yarb

Clipless since August, about 1000 miles. No falls yet but one close call quite early on. I agree with the person above who said that clipping-in takes more practice than unclipping.

Just got some new pedals (gone from Shimano to Crank Bros), will be trying them for the first time tonight. Should be no real difference in unclipping, right?

jdon

Sigh.. Surely you jest in hopes of starting something yet again.

jdon

Years ago I went over an embankment using clips and straps and went a couple of times tail over tea kettle through blackberry bushes. When I got to the bottom, I was still firmly attached to the bike.

Alfster 

I was doing great for the first 20km's. Then our group came to a stop at an intersection. I went to step off the pedal, forgetting I was snapped in. I fell over and took 2 other people down with me

skol

a lot easier than my first day snowboarding

HIPCHIP

I went in my garage, set up the bike and a grab strap, clipped in and grabbed the strap so I could practice clipping in and out, and subsequently fell over while attempting. My first ride I spent as much time clipping in and out as I did riding. I think I've fallen only 2-3 times total, but I've learned how to clip out early!!!

dit

My last fall was mid70's on a freshly paved busy main street and I was riding along close to the pavement edge. I rode off the edge and the tire would not climb back up the 4-6" drop off and down I went, right into traffic. It was a beautiful spring day and I had removed my shirt. I rolled twice and ended up on my feet facing traffic so I could dive for the ditch if needed. I lucked out with only a moderate amount of road rash. This was with clips and straps which I still ride. I would like to try clipless though and I hope I am lucky enough to not fall. I am not as spry and more prone to breakage than I used to be.

HandsomeRyan

First-

Second-

umd

Do you seriously believe that everybody must have fallen learning to ride clipless pedals, and if they say they didn't they are lying?

right backatcha!

guadzilla

Dude, I have a New Years Resolution idea for you...

umd

But this is so much fun

grwoolf

It took me over 12 years for my first clipless incident (and it was an adjustment issue on a demo ride), so I'd agree with UMD that not everyone has an learning mishap (although I learned to always check the adjustment after that day).

Like another poster, I learned on cages/toe straps and clipless is a no brainer in comparison. I still sometime feel the urge to reach down and loosen up a strap as I'm coming to a light (and it's probably been 20 years since I've regularly ridden w/ toe straps).

Jay D

Within the short week or two of going clipless on my old bike I did not fall. Heck, I don't recall EVER falling off a bike since I was around 6 or so. <knock on wood>

JanMM

.....ummmmmm.........at the risk of jinxing myself..............has been a very long time since I have gone down and don't think I have ever gone down because of toe clips/powergrips/clipless...............I can feel the bad luck coming

A self-fulfilling prophecy is taking up toe clips and buying into the inevitability of a fall. That increases the likelihood of a fall.

umd

this

Andy Mail

I sat on my bike in the backyard, one foot steadying myself on a stair tread and practiced clipping in and out with the other foot for five minutes. Switch around and practice clipping the other foot in and out for five minutes. Then, clip in and rode to the gate, slow down to open it and forgot completely that I was clipped in. Down I went. Went back for more practice, fell again. Said F' this, got my regular shoes on and rode the bike around the neighborhood on the platform side of the pedals.Now I ride clipless just fine. I think it's just a matter of staying vigilant until muscle memory develops that includes twisting your foot before setting it on the ground.

hkboy313

i thought i had it cuz i was practicing when the bike was hooked up to the trainer but our mentality is to jump off bike and also forgetting to unclip, so i fell haha. im used to it know, like lots of ppl say here if you havent fallen, you havent learned

SneakyKing

I remember my first day riding with clipless, ya I fell because I forgot that I was clipped in. I run crank bros or speedplays so its really easy to get in/out. When I was teaching my dad how to ride his new madone though he went flying and I had to make a desicion I could catch him or the bike....the bike was to beautiful to not catch

umd

That makes no sense.

hkboy313

i meant like we learn it the hard way. u had a bad experience so u know what to do next time. (hopefully)

Totaled108

There is no need to fall, to learn how to unclip your foot. I feel far more comfortable when my feet are clipped in via SPD, then flat pedals. Especially when cranking hard in a sprint of up a hill. Yeah, sprinting on a bike 9 years older then me, good times.

It took me 9 months to take my first fall, and it had nothing to do with the pedals.

umd

Still makes no sense. You don't have to fall to learn not to fall.

AdamDZ

I gave up on clipless pedals (SPD) a while ago. I only fell once (and that was later, not in the beginning), but I've seen some people fall on rides, but I just didn't like the idea of having my feet attached to the bike. Even on the lowest spring tension setting I wasn't comfortable.

The only time I fell was after climbing a hill, my legs were tired and I didn't unclip in time to stop, I think most falls I've witnessed were caused by stiff legs. I may try clipless again for long out-of-city rides, that's what they good for: long road rides, but for commuting I prefer to stay with platform pedals, I just don't trust myself to unclip quickly enough if I have to stop in traffic. Same for MTB and XC, I prefer platform pedals.

Adam

Homebrew01

That saying might apply to figure skating, snowboarding etc..., in that to improve, one needs to take chances and push personal limits. But turning your foot to unclip is not the same.

EVERY sentence that starts this way is inherently incorrect.

jack002

I started riding the clipless pedals back in '99 or so. I fell a few times. Seems like I "almost fell" a lot. There was one time that really stands out. I was coming to a T in the road and looking at traffic and had thought I could just go left and not stop. That didn't happen and when I stopped I hadnt thought about how I was going to get my foot off the pedal (I had been on clips and straps for about 20 years prior to that) and over I went to the pavement. I dont think anyone saw. I vowed to think more about unclipping after that and got it in my head how to do it after that point. Falling is a great teacher, but you dont HAVE to learn that way.