mcfc57

I've officially had my second commuting 'crash' and this one wasn't nearly as fun as the first.

This past week commuting has been my first experience using clipless pedals (egg beaters). I thought I was getting the hang of things prett well. As I was leaving work yesterday, it was really hard to engage my left foot but I didn't really think much about it. Early on in my ride, I have to cross traffic and go over a tall curb to get to the MUP I ride home. As I'm approaching the curb I try to get my left foot out to plant as I lift my front wheel over the curb. Only I can't. I literally turn my heel 90 degrees but It won't come out. I slow down even more and fall hard to my right. By this point cars are coming and I'm laying in the middle of the road clipped in. I get my right foot out fine and am able to finally hobble off to the side. I still can't get my left foot out so I take off the shoe. One of the screws is missing from my cleat and the other is loose, allowing the whole cleat to pivot with the pedal. All my tools are with my other bike. I call the wife and she picks me up on her way home.

I share this for two reasons. First, I like laughing at myself in silly situations and maybe some will get a laugh at imagining my misfortune. Second, is there anything I should know about my cleats and pedals? I'm guessing I simply didn't screw my cleats in tight enough? I've only had them for about a week but both cleats show signs of wear that I wouldn't expect at this stage. Any thoughts?

I_bRAD

cleat bolts have to be tight. And grease them too so you can get them out again. Also, if they're of the hex-socket variety, you can melt candle wax into the socket hole... when it comes time to remove them, instead of spending 10mins trying to pick out mud that's hardened into concrete, you simply melt the wax out and remove them.

making

I have never heard of anyone else falling down with clipless. Ok maybe I have but only twice, so far.

apricissimus 

You just prompted me to check my cleats. I should do that more often.

VolGirl

I keep a spare screw or 2 in my saddlebag. If you loose a screw, you're screwed.

Maybe we should call them bolts.

gbcb

Read your thread's title and thought, "Ah, he must have been riding clipless"

Glad you're all right.

mcfc57

Yeah, I have spare screws but didn't have any on me. I used to be prepared but I've let things slip a bit. I think my new weekend chore will be making sure both bikes have patches, a spare tube, tools, etc.

harleyfrog

Well, there are some of us around with with a few screws loose.

Answer to loose screws (and bolts): blue loctite.

mcfc57

Is it normal that my cleats look like they've been on my shoes for months when it's only been days?

ews

I've had that happen to me too. Luckily I didnt' fall and was able to keep riding. Once I got home I had to slide my foot out of my clipped in shoe. Extra screws are definitely something you must keep with you at all times for situations like that.

Szczuldo

how do you know how cleats are supposed to look like months in advanced when you've only had them a couple of days?

and the way I see it is, they'll wear fast at first to adjust to your style, then they'll start to wear slower.

jefferee

I have never heard of anyone who rides clipless routinely who hasn't had at least one clipless fall. Most of us have been there.

Dheorl

I do have to admit, imaging that did make me laugh. Hopefully I'll never go through that experience... I want to try those pedals sometime soon though so you never know, I may be posting on here in the future saying "you'll never geuss what I just did".

Brian T

sounds like you gotta a screw loose...lol
just kidding....

ECDkeys

This happened to me a couple days ago. My right foot became suspiciously floaty while pedaling. Fortunately I was able to disengage my left foot before having a 0mph fall. I must have looked batty sitting on the curb wearing one shoe while spinning the other shoe counterclockwise around the pedal.

charly17201

Try getting used to clipless on a 'bent...... I'd ridden clipless for years on a DF, but a bent is a completely different animal. I had to adjust them to the loosest setting to be able to get out when I needed. - and I took a couple of falls just sitting in the drive while getting them adjusted. At least not one saw me.

jyossarian

Crank bros. cleats are a softer metal so they wear quickly. Having said that, I'll go close to a year or more before replacing them. Once I start unintentionally unclipping, they get replaced. BTW, why didn't you just put your shoe back on and unclip your other foot when coming to stops?