adds21
Rider of bikes
- Location
- North Somerset
I cycle pretty much the same route every morning, and have done so for a few years, so in total I've cycled down the same road well over 1,000 times.
This morning, for the first time ever, I decide to turn off a side road a few meters and stop to admire the view... It's quite high and the sun was just peeking past some threatening looking rain clouds over Bristol. All in all, a pleasant early autumn view. I'm not really "into" views especially, so it's very very rare for me to stop an admire one, and as I say, I've never stopped to do so on my morning commute before.
So, I turn down a side road and stop. Go to unclip, and unknown to me, a bolt has fallen out of my cleat, so I twist my foot and nothing happens as my cleat doesn't twist with my shoe. I'm so used to clipless pedals, that as I was falling to the pavement it felt like something had gone wrong with the physics of the Universe! Anyway, I fall to the pavement, and flounder around a little trying to disconnect myself from the bike (a big thank you to the cyclist who stopped to check I was okay!).
The point is, had I not decided to stop to look at the view, I would have stopped at the junction further down the road, which means I would have been unable to unclip right in the middle of a busy junction, possibly falling onto or in front of a car, and certainly having further to fall without a handy raised pavement.
Serves me right really for buying new shoes, and not rechecking the cleats after a few days. I'll be getting the Loctite out tonight, I also may buy a lottery ticket!
This morning, for the first time ever, I decide to turn off a side road a few meters and stop to admire the view... It's quite high and the sun was just peeking past some threatening looking rain clouds over Bristol. All in all, a pleasant early autumn view. I'm not really "into" views especially, so it's very very rare for me to stop an admire one, and as I say, I've never stopped to do so on my morning commute before.
So, I turn down a side road and stop. Go to unclip, and unknown to me, a bolt has fallen out of my cleat, so I twist my foot and nothing happens as my cleat doesn't twist with my shoe. I'm so used to clipless pedals, that as I was falling to the pavement it felt like something had gone wrong with the physics of the Universe! Anyway, I fall to the pavement, and flounder around a little trying to disconnect myself from the bike (a big thank you to the cyclist who stopped to check I was okay!).
The point is, had I not decided to stop to look at the view, I would have stopped at the junction further down the road, which means I would have been unable to unclip right in the middle of a busy junction, possibly falling onto or in front of a car, and certainly having further to fall without a handy raised pavement.
Serves me right really for buying new shoes, and not rechecking the cleats after a few days. I'll be getting the Loctite out tonight, I also may buy a lottery ticket!