Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
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Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby Lozzie » Sat Dec 05, 2015 3:36 pm
Just started with clip in shoes. First ride fell off my bike in my driveway. Banged my elbow up quite bad (http://m.imgur.com/esgaz6A" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) and have not risen since Wednesday night.
Any advice on how to avoid injury in the future. I know it will take time and Practise but I am now scared a bit. I'm planning on riding with an undershirt for the next few weeks to hopefully at least avoid the scrapings and abrasions. I'm also going to do everything in my power to hold onto something when I'm needing to stop. Dreading the ride in on Monday.
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby zill » Sat Dec 05, 2015 3:41 pm
If you are riding with some speed such as 20km/hr or higher than no matter if you are clipped in or not, you will fall down.Lozzie wrote:Not sure if this is the right place but I did get quite a nasty injury from this issue which has kept me off the bike.
Just started with clip in shoes. First ride fell off my bike in my driveway. Banged my elbow up quite bad (http://m.imgur.com/esgaz6A" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) and have not risen since Wednesday night.
Any advice on how to avoid injury in the future. I know it will take time and Practise but I am now scared a bit. I'm planning on riding with an undershirt for the next few weeks to hopefully at least avoid the scrapings and abrasions. I'm also going to do everything in my power to hold onto something when I'm needing to stop. Dreading the ride in on Monday.
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby softy » Sat Dec 05, 2015 3:42 pm
Now just pop the non clipped in pedal on the pedal and push, even if it is not clipped in, the bike will be moving/rolling quite will now and the gyro effect keeps you upright, then attempt to clip the non clipped foot in. I normally do it at 12:00 o'clock position as i have look keo.
It gets easier with time, but even once use to it, sometimes you get that stubborn moment when it goesn't want to go in, if you are rolling you are fine.
the other time when you can fall off is when you are moving very slow at a traffic light, as you start to slow down just unclip but keep the foot on a pedal, so if you loose your balance, one foot is free. Push on the pedal if the light goes green and your clipped in again.
hope this helps.
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby trailgumby » Sat Dec 05, 2015 3:49 pm
Back the spring tension right off to minimum and go find a grassed area to practice in so that when (note I didn't say if) you get stuck again you have a softer landing until you get more confident. Light lubrication with a spray silicone oil is recommended too, just take care to keep overspray well away from disc rotor and wheel rim brake tracks.
When you lose balance try to get the side of your hand (not the heel) down with the *elbow bent* and bump hand-elbow-hip-shoulder to turn the tumble into a sideways roll and just go with it even to the point where the bike is up in the air over the top of you, don't try to fight it. Above all do not lock your elbow or you will break something.
You will still tumble occasionally (and I still do when the pedals jam up with crud in muddy conditions when riding the mountain bike off-road) so it pays to practice doing such "unplanned dismounts" safely. It also pays to position yourself so that you have an unobstructed area to land should this occur.
Plan well ahead and unclip the foot you are going to put down well before you come to a stop. I am still recovering from a really bad ankle sprain from 9 months ago, and my ankle is still weak so I am having to do this with my roadie pedals. I'd also recommend practising unclipping with each side.
I hope this helps. The good news is the action does become instinctive with time, it just takes a little while to train the brain. I would not ride anything else - I get nervous about my feet coming off the pedals with flats, and as for toe straps ("clips")? ... forget it!
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby Lozzie » Sat Dec 05, 2015 4:05 pm
Will go out tomorrow for a ride!
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Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby RonK » Sat Dec 05, 2015 4:20 pm
Take your bike down to the local park, and practice on the grass where a fall will cause no harm.
Before starting, make sure you know which foot you are going to put down, then practice unclipping repeatedly until the action is familiar.
Then rehearse the dismount - unclip, brake to stop, stand on other leg, lean bike slightly as you plant foot.
Then start riding - do not pick too low a gear or you won't gain balance speed from the push away.
Once moving engage cleat in the other pedal. If you miss-cleat, put your foot lightly on the pedal, carefully complete a stroke then try again, or backpedal half a turn and put another stroke with the cleated foot then try again.
Repeat, repeat, repeat until competent.
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby trailgumby » Sat Dec 05, 2015 4:22 pm
I'd also recommend lots of short sessions focussed on practicing the foot action, say 3 or 4 x 15-minute sessions spaced throughout the day this weekend.
Be safe
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby outnabike » Sat Dec 05, 2015 4:59 pm
I have just saved the life of many a ped no doubt.... This applies only to folks that hate to fall off their bike.....
Honestly though there is a bit of a learning curve and if a casual cyclist, there is a lot going for a good set of flats with a nice grippy array of studs, which is what I kept changing to.
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby Kalgrm » Sat Dec 05, 2015 9:20 pm
Turn the bars away from your unclipped foot just as you come to a stop.
Doing this will tip you onto that unclipped foot every time. (I know it's obvious, but things like this help when you're in a panic.)
Cheers,
Graeme
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby DavidS » Sat Dec 05, 2015 9:41 pm
DS
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby foo on patrol » Sat Dec 05, 2015 10:12 pm
Foo
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby rodneycc » Sat Dec 05, 2015 10:30 pm
All good advice above. I settled on speedplay light action pedals because the set of cheap r540 spd sl pedals I had were just evil so I have standardized on speedplay pedals across all my bikes. Love them. Had a few close calls in the early days with an emergency foot rip out but pretty smooth sailing ever since except for the one incident above about a year ago.
The turning the wheel away tip above is a really good one because it stops you over balancing on the still clipped in foot as well. Nothing worst going down in slow motion after coming to stop with one foot out but over balancing on the clipped in side and can't get that foot out in time. I did this in the early days and had my seat a bit too high as well as being on a bit of a decline where my feet couldn't touch the ground and down I went.. So I kind of make it a rule that stopping on uneven ground or turning more than 90 degrees to a stop (for example crossing traffic ped lights and then turning the bike in an L shape to go a different direction in front of the cars at a red light) then I unclip both feet.
Now be kind clip stack gods...
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby Constantheadwind » Sat Dec 05, 2015 10:44 pm
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby KGB » Sun Dec 06, 2015 6:55 am
Agreed. I'd recommend the left foot since it helps avoid any chainring tattoos on your right calf.foo on patrol wrote:Get into the habit of clipping out of the same foot,everytime!
Foo
The little trick of turning the bars away from the unclipped foot is a gem. Otherwise just practise, practise, practise. I started in straps and clips when I was 10 and went clipless a couple of years after that. The only clip stack I remember was while trying to carry a broom and do a tight u turn one morning at crit racing.
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Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby yugyug » Sun Dec 06, 2015 9:28 am
This is the best advice you will receive on this thread.
The performance gains of clips are marginal at best. Tiny in fact. They are highly overrated by enthusiasts who consider them part of being a 'proper' cyclist.
Go buy a nice pair of platform pedals with good grip and good pair of sneakers with gum soles to take advantage of that grip and enjoy your cycling without fear of injury.
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby spannermonkey » Sun Dec 06, 2015 10:32 am
That's what I've been advised by my elders after asking the same questionyugyug wrote:Best way to avoid clip stacks - don't use clips.
This is the best advice you will receive on this thread.
The performance gains of clips are marginal at best. Tiny in fact. They are highly overrated by enthusiasts who consider them part of being a 'proper' cyclist.
Go buy a nice pair of platform pedals with good grip and good pair of sneakers with gum soles to take advantage of that grip and enjoy your cycling without fear of injury.
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby Trevtassie » Sun Dec 06, 2015 10:42 am
And as for the usual "clips do nuffin'" posts... don't even bother posting a link to the video with a sample size of one.
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby trailgumby » Sun Dec 06, 2015 12:30 pm
Much better to share duties with each leg and unclip each side equally. The cycling physio helping me deal with my lower back issues a few years ago was pretty adamant about it when I asked.
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Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby kb » Sun Dec 06, 2015 12:41 pm
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby foo on patrol » Sun Dec 06, 2015 1:02 pm
It becomes second nature and that is why it's a good idea!trailgumby wrote:I don't agree with the "unclip the same side every time" idea - you're setting yourself up to get hurt if you have to stop unexpectedly with the wrong foot down, and it feeds into left v right strength imbalances that can impact lower back stability for some riders..
Much better to share duties with each leg and unclip each side equally. The cycling physio helping me deal with my lower back issues a few years ago was pretty adamant about it when I asked.
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby am50em » Sun Dec 06, 2015 3:20 pm
Last month, in a flash of the blindingly obvious, I decided to only replace the right shoe cleat (being a right foot unclipper).kb wrote:... but as a predominately left only unclipper I can definitely point to uneven pedal and cleat wear .
I expect the second new cleat will also go onto the right shoe eventually.
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby m@ » Sun Dec 06, 2015 3:37 pm
...until you're on a slope, or overbalance in the opposite direction...foo on patrol wrote:It becomes second nature and that is why it's a good idea!trailgumby wrote:I don't agree with the "unclip the same side every time" idea - you're setting yourself up to get hurt if you have to stop unexpectedly with the wrong foot down, and it feeds into left v right strength imbalances that can impact lower back stability for some riders..
Much better to share duties with each leg and unclip each side equally. The cycling physio helping me deal with my lower back issues a few years ago was pretty adamant about it when I asked.
Foo
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby trailgumby » Sun Dec 06, 2015 3:56 pm
Precisely. Thankyou.m@ wrote:...until you're on a slope, or overbalance in the opposite direction...foo on patrol wrote:It becomes second nature and that is why it's a good idea!trailgumby wrote:I don't agree with the "unclip the same side every time" idea - you're setting yourself up to get hurt if you have to stop unexpectedly with the wrong foot down, and it feeds into left v right strength imbalances that can impact lower back stability for some riders..
Much better to share duties with each leg and unclip each side equally. The cycling physio helping me deal with my lower back issues a few years ago was pretty adamant about it when I asked.
Foo
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Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby yugyug » Sun Dec 06, 2015 4:52 pm
I'm not sure which video you mean, but let me ask you: on what do you base your belief in the performance gains of clips? I'm genuinely interested in seeing good evidence for how much they improve performance. The best I have read indicates potential gains of 3 or 4 percent but less being more likely for most people. Even if it's just 1 or 2 percent its enough to motivate their use for competition. But for transport, exercise or recreation I don't think it warrants the potential injury they can cause.Trevtassie wrote:.
And as for the usual "clips do nuffin'" posts... don't even bother posting a link to the video with a sample size of one.
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Re: Best ways to avoid falling off bike with clip in shoes
Postby cameronp » Sun Dec 06, 2015 5:57 pm
On the clips vs no-clips argument: I ride both systems. I have come to prefer clipless for "sport" riding (as opposed to transport/commuting). Not because of any performance gains, but because my feet are always in the right position for efficient pedalling - even in the rain, even if I change into a stupidly spinny gear and end up at 140rpm, even when I'm really tired. It's worth spending some time trying to figure out what the best cleat position is for your riding. I found it significantly improved my comfort on long rides to move the cleats a little bit behind the ball of my foot.
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