Originally Posted by
Koyote
Learning to use clipless pedals caused several embarrassing tip-overs. I recall once being on the side of the road, lying flat on my back with the bike in the air above me, because that was the only way I could get enough leverage to unclip one of my feet after going down. Cars just drove on past…
And, of course, they were a couple tip-overs in traffic, at red lights, when I forgot to unclip before stopping. Always happened right in front of a whole bunch of motorists.
Yeah, after using toe clips and straps for 25 years, clipless pedals were a bit of an adjustment for me.
Amen!!! I was riding a brand new bike which had the old bike's SPD pedals. I had only briefly used the SPDs at the very end of the prior season, when my sister said I should go clipless after 35 years. It happened during an emergency stop when a pickup ran a stop sign. As I was falling, I was thinking of all the drivers laughing and saying look at that guy he is tipping over. My wife who was following said I was braking hard with one hand and reaching down out of habit to loosen the toeclip strap with the other. I just tucked in and landed on my shoulder because I did not want to scratch the paint...
Unclipping when horizontal was even harder. After 2 years of SPDs I went back to toe clips, more for shoe flexibility. I still have the SPD pedals for longer more remote riding.