Unclipping after a fall (yes, I'm fine)

[jrenaut]

Coyotes will gnaw off their legs to get out of a trap.

As I was lying in the middle of a travel lane on 14th NW in rush hour, don't think that didn't occur to me. . .

[Bilsko]

Coyotes will gnaw off their legs to get out of a trap.

I'd be willing to wager that there are cyclists out there who would do the same

[Bilsko]

I'd second Steve's suggestion that, if you're really in a bind (pun not intended) try to get your foot out of the shoe and then deal with unclipping the now-empty shoe.

The analogy that comes to mind is: Clipped-in falling is kind of like mashing the gears in a manual car - just about everyone does it, and other manual drivers just get that it happens. Automatic drivers don't get it, but also don't get the benefits of driving a stick. Other cyclists (who use clips) get that its bound to happen to all of us, and car drivers just don't get it and don't get the wonders of cycling.

I must have eaten something weird for lunch - that analogy doesn't look nearly as good as when I just thought it up a couple minutes ago.

[acc]

I've spent a lot of time on the ground looking up. Usually the bike is on top of me. Once I stop panicking, I've been able to wrestle the bike off of me enough to unclip.

If I am dragging work gear and clothes I prefer flat pedals. I'm just not very good at sudden stops and starts with extra stuff in back. I'm talking about extra stuff in my panniers, just to clarify.

[TwoWheelsDC]

The few, er, I mean, the only time I fell while stationary, I think I squirmed and flailed wildly enough on the way down that I either unclipped myself during the fall, or upon impact. So if you fall again, completely panic and have a mini-seizure instead of remaining calm...problem solved.

[OneEighth]

I've actually been pretty happy when I have stayed clipped in during a crash---the bike usually doesn't end up smacking the pavement because I'm cushioning it. I heal.
That's not helpful, is it...

[Greenbelt]

I'll tell a similar story. I had my 2nd-ever clipped-in fall last Sunday, when I was leading a group ride with about 20 people, no less. I was riding my racing bike, which I've got way tightened up for hard pedaling, on a ride to DC, which was mistake number 1. (On my commuter bike, I've got the clips so loose that I can make a tiny twitch and they come out, which is great for sudden stops in traffic, although not so great if I forget I'm on my commuter bike and hit the pedals hard and suddenly unclip....)

But whatever, on the racing bike, they're set pretty tight, because I don't stop very much on more rural rides, and there's usually plenty of time to unclip.

So anyways, I was stopped, turned sideways waiting for a group to catch up, and I forgot that I couldn't just put a foot down with a teensy twitch like on my commuter bike, and I tipped over before I could get unclipped. Fortunately, the video camera was full by then, so I didn't get it recorded. And the racing bike is light enough that I could more or less toss it off me to unclip on the ground and get back up.

But I think the moral is to remember to set the pedals for loose for city riding, since there's more risk of not getting clipped out in time and less risk of popping out of the cleat when pedaling hard. And then remember which bike you're on!

[jrenaut]

I've actually been pretty happy when I have stayed clipped in during a crash---the bike usually doesn't end up smacking the pavement because I'm cushioning it. I heal.
That's not helpful, is it...

I will note that one of my first thoughts after "I'm not going to get run over now" and "wow, that was embarrassing" was "Sweet, drivetrain-side up!"

[baiskeli]

One reason I don't use clips.

I do like the benefits of something holding my toes in the right place though, so I use these:

http://www.amazon.com/Zefal-Cristoph.../dp/B0048HWQKS

Kind of like the old clips with straps, only no straps.

[vvill]

I've had a few clipped-in falls, always when stationary though. My ribs are still aching from the last particularly uncoordinated one, I think there may be a couple cracks.

My pedal retention is set quite low though so I've never had an issue with staying clipped in when I didn't want to when I've actually crashed while moving.

I did once have a shoe stuck in my pedal due to a loose bolt. I had to take my shoe off my foot before dismounting and then get the shoe off later when I got home.


I have Crank Bros Candys on all my bikes. They're super easy to clip in and out of, and I dislike riding unclipped.