blake711

Well I went clipless today after always using toe clips. First ride trying out some shoes, I pulled back up to the door at the bike shop. Didn't think to unclip fell right over like a tree being chopped down. If I would have moved another two feet I could have caught myself on the building... The guy in the shop turned around and said "Oh man sorry" I forgot to tell you unclip as you are slowing down. Well to make me fell better an old guy decked out in gear riding a carbon trek smiled and said "hey man don't worry I fell the first time I used them also." That did make me feel better.

Anyway I ended up getting some Shimano pedals and nike shoes with SPD cleets. So far I Am really enjoying them other than my sore hand from braking my fall. I really like spinning in these as I can feel its really working my legs in new ways.

Wil Davis

Hey, congratulations on going clipless! Just remember that falling is never a question of "if", but "when"; we've all been there and done that (and got the scars!)

- Wil

oopfoo

That's not surprising. It's part of paying your dues. However, I will admit that I've done it a HELLUVA lot less since switching to clipless back in 1989. Prior to that I suffered the ignominy of the "foot through the triangle trying to hold myself up" at the crowded intersection on a couple of occasions. Nothing impresses the girls more, let me tell you.

Dogbait

Ya done good. I went no more than 60' before my first fallover.

DataJunkie

Practicing for a while next to a wall or on grass is a good idea.

cs1

I switched from black Look cleats, no float, to red, lot's of float. I didn't realize that now I had to turn my foot a lot more to release it. Practicing on the road wasn't such a good, in retrospect. The grass was much softer. Welcome to the club.

Tim

Pwnt

Got mine out of the way first day as well and felt real silly just like you did. Then one of the more experienced guys I was riding with did the same thing not more than 2 minutes later. Then I didn't feel so bad
I guess it just one of those things you gotta go through. LOL

kingsfan4life

that sounds like my story

deputyjones

I added the two sided nashbar rodeo pedals (which i love) to my bike about a month before taking a 6 week commute hiatus due to weather this year. On my first ride back on the bike after the snow cleared I was leaving the parking lot where I live and somehow clipped in both feet without even realizing it. When I reached the road and tried to put a foot down I realized what had happened and paniced. I am sure I looked like I was having a seizure while doing a track stand . Fortunately, the pedals are loose enough that my flailing around eventually popped both feet out and I prevented falling.

Nermal

Not bad, blake. Fall over first, then buy the pedals. Most people follow the opposite sequence, but yours is better.

FarHorizon

You and everybody else in the world. Had it been in traffic (and had you been unlucky), you'd be dead. Not an opinion, just a fact. I don't ride anything but platforms for that reason. Your life, your choice.

Pharmr

welcome to the club!!

apclassic9

spend some time on the grass getting used to them - it doesn't hurt as much!

rha600

my first time was on my mountain bike. I practiced unclipping for hours in the parking lot of my apartments. I'd clip in, ride and then unclip as fast and as smooth as I could. I got so good at it I thought I had been doing it forever. the next day I went out to the trails and was riding for 15-20 minutes when I was going up this short but steep hill. front tire hit a root sticking out of the ground and it stopped me dead, but that's ok, I was a master at unclipping...in the parking lot. things work so much differently when you panic. haha. lucky for me I was next to a sap covered pine tree and I was able to grab that before I hit the ground. unfortunately the other 3 times I fell that day I didn't have any trees around me.

rbrsddn

My first week with my Time Atacs, I was riding on a neighbors driveway, and did a wheelie, got off balance and bounced off a tree and hit the ground. 3rd degree separation of my right shoulder. D'OH!

neilcb

I just switched to clipless a few months ago - standard Shimano SPD stuff. I found it takes less than 5 minutes to learn the operation of them, but living with them has been a good news/bad news type of situation. The good news: Every pain/discomfort issue from the knees down was instantly fixed, even on my longest and most tortured trips. The ability to pull up when pedaling is great for bursts of speed or power, and a more useable option than with my old toe clips. And of course the more efficient transmission of power from your legs to the wheels. Since the clipless setup does it's job so well, I find that I don't have to think about my feet at all anymore. And that brings me to the bad news: Maybe it's because my mind is elsewhere, but even though I have 500 miles of practice now, I still fall. My cleats are the ones that have the float, and maybe it's because I'm clumsy, but I find that I can neither engage or disengage my feet to the pedals quickly. So if I see something only at the last second and have to make a panic stop, good chance I'm goin over. Or if I'm out on the trails and the rear wheel starts to slip in the mud, well, you get the idea. Only other bad point about clip ons for me is clipping back in quickly, say when the light turns green. Can create some dicey situations with impatient motorists behind you and you fumbling with recalcitrant clips. Enough said.

That's my experience so far. I'm often frustrated, but they do so much good that I'll keep trying.

ignominious

Utter nonsense. I've been in SPDs for four years and not taken a fall.

FarHorizon

Then your handle will make sense when you do.

rbrsddn

Then you don't ride hard or technical enough stuff.

Wil Davis

yet…



- Wil

stapfam

I have been riding clipless for 10 years and I still fall. Not often but there is always a trick to keep up your sleeve. Learn to track stand- or at least look as though what you are trying to do. Then when you fall over- it is not because you forgot to unclip- The ground was uneven- or a stone got under the wheel- or you slipped on the grit.

We all fall at some time and some of us still forget to unclip. My falls come now because I unclip with the right foot and the bike goes left. Its the camber on the road- or the grit or or the damn pothole. Learn the excuses and you will be ok.

rule

A hearty toast to you sir! Welcome to our exclusive and ever growing club!

HandsomeRyan

Everyone fell at least once within the first week of using clipless pedals. anyone who says otherwise is a liar. (lord knows i fell and still do fall plenty) but once you go clipless you'll never go back. I ♥ SPD's

Portis

I'll agree that it is not a matter of if you fall but rather a matter of when you fall. Still, i have been riding clipless for 2 years, and thousands and thousands of miles, and have never fallen because i FORGOT to unclip.

Forgetting is a matter of just not being accustomed enough to be on them. I have fallen because of bad terrain, mud and also because of the bike mysteriously shifting to the side that is still clipped.

Nermal

Neil, don't do that no more! Stand on one foot with the other clipped in. When you take off, just put your other foot on the pedal and go. When you're up to speed, and traffic isn't pressing, then fumble around with the pedal. Trust me.