ultra-g

I rode clipless for the 1st time...

I usually ride a fixed gear with toe-clips and straps but I just bought a LeMond cyclocross bike and I bought SPD pedals and the Specialized Comp MTB shoes with it,

I practiced for about 3 minutes clipping in and out on the bike trainer at Toga Bikes today and took my first ride on clipless pedals (and my new LeMond)...

Let me say, I rode in NYC traffic and Didn't Fall! I was a little nervous going through traffic but it was all good.

I'm going to put clipless pedals on my fixed gear too now, I really like the feel.

livestrong91

Congrats! Clipless is the way to go!

2manybikes

Congratulations, I have never know anyone who did not fall. Nice going.

taimaixu

are you saying that you'll need to fall in order to learn how to use clipless? gulp. ..

late

I had gone about 12 miles. I pulled up to a red light, and instead of unclipping; a lifetime of habit had me draw my foot backards. There was resistance, without thought I pulled harder. The pull on one side cause a push on the handlebars on the other side. And down I went.
A fall or two, and you learn new habits.

2manybikes

Well .......I believe him...... It's just very rare. I don't want to discourage you. The end result is fantastic.

I fell over.

ultra-g

When I was practicing clipping in and out, Jose (one of the guys at Toga Bikes) told me about his first time riding clipless, he said he was going downhill in Washington Heights (those are steep freaking hills), he came to a red light and stopped, he said he fell over and after he was on the ground he was still wondering why he fell... he didn't realize that he was using clipless until he looked at his feet!

I thought that was hilarious.


If it makes you feel any better, I did fall once at a red light when I was using Toe-clips, I was trying to do a trackstand and *flop!* fell right over and had a huge bruise on my thigh for weeks from the top tube banging on my leg.

Yoshi

I fell once after I clipped out! I stopped at an intersection and had my left foot unclipped. I saw that the light was going to change soon so I started to drift into the cross walk. As I did this, my balance shifted to my right, and before I knew it I was on the ground.

2manybikes

I think this thread is going to be hilarious if we start getting all the first time clipless stories. Yay!

operator

Blah I fell at a stop sign on my first time out. I was conciously thinking if I fell this is going to be real funny. I roll to a stop looked at the car in front and clipped out on my left side.

Guess which way the bike leaned instead.
After falling I just sat there and said haha for about 10s got up and acted as if nothing happened.

Hipcycler

Of course, at some point, you WILL fall. It's just a matter of time it seems....we all have a story. "Turtle-ing" is one nickname for it....because you flop over like a big ole turtle on his back.

To this day after four years of it, as I approach a controlled intersection I still say to myself, 'foot, foot, foot' just as a reminder not to do anything stupid.

And here's another thought about this....how come they unclip real nice when you crash?!!!

taimaixu

thanks for the repsonse. . .its funny how we want to upgrade to something that'll make us fall at first. . . .


well. im going to order a pair of road shoes for the spring. . .im in NYC, so i'm ok if i fall, as long as i dont get run over by a truck.

Laggard

Me

But I road strapped in for a couple years. After that you wonder how the hell anyone could fall while using clipless pedals. I mean, you don't even have to reach down and loosen your straps.

Drayko

Started clipless a month ago, haven't yet fallen ::knocks on wood::
Like it a lot tho. Closest I got to falling was on my second ride, walking from the bike back home after my ride. Stumbled but found my balance, wasn't used to walking in shoes with a big cleat...

nesdog

I rode for a couple of months clipless with no issues at all...right up until I took off with a friend one day and was telling him "You know, I've been riding for a couple of months so far with no issues." As I was saying that, two blocks from my house, we got to a stop sign, I was too busy listening to myself mouthing off, got confused and splat!

Sheldon

Dchiefransom

Unclip right...lean right. Unclip right....lean right. I had to repeat that a few times in my mind after getting clipless. I fell on the left side.

Serpico

I've never fallen.

scarpi41

I fell my first time. But agreed, clipless is the way to go. congrats not falling. Especially in that crazy NYC traffic. There maniacs!









sour patch(matt)

cpk0

neither have i. nor have a taken a spill off my rollers.

2manybikes

This is nice to hear, a few riders who never fell. A good thing for someone who has not yet tried clippless. Very encouraging for the newb's.
One of the great things about the internet, you get to hear from riders literally all over the world.

Extra credit for starting in big city traffic too.

fsor

I started with powergrips and platforms so I had the unclipping motion partly ingrained from the beginning. When I went clipless, I was sooooo cautious and methodical. Yep, then it became second nature, until one day. Well you all know the rest. Why is there always an audience?

my58vw

I had fallen a couple of times with clipless but once you learn it is not a problem at all.

SPDs are easy compared to some other systems... good luck

H23

Does anyone else here think that wiping-out is a valuable skill? I mean, that's part of the reason why people go mountain biking, right?

skydive69

Been there done that! Unlike the thread starter, I managed to pull my fall off during my first clipless ride. That ttttiiiiimmmmmbbbbbeeeerrrrr feeling really sucks as you fall over totally helpless.

raceon4

I had been riding clipless for about a week when I first fell. I was at the entrance of a subdivision talking to a buddy of mine in a car. Was leaning the wrong way forgot I was clipped in and fell over. The best part though was a guy driving down the road sees me do this. He turns around and comes back to say. "Man I hate it when that happens."