Yen

Is there a Club Tombay jersey? If so, I'd like a women's medium.

Yep, on her first clipless day, Yen has already taken a fall.

I practiced at the shop and quickly got the hang of it. I know, learning on a trainer is not the same as riding in the street.

So I thought I'd go out this evening after dinner settled and just ride back and forth on our street to get the rhythm. Slow, unclip, stop. Slow, unclip, stop. Slow, unclip, stop. No problem!

Suddenly a stupid thought crossed my mind and I slowed down to share it with Hubby who was standing on the curb watching me ride. WHAM!! I forgot the "unclip" part of the rhythm. I went down hard to the left, landing on my left knee which is scratched and bruised, I have a large diagonal bruise across my right shin(????), and my left ankle has a twinge of something. On the bike, there are some light brush-mark scratches on the top of the left brifter, which was also shoved toward the middle of the bars.

Hubby came running... "Oh Sweetie!!!". He looked over the bike and fixed the brifter.

But hey, I'm a kid again! So I got up, brushed myself off, laughed out loud, looked over the bike, and rode around a bit more.

I never imagined that 52 would feel this young.

On a more serious note..... since I fell to the left, I'm VERY thankful a car wasn't passing at that very moment.

Not sure I'm ready to join the group ride in the morning..... I'll have to pay extra attention to my pedaling rather than socializing.

Mojo Slim

There is nothing like doing something dumb to make us feel young!

cranky old dude

Bummer. Well it doesn't sound too serious any way. Just a few
blemishes really, right. After a time they probably won't be
visible at all.

Oh yeh, glad to hear you are all right also.

ronbo

On my roadbike, I clip the left foot first, because my right foot seems more coordinated to get in while moving. I never thought about the added benefit of not tipping over into traffic until this very moment. It's something to think about though from a safety perspective. Most of the time I just trackstand after the initial takeoff. Speaking from the past now....but I suspect it will come right back. I can nearly do it again on my hybrid after a half dozen rides and no trackstand practice at all...just when crossing the city streets on the katy trail. Sorry you fell, glad you're okay.

God bless!

-Ron

Yen

Ron, I've already considered switching feet. That is, I automatically always remove my left foot and keep my right foot on the pedal, then start off pedaling with the right foot. I can already see the safety advantage of learning to unclip on the right instead and keeping the left foot clipped in. Not sure I want to change something that's so automatic though.... I've done it this way from the start without having to think about it.

Mojo: Usually, doing something dumb makes one feel older. There's something about cycling that has the reverse affect.

'dude, just a few bruises. What I thought was a scratch on the knee was just redness from landing on the patella, and now it's just a big bruise.

ronbo

Give it a shot and you may surprise yourself. In the past, I took some very scary spills, forward, backward, and sideways while remaining completely attached to the bike..hands and all. One time I misjudged the size of a small tree in the trail and hopped too soon. My son came around the corner and found me laying on the other side of the tree on my back with the bike sticking up still attached to both feet and me hanging on to the bars. When he started laughing, I did too. No damage. Since you survived this one, you have your badge of courage now to try the next step... whatever you decide that is. Clipless is very good. You'll like it. Maybe you can design the tee shirt and motivate others by your perseverence and success!

God bless!

-Ron

Tom Bombadil

At least you got it out of the way quickly.

Here's to hoping that you have gotten it out of your system.

cgallagh

Everyone that has clipless has had this experience. Seems you escaped somewhat unscathed so all is good. I have done it twice with the tandem and dropped Red Rider once while managing to hold the bike and slowly lower her to the ground once. I haven't done it in awhile but that is no guarantee. Just remember, slowing-unclip.

SaiKaiTai

I still get it? Why do people think falling after going clipless is a given?
Is it possibly a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Still, whether it is doesn't matter; a fall is a fall is a fall
Glad you came out of it OK.

Now... no more, OK?

TruF 

Welcome to the Club, Yen! Glad that you are not seriously injured.

maddmaxx 

Many have taken much longer to surrender to Tombay...............they all show up sooner or later. "Hello, my name is ........... and I am a member of Club Tombay"

At least this way, you can explain it away as part of the learning curve. For those who wait too long...................the embarasment is simply too much to bare. There are secret members out there who just cannot bring themselves to admit it.

Anyway, Yen, I'm glad that you are relatively unscathed by the episode. If I were you, I wouldn't change anything. It is better to do whatever it is you are used to so that your reflexes take over when needed. I would strongly advise to clip out both feet when stopping for a while untill unclipping becomes second nature. You have suffered the first and most common Tombay incident, the dreaded "I forgot". The next most common event (and it strikes at everyone who becomes overconfident) is the "Unclip my standard one foot...............and discover that for some strange reason the bike is ..........leaning..........................oh no...............the other way"

Fortunately, both of these (probably 95% of all Tombay falls) are 0mph events. Beyond the simple tricks, one has to become truely creative. I, myself, have lost track of the "Club Tombay" falls and have some interesting tales to tell including the most recient "I was knocked over by a pedestrian while waiting for a crowd at a gate". Some might think that my bike handling skills are suspect......... but I know that its really my bike "stopping" skills that need practice.......

cyclinfool

I am happy to report that it's 12 or 13 years riding my speedplays and still have failed to achieve membership in this exclusive club. I hope that when or if it ever happens I will be accepted with open arms. I am so glad nothing was broken and you got back up onthe horse immediately and started riding again. A good friend of mine fractured his hip when fulfilling the requirements for membership in Club Tombay.

Beverly

Glad you have the first fall out of the way and survived with minor injuries

Maybe we can get Curtis to design a Club Tombay jersey.
He's had a huge success with his first jersey

maddmaxx 

The first suggestion would be to put the writing on upside down......

Yen

Hey everyone, thanks for the warm welcome into the club.

My knee is pretty sore this morning so I have ice on it now.... something I should have done last night but I didn't think it was that bad at first. We'll join the group this morning and I'll stay at the back. I'll just explain "I fell on my first clipless day yesterday.... trust me, you don't want me riding next to you today!"

I forgot to mention that I got the multi-release cleats, and the tension is set so that they are easy in/out. The right one is a little more challenging to find and get in, not sure why? Hubby checked the cleat and it was slightly off center but it moves on teeth so tiny adjustments aren't possible. It looks a little more centered now, but any ideas why it's more difficult to clip in to the right pedal? Getting out is fine. Perhaps I'm just not finding it fast enough?

gcottay

So, is there a jersey?

The Weak Link

My advice is never assume it gets totally automatic.

My worst Tombay EVAR was two years after I'd been riding clippless, and I'd jjust finished a successful trail ride. I've already chronicled it on the site (https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ghlight=tombay), so I won't belabour the details.

Hermes

I clip in left first and then right. Twist the heal away from the bike to unclip. If you do not point your toe straight with the foot parallel to the frame you may miss. Some cleats are more tricky than others.

I like my right foot loose because I am right handed and my right leg is better coordinated for starting on the uphill. You have probably not tried clipping in on a steep uphill.

We have found this works well for bruises. We were made aware of it by a doc. https://www.alpinepharm.com/html/sinecch.html You can get arnica at Whole Foods.

Terrierman

Welcome Sister, you are no longer a virgin and don't have to wonder what it's like.

Louis

When hubby said "Oh Sweetie!!!"...was he talking to you or the bike?

But seriously, I'm glad you're okay, Yen, and that you got back on the bike.

stapfam

I belive the Salvation Army has one----They look after fallen women.


Glad to see you got it over with Yen. The first time is always the hardest. Next time- Take it on the buttocks and then the bruises won't show--Hopefully. Or Go offroad and do it in 6" of Mud- Always a soft landing there.

ronbo

I have to admit, I have not joined yet on the road bike. My off road incidents are all using "power grips" toe straps. Not exactly the same, but I think they qualify in concept. Each time I have remained completely connected at four points and on my back with the bike on top of me...many variations of how I got that way. Some involve obstacles, some are hills too steep for me to climb, some were hills too steep for me to descend (an equestrian trail in Missouri comes to mind). However you do it, falling is never fun...Kudos to you for riding in a group today! Have fun.

God Bless!

-Ron

Nerdanel 

I guess I can only be an honorary member of Club Tombay, as I do not (yet) ride clipless--er, that is, my bike has toe clips (is clip-full?) but I really think there should be one. Or a badge for the 50+ jersey. I believe I earned mine yesterday: I'm completely stopped, right foot on the ground, left foot in the toe clip, southbound in the go straight or go left lane of the intersection of my north-south residential street and an east-west boulevard with a busway down the middle (Chandler & Bellaire for you SFValley-ites). I'm the only vehicle on my street on either side of the intersection. The light will never ever ever go green for me unless a car pulls up behind or opposite me or a pedestrian pushes the button (cars waiting to turn right don't trigger the light).


This is where it gets really complicated. It is Friday evening and all the relevant sidewalks and some streets are full of Orthodox Jews walking to their temples, of which there are several in the area. They consider it the Sabbath and won't operate machinery, including pushing the pedestrian walk button. The City of LA accommodates them by switching the lights in this neighborhood to cycle on their own from Friday evening to Saturday evening, but apparently the City and the Orthodox do not agree on when the Sabbath begins. So the pedestrians collect on the corners for a while, then trickle on their way. The effect is there are maybe 30 people around the intersection, some walking north or south, some east or west, some just standing there. I think I might as well ride on through, as even in LA few motorists will plough through crowds of pedestrians to hit a bicycle, but then I think no, I'll volunteer as Shabbes Goy and go push the pedestrian walk button. That fatal moment of indecision did me in--or maybe it was a vengeful g-d making an example of me? I pushed off with my right foot not entirely sure where I was going and slowly, majestically even, fell over on my left, still-clipped side. I leaped right up again, of course, smiling and waving off all the black hats, beards, wigs, fringes, prams and earlocks that were about to converge upon me, assuring them that I was fine! just fine! (Pay no attention to the glistening red knee-full of gravel! I meant to do that!) and just went ahead and ran the damned light.

So, anyway, when there's a Club Tombay jersey, put me on the list--Women's Large.

maddmaxx 

Club Tombay does acknowledge the toe clip fall as there is little difference to the fallen. When the foot is locked to the pedal..............it doesn't matter if its a cleat or a clip. I don't even think that this merits a rules discussion.

Welcome.

Louis

True. I was accepted as a member around '82 or '83, while using slotted cleats with clips and straps.