thejanitor

So, I fell over today. On my new bike, no less. Haha.

Let me set the story up so you can see what happened:

I got my new bike last night, and noticed that I needed to increase the tension on my left clipless pedal since it wouldn't clip in securely and was coming out often while I would ride.

Newbie that I am, I went out for my first ride this morning anyway. On my way back, there is a fairly steep, but short, hill. I started up the hill and thought I could hear my left side coming unclipped, so I decided I would stop and walk the bike up. Bad decision. I stopped, but I didn't unclip.

Down I went, in glorious slow motion. Here's the best part: somebody saw! About 10 seconds after I fell, I heard this guy yell from somewhere and ask if I was ok. I yelled back that I was fine, and wanted to add that the only thing that I really hurt was my pride because he happened to see me fall... haha.

Ironically, my right side unclipped when I fell but my left side didn't. I banged up my hip and twisted my right ankle a bit, but I'll be back on the bike later today or tomorrow.

Anyway, at least I got that first fall out of the way. Now it's time to go get a proper allen wrench so I can tighten the tension on that stupid left pedal!

P.S. The bike seems to be fine. Just a few minor scratches, and the chain came off partly, but I don't think I did any damage to it!

Tom

Applehead57

Yep, it's not the same unless someone is there.
I haven't fallen in front of my cycling buddies for over 18 months now, hope to build upon that streak.

thejanitor

Hehe... Good luck with that streak. Personally, I hope to have no more falls from here on out! At least if I do, though, it probably won't be as bad the second time around.

joconnor

Haha I've got a story from yesterday...

My buddy and I went on a 45-mile ride and we were exploring some new areas. We found a road that looked pretty promising to the left so we made our way to the intersection and had a blinking red. There was a few cars oncoming so we slowed down a good bit and as I was looking up at the light to make sure it didn't change, he was watching the cars. As soon as I looked down to go since the cars had cleared, he did the same thing right in front of me and we collided.

We were probably only going 5-10mph but it was pretty funny. There were 5 cars around and we both just laughed because we probably looked ridiculous and pretty amateur. I somehow managed to land on his bike and shred up my arm a bit but it doesn't hurt and looks sweet so no big deal :-P

TheJRK

Here's a funny story about falling, although not on a bike... An old apartment building I lived in had no windows except for the lobby floor. In other words, the only windows were in people's individual units, which left the hallways illuminated by electrical light only. One day we lost power (in the afternoon) so I decide to head out and go skateboarding for a few hours until the power came back on.

I stepped into the hallway, closed the door behind me, and it was pitch black (like if my eyes were shut). The building was old and there was no emergency lighting. I think to myself "No big deal, I'm only 3 floors up, I'll just take the stairs down, no problem..." I start feeling my way down the hallway and find the stairwell door.

I start heading down the steps and on the last flight I miss-count the steps and tumble all the way down. Boom-klang-bang-bash!!! I'm laying at the bottom of the stairs (it's still pitch black) groaning in pain and the first thing I think of is, thank goodness nobody saw that. Suddenly I hear a women's voice "Are you alright?"

I get up quickly and tell her it was just my skateboard that fell down the stairs. And then I limped off...

schwartz

I swear its time we make a sticky for bonehead or beginner mistakes b/c it will fill up to 10 pages within minutes I'll bet. The first time I took my bike for a ride last week I had the same exact story, except it was at a nice and busy intersection. I should have had the hutzpa to take a bow after I got back up but instead I took a quick right turn and practiced my sprint

thejanitor

Hahaha... great stories, everybody!

tbdean

Okay, my first fall: I don't remember if I posted it here before or not. I was staying at a hotel across the street from my office during a marathon coding session. (I'm a programmer).

I get back from a ride and I need to make a left hand turn into the hotel's parking lot. A car is coming the opposite way so I just coast forward a bit as it passes. Unfortunetly by the time the car does pass I'm past the parking lot entrance and have to do a U-Turn. But then I'm hitting the slightly raised curb at an angle, and there is water in the gutter from the sprinklers. All that combine to make me slip and fall over.

Another hotel guest turns around, sees me, and then turns back to continue walking up the drive to the hotel. He's trying to be nice and pretend he didn't see me, but rather then do that I get up, ride up to him and say "We can just keep this between you and I, right?" He laughs and says "All day long!"

Idioteque

First week on clipless

First race (stupid of me)

Trying to clip out infront of a 30 or so man group and failing and falling infront of them, resulting in laughter and the announcer making fun of me as well


Fun times

Pinyon

I fell in front of 100+ people last year at this charity ride rest stop. I was...you guessed it, in new pedals!

I had also skipped the previous two aid stations, and really had to use the restroom. This stop was located in a big, gravel, parking lot for a local state park. So, I'm making as straight-a-line as I can for the porta-potty section, and was about 15-20 feet behind these guys that were standing still, drinking beer, eating free baked goods, and laughing really loudly. As I was passing them, the loudest guy that was telling the story jumps and takes 4-5 steps backwards right in front of me. Down I go. But I missed him! The bike was fine, and all that I had was a tiny bloody spot on one shin. Scared the hell out of me, and I've never been that embarrassed on a bicycle.

float

I fell yesterday. First time in clips. It wasn't technically my fault. I blame the bike (). We were coming down hill and there was a right hander that, unbeknownst to me, turned uphill. Well I tried to mash it but had to downshift to the middle ring and it didn't respond. So after another stroke i tapped the shifter again and off pops the chain. It proceeds to get wedged somehow on the crank and the pedals and my bike came to a stop. Since I was clipped and not anticipating this action, over I went. I was able to get my foot free in time, and didn't completely bust, but it was a fall nonetheless.

thejanitor

Dang! You got the short end of that stick. My fall was completely my fault... hehe.

corsent

Several clipless falls, but I'll describe my two favorites:

-Central Park: fell right in front of the carousel. My audience consisted mostly of parents (and nannies) and little children with balloons.

-Fort Lee, New Jersey: At the entrance to a popular road for cyclists, generally known as River Road (though its proper name is Henry Hudson Drive). I fell right in front of the guy in the snack truck. He just shook his head.

cpk0

not to criticize or sound better-than-you-ish but I've never understood how this is as big a problem as it is. I've never fallen becuase of my pedal pretty much because I figured out that when you're going to have to stop you clip out first and then stop. if you don't get unclip, you just keep pedaling... Why would you stop and hope you can get your foot out and on the ground in the split second you're still balanced?

corsent

A couple of points:
1) Not all falls occur when one is slowing down and clipping out; some occur when one is starting up and clipping in.

2) Sometimes there is no easy way to keep pedaling. I climb up and down pedestrian bridges with extremely sharp turns and tight clearances; under such circumstances you've got to turn your bike sharply while fiddling with the pedals (if you want to unclip). Skillful riders, no doubt, can manage such sharp turns smoothly, with no thought of clipping out. I, however, was no such rider at the outset (and am not a whole lot better now).

thejanitor

My problem was that I was going uphill, so my only other option would have been to turn and head downhill, but that didn't occur to me once I had already slowed to a stop.

Regardless, I'm sure some people can just focus on more than one thing easier than others, so that might be why.

argonaut35

You guys are so funny! I'm glad I found this forum. I bought my first road "performance" bike with clips back in the early 80's. On my very first ride with my feet strapped down I was nervous as heck and sure enough I was biking on this road by the airport and I came to a stop sign and couldn't get my feet out in time and I slowly fell over onto the curb with a line of cars stopped next to me. Needless to say I was very embarrassed. Thinking ahead was definitely necessary with my feet strapped in. That fall was my first and last back in the 80's. Due to various circumstances, I have not ridden a road bike (some mountain biking) since 1988. I am now 41 years old and plan on getting back into road biking and maybe even a few races...I can hardly wait to get a new bike with all the new bells and whistles...including the new clipless pedals. Hopefully, I won't have too much of an issue with the clipless pedals. Wish me luck! If I crash and burn, I'll be sure to post the story for everyone's amusement. hehehe

thejanitor

Hehe... I'm looking forward to hearing your first falling over story! Good luck picking out a bike. Just be sure and take your time and ride as many different models as you can get your hands on before you make your decision

scottdude

hahaha ive got a preety good one on today! when i came in i had unclipped my left and not my right so that when slowing i would just slip and hit the bar......so when i came in i went to touch and there was nothing there so i went of balance and tipped right oer on my right side. luckily noone was watching but i felt like a moron.

yogi13

Only time I've fallen over was when I decided to track stand for a bit at a left turn lane that I thought was going to change any second. Nope, and I'm not that great at track standing. Over I went.

Sooner or later you'll run into a sudden stop in traffic, a hill, a sharp slow-speed turn, or just a senior moment will hit you when you least expect it...and over you'll go.

operator

If you want to continue this trend. I only have to clip out once, for any ride. Because once you learn how to trackstand, you'll NEVER fall.

IchBinDarren

That must have been annoying, I can hardly wait till I get my firtst new pedals and shoes...

Dilberto

Two months ago I aquaplaned on a soaked sidewalk and slid about 10 feet, scraping me up pretty good. It was so embarrassing- at least three people saw it, and one of them howled loudly at me. I was in full riding gear, using the sidewalk to expedite a sandy crossing. I was so mad at myself, for making such a bonehead move. The next day out riding- I promised myself I would not make such a mistake again. I was so obsessed about falling again, that I wrecked even WORSE, the very next day! Stoooopid me....I bunny-hopped off a curb at speed and somehow got both my wheels caught inside a freakin' 2"x2" deep rain channel, on the road. My body's momentum was fixed on exiting the gutter- but both wheels were deep inside the wet grooves, and I was clipped-in my pedals. Traveling at 21mph- I bit fresh asphalt hard and slid 5' on my left leg and elbow. I spent 20 minutes plucking bits of fresh tar and asphalt out of my skin. This time NOBODY saw it but I was so ready to get sympathy from anybody who commented from my wounds. I was so sore I couldn't ride for a full week. I really didn't want to anyways- especially after making two consecutive mistakes TWICE! After trying to find anything but myself to blame...I finally decided to jump back on the saddle again and ride again. What did I learn from all this? If you are a weenie about wiping-out.....then bicycling is not for most people.

Zach
2006 Trek 4900 Disk

recursive

When first using them, I think everyone gets outsmarted by their clipless pedals a time or two.

recursive

Similarly, I'm not better than you, but I never clip out until after I've stopped. Keep in mind, sometimes people have to stop unexpectedly. Another popular one is to fall to the opposite side you've clipped out on. Since I learned how to use them properly, I've never failed to clip out of my pedals. (probably about 15k miles of riding)