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Clipless falling survey

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway
View Poll Results: Have you fallen because of clipless pedals?
Yes
72.18%
No
27.82%
Voters: 701. You may not vote on this poll

Clipless falling survey

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Old 10-09-09 | 05:22 PM
  #51  
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Lots of people on here that can't even admit anonymously to falling
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Old 10-09-09 | 05:23 PM
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I never fell when i first started riding, cause i was always worried about being able to unclip when i would come to a stop. Eventually i became comfortable with the clipless pedals. these days the last thing on my mind when coming to a stop is thinking about coming unclipped. so once in a great while when i get to careless, I kiss the pavement

Last edited by hendrick81; 10-09-09 at 07:23 PM.
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Old 10-09-09 | 05:24 PM
  #53  
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I take it this poll isn't working out quite like umd planned.
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Old 10-09-09 | 05:27 PM
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I always fall over and I always blame the equipment.
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Old 10-09-09 | 05:27 PM
  #55  
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I fell once after riding my SPD-Ls for a few weeks. Pulled over to the side of the road to adjust my shoe straps, clipped back in and noticed a truck coming that I didn't see before. I was barely rolling and stopped but couldn't unclip. Fell on my left side, which I suppose is better than getting nailed by a truck on my left side.
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Old 10-09-09 | 05:38 PM
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I've never fallen due to my pedals. I have fallen due to my own inability to clip out once, though I think I can reasonably plead fatigue was a major factor. Either way, I couldn't get my foot out. Not gonna blame the pedal.

So I voted no.
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Old 10-09-09 | 05:38 PM
  #57  
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The OP failed to ask if you fell over using clipless because you were new to clipless. He just asked if you fell using clipless.
I never fell using clipless until I tried out a set of free Wellgo SPD "compatible" pedals. I was able to clip in easy enough, but when I went to unclip, the "compatible" pedal wouldn't let go and down I went. Now I know why they were free. Other than that one time, I've never fallen with clipless pedals on a road bike.
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Old 10-09-09 | 05:39 PM
  #58  
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Originally Posted by darkmagus
I take it this poll isn't working out quite like umd planned.
it's about the ratio I would have expected.
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Old 10-09-09 | 05:42 PM
  #59  
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I've fallen using Wellgo SPD-style pedals...my first day of going clipless. I had a snowbank to cushion my fall, but it was frozen and blood oozed.
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Old 10-09-09 | 05:43 PM
  #60  
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Originally Posted by roccobike
The OP failed to ask if you fell over using clipless because you were new to clipless. He just asked if you fell using clipless.
I never fell using clipless until I tried out a set of free Wellgo SPD "compatible" pedals. I was able to clip in easy enough, but when I went to unclip, the "compatible" pedal wouldn't let go and down I went. Now I know why they were free. Other than that one time, I've never fallen with clipless pedals on a road bike.
Whether or not you were new was immaterial to the question. People seem to believe that every either has fallen or will fall, so that an experienced person fell is still a valid data point. However I would exclude equipment failure.
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Old 10-09-09 | 05:45 PM
  #61  
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Originally Posted by JoelS
I've never fallen due to my pedals. I have fallen due to my own inability to clip out once, though I think I can reasonably plead fatigue was a major factor. Either way, I couldn't get my foot out. Not gonna blame the pedal.

So I voted no.
That would be a yes then.
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Old 10-09-09 | 05:57 PM
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I've fallen numerous times. SPD's on a MTB.
First got the bike in 2003 - feel fell a few times and switched to platforms with toestraps. I am more comfortable with toestraps than clipless.
Last year tried to give clipless a go again. A few falls on the street, mostly when I've had to make sudden, unexpected stops. Mostly on the streets I have time to plan my releases.
On the dirt I've fallen more often. Usually it's when I've had to make those sudden, unexpected stops again. And on uphills. I have the hardest time clipping out while going uphill. So much so that I typically put one foot on the platform side if I think I may not make it up the hill.
Also, on expected difficult rides for me, I'll switch to platforms/toestraps to stop the bleeding.
I think for me there may be multiple things at play.
Pedals with not so much use; bad knees and ankles that turn heel inward much easier than heel outward; and possibly cleat adjustment.
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Old 10-09-09 | 05:58 PM
  #63  
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No, if almost doesn't count. The closest I've come is leaning right (clipped side)when I meant to lean left(unclipped side).It's amazing how quickly I can move when I have to. But it has only been 2 years(6000 miles).
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Old 10-09-09 | 06:02 PM
  #64  
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Originally Posted by umd
That would be a yes then.
An unequivocal Yes, that would indeed be.

I fell twice in the first few months of going clipless on Look about 4yrs back. One was especially embaressing, as i was all set to perfectly unclip and stop at the light, ahead of a bunch of cars and 1 female biker. Of course i leaned right and unclipped on the right. Fail. Completely. So screams noob.
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Old 10-09-09 | 06:02 PM
  #65  
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Oh yes, on about day 3 of clipless pedals, when I was feeling confident enough to try balancing... small country road... one lane bridge controlled by traffic lights.... deep ditch full of stinging nettles to the left...


cyclist wrong way up in ditch after brief fight with handlebars...
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Old 10-09-09 | 06:15 PM
  #66  
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Voted yes.

Riding down the street when a friend of mine on a skateboard turns from the sidewalk to the street, I brake hard to a stop to say hi but forget to un-clip, so i lean on him. I don't touch the ground, But if he would've been a few feet away I would've ended up on the floor.


***If you tipped over/fell while on clipless, you fell cause of the deng clipless. No excuses. You fell, admit it.
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Old 10-09-09 | 06:24 PM
  #67  
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Originally Posted by mrvrsick
***If you tipped over/fell while on clipless, you fell cause of the deng clipless. No excuses. You fell, admit it.
Well you could fall because you slid out in a corner or touched wheels with another rider.
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Old 10-09-09 | 06:25 PM
  #68  
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Originally Posted by umd
However I would exclude equipment failure.
Then make my fall count 2 instead of 3.
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Old 10-09-09 | 06:34 PM
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I have look pedals.

I was great for the first 3-4 months of riding, but fell 2x in a weekend at intersections. One was my falt as I was doing a track stand waiting on traffic. The other was kinda my fault too as I turn too sharp starting to go and my clipped in toe hit my tire so I fell to the clipped in side.
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Old 10-09-09 | 06:38 PM
  #70  
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I've fallen over a handful of times due to my clipless pedals during the first month or so as a beginner using them. Especially when coming to a stop trying to do trackstands. Haven't had problems since. I've always used SPD pedals.
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Old 10-09-09 | 06:43 PM
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With the poll running about 25% no it would be interesting to see how many of those people have only been using clipless pedals for few weeks or months. For a good many of them "No" really means "not yet".
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Old 10-09-09 | 06:57 PM
  #72  
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Nearly, but never happened.

It's been nearly 6 years, now.
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Old 10-09-09 | 07:03 PM
  #73  
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Not only did I fall, I fell hard.

I had put the cleats on my shoes, and in fear of overtightening them, undertightened them.

It was my bad luck to want to unclip at the top of a short little 15% hill in my neighborhood. So instead of just falling, I went backwards first, steered the front wheel over to the right, and fell down to my left, getting body slammed to the asphalt.

Ugh. That hurt. And had to take the shoes off to get up.

You can bet I've never made the same mistake again.
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Old 10-09-09 | 07:04 PM
  #74  
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Originally Posted by NoRacer
Nearly, but never happened.

It's been nearly 6 years, now.
I've had some "nearly" times as well but always have managed to save it. One equipment failure, had to grind the cleat off the shoe to disengage it.
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Old 10-09-09 | 07:06 PM
  #75  
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Originally Posted by Jaeger
With the poll running about 25% no it would be interesting to see how many of those people have only been using clipless pedals for few weeks or months. For a good many of them "No" really means "not yet".
It's a public poll, you can see for yourself. Most seem to be fairly experienced.
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