Digital Gee

My sweet GF took a group ride yesterday, the Bike the Bay ride here in San Diego, affording her the opportunity to ride over the Coronado Bridge, which is normally closed to bicycle traffic (this is the first such ride in 20 years).

I couldn't go, because of my out of true wheel problem (going to LBS today, darn it!).

She had a blast, said the ride was pretty easy (26 miles or so), and ... reported her first clipless fall into a sandy area right off the bike path down the Silver Strand in Coronado when a cyclist in front of her had some trouble, and my GF had to veer off the path to avoid it, and she got into the sand, and she tipped over.

So she fell, and earned her Club Tombay privileges, and the damage to the bike is (hopefully) minor. We're having the LBS check it out -- she's got some problems downshifting now.

My question is, do I qualify for a membership on the strength of HER fall? I mean, we do live in the same house and all. And I helped her buy the bike. So, shouldn't I get membership privileges as well? Discounts, that sort of thing?

Hermes

Only if you marry her within 30 days of the fall.

Tom Bombadil

No, you do not get to sit in your house, be a wuss, and earn membership privileges.

Now go out and take your fall like a man.

maddmaxx 

Not only do you not qualify................you have incurred a qualification penalty for attenpting to contrive a false application.

The membership motivation counselors advice to the jury is that we should accept nothing less than blood for a valid qualification for DG.

What say you?

However, as Hermes recomends............we could soften our attitude if you'll just go out and marry her.

maddmaxx 

Oh, by the way...........congratulations to DD for managing an entry level fall with little personal damage.

BluesDawg

I'm not even sure that she qualifies. It sounds like her fall was caused by slipping in the sand, not by failure to disengage her cleats.

Digital Gee

Well, she rode off the road, (or is it road off the rode?) and began to lose traction. She then says she realized she was about to fall, and hadn't clipped out yet. The rest was slow motion, as she attempted to unclip while proceeding to fall. And there were LOTS of witnesses!

Hermes

On the surface the mechanics sound okay. However, was there any scraping, blood or bruising? Falling in the soft sand is not the same as hitting the deck on concrete. We all certainly watched enough beach volley ball to know that women in bikinis can dive into sand all afternoon. I say, no blood no fall.

maddmaxx 

We have past practice evidence that supports an initial membership for bloodless falls. This is not to imply however that more advanced levels of falls with style point bonus's would be looked down on by the club membership.

We are always interested in a good fall.

BluesDawg

Sounds like a qualifying fall to me. Why didn't you give these details in the initial application?

cranky old dude

So DD did not get hurt, that's good news. Not having clipless (yet)
and not being a member (yet), I read and learn with great interest
of this Club Tombay but am not qualified to offer an opinion.

Please direct me to the club for clutzes such as myself who come
to a stop under control at a stop sign on an empty road and manage
to just tip over while using platform pedals.

maddmaxx 

"Junior Tombay" where the youth of today train for "tomber par terre" tomorrow.

Wino Ryder

[QUOTE=Digital Gee;7424221]My question is, do I qualify for a membership on the strength of HER fall.QUOTE]

Thats pretty good DG. I like that! "the strength of her fall."

Thats like applying for food stamps when you make 40 grand a year. Its "Brilliant"

I dont mean to scare you, and I'm not implying anything, but the esteemed councellers of that motivational panel could (and I mean could) possibly construe your application as a deliberate act of fraud.

I know, it sounds ugly,....and you wouldnt dare try to contrive such a malicious act,..........now would you DG!!

Mojo Slim

OK. Here's the disturbing part. We haven't heard from DD! On the surface, it sounds like a qualifying fall (for her, not DG) if the "slow motion" descriptors are accurate. I am concerned that DD has not been properly counseled about Club Tombay and is not aware of the level of honor and esteem associated with membership. Like, does she realize she can get a discout at Performance with her card. Huh? Does she?

Jean Beetham Smith 

Are applications closed, if not, may I submit the following?
1) Just picked up my first road bike. Having used SPD's on my hybrid I was not intimidated by them, so I didn't inspect them before taking off on my first ride. Came to the stop sign at the bottom of the hill, 2 blocks from the house and could not unclip either foot. Fell on left elbow, fracturing it. After I finally looked at the pedals I discovered that the shop had set them at max tension. Pre-ride checks are important, even if the bike just came out of the shop.
2) On my first PMC as we approached Provincetown I noticed that one guy in the group ahead of me went left, while everyone else in his team went right. I thought he might turn right to rejoin them so I swung to his left. Without looking back, or signaling, he made a left U-turn. I made an emergency hard right to avoid hitting him, and missed the hard left to stay on the pavement by an inch, front tire sank into the sand and down we went. I broke my thumb. Large group rides are hard, especially near the end when everyone is tired.
3) Again, really not clipless, but sure stupid. One night I looked back to check for a car I heard, when I looked back forward I was headed straight into the back of a parked car. That was good for a broken nose, 2 broken teeth and a badly mangled lip. At least I didn't damage the car.

I think that #3 is far more embarassing than #1, so that it should count, but I concede that #2 may be questionable.

maddmaxx 

#1 should do it. You should be informed however that our favorite clipless falls are 0 mph events in which injury is mostly to pride. (We do not want to scare off the uninitiated).

#2 and 3 don't necessarily qualify for Tombay membership as it is unclear if clipping in was part of the problem. As the voluntary "Membership Motivation Counselor" for Club Tombay I cannot say whether or not you are entitled to some other award for 2 or 3 but I will certainly cast a vote in your favor should it come up.............

Jean Beetham Smith 

Yes, #1 was definately a 0 mph event, as the stop sign is at a very busy street, and a well populated school bus stop.

Robert Foster

Is it just me, or are any others too embarrassed to admit they should apply for membership? I almost went down the other day not because or clips or clipless. I decided to bring a fanny pack with me to carry my camera and a few odds and ends. I had it on with the pack to my back and after climbing a rather long hill and coasting down the backside I came to a stoplight. The fanny pack had slipped down and caught under the saddle in the back. It was all I could do to reach the ground because I simply couldn’t get off of the saddle. I almost went down on the left and then the right only to end up doing a 360 on one toe before the pack came lose and I could dismount. The very first thing I did was look around to see if anyone had been watching.

djnzlab1

HI,
I thought their had to be a small wound to get the award, not a suture event but maybe alittle road rash, hey I am a newbie so be nice.
Iam a little nervous cause all my rashes have healed and my knees are not covered with scabs,
I ve gone a month now without the dreaded awwwwww sh*t at the intersection..
Doug
PS I have crossed the dreaded 4mos ridding and stil alive, and the cars seem friendly now that I stopped pulling out in front of them :-)...

maddmaxx 

Pics........


Perhaps its the Fred inside but I'm not embarrased at all (having first checked to see if any video's or film exists). One of my (many) Tombay falls probably recounted before you joined this forum imvolved me using my then rather new clipless pedals to make the extra power to complete the climb up a hill that I had never beaten before. Puf....Puff I arrived at the top both exhausted and happy. It was an appropriate time to stop for a drink in celebration............only to find that my legs were too finished to muster up an unclipping twist....................awww s****** darn......Thud. Another application required...

overthehillmedi

What do you guys have against DD in that you told DG to marry her. If she does do something as silly as that you realize that that would take her off the list for most of us in that we are gentlemen and gentlemen do not trap an other man's trapline!

Terrierman

She is in.

You are out, loser.

Like anyone with a username of DD is ever out...

Old School

I concur -- well said, TB!

Burr

Did you ever think of taking up "Tricycling"?

Burr

I have my badge of five chain ring teeth marks, Got a knee a few months ago and a knee maybe 10 years ago