# falling over on clipless?



## PoorCyclist (Oct 14, 2010)

I talked to the fitter of LBS and he recommended me to go straight to clipless.
he said most people fall but I am more concerned about my bike, lol.

How long does it take to get into clipless?
Has anyone not fall down while learning to use clipless?

I just ordered to Keo Easy which has adjustable tension like a binding...
I think I am going to install them on my MTB and practice first, I think maybe I could get the left crank started and rolling and find the other one to clip in. Or only clip in one side at a time.


----------



## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

why don't you practice on a trainer first...?


----------



## PoorCyclist (Oct 14, 2010)

I don't have one, does it make it that much easier?
but the shop will let me use theirs for as long as I need though.


----------



## Peanya (Jun 12, 2008)

Good starter tips for clipless pedals: practice as much as you can clipping in and out. Since the LBS will let you use the trainer, do so! Practice starting and clipping in, and stopping. Try to get into the habit of unclipping earlier, while you are still moving. In the beginning, unclip both sides. I don't unclip on both sides most of the time now, but still do from time to time. Be prepared to fall, mostly with a big group of people. Yeah, you'll be embarassed, but everyone (like myself included) have been there too.


----------



## Trek2.3 (Sep 13, 2009)

I just switched to Freeplay pedals. They are great BUT a real b***h to break in. 
I have no trouble with SPD's but I know that I'm gonna fall before I get these Speedplays working. 
Yes, you always fall with a crowd watching and the resulting road rash is like a medal that marks you as a Veteran.


----------



## eyezlee (Nov 28, 2009)

For what its worth I always unclip the left and never the right when stopping. If I happen to screw it up and fall I'll be falling non-drive side.


----------



## dgeesaman (Jun 9, 2010)

PoorCyclist said:


> I talked to the fitter of LBS and he recommended me to go straight to clipless.
> he said most people fall but I am more concerned about my bike, lol.
> 
> How long does it take to get into clipless?
> ...


At risk of cursing myself I started this year on clipless and haven't gone down yet. I had a few wobbly close calls where I made a sudden stop (and stopping was more important than unclipping). Like the others said, take a few short rides with lots of stops and make sure to unclip early and rock yourself forward off the saddle.

David


----------



## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*How to not fall*



PoorCyclist said:


> I talked to the fitter of LBS and he recommended me to go straight to clipless.
> he said most people fall but I am more concerned about my bike, lol.
> 
> How long does it take to get into clipless?
> ...


The one person I know who didn't fall was my wife. She put on clipless pedals in December and rode the rollers all winter with them. By spring, she was fully accustomed and didn't have any issues. 

As others have noted, it's about practice, practice, practice. If you practice enough in your driveway, in your yard, and for short rides up and down your street, it will become second nature by the time you hit the road. If you don't have the patience to practice, then be prepared to do a "Laugh-In" fall over or two.


----------



## Trek2.3 (Sep 13, 2009)

eyezlee said:


> For what its worth I always unclip the left and never the right when stopping. If I happen to screw it up and fall I'll be falling non-drive side.


Not necessarily. :blush2:


----------



## frpax (Feb 13, 2010)

I fell once trying to get out toe straps & toe clips, when I first started cycling (1985). This was before clip-less became the thing. Once I switched over to clip-less (1989), I was already pretty proficient at getting in and out of clips & straps, and I've never gone down since. Let me rephrase that: I've never gone down because I couldn't clip out. I've gone down plenty due to crashes and getting hit by cars, etc.

I will recommend that you set your pedals to the least amount of spring tension at first, so you can get used to it, then gradually increase the tension to where it's not so much that its hard to clip out, but not too little so that you clip out accidentally.

My 2 centavos


----------



## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

There are 2 big secrets to preventing falls. 1. *THINK!* 2. Plan ahead.
As time goes by this will become nearly automatic, but at 1st it should be taking a lot of your attention. When you're just riding along there's really no problem. The trouble is most likely to come when slowing to a stop. I would suggest to always unclip the same foot every time. I always put my left foot down at a stop. Think ahead. Where do I want the front wheel to stop? Which foot am I going to unclip and put down? Visualize yourself coming to a stop, unclipping your foot, lifting off the seat & placing that foot on the ground. If you fail to plan you're planning to fail/fall. 

A common "clipless" fall comes from trying to wait out a red light by doing a track stand. You're all right, you're doing fine, that's good, keep it up...OH CRAP! Splat! I suggest not trying this at 1st. Wait until you're very comfortable using the clipless system before trying this. Another scenario is stopping/.starting with other riders in close proximity. The ride is just leaving the parking lot. There are a lot of riders, maybe 20+, and you're in the middle of the pack. Everybody starts off rolling then somebody in front of you has trouble clipping in, drops a bottle, etc. You're clipped in, rolling slowly & suddenly you have to stop again...quickly. You HAVE to anticipate stuff like this & have a plan ready. Unclip your foot, rise out of the seat, put the unclipped foot down. 

As Kerry said, practice makes better.


----------



## Mapei (Feb 3, 2004)

When you first get them installed on your bike, before you take your first ride, stand astride the bicycle and clip and unclip into each pedal twenty times. Not only will this get you familiar with the techniques involved in clipping and unclipping, it will also break the system in a little bit.


----------



## nealric (Jul 5, 2007)

The mechanics of clipless aren't all that hard. I had no problem clipping in an out the very first time riding clipless. The issue is making clipping/unclipping an instinct. For the first few rides, you will have to consciously think about having to do it- or you will fall. 

That said, you will probably fall at least once- but it's usually not too terrible. Mostly just a bruised ego.


----------



## dharrison (Oct 27, 2009)

1) Unclip at the bottom of your pedal stroke, with the pedal at 6 o'clock. You have the most leverage at that point.
2) When starting from a stand-still clip your dominant foot and bring the crank to parallel with the ground (9 o'clock). Get a good push to get in motion, then clip the other foot as your momentum carries you. 
3) Anticipate stopping and get your non-dominant foot unclipped in advance.


----------



## TomH (Oct 6, 2008)

You'll do the classic clipless crash eventually. It'll hurt your ego more than your body or bike. No big deal.. just a part of cycling. 

dont worry about it, you'll be ok


----------



## perttime (Jun 27, 2005)

Do learn to unclip both feet. There's a couple of "classic" ways to fall:
- unexpected stop
- at a traffic light
- unclip one side and fall on the other side

For full points, you do it in front of a group of pretty girls.

(I only recall having done the unexpected stop, and that riding a mountain bike on trails)


----------



## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

dharrison said:


> Anticipate stopping and get your non-dominant foot unclipped in advance.


That's really the key. Nine out of ten clipless falls occur because the rider thinks there's plenty of time to unclip, then something shortens that time. In some instances the rider simply miscalculates time-to-stop. In other instances, there's a sudden and totally unforeseen need to stop immediately.


----------



## Invictus (Jul 13, 2010)

*Not always while unclipping....*

It seems that most folks who have fallen did it while unclipping or forgetting to unclip.

Yes, I have fallen because I completely forgot to unclip and it was right in front of two sherriff's deputies!

BUT.......the most embarrassing and the worst road rash came when I was attempting to clip"in" after a short rest stop at a gas station. I pushed off with my right foot in the clip and while attempting to get the left clip in I missed and lost some of my push off speed...I then hit a small rock which kicked my front wheel just enough to make me go splat! It happened in about 1 millisecond! Of course every pump at the station was in use and several people got a good laugh! I hope I made their day.

BTW I am using the Keo pedals. I want to try SPD's with mountain bike shoes and the shimano pedals that have a sizeable platform on one side.


----------



## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

I have been riding clipless since 1986 when look put out their first version. Lots of experience, yet just the other day mountain biking the clipless gods got me twice on slow speeed crashes. My mind said I was going to fall one way and ended up falling the other way. That equals wrong foot out. A low speed crash on the trail x2 earned me a nice set of chainring marks on the calf. You just have to laugh it off, since you are usually not going fast enough to get hurt or hurt anything. My only advice is if you fall don't put your arm out to stop the fall with the ground. That is how you break a collar bone or wrist.


----------



## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

Trek2.3 said:


> I just switched to Freeplay pedals. They are great BUT a real b***h to break in.
> I have no trouble with SPD's but I know that I'm gonna fall before I get these Speedplays working.
> Yes, you always fall with a crowd watching and the resulting road rash is like a medal that marks you as a Veteran.


I think you might have the cleats installed with the wrong shims. There is no break-in period with speedplays. It is a frictionless release. If you are having trouble clipping in or getting out, that usually is an indication that the cleat isn't installed on a flat surface, meaning the wrong snap shims were used. Clipping in and release shold be silent and effortless.


----------



## dysfunction (Apr 2, 2010)

spookyload said:


> I think you might have the cleats installed with the wrong shims. There is no break-in period with speedplays. It is a frictionless release. If you are having trouble clipping in or getting out, that usually is an indication that the cleat isn't installed on a flat surface, meaning the wrong snap shims were used. Clipping in and release shold be silent and effortless.


Or that the mounting screws for the cleats are too tight.


----------



## dysfunction (Apr 2, 2010)

btw, clipping in, when new to it.. especially on a mountain bike.. just get one clipped in and start pedaling, once up to speed enough to where you're upright then clip the other in, at least until you get used to it and your foot just finds the pedal/cleat connection.


----------



## spookyload (Jan 30, 2004)

> *I just installed my new Zero pedals and cleats. The pedals will not engage the cleats properly or the cleats pull out while riding or sprinting. What should I do?
> *Be sure that the 4 x 11mm outer fastening screws of the cleats are not over-tightened. Tighten cleat fastening screws until resistance is felt and then tighten no more than ¼ turn. Over-tightening the screws may prevent the springs from operating properly, can affect engagement and retention, and can cause damage to the cleat. Also, ensure that the correct mounting hardware and Snap Shim Kit have been used


I copied that from the speedplay website. Seems overtightening would be easy to check. More often, it is the wrong shims installed. I have been riding/servicing these pedals for over a decade. Just trying to be helpful. If you got it under control...have at it. Have never had a hard time from the bolts being to tight though, and I crank the $hit out of the bolts when I install mine.


----------



## frdfandc (Nov 27, 2007)

If you don't have a trainer, practice by placing the bike in a doorway so you can support yourself.

BTW, I've never fallen (knock on wood) on my road bike, but I've fallen over several times on the MTB.


----------



## dysfunction (Apr 2, 2010)

spookyload said:


> I copied that from the speedplay website. Seems overtightening would be easy to check. More often, it is the wrong shims installed. I have been riding/servicing these pedals for over a decade. Just trying to be helpful. If you got it under control...have at it. Have never had a hard time from the bolts being to tight though, and I crank the $hit out of the bolts when I install mine.


Never said you weren't. I guess I'm now confused as to how I was offensive. Either way, I apologize.


----------



## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

I did not fall down learning to use clipless, or there after, but I "almost" fell down several times. I just got lucky in that I didn't actually fall I'm sure. I have had bike shop people tell me that on average it is three times, then you learn to clip out quick enough. It's part of the learning process. Still every once in a while after thousands of miles, I have to unclip quickly to keep my balance when I do an unexpected move, like loose my balance and start to lean the wrong way.


----------



## mcsqueak (Apr 22, 2010)

Trek2.3 said:


> Not necessarily. :blush2:


Hah, yeah. I always unclip on my left side and all the times I've fallen (two or three times), it's been on my right side.

Think about it, if your foot is already unclipped on that side, you're a lot less likely to fall that direction because you can just catch yourself. You'll fall to the side that doesn't have a support such as your leg and foot.

That being said, I've fallen on my drive side each time, and the bike usually winds up on top of you, so I haven't damaged anything yet besides a bit of scuffed bar tape.


----------



## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

eyezlee said:


> For what its worth I always unclip the left and never the right when stopping..


Why train yourself to only unclip out of the same foot? Train the other foot as well. You'll be able to unclip out of either foot at moment's notice.


----------



## Ninja10 (Oct 7, 2010)

dysfunction said:


> btw, clipping in, when new to it.. especially on a mountain bike.. just get one clipped in and start pedaling, once up to speed enough to where you're upright then clip the other in, at least until you get used to it and your foot just finds the pedal/cleat connection.


I do the same. Right foot clipped in at 6 o'clock push off with my left foot and pedal 1 or 2 stroke before trying to clip in the left foot. I unclip my left foot before I come to a stop. I started using clipless on mountain bike and I think you learn faster because of unexpected stops and falling on grass or dirt does't hurt as much as concrete. My Sidi shoe should be in the middle of this week and will be using road specific pedals (Shimano Ultegra SPD) for the first time. I have been using my mountain bike pedal (Look Quarts).


----------



## Banissque (Aug 21, 2010)

Another one here who learned on a mountain bike. I was a little nervous about the potential for falling so I practiced with two different pedals and two different shoes.

One shoe with clip and pedal to match, one bog-standard old platform with a running shoe. Might have looked like a twat but I never fell over during practicing. That's not to say I've never fallen over because of them, just not during learning the way I chose to learn.


----------



## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

Running clipless while mountain biking is much more difficult than on the road. If you're riding through some technical singletrack, for instance, you must be prepared to instinctively release either your left or right foot in a split second, regardless of pedal position..


----------



## [email protected] (Oct 16, 2010)

I am new as well I ride a hybrid now but am getting my roadie we use speedplay frogs easy in easy out


----------



## enio (Mar 29, 2009)

I've been riding clipless for 2 months(road commuting on my new touring bike), haven't fell yet, although there was two close calls due to being not careful enough, and one with pedestrian going backwards to the left into me. i hit/grazed her, she goes to the floor and i fly of the side curb with left arm and right leg still attached to the bike and somehow regain my balance and stay on the bike.if it was a roadbike i would surely fall, i guess tales of touring bike stability came into play here. spd on lightest spring setting, so that clipping out is fairly easy.


----------



## Drew Eckhardt (Nov 11, 2009)

PoorCyclist said:


> I talked to the fitter of LBS and he recommended me to go straight to clipless.
> he said most people fall but I am more concerned about my bike, lol.
> 
> How long does it take to get into clipless?


Seconds.



> Has anyone not fall down while learning to use clipless?


Never fell, but came close after switching from recessed SPD cleats to not-so recessed Bebop cleats that had bad traction when I put my foot down toe first and slid. 

It's easier if you're a bit pro-active. Unclip before you're done stopping or are likely to stop with the crank at 6 o'clock. You can even track stand with one foot unclipped. 



> I just ordered to Keo Easy which has adjustable tension like a binding...
> I think I am going to install them on my MTB and practice first, I think maybe I could get the left crank started and rolling and find the other one to clip in. Or only clip in one side at a time.


You can get moving on one crank and then add the other one. If it's really up hill or you need to escape from a car you might pedal with the middle of your unclipped shoe so you're in a better location and/or have a little moving inertia.

As a motorcyclist used to keeping my right foot on the rear brake and regular footed snowboarder I keep my right foot in and take my left foot out and shake it all about. You do the hokey pokey...


----------



## Cooper1960 (Oct 14, 2010)

I have been using clipless pedals for over twenty years, first on my mountain bike and then when I started riding road bikes. Use to get hung up occasionally on the mountain bike but had a clean record on the road bike until just this year. Big group ride, full stop at a stop sign, I unclipped my left foot as always, touched the pavement and promptly fell over to the right. Luckily didn't take any one down with me but it was close, my dear friend on the right said "that had to hurt you OK?" My dear friend on the left asked when he could start laughing.


----------



## PoorCyclist (Oct 14, 2010)

So I put on clipless on my MTB and ride today, it's not bad and I can unclip both at the same time.

I had a fall but it was not completely caused by clipless, maybe partially? I was trying to navigate around pillars maybe 5-6 foot apart in the parking lot, for some reason my front tire washed out and I fell, I thought maybe I panicked while going too slow, and in one jerky response I tried to clip out causing myself to fall. Because I was clipped out as I fell
well, MTB knobbies tire at 60PSI on concrete slightly damp doing figure 8s may have something to do with it.

I believe I need to be very aware when going slow enough (like slow enough to have some toe overlap in the turns or taxiing tight turns), I need to unclip. I also unclip both when approaching a stop and without pedalling I just clip back in if a complete stop is NOT needed. Is that bad habit or good?

It's all good though because I am getting some practice before I get to ride on the road bike.


----------



## DWbikeNY (Aug 26, 2010)

Drew Eckhardt said:


> Seconds.
> 
> 
> 
> You can get moving on one crank and then add the other one. If it's really up hill or you need to escape from a car you might pedal with the middle of your unclipped shoe so you're in a better location and/or have a little moving inertia.


I do this all the time. I hate riding in the city and traffic and have a fear of falling into traffic and getting my head run over so I keep my left foot generally unclipped most of the time when in heavier traffic and lots of stop and go. The times I have fell or almost fell are to might right. Getting better with emergency unclip when I start to tip to one side.


----------



## 6-Speed (Sep 9, 2010)

I have Look pedals on my road bike. I don't have much problem un-clipping, but sometimes struggle to get clipped in.


----------



## BostonG (Apr 13, 2010)

I started with a road bike this past march and made the clipless jump about 3 months into it. I had some experience with clipless on a mountain bike several years ago but heck, that was several years ago, and it wasn't all that much experience in the first place.

I've fallen a couple times but am now pretty proficient. What everyone else has said about anticipation and releasing the clip ahead of time becomes second nature an you'll probably find yourself unclipping "just in case" on some occassions and making the mistake of not unclipping on others. 

I went from nothing for 1 month, to clips and straps for another, and finally clipless. I thought it was a smooth progression and helped me get accustomed. I use MTB shoes - they have the advantage of a non slip rubber sole so if you think you are aligned ok but miss the clip, it won't slip off the pedal as much as the more slippery rigid road shoes 0- just something to consider.


----------



## Merida_ Rider (Nov 5, 2010)

I am not sure if it will help but I got my bike on thursday like clipin's and i had never used them before...it took me like 3 goes to get the hang of it.. I have fallen off twice but due to slow speeds and unclipping. I havent not found any problems with them if anything i find clipin's have helped me . Hope this helps


----------

