Kissing Tarmac

lioneld

Thought I'd give you a reason to chuckle on a Monday...

After a total of just 680 miles of clipless pedaling, I took my first munch on the asphalt on Sunday...

Came to a T junction with a blind right that goes under a bridge, was almost at a track stand at this point, Clear to the right.. looked left - clear again, went to go when someone shot out from under the bridge on the right, i hesitated, unclipped my right foot as my body leaned left and that was that,cue me & my Wilier having a hug in the floor, wriggling like an idiot to free my left foot and get out of the road!

Apart from the feeling of utter embarrassment - I did get up with a laugh at myself, but the driver of the car behind looked slightly baffled that I 'd fallen off whilst stationary, all was ok - with the bike I mean, had a touch of 'paintwork panic', but all was fine

Fair play to the bloke that stopped to ask if i was ok as well - although I didn't quite have the face to reply - Yes Im ok, just fell over as I couldnt get my feet out in time!

raymondo60

Welcome to the club. Anyone who hasn't fallen off exactly like that quite a few times isn't a proper cyclist! If I had a pound for every time........
Good luck xx

Bobbinogs

Raymondo60 wrote:

Welcome to the club. Anyone who hasn't fallen off exactly like that quite a few times isn't a proper cyclist! If I had a pound for every time........
Good luck xx

Yes, me too. I would have exactly one pound

Large camber on road, stopped abruptly due to broken down van, unclipped right foot, camber took me left. The good news is that I was at the front of about 10 cars waiting to get around the van too...doh!

redvee

I've got a 20yr old scar on my knee from such a moment :oops:

R8JimBob88

im surprised you managed 680 miles without a fall!

Lycra Man

Lioneld,

Welcome to the club. My first clipless moment was very similar. Approaching a roundabout where most traffic went straight through, a car emerged from the right and didn't indicate until very late that he was going to cross my path. Braked heavily, locked up back wheel - and came to a halt without being hit. Then slowly fell to the left as I struggled to get a foot out.

Blank looks of incomprehension from the occupants of the three cars behind me, but I was up and smiling as if this was normal behaviour.

Lycra Man

Neil Holland

I too did this for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Unclipped right bike swayed left and I couldn't get the left out in time... :oops:

Side road, zero danger only one witness...

MarcBC

I did this within 6ft of leaving the house on my very first ride on the bike! :oops: Perhaps some sort of record?

I clipped my right foot in, pressed down on the pedal only to find the gear was too high for what effort I was expecting. Instead of going forward I just fell to the right. :shock:

Adamski91

Went out for about the tenth time the other week and had my first tumble as well.
Pulled up to a set of traffic lights and stopped (because I'm a good boy ) for the red light, right outside the local university building cafe, with great glass panes all along the bottom. With lots of students, some probably watching me.
I twisted my left foot to unclip, but it wouldn't. So I start moving it left and right trying to unclip as desperately as I could, but my foot just wouldn't come off and all of the wriggling had me falling to the left, so even if I had managed to get my right foot off it would've been pointless.

Regardless I went down, but as I knew I was going I could brace myself and thankfully I landed in some soft dirt/chippings - still clipped in with both feet.

So I managed to get my right foot unclipped after several seconds of wiggling like a maniac, and then had to stand up, with my left foot still clipped in. I still couldn't get it out, so I decided I'd take my foot out of the shoe and push the bike to a bench for a better look. So there I am, pushing my bike along, one shoe on, one still connected to the bike dragging along the floor. I get to the bench - lo and behold the shoe has come off the peddle a dozen or so feet away.
Turns out the cleat had come off the shoe and was stuck in the peddle. Sigh.

The ONE day I don't take my multitool out and that happens, Sod's law I suppose. Won't be making that mistake again.
Either way I had to sit around for 20 mins in freezing wind waiting for my nan to run some tools out for me so I could get back to the road.

Ooh, quite the ramble there.

Im Bald Ok

I've had one and only one moment (I was so embarrassed I unclip almost all the time when stationary now). Came to a set of lights, thought i'd act cool and trackstand like a proper cyclist :roll: . Was managing fine until i turned my front wheel and at the same time clipping my toe with the overlap I forgot about. Down like a sack of potatoes both feet clipped in and infront of a queue of cars...

redvee

One caught on camera

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgC66GhC ... ture=feedu

navrig

I am surprised no-one has owned up to the "I'll just grab the traffic light pole rather than unclip" approa........aaghhh!!

waynokio

MarcBC wrote:

I did this within 6ft of leaving the house on my very first ride on the bike! :oops: Perhaps some sort of record?

I clipped my right foot in, pressed down on the pedal only to find the gear was too high for what effort I was expecting. Instead of going forward I just fell to the right. :shock:

lol ha ha ha hilarious...love this story, thanks

robklancs

Last week i came off my bike on a bit of ice, what i wondered was, how come my feet unclipped themselves as i fell (when i stopped sliding i realised i wasnt attatched to the bike anymore). I didnt have time to think about trying to unclip, they just did, why is that?

redvee

robklancs wrote:

Last week i came off my bike on a bit of ice, what i wondered was, how come my feet unclipped themselves as i fell (when i stopped sliding i realised i wasnt attatched to the bike anymore). I didnt have time to think about trying to unclip, they just did, why is that?

I've always told people when asked that the natural action of your ankles/feet twist in such a way that your feet release from the pedals. If you think about it, as above, then you will stay attached to the bike.

resus1uk

For years both my trikes have had SPDs but still not risked clipless on my touring bike yet. (chicken)