How many times did you fall using clipless pedals?

[wafter]

Thankfully never (so far...).

I did have a slight brown trouser moment last week when I tried to avail myself of my toe cages / straps on the "new" bike by reflexedly twisting my foot sidewise; which predictably didn't have the desired effect.

 

[scragend]

Surprisingly I never have either. I was wary of making the switch for quite a while for fear of it happening but when I took the plunge it turned out to be easy. Only a couple of "oh ****" moments when I've had to stop suddenly but I've always managed to get a foot out.

 

[presta]

I've only ever had one clipless moment, but I've never used clipless, and my foot wasn't on the pedal at the time. I stopped, and then dithered momentarily about whether I was putting my foot on the kerb or in the gutter, so it landed half and half, then slipped off into the gutter, and over I went. The natural reflex to move my foot left and catch the fall was thwarted by the kerb.

I felt the urge to give clipless a try once, but never found any suitable shoes that fitted properly, so I've cycled in 'ordinary' shoes all my life, but never had any problem with them. I've only ever owned two* pairs of toeclips in my life, a chrome pair that went rusty back in the 1970s, and the pair of Christophe plastic ones that I bought to replace them. Can't say the same for the pedals, the only thing I've replaced more often than those is the tyres.

* I do actually have another pair that came with my Horizon, but they look like they're designed to fit wellie boots, so I've never used them.

 

[nickyboy]

Just once. Inching up a very steep hill and lost balance on a cobbled sections. As I was doing basically about zero mph I had no time to unclip.

 

[guitarpete247]

Just once. Using 2 bolt SPD's and one bolt dropped out. I rolled very gently onto a high grass verge. Since then I used thread lock.
Toe clips and straps were much more difficult to get out of if done up well.
I never had problems with them either.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Just once. Using 2 bolt SPD's and one bolt dropped out. I rolled very gently onto a high grass verge. Since then I used thread lock.
Toe clips and straps were much more difficult to get out of if done up well.
I never had problems with them either.

That happened to me once. I lost a bolt and one foot became stuck fast. I finished the ride with one immovable shoe, and then at my destination, a railway station, I had to just leave the shoe on the bike.

 

[Peter Salt]

I had a few falls back when I started. Once three times on one ride But it never put me off clipless and now I'm good. An old dog can learn new tricks

 

[Mike_P]

Watched a cyclist doing a very wobbly track stand at a set of TLs yesterday and was half expecting a clipless moment but the lights went green before such an eventuality.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

Just the twice.

 

[simongt]

Had three unintended fall from a bike whilst using SPDs. Each occasion, including when I was rear ended resulting in a broken femur, the pedals released without any problems.

 

[Chap sur le velo]

Can't recall if posted before.

IMO it takes time before your instinct is to twist out without conscious thought.

One failure came after 6 months but I'd had a couple of near misses.
Lovely summer ride and I decided I could extend it to 50 miles riding back into London along River Lea towpath.

Made sudden decision I'd come far enough near Olympic Park. Hastily executed slow U turn up a ramp...I was still on big ring and the cobbled surface included the cross ridges to give horses more grip. Tried to power/bounce my way up but soon ground to a halt, with both feet fully committed. The fall was delayed by a second or so and then it became inevitable, started slowly and I landed on my back.
I can confirm granite cobbles are very hard, and making this slow motion self inflicted mistake in front of a large crowd - very painful.

Seem to have learned my lesson. Fingers crossed.

 

[Toshiba Boy]

Never in 30 odd years (touching wood), once with previous toe clips at traffic lights on my second ever ride using them back in prehistoric times.

 

[FrothNinja]

A few near misses with toe clips but no actual tumbles, usually due to not removing foot in time.
Never had any problems with clipless when I went over to them last year, and I was expecting to learn the hard way. I do have quite a bit of float so I can disengage quickly. No problem on gravel but not tried them on really rough ground.
I ride pegged flats when I want to do the more exciting off road stuff.

 

[BigSid]

A few close calls and one fall.
I fell over at the end of my first ride with SPDs. On my driveway. Into the hedge. Apparently it was very funny according to my neighbour.
My foot was stuck under the bike so I couldn't rotate my foot to unclip.
I spent what seemed like a lifetime trying to get up before my neighbour shouted across "Are you OK?"
"Not really. Can you come and get my foot out of my shoe?"
How we laughed.