My first SPD related fall

James Hodson wrote:


Congratulations! I managed to last all or two of three days when I
first started using SPDs. "A few months" is quite impressive.

I've *never* had a fall since I've been using SPDs.

But then I cheat by having an extra wheel :-)

--
Carol
"Mmmmooooowooooff!" - the Moobark, "The Treacle People"

In message , James Hodson
writes

Congratulations! I managed to last all or two of three days when I
first started using SPDs. "A few months" is quite impressive.

but be sure
to do it in front of a large crowd next time.

I lasted all of 50 yards on my first journey before coming to an
ungraceful end near Wardour Street - in front of a group of pedestrians
crossing the road. They were very amused (and a bit drunk), but they did
help me up again.

--
congokid
Good restaurants in London? Number one on Google
http://congokid.com

saveacup wrote:
I've been using SPDs for a few months now and thought I had them
worked out but today I had my first falling over incident, just in
time for Christmas.

It happened right outside my back gate after a 20 mile ride along the
old Scarborough-Whitby railway line, unclipped left foot on the
approach but then just couldnt get the right foot unclipped, wobbled
for a few seconds and then went from vertical to horizontal in one
smooth motion. No harm done BTW.

There were no witnesses though, so does this count?

Quick question - when you all started using SPDs, did none of you ever worry
that you might 'fall' at a set of lights just when the lights were turning
from red to green?

--
Akin

aknak at aksoto dot idps dot co dot uk

Epetruk wrote:
saveacup wrote:
I've been using SPDs for a few months now and thought I had them
worked out but today I had my first falling over incident, just in
time for Christmas.

It happened right outside my back gate after a 20 mile ride along the
old Scarborough-Whitby railway line, unclipped left foot on the
approach but then just couldnt get the right foot unclipped, wobbled
for a few seconds and then went from vertical to horizontal in one
smooth motion. No harm done BTW.

There were no witnesses though, so does this count?

Quick question - when you all started using SPDs, did none of you
ever worry that you might 'fall' at a set of lights just when the
lights were turning from red to green?

No. Lights and other junctions are not a real risk; unclipping is as
automatic as braking once you've used them for a little bit of time.

But I have had a similar accident with toe-straps. Over 20 years ago I fell
off at a t-junction by forgetting to undo the toe straps and realising that
I was wearing serrated sole trainers so my feet would not slide out
backwards. I fell on my right side and broke my left wrist in the fall.
Since then I've been very careful to use shoes which can't get stuck in
toe-straps.

SPDs don't have the same risks; I seem to unclip instinctively on an
upright, even in an emergency or a fall.
There is a slightly higher risk when riding a recumbent, the SPDs don't
release quite as easily. I know the answer; it's a recumbent trike!


- Nigel

--
NC - Webmaster for http://www.2mm.org.uk/
Replies to newsgroup postings to the newsgroup please.

in message , Epetruk
') wrote:

saveacup wrote:
I've been using SPDs for a few months now and thought I had them
worked out but today I had my first falling over incident, just in
time for Christmas.

It happened right outside my back gate after a 20 mile ride along the
old Scarborough-Whitby railway line, unclipped left foot on the
approach but then just couldnt get the right foot unclipped, wobbled
for a few seconds and then went from vertical to horizontal in one
smooth motion. No harm done BTW.

There were no witnesses though, so does this count?

Quick question - when you all started using SPDs, did none of you ever
worry that you might 'fall' at a set of lights just when the lights
were turning from red to green?

In the days before 'clipless' pedals, when we used clips and straps and
getting your foot out of the pedal was really hard, pratfalls at
traffic lights were not uncommon. Always embarrassing, but I can't
remember anyone being injured in consequence.

--
(Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

'there are no solutions, only precipitates'

Epetruk whizzed past me shouting
saveacup wrote:

It happened right outside my back gate after a 20 mile ride along the
old Scarborough-Whitby railway line, unclipped left foot on the
approach but then just couldnt get the right foot unclipped, wobbled
for a few seconds and then went from vertical to horizontal in one
smooth motion. No harm done BTW.

There were no witnesses though, so does this count?

Quick question - when you all started using SPDs, did none of you ever worry
that you might 'fall' at a set of lights just when the lights were turning
from red to green?

No, I worried I'd land on my back in a ditch with the bike still
attached to my feet. I've seen this happen; you can't get up without
help and your "friends" will take a photo first.

So I adjusted the springs on the pedals to only-just grip the cleats on
my boots. Do this while you're new to SPDs. Tighten them once
unclipping becomes automatic, and your pedalling action adapts to them.

Anyone using their new SPDs off road should make sure they've got cleats
with an M stamped on them (multiple release mode - means you
automatically unclip if you fall off sideways.)

--
Sue ];(

What goes down must come up again - Confucius' Law of Mountain Biking

Sue White wrote:

So I adjusted the springs on the pedals to only-just grip the cleats on
my boots. Do this while you're new to SPDs. Tighten them once
unclipping becomes automatic, and your pedalling action adapts to them.

Be aware though that SPDs on the lowest settings can pull straight out
without twisting the shoe. If you've got them on only-just mode you
should avoid sprinting and aggressive honking when climbing or starting off.

--
Dave...

Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the
future of the human race. - H. G. Wells

Dave Kahn whizzed past me shouting
Sue White wrote:

So I adjusted the springs on the pedals to only-just grip the cleats
on my boots. Do this while you're new to SPDs. Tighten them once
unclipping becomes automatic, and your pedalling action adapts to them.

Be aware though that SPDs on the lowest settings can pull straight out
without twisting the shoe. If you've got them on only-just mode you
should avoid sprinting and aggressive honking when climbing or starting
off.


Also, when you're riding along a road, be cautious about bouncing your
bike up and down to shake some of the mud off. Both my feet came out of
the cleats at once, and I was quite surprised that I didn't land on the
tarmac.

--
Sue ];(

What goes down must come up again - Confucius' Law of Mountain Biking

Sue White wrote:

Also, when you're riding along a road, be cautious about bouncing your
bike up and down to shake some of the mud off. Both my feet came out of
the cleats at once, and I was quite surprised that I didn't land on the
tarmac.

So am I. :-)

--
Dave...

Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the
future of the human race. - H. G. Wells