Cleats: did you ever fall over?

[Membrane]

We all know the stories of people falling over when getting used to cleats. It seems to be a rite of passage. Not having fallen over (yet), I feel left out (but also kinda smug about it).

So who's done it, and who hasn't, and is there any hope for those of use who haven't yet?

 

[Paulus]

Twice have i hit the road still clipped in. The first was on the Tissington trail when a group of schoolkids from Manchester who were out with a teacher stopped right in front of me and I didn't have time to unclip, fortunately a grassy bank was my saviour. The second was in Cambridge last year, when cycling back to the station my attention was taken by some kids on BMX bikes in a park. This was as I was pulling up at some traffic lights. I forgot all about unclipping as I stopped. Doh.

 

[magnatom]

Maybe if I cycle in front of you, I will provoke you to fall off Membrane.....

 

[dan_bo]

Oh yes. Across a car bonnet at the lights about 14years ago.

 

[HLaB]

It happened to me on a club run . I'd put new pedals (A520s) on the bike and the soles of the spesh Taho's made it a little hard to unclip, even though the springs were fairly lose. I struggled for a bit and down I went it seemed like slow motion. Ive converted to SPD-SL and touch wood I've not had a clipless moment with them, yet!!! Although clipping in can be a bit of a pain.

 

[Smeggers]

Coed y Brenin.

Just started the decent after a tw@t of a climb.

Broke shoulder, hole in elbow and dent in head.

 

[Twenty Inch]

In front of a bunch of tourists on Rochester High Street. Only damaged my pride.

 

[barq]

I went ages without having a 'clipless moment', but it had to happen eventually. I was riding off-road and didn't get my foot out quite fast enough to dab the ground. But in a way I was already in trouble so I might have crashed any way.

 

[User482]

I crashed into the window of the bike shop that I had just purchased them from. Somewhat embarrassing...

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

I was lost and had stopped to read my map on th eside of the road somewhere near writtle. I unclipped th eright foot but not the left....as I turned to look left I went arse over tit and ended up on the grass verge....wouldnt have been so bad but I had four panniers and a tent on board at the time and so had already attracted some attention!

 

[laurence]

yup... had had a nice ride without falling... got to a mini-roundabout with cars at each junction, braked, stopped, fell sideways still attached. i stayed there for a bit untul the cars drove off - except they didn't, they'd all stopped to watch me try and stand up still clipped in. i managed to stand by waggling one foot free and placing it in the diamond of the frame to pull myself up to try and get the other foot free. i then waved to the drivers (several waved back) and skulked off down a side street.

L

 

[Kirstie]

Just the once - when I first rode on a pair of eggbeaters on a very frosty day a few years ago. Climbing up the Clent Hills just outside Brum, back wheel spun on an icy root and I fell over sideways, unable to unclip.

I've never crashed on tarmac and I'm not looking forward to the time that I do!

 

[Andy in Sig]

Kirstie you really are going to have to do something about your double entendres. From the title I thought this was going to be some S American erotica.

I stopped at the lights once, clipped into my recumbent and had entirely forgotten that I was clipped in. The pedestrians at the lates seemed to really enjoy the inevitable.

 

[magnatom]

Oh I am worried now, I am still the only one who has not fallen over. I did have a few stumbles at the start (about 8 months ago) but I always managed to get my foot out just in time.

From the stats it would appear that my time will come.....

 

[Kirstie]

Kirstie you really are going to have to do something about your double entendres. From the title I thought this was going to be some S American erotica.

Wise man he say again, you have mind like really really stinky sewer