Saso

Im pretty new to MTB I do mostly road riding. I have a cannondale f400 with mavic wheels and easton bars and some toys. Anyway I bought those peg pedals that hooks to you r shoe (excuse me for not remembering I am drugged up on pain killers). So I am ****ing around and I pop a hard wheelie and go right over, I tried to bail but my feet were just locked in. I landed flat on my back and ass and lay on the road for like 15 minutes. The doctor say I should be ok and prescribed some pain killers etc. I have to say that I am mentally and physically traumatised by this crash. Just though I would share this with you guys. I am really in a lot of pain now

Dannihilator

Well, you are initiated now, welcome to the crash first time out on clipless club.

bentrim

Sometimes the mental trauma is worse than the physical trauma. Hopefully, fear won't prevent you from riding again.

When you're better, slowly ease back in and wear some armour which may ease your fears a little.

Jim311

My friend once wanted to try clipless pedals, so I let him try on the shoes and ride with the pedals. He liked the feel and the ease of bunny hopping. And then he tried to wheelie across my driveway. The front of my bike flew up, and he went down hard flat on his back. He laid on the pavement like 15 minutes.. LOL! I warned him not to fool around, and he laughed at me when I flopped over sideways on the driveway previously, so I had no choice but to laugh at him.

MikeOK

Dude - never EVER do a wheelie clipped in. I think just about everybody has made that mistake (including me).

a2psyklnut

Count me in on the clipped in wheelie idiots!

Just add this crash to your "I learned the hard way" memory!

L8R

Jim311

Clipless is responsible for so many injuries!

lamajo25

Saso, I feel your pain. About 2 weeks ago now, I was out practicing with my new clipless. I stopped at a stop sign and one of my co-workers had told me over and over, make sure you unclip before you stop. I had done so. Well, I was getting ready to go and clipped my left foot in and started to pedal. Like a 3 year old trying to learn to ride, something happened with the front wheel, you know that little wobble that normally means that your going to hit the ground. Well I did. Straight onto my Left hip. About 2 hours later, in the ER getting x-ray's and the doctor comes into my room and goes, "Ha Ha, so the clipless got ya huh?" Got x-rays, everything was fine, no broken bones. But the bruise that insued was horrible. I would have to say 7 inches tall, and 5 inches from front to back of my left hip. You know how most bruises turn that dark purple. My was pretty much a purplish shade of black. Anyway, I feel your pain man.

Cornish_Rdr_UK

sorry about your injuries..... I think ill sacrifice good climbing and stick to my old platforms...

triplerush

lol
or you can try to loosen your clips, and before trying a wheelie ,mentally visualize how your going to clip out .but yeah i've had near fall experiences.

bentrim

Hmmm. I WAS going to go buy some SPD's for those Shimano FR 65 shoes I got on sale, and stick the clipless pedals back on my Stumpjumper....er, maybe not!

montlake_mtbkr

Dude, if you can still type your fine. Back in the saddle! *whip-snap!*

(j/k) hope you're feeling better

Saso

Thanks its pretty funny now. I just remember pulling real hard and realising I was going over. I must have tried to bail cause I remember my feet firmly locked into position while I tried desperately to unmount. Fear overwhelmed me as I waited for the impact, It was worse than I expected. The pain was unbelievable, my friend just stood there looking at me like WTF! I must have tried not to hit my head because every muscle in my torso hurts today. I am still laughing though, I though I was the only one that did this.

imprezaman

Thats funny I just got an F300...anyway, I was wondering about those pedals, I guess that answers my question on that one.

bentrim

It's probably the last thing on your mind as you are about to hit concrete (probably thinking more on how much it's gonna hurt) but hitting the rear brake will drop your front wheel down...um, for next time.

Jim311

You only make that kind of mistake once!! Don't let a few crashes deter you from riding clipless because it's the ONLY way to ride. Once you ride them you understand why so many people do.

Maelstrom 

Jim,

Thats pretty narrow minded. Clipless is far from the only way and isn't even the best way. It is simply an option.

pnj

I agree.

I see no reason to switch from my platforms to clipless.

I don't race so I don't need that little bit of extra speed or acceleration I might get from clipless.

Jim311

I can't stand riding without clipless. If you're a freerider we're talking a whole different ballgame, but for XC there IS no other way to ride in my opinion.

KleinMp99

Go ahead and do wheelies with clipless.....just learn how to use your REAR BRAKE.

sscyco

There is yet another wise one among us - Amen on the rear brake.

Saso

I love the clipless it really improved my ride a lot. But I have fallen a couple times with the clipless and each time its pretty traumatising. As your body falls your nautral reaction is to bail or use your legs, then you feel these things locked on and that is the worst feeling.

sscyco

Saso -
Practice makes perfect. Everybody that rides clipless has gone through the same growing pains as you. But most pick the places they fall. Find a nice soft (grass, loamy soil, wrestling mat) open area. Ride clipped in, come to a complete stop and unclip. You will fall, but you will also learn that magical (subconscious) release point. After doing that a few hundred times, you'll rarely fall when there is a pointy rock aimed right at your rib cage – or asphalt aimed at your asphalt.