stapfam

Club Tombay came about with Mad max deciding that a certain type of fall off the bike should receive some form of recognition. That type of fall would be attributed to failing to unclip from Clipless pedals when coming to a stop. The name was derived from a combination of the French verb "Tomber"- which means to fall- but putting an exclusive hint to it by changing it slightly to give an American slant. So Club TomBay was named. I would say formed but it had been running for many years- it just had not been named.

The membership was going to be exclusive and only permitted to those that had fallen off the bike due to a mechanical mishap-such as the pedals being adjusted too tight- or Brain Fade where you come to a stop and then realise that you should be putting a foot down- but forget. Most of these situations are accompanied by panic and swiftly followed by pain.

This is one club that most do not wish to join but once in you can be proud of yourself.

Bonus points are awarded for pics (Yet to be achieved) Blood- broken fingernails and the act being done in front of your friends whilst out on a ride- or your neighbours when in the vicinity of your home. Double Bonus points are awarded if you manage to entice offduty nurse(s) to come to your assistance.

Pics of the injuries sustained are required and it is hoped that these are limited to pics that will not put the poster in court for obscenity.

Think I have covered the points but if anyone can remember any additions that have been made over the years- perhaps you can add them on this thread.

John_V 

I'm a member! Remembering to unclip before coming to a stop was my initiation.

lhbernhardt

Man, I have been a member since I first started using some of those very first white Look pedals back in 1986! I fell twice at stoplights because I was too used to pulling up and back with the toe clips, which doesn't work with the clipless! And I renewed my membership a couple years back when I couldn't pull out of too-tight SPD's in time. The thing about those mtb SPD cleats is that the more worn they get, the harder it gets to release!

That said, I REALLY prefer clipless. Back in the old days of toe straps, I never tightened the straps except in races. I just taught myself to keep my cleats on the pedals. And even if I did tighten the straps in races, my feet would still pull out on hard climbing efforts. Now I just inadvertently pull out if the pedals are set too loose. When I ride the track, the pedals are set to maximum tension! I've seen too often what happens when guys pull out in a hard sprint!

L.

bigbadwullf

Hate to admit membership. No pics, no pain, no blood. Just a bruised ego...

digibud

I'm a proud member without proof of pic. First fun time was when my dog walked in front of my bike and I stopped and went down. Second time was similarly when my grandson rode his bike in front of mine...and then did it again 5 minutes later. I went down both times. I knew something was wrong beyond my addled brain and found that my cleat was not tight and my shoes were twisting but the cleat was not so I could not unclip. The second fall tore my left shoulder rotator cuff.
Neither were as fun as my first fall with toe straps. My wife and I had a pair of new Trek 720/520 touring bikes and they were our first bikes and it was our first ride. We road down the street, came to a stop light and both said "shi^" and both fell over simultaneously.

Dudelsack 

Long term member, working on my second oaf-leaf cluster (f).

According to the boys at Cycling360, you can forestall a Tombay by offering a blood sacrifice to the cycling gods. We could use some volunteers.

bradtx

I guess that bleeding while performing maintenance doesn't count??? My interpretation of Club Tombay membership didn't involve bicycle or surface conditions, just the mistake of the cyclist. My own bone breaking and cracking enrollment was caused because I didn't take the three seconds it could've taken to properly adjust my headlamp. Nothing like waking up in the middle of the street!

Brad

RedC

I get the bonus points. I hadn't been riding a road bike very long and my neighbors were really impressed with the distances I was riding when I switched from spd pedals to spd-sl and the first long ride I did was great til I got home and couldn't unclip right in front of the garage and the neighbors rushed over thinking maybe I'd had a heart attack. When they found out I was dumb enough to tie my feet to the pedals they just couldn't believe it.

Mobile 155

Got in about 4 yeas ago. It took two events before I got a picture and it was of my left foot and blood slowly dripping ont my brand new Dura-Ace socks. It was my first outing with the guys in the a Group and they had all stopped behind me after one flatted. I went to put my foot down on the right, missed the curb and stepped in wet mud just to the outside and in correcting pushed off to my left....that was still attached and I did a slow roll with the right leg trying to flail myself upright. I failed, fell and laid there waiting for the laughing to stop. Got one picture and submitted it. "Member"

Retro Grouch 

My best one predates clipless pedals. I had a pair of bike shoes that had clips on the soles that, with tightened toe straps, securely locked your feet to the pedals. Traffic lights required you to either plan well ahead or else to have good track standing skills. Before I gained a lot of experience with this combination I went for a ride with my 5 year old son. As we were riding along I spotted a friend on his front porch. After I rode up his driveway and came to a stop I came to the realization that I had failed to plan ahead. TomBay!

Not only had I embarassed both myself and my son, but I also discovered how difficult it can be to release myself from the pedals while lying on my side. I'm thinking it might have been 20 years before my son would ride with me again.

jmccain

I haven't fallen with clipless, but when a friend and I got our first "10-speeds" together in the early 70s, we rode up the street and both fell over at the light with our feet in the toeclips.

Most embarrassing was when I was chatting up a co-ed when I was in college while nonchalantly leaning over my bike with one foot in the toe clip. I lost balance and had to do about 6-8 hops trying not to fall. Doing this, the leg on the ground which was hopping hammered my thigh into the bottom of the top tube.

She noticed the large bruise the next day with some concern and mostly muffled laughter...

Dudelsack 

Yours was not a Tombay, but the gods accept your blood sacrifice as an atonement for those of us who should have tumbled (such should have been my fate today when I stalled out on a hill on my bent) but did not.

I thank you.

overthehillmedi

I'd ask how she saw the bruises on your thigh but think it falls under the "WTMI Protocol"

billydonn

There was thread awhile back in which there was a lot of argument, er discussion, about Tombay membership criteria. I think that Stap has nailed it pretty well.

Randy Bosma

+1
3 'TomBays' in the first clipless month. None since. Don't like platforms anymore.

gcottay

My initiation seemed dramatic at the time.

Riding a section of the Great River Trail with a steep slope on the right featuring rip-rap all the way down to the Mississippi River, I came to a stop on the far right to admire the scenery. Because of the hazard on the right I had thoughtfully released on the left. No problem. Except, as a matter of habit, I came to a stop leaning, yep, right. The rocks were big and nasty enough to stop me before hitting the water.

No pics, little blood and no ER trip, but might joining the club with one foot free be worth a partial bonus point?

JamieElenbaas

Since I started riding with clips and cages in 1974, and now clipless, I have yet to join the club.

Now that I've jinxed myself in public, I'll be sure to carry first aid gear in my jersey... :-/

overthehillmedi

And a camera for pictures of the cute nurses, the blood, gore and scenery are optional.

NOS88

He not only nailed it, he did so eloquently and succinctly.


First joined in 2003, within my first month of returning to cycling. It appears I've renewed my membership about once every two years. I think about almost due for another renewal.

Mr Sinister

I think I joined, but do not have any proof. Other than why would I lie about falling down while clipped in? Most of which is from sudden stops. So I guess I have entered this club on multiple occasions. My favorite was trying to go across a road, on a bike bath, when a car came around a corner, and well I slammed on the brakes as hard as I could. Fell right in the middle of the road, in front of the car. Next time, I will just gun it, better chance of getting away than getting hit.

Digital Gee

July, 2008. GF (at the time) was riding with me that day, and was kind enough to snap a picture before having her laff-fest.

bikegeek57

she is probably still chuckling.. that's a classic.

bikegeek57

have a question... since falling once makes you a member in Club Tombay are multiple incidents going for the High Mileage grouping? Is there some reward for the extra credits?

John_V 

How well we all know that position.

lookinUp

Member +2
One would have thought I'd have learned the first time. Of course each TomBay was about 25 years apart. First one at Hilton Head at a busy intersection. Second one again at a busy intersection. Guess I need an audience when TomBay-ing!