My first day with my new clipless pedals and shoes, 5 miles into my ride - I got squeezed between a lorry and a white van man who seemed to want to actually grind me into a paste, had to come to a quick stop and forgot that my feet were clipped in...

Fortunately the bleeding stopped after a few hours (scraped my shin across my chainring, looks like I was attacked by a very angry squirrel), however I think my ego will be bruised for a while - a large group of pedestrians as well as all the other cars on the road had quite an entertaining morning...plus all my co-workers and my wife chanting "I told you so"

How many of you have fallen over because you forgot to twist your feet out before stopping?

Happens to nearly everyone while they're learning. After a while, you'll click in and click out without even thinking about it.

I still remember the panic and then the humiliation though. Always seems to happen at a very busy pedestrian intersection.

Don't worry, it'll get better quickly.

Years ago there was a similar thread to this on one of the boards. One guy wrote in to say that in "many" (I forgot how many) years of cycling with clipless pedals, he'd never, ever fallen, and he couldn't understand everyone else's problem.

I think the next several dozen messages were all responses either throwing the BS flag at the guy, mocking him mercilessly, or both.

Yes, it happens to everyone..and even after lots of experience a really bad surprise can still tip you over.

I did it once when first learning... right in front of the LBS where they all could see.

Even more embarrassing, I fell over in a crowded (with pedestrians) area while coming to a stop, and wasn't even using clipless that time. Still don't know how I managed that one.

Toppling over while still clipped is only one of several ways I've managed to embarrass myself.

I also have seen posts from people claiming it's never happened to them. It could be true. My own pretty limited experimentation with different shoes and pedals have shown that some combinations release easier than others.

I'm switching to clipless as soon as my shoes arrive, hopefully next week. I've read time and again that everybody falls at first. This thread has reenforced that for me, so thanks guys

Happens to all of us. After the 2nd or 3rd fall you should be good to go.

Been there. Done that. Once right in the middle of a local club ride.

I've seen two people do that. Both times right at the end. I'm guessing fatigue played a role.

First time I went down, I fell into the # 3 lane in front of traffic stopped at a red light. I thought the light was about to change so didn't click out but apparently they change the sequencing on weekends.

Second time was at a light. I'd stopped with my right foot on the ground and left still clicked in. My wife pulled up on my right which had her partially blocking the turn lane. Without thinking, I tried to move to the left, lost balance and went over.

My wife, on the other hand, has yet to take a clipless fall.

Just did that two weeks ago or so. Right after putting on my brand spanking new white saddle and matching bar tape...

I've read that a ton of people fall over with clipless. I can't wait to fall over when I finally get mine....

I've been riding my spd's on my Aurora for around 2 months. Haven't fallen. But I've come close a couple times. I also keep them really loose (but tight enough so they don't pop out while pedaling) so they pop out in emergency situations, which has happened.

I actually feel the toe clips and straps on my fixed are a little more scary in an emergency situation.

Its not a matter of if it will happen,just a matter of when. My first time was behind a stopped school bus picking up a load of kids. I just jumped to my feet like "I meant to do that ".

If they are SPD, there are two kinds of cleats: single release and multi-release. I was mountain biking at the time I went clip-less. I kept falling - especially going up steep hills. Then I switched to multi-release and haven't fallen since. Much easier to unclip at any angle. FWIW.

Gene

Yeah, I've gone over a few times with the single release. Never with the multi.

I am perversely proud now in hindsight, and with all wounds healed, of being the fall king when I first went clipless.

I am ambidexterous and never quite sure which hand to use for a given task.
This seemed to carry over to unclipping when I was learning.
My brain was not sure which leg to unclip and in a quick decision situation
I kept just freezing and going over like a tree.
Multiple time per ride was not uncommon for me at first.

Once I even bruised my ribs on a curb. I thought I broke them and had a doctor check me out. That one really hurt.
But now I am comfortable and smooth with my clipless and so will you be in time.

My wife has gone her entire time riding clipless without one single tipover due to forgetting to clip out. In fact, she can come to a full stop, and wait out a traffic light without clipping out, or ever touching the ground with her feet. Now, before you think I'm saying she's a track stand Goddess, full disclosure: She rides a recumbent trike.

Ditch the wife.

I've toppled over more times from trying to switch chainrings while going up a steep hill and throwing my chain, but I've certainly fallen from clipless, too. One time I was riding to the grocery store and I just sort of forgot I'd just switched pedals, and I sort of almost hit a lady and rode my bike in through the automatic doors (luckily they opened for me) before I figured out what was up. Quite embarrassing and that lady was MAD and really, how do you explain Eggbeaters to a mad old lady?

Almost none. I think it's just you and umd.

same here been on my ass a few times now because of them. There is no way to make the fall look good either

I only do it when there is a crowd around to witness, never when alone.

+1

I actually went through a plate glass window at an LBS years (decades?) ago when I got my feet stuck in my straps, and couldn't get out. My balance was off, and instead of leaning on the concrete pillar on my right, I tipped over to the left and went through the window. No injuries (aside from my pride), but it could have been really bad. There were long shards (2 ft) of glass hanging down from the top of the frame like stalactites. If any of them had come down before I got up out of the display case, it would have been ugly. That was with toe clips and straps though.

I've been wearing clipless for over 10 years now since that episode, and still manage to go down about once a year or so. Usually in the spring when I first get back on the bike, or the odd time when I get surprised into an emergency stop. After a while it becomes second nature - I instinctively unclip my right foot now whenever I see that I'm going to have to slow for traffic in front. I can still trackstand with one foot unclipped, and clip back in once traffic begins to move again.

Reducing the tension helps, as does using a multi-release pedal (as others have said).

Good luck - and wear your angry squirrel scar with pride!

My best clipless fall (there have been 3, but this one is worthy of a tale):

Commuting home from work. I had been having trouble with my pedals (bearings coming out of adjustment,) but was pretty sure I'd fixed them. There is one long hill on my route home, and it's enough to really slow me down. I'm just starting up that hill, when my right pedal started dragging. "Crap." I think "There goes the bearing adjsutment again. Well, I'll look at it at the top of the hill." I kept chuigging up that hill.

A little while later (still on the hill) I realized that my right pedal was really starting to bind up, and my right shoe felt funny. I (belatedly) looked down and realized that my shoelace had gotten wrapped around the pedal axle, and with every stroke, it was winding up more shoelace, like a windlass. I decided to stop, and automatically leaned to the right and tried to unclip my right foot.

Yes, my right foot, the one that was now not only clipped into the pedal, but firmly tied there. I was now leaning right, with my right foot unable to release from the pedal.

I quickly unclipped my left foot, and began flailing my left leg about in a vain attempt to reverse my lean. However, I only managed to halt it, and so I hung there, poised in the most bizarre trackstand ever witnessed by humanity. I probably only held that position for about 5 seconds, but it seemed much longer.

I realized that there was no winning this one, and bowed to the inevitable, flopping over into the grass to my right.

All of this was witnessed by a friend on the local Police Department. He pulled up in his cruiser and asked if I was alright. I said, "As long as you can't literally die of embarassment, I'm fine..."