Another beautiful ride RUINED by )(&*&%$ CLIPLESS PEDALS!!!

[repro]

Well, they have their pros and cons I've been riding clipless for about a year and it is easier to dismount than from the old style clips, where you have to reach for the belts. The important think is to remember that you have your feet trapped in them The worst situation I ran into with clipless pedals and the most humiliating was when my chain fell of the chainring crossing a pedestrian crossing in a presence of about 20 pedestrians lol. Later

 

[dan66]

Today was a gorgeous day....ideal for riding. I put on my very cute new riding outfit, loaded up with water, map, money, health card, phone, granola, sunglasses, gloves and was off.

I'll start by mentioning that this is only my 2nd year riding, but my abilities and confidence have made great strides. Today however, the cycling gods had it in for me.

I rode down the nature path for about 10 minutes until I got to the first intersection I had to cross. I started to roll slowly toward it and planned on riding across but then I heard a car and though I'd stop. But I had forgotten I was wearing those )(*&*&^%$$# clipless pedals! I have been riding my mountain bike lately and it has ordinary pedals so I guess I forgot. Then I got the sickening feeling as I began to topple over that I wouldn't get unhooked in time. It is the most helpless feeling in the world, isn't it?

CRASH

I crashed onto my side, with my knee hitting both the bike and grinding into the gravel/pavement. Lots of expletives rang through the air. A garbage truck rolled by and the guy asked me if I needed any help. I smiled and said noooooooooo.

It's not the knee, or the pain or the ugly way it will look for weeks to come, but the total loss of dignity that I hate. And to have to cut the ride off that soon and go home!!! After all the time it takes to get ready!! There was a huge flap of skin hanging down, all white and rubbery and I knew I'd have to turn back. So my bike and I limped home. The breaks must now be mis-alligned because it went "tsh tsh tsh" all the way home. I was too ****** off even to check which wheel it was, will deal with that later.

What a waste of a good riding day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think this is my fifth crash and considering how often I just fall down on the pavement walking, it's a miracle I have any knees left!

Some pictures for your interest....sorry about the long post, I just thought I'd vent to some people who might have gone through this humiliation too!

I went out to lunch one day from my office in downtown Los Angeles, CA. I though I was going to make a light, but at the last second stopped suddenly when some bozo came roaring through the intersection anticipating the green light. The sickening feeling, then CRASH! my handlebar bag with my wallet, cell phone and loose change popped open, and the contents spewed all over. There was as homless guy standing there who came to help me up. He said, "gee man, that must'a hurt. By the way, I couldn't help but notice you have some spare change...?"
Well, I went away "change free", a broken cell phone, and a heaping load of humiliation. The homeless guy was the only one who helped me. He was NOT the only one there: I had a really big lunchtime audience for that spill!!!

 

[Fizzy23]

I went to my first Cyclocross race and of course was running way behind getting out of work. Got there with 15 minutes to spare, registered got dressed hopped on the bike rode to the starting line. Race was running late so I decided to grab some water, rode over a twig as I was about to clip out and fell over in front of the 43 other riders. So I layed there and joked about it with them because everyone will or has experienced this. Worst part was I landed in the tall grass on a fire ant mound ans was bit from shoulder to wrist, looks like about 200 to 300 bites. Needless to say I finished dead last .

Saving grace was the beer waiting at the end....I will be out again next week!!

 

[Karl Hungus]

I totally fell over while clipped in while riding along side two good friends as they were walking. I was talking to them and they were going real slow and then all of a sudden I hit a small rock and all forward momentum just stopped.

I did a "track stand" for a few seconds and then tried to unclip. I knew I could not get out of the pedal, so I said, "Oh, I am about to fall over" real calm-like. It was actually quite funny and m friends have not let me live it down yet.

It seems to happen to everyone at some point.

But I must say, your knee cut looks BAD!

Edit: I just realized that the original post was around 3 years ago or something!

 

[JSWin]

Accident prone. I know it's not your fault. I really do my best if I'm wearing pants to make sure everything is out of the way of the gears and chains. I have to have certain things in order to ride. There's no way I'm going to let something like this mess me up. You have to cover yourself and double check that it's going to all work well together. I sometimes tuck my pant legs in my socks. It sounds weird but it works with certain pants. Large rubber bands or clips whatever works. Pedal straps and all of this.

 

[mpre53]

Now were dredging up 10 year old threads.

Dude, you've been here like a month, and I'll bet of your 147 posts, 120 were posts that brought back one of these zombie threads. :lol:

 

[ZXD22]

Ouch that stinks mate. I'm still getting used to my clips on the trek. I always remember to take them off before a stop, its just hard outing them on at first a little bit.