders.....

Yeah, that american fella with the bright yellow jersey on that mountain in france had a stupid fall, didn't he? :)

i think this is why i run my straps a little loose. pedaling is fine, but i can get my feet out of there pretty much instantly. also, clips and straps are incredibly cheap.

i'm sure i'll lose it one of these days, though.

Yeah, that american fella with the bright yellow jersey on that mountain in france had a stupid fall, didn't he? :)

Hijacking converstation for a second...Bel which model bianchi is featured in your signature and could it carry fenders and rack for fast commutes?????