Just went on my first ride ever with clip less pedals and shoes. I had read all the good things people had to say about them. I picked up some Shimano 540's and a pair of Specialized shoes, set everything up and headed out. I did not have any problems until I came to an intersection and had anticipated just riding through had to stop for a car and forgot I needed to unclip my self to put foot down anyways it was quite a show for the passing car. The plus to the whole thing is I should have done this earlier.

Happened to me too.
This will not your last fall. Just practice enough and with time unclipping and balancing will become second nature.
My first time, I unclipped correctly, but most of my weight was on the other side, so i fell. Ended up with a bruised hip and a bruised Ego.

If you ever unclip on one side and are falling the other, just throw your free leg over the saddle before you hit the ground. I call this the ninja move and I discovered it out of sheer desperation as i was passed the point of no return. This movement will unclip the attached shoe and if not, it will give you the support to stand on one foot.

Good luck!

Welcome to the club. Happens to everyone early on, but after two times, you'll not forget to unclip again (yes, that's the magic number).

I don't know a cyclist to whom this hasn't happened. I did it with my hybrid with mountain bike shoes.

My first ride on my road bike was also my first ride with my Look Kéo pedals. I didn't fall over, but when we stopped for breakfast at a restaurant with granite tile floors, I was like a cow on ice on my way to and from the buffet. You need to get some cleat covers too.

I got shoes for christmas. I'd picked up a pair of the old DuraAce look-compatible pedals (With some definite signs of use, but the mechanics all still work great) a few months ago for nothing but a bit of volunteer time at a bike co-op. I couldn't wait to try them, so the first somewhat warm day (It actually got into the 40s for a few hours!) I went out for a ride. Told myself that I, at least, wouldn't fall.

Get out of the apartment complex, out on the main street. Over the first hill a car is parked in the bus/bike/parking lane, and has been for several days - illegally, I believe, since Madison has alternate side/day parking - so the snowplows left snow around it. No room left in the lane, and rather than pull out into traffic I elected to stop and wait for a break. Over I go....

I hate that hill. It's a dooring waiting to happen.

welome to the club.

It happens to everyone. Just practice every chance you get to clip in and out and it will become second nature.

Practice unclipping both sides. It will become second nature.

It doesn't happen to everyone, should anyone care, I have been riding clipless for the past 10+ years and I have never fallen because of them.

have not happened to me. if one is absent-minded, it will happen.

never happened to me yet LOL, I swear it almost happened like one or two times best one was in the friggin town center almost in a crowd,

*slows down*
*prepare to unclip*
*bike starts falling on the other side*
*MEGA HUGE UNCLIPPING KICK*
*Almost falls and the whole bike is almost touching the ground but I managed to get one feet on the ground but how I could never tell since it was mostly luck I guess or ultra-ninja-skills *
*I stand there beside the crowd trying to look as casual as possible...*

Not true.

There are some who claim to have never fallen during use or as a result of using clipless pedals. I believe they are liars.

Welcome to the club.

Umd was banned after you joined, though I'm not sure if a clipless thread appeared in that time...

Its part of learning. I remember one of the first times i went out with my clipless pedals, I got in the left hand lane to make a left turn, but there were cars coming to i need to stop and unclip, I couldn't get my left foot out, which is the foot I usually rest with so I popped my right foot out, but I leaned to the left by habit anyway.So, I Just tobbled right over in the middle of the road.

There are some of us that started riding before Look came out with clipless. Getting out of toeclips /straps with a slotted cleat was something for which you planned ahead, or fell. Clipless was a welcome change and made it pretty mindless. Enjoy the club.

Never happened to me, but I had used clips and straps for quite a while before I bought my first set of clipless pedals.

And no, I didn't fall with the straps either. I've taken spills for other reasons though.

I "turtled" the other day. I was climbing a hill, shifted down and my chain dropped. Like a character in a cartoon, I s-l-o-w-l-y realize that my frenetic spinning is not moving the bike forward up the hill. I tip over to my right and fall, still clipped in on both feet. Now I am on the ground without any leverage to twist either foot, still straddling a bike. A charming sight. Luckily a cyclist came by, stopped, twisted one foot off the pedal and I got up, fixed my chain and continued to ride. Feeling stupid, bruised and amused - I laughed so much I'm sure other riders thought I was demented.

Huh I have done it 4 times now.

2 times for me too, nearly 10 years ago haha. Luckily the second time it happened, I had a bus to lean on!

Doesn't happen to everyone. 24yrs of clipless pedals...still remember to turn my foot and unclip them. Never once just "forgot", or was in a situation where I couldn't get my foot out. Now wrecking is entirely something else....

My very first time with clip-less I had just clipped in, rode around a parking lot, snapping in and out, then a friend said he was to use the restroom. So we rode over there, and instantly I forget to snap out and bam, into the grass.

Falling dues to clip-less, for some reason, puts one into Club Tombay. I've no idea why it's called that.

Out if boredom I once created a card for the occasion:

+1

Strapped in nice and tight.

I remember Hinault winning the TdF in 85 and thinking I sure would love me some of them there new fangled Look pedals.

happens to everyone. I did it once while going really slow, looking back for my friend and fell over... but not only did i fall over, i stayed clipped in, took the bike and basically had it roll on top of me and over to the other side... that was sure an experience.

Done it 4 times so far. Don't think I'm done either. One thing I did was first loosen the clip thing a bit so that my foot comes out easily. The second thing was practice as much as possible. I try to unclip early. Don't wait till you are at the intersection. At first I used to unclip my right foot when it was in the full upright position (bent rt knee). I found out that it is easier and faster to unclip when the leg is fully extended (bottom of the stroke). I don't know if that is "proper" technique, but it works for me. i seem to get a better twist on the ankle and my foot is already at the bottom when it comes free.

3 times here, first one I didn't even get off the driveway. You learn fast, just make sure that the tension isn't so tight that clipping out is difficult