first ride spd malfunction!

tapscrew

Hi all,

So today I took my new jamis nova sport for its first ride. Just a gentle spin round the village to get a good feel for the beast as I am used to a much lower geared mountain bike, and I had a great time, a lovely bike to ride but a real different feel from the mtb. The gears will certainly take some getting used to on these welsh hills.

I was really pleased with how I got on with the new spd pedals as well- first time using cleats and everything worked like magic, couldn't believe how well I got on with them...... till I cycled up my own driveway, went to dismount and instead did a kind of slow motion roll over, still attached to the bike (of course) and ended up with my legs in the air and a big dent to my pride! Did I feel like a jerk or what?! Got up as quick as I could get out of the cleats (not very) and examined the bike carefully to check for damage, luckily none save for a slight scuff to the seat. I bruised my rib a bit dammit, but I was more worried about the bike. So my first ride (and fall!) is over and I cant wait to get out there again for another try. Just have to remember not to get over confident with the cleats yet!!!!

diamonddog

Always a good idea to unclip before you come to a stop. First time out I did the same on the drive at home, unclipped the left foot and leaned to the right to get off, looked like a dead fly.:oops:

markhewitt1978

Always the way. When you think you're done you lose concentration.

Initialised

I see you've mastered the art of the horizontal track-stand!

akc42

I bought my first cleats about two and a half weeks ago and spent the first two or three trips carefully unclipping well before the need.

Two weeks ago at the weekend I just came in my drive and tried to get my foot out the cleat and despite moving my heel out as far as it would go it wouldn't release and I made a graceful tilt into the privit hedge. What I discovered when I looked at the shoe is that the cleat screws had come loose.

pgrhodes

I feel for you. I managed to negotiate a fair few rides before managing to fall of twice in week! Apparently it happens to most of us, just get back up and back in the saddle without it putting you off.

tapscrew

It's gonna take more than a fall like that to put me off, but man I've got a sore rib!!! No more spd malfunctions yet im glad to say but im sure they will come :roll:

Initialised

My last and worst SPD fail landed me in A&E with a dozen or so stitches after my bars and chin tried to share the same volume. Since then I've done over 10000 miles without doing another horizontal trackstand. No pain no gain!

keef66

I managed over 10 years with SPD's before coming a cropper! Happened the very day after I came on here saying I'd never done it. @rse over tit into a field gateway, luckily unobserved so pride intact. Then a few months later I did the very same thing as I was just setting off. Rolled to the end of the drive and last minute heard something approaching fast from the left. Again unclipped left foot but leaned right and went down like a fridge on the footpath. Quickly kicked the bike off me, jumped on and rode off down the hill. Right knee and knuckles throbbing and bleeding; figured it would take my mind off the pain if I just kept riding. At the first proper hill I found I'd bent my rear mech hanger because the 2 lowest gears had the mech tinkling the rear spokes :shock: Nervous ride home being very careful about gear selection.

Right shifter needed straightening, as did the mech hanger (vice and big adjustable spanner) but the chunk out of the saddle is permanent. Large hole in knee took 2 months to heal completely.

lakesluddite

It's a rite of passage Tapscrew, I think I did very similar things about three times in quick succession after I started on the clipless pedals - come to a hill stop, start to topple over and realise 'oh yeah, I'm still attached...boom!'.

Practice is the only remedy, some get to grips quicker than others. You learn when to unclip more sub-consciously after a while, becomes instinctive.

katiebob

Mine was in full view of a queue of stationary traffic :oops:

My saddle then hit me in the backside so ended up with a bruise the size of a grapefruit on my Ar$e. :shock:

When I was on the floor I couldnt unclip my left foot so had to flounder there for a while until I managed it. No bugger got out of their car to help me so I got up mustered th few shattered remnants of my pride and carried on my way. Sitting awkwardly cos my bum was still sore...

On the plus side - I havent done it again since!!

maverick34

Just want to join in here with my first failure yesterday at a roundabout when the van in front of me was forced to wait for a car that wasn't signalling. I came to a stop and couldn't get myself unclipped in time. Went over in slow motion and after getting my other foot out was up like a shot, looked at the drivers around me who all looked confused and left the scene of stupidity as fast as I could.

evs78

I made that mistake twice, first time at the top of a steep climb when I thought I would stop and admire the view and ended up in a slo-mo drop into a hedge and the second time outside my flat on a main road in the suburbs of Manchester with a road full of stationary traffic. You live and learn though!