laterider

I've read some of the other threads on this, but why must one always fall over when trying to get used to clipless!!

I've been riding them for just a week or a little more.. anyway a great ride was going on this am.. added 5 miles to my ride, had on a new pair of tires I was really liking, and at the last light on my way to the house my dumbass just slowed down thinking I could wait out the light and BAM I fell to the left (I always clip out on the right) - I just layed there for a minute or two!!!!! my hand hurts a little and so do my ribs (some ice on them now) Damn I thought I had this down, first day in the correct socks as well!! Maybe I should not have added the 5 miles - maybe that was too much for me (total was just over 21mi - so you can see I'm very new at this). @#it, I'll try it again in a day or two.. bike seems okay, I don't really know what to look for on it, some scratches on the shifter, I'll look at it a little more later.

si2k2000

Sorry to hear about your crash but dont worry we have all been there and you learn your lessons pretty quickly. What I tend to do now is if I am approaching somewhere where I know I may have to stop I may just unclip slightly and then I'm half way there if I need unclip or I can just clip back in if I dont have to. The thing to do is not to panic, the last time I went down was because I bailed out of taking a turn and realised I had to unclip but I paniced and just wrenched at the pedals and I think that contributed to pulling me over.

I doubt you would have done much damage at that speed, scratched shifters are the norm for this crash. Just check your bars are alinged ok and have a look for anything obvious cracks etc. if you are still worried take it to your LBS and they will give it a look over for you.

The Rob

I'll confess that I've found myself horizontal more often than I like exactly because I've had my right pedal in the wrong position and weighted. I never fall to the left. Last week a young lady nosed her vehicle out into the lane while looking away from me, and it was one of those "Does she see me? Yeah, she does. Well, wait a minute NO SHE DOESN'T...!" situations. I avoided contact (barely), but suddenly we're practically nose-to-nose, I have no forward motion, I'm desperately wrenching my right foot trying to disengage, and *grrnch!* down on the asphalt again. I think a little muscle-memory education is in order.

Kenal0

Did anyone see you? If not then it does not count. Happens to everyone and we all feel the same way.
Kenal0

operator

Try to learn how to trackstand. It really improves your balance. However you still need to practice clipping out on all points of the cranks rotation and on both feet and different orientations of the bike (front wheel left/right, leaning, rolling backwards, uphill, downhill).

But I think after your first embarrassing tip over it's not likely to happen again

0810

for some reason, you try to unclip but it wont, and you fall over, but once you fall over, your feet are magically free!

i fell once the first day i got the pedals and shoes. i fell another time, not cause of failing to unclip, but not paying attention to the road and hit a huge sidewalk uprooted by trees.

JLauren

Does it count if someone only sees the result?

A few weeks ago my legs started getting crampy as I was finishing up my ride, so I headed directly to my house. Which is uphil no matter which way you approach. And my driveway is short, but nearly a 100% grade. I got to the top of all that and as I started to swing into my usual stopping point by the trash can everything cramped up. I got the left foot unclipped but the right one was late, and, of course, I fell over to the right as I came to a stop.

No one saw me fall, but my Dad heard the clatter and came to the door to see what was the matter and saw me sitting on the driveway. Skinned knee but the bike was fine.

I'm not sure whether to call this my first "clipless crash" or not, since it was really precipitated by the cramps, but the pedals were certinly a contributing cause.

stea1thviper

haha. i figured i was better than every other first timer with clipless when i first got them. the first day i went for a 2-3 mile run around the neighborhood to make sure i could clip in and out. no problems. next day i went for a 20 mile ride, came back exhausted. i rolled up to my front door and braked so i was stationary and proceeded to dismount. completely forgot i was clipped in and just tipped over onto the sidewalk. unfortunately there was couple taking a walk about 7 feet away from me who witnessed the whole thing. they asked if i was ok, and just mumbled a yes as i proceeded into my house with my shiny new bike and team gear

Brandy

Welcome to the club...you're official now! I've had a couple of falls and the second one was in full view of about fifteen cars.

dereknc

The only time I've fell over from clipless pedals was at the start of a race.

Nosra451

Soo....technically you only fell once.