Keep hitting my shin and recently fell off bike - What shin pads?

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Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
PS ditch running trainers, the soles are too soft. You need stiff soles.
Actually for the type of riding the OP seems to be doing, trainers are OK depending on the pedals: they don't need stiff soles.
But such trainers do require decent lugs - as in for cross country as opposed to 'flats' for road running, with (rubber) studded tread.
Matched with rigid plastic bodied pedals mine do me OK and I also use those shoes for short trips on my road bike which has SPD-SLs on.
Minimal grip trainers and rubber pedals are not a good combination. But rubber pedals are less likely to take chunks out of the OP's shin(s) given their hobby-horse shuffling and in the gutter on the pavement shuffling style.
 

Ajax Bay

Guru
Location
East Devon
Kinder pedals. I shall guess that most on here have been 'bitten' by metal pedals (flats).
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/commute-plastic-body-and-cage-kraton-top-9-16-inch-thread/
Will need a 6mm allen key to remove current and replace.
That link says error 404....Thanks
Maybe that pedal sold out/withdrawn: sorry
Bargains!
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/classic-flat-pedal/
https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/ribble-pedal-wrench-r-pw-black-grey/
 

Brandane

Legendary Member
Location
Costa Clyde
The OP has previous for wanting everything handed to him on a plate.
The only advice I am going to offer is that he needs to learn some basic bike handling skills. Take the bike to an empty car park for this, rather than riding it on busy public roads and pavements. Google is your friend. Try keywords like "cyclecraft" or "how to ride a bicycle safely".
As far as your previous lengthy threads about maintenance issues is concerned, again all the information is out there on google, youtube etc.. YOU need to look for it rather than post on cycling forums and demand that other people do it for you. Happy cycling.....
 

presta

Guru
The shuffling I'm doing is mainly on roads to get over to the side
The solution to your problem is simple: stop doing this. Ride your bike to where you want it before you stop, and where you can't do that, get off and walk with it.
Don't you know what shuffling is and looks like on a cycle?
Shuffling is a term cyclists don't recognise because nobody does what you're doing, and that's because nobody wants injuries like yours. See above.

To all those of you trying to be helpful, "Why don't you....yes but..." is a psychological Game people play when they don't actually want a solution to their 'problem', but just like rejecting one suggestion after another. Remember when he complained that he doesn't have anywhere to work on the bike, rejecting every suggestion, including to do it outside, then in a later thread said that he does it outside the house?
 

classic33

Leg End Member
I'm not going to 'give up cycling'. Yes that's the part in my op where I wrote I slipped. As I said it was bricks, my tire pressure was high but within the parameters of the tires acceptable pressure range, and I cannot stress the fact that it was bricks. Smoothish bricks. It went from tarmac road to bricks. Ground was wet. I never slipped while turning on tarmac. I rode the bike in the rain on gravel and tarmac over 18 miles just fine before.
This time when I slipped, it was a very short ride into town. That brick section I have never cycled on before. As I've now learnt, it's very slippery when wet.
It was also about -2c.
The tires are entry level tires too. There are many factors as to why I slipped. And I slipped ONE TIME having owned this bike for almost a year now... but I should GIVE UP cycling because I fell one time in those conditions on that particular brick path!?

I've attached photos of that brick section. I slid into that tree on the left. Very slowly as I wasn't going fast. I was turning left.

Your reply isn't very helpful. You're just blaming me and telling me not to cycle.

I had cycles before this when I was younger and never had this issue of shin hitting pedal, but then I never rode as much and as far as I do now. BUT it never happened on any other cycle I rode ever before. Even when I rented one about 4 years ago or so, and I did 30 miles or so on it.
It seems to be just this specific bike it happens to me on which I bought new last year.

Regardless. I think it's horrible that you tell me to give up cycling.

I don't know where my left foot and leg are in relation to my pedal when I shuffle. As I said I'm not looking or paying attention to that when I shuffle. I'm fearing for my life. Or sometimes I shuffle to see a nice view, in which case I'm still not looking down at my legs etc.

I can't always just keep cycling on the road. Example. I cycled 40 miles in one journey last month, and there was a uphill bit on road. If I had cycled the entire road without stopping to giveaway for traffic I would have caused a traffic jam going back miles. Not to mention drivers getting very angry and overtaking dangerously. That road has almost no straight bits and plenty of blind corners and isn't OK to overtake on as it's kinda narrow. Not that narrow. But kinda. So when I heard cars coming up behind me, I would pull over to the side and let them pass. I would have to shuffle sometimes because I wasn't far enough over or something like that. I can't remember exactly why I shuffle.

How would shin guards move the problem on??!! They would just stop the pedal hurting my shin.

I suspect the bike may be a bit too small for me which may be why I get the shin hitting pedal issue. A medium in 'X's companies bike may not be the same size as a medium in 'Y's' companies bike. Bike sizes vary from manufacturer to manufacturer despite being listed as the same size. Much like shoes.
The bike that I rented 4 or so years ago was I believe a large. You don't pick the size of the bike on the site. You get given a bike on the day.
Okay you don't want to give up riding a bike, now you've to learn to ride the bike you have. And that means riding it in a safe manner. Horrible or not giving up cycling, due to being a danger to others might be your safest option. You don't sound, or act, as though you're confident cycling on the roads. You slipped, and fell off your bike on the footpath. Suppose after coming off the bike, in an uncontrolled manner, your bike had hit someone. What then?
If you want to reply along the lines of "it didn't hit anyone,(this time), so it doesn't matter". The suggestion remains. That or learn how to ride it properly, in a way that's safe for yourself and others around you.

In both of your pictures, there's bollards clearly visible. They've been placed there to stop people taking road vehicles onto the pavement. In one, there's a sign that shows it's a pedestrian zone, no vehicles. Not a shared zone as you've claimed.

You don't know where both your legs are when you're shuffling? A normal bike isn't designed to move sideways, with the rider still on it. Yet you do it for metres.
If you're on a road that isn't wide enough to allow a car past you, then don't. You pick the safe spot where you want to let them past you.

You say there are many factors involved, yet they all come back to you. In the case of you slipping
You were on the footpath.
You claim that the bricks were smooth.
It was also around -2c.
It was wet.
You were changing direction, possibly your speed as well. Having come off the road onto the footpath.
You don't see that you did anything wrong.


One piece of advice, for all road users on wheels, when ice may be present(It's near or below 0c) is not to try and change your speed or direction of travel. You tried, and you've learnt why you're advised not to do it. Your entry level tyres were not to blame.
 
I'm not going to 'give up cycling'. Yes that's the part in my op where I wrote I slipped. As I said it was bricks, my tire pressure was high but within the parameters of the tires acceptable pressure range, and I cannot stress the fact that it was bricks. Smoothish bricks. It went from tarmac road to bricks. Ground was wet. I never slipped while turning on tarmac. I rode the bike in the rain on gravel and tarmac over 18 miles just fine before.
This time when I slipped, it was a very short ride into town. That brick section I have never cycled on before. As I've now learnt, it's very slippery when wet.
It was also about -2c.
The tires are entry level tires too. There are many factors as to why I slipped. And I slipped ONE TIME having owned this bike for almost a year now... but I should GIVE UP cycling because I fell one time in those conditions on that particular brick path!?

I've attached photos of that brick section. I slid into that tree on the left. Very slowly as I wasn't going fast. I was turning left.

Your reply isn't very helpful. You're just blaming me and telling me not to cycle.

I had cycles before this when I was younger and never had this issue of shin hitting pedal, but then I never rode as much and as far as I do now. BUT it never happened on any other cycle I rode ever before. Even when I rented one about 4 years ago or so, and I did 30 miles or so on it.
It seems to be just this specific bike it happens to me on which I bought new last year.

Regardless. I think it's horrible that you tell me to give up cycling.

I don't know where my left foot and leg are in relation to my pedal when I shuffle. As I said I'm not looking or paying attention to that when I shuffle. I'm fearing for my life. Or sometimes I shuffle to see a nice view, in which case I'm still not looking down at my legs etc.

I can't always just keep cycling on the road. Example. I cycled 40 miles in one journey last month, and there was a uphill bit on road. If I had cycled the entire road without stopping to giveaway for traffic I would have caused a traffic jam going back miles. Not to mention drivers getting very angry and overtaking dangerously. That road has almost no straight bits and plenty of blind corners and isn't OK to overtake on as it's kinda narrow. Not that narrow. But kinda. So when I heard cars coming up behind me, I would pull over to the side and let them pass. I would have to shuffle sometimes because I wasn't far enough over or something like that. I can't remember exactly why I shuffle.

How would shin guards move the problem on??!! They would just stop the pedal hurting my shin.

I suspect the bike may be a bit too small for me which may be why I get the shin hitting pedal issue. A medium in 'X's companies bike may not be the same size as a medium in 'Y's' companies bike. Bike sizes vary from manufacturer to manufacturer despite being listed as the same size. Much like shoes.
The bike that I rented 4 or so years ago was I believe a large. You don't pick the size of the bike on the site. You get given a bike on the day.

What width tyres are you on and what PSI ? You do get slippy bits from time to time but less PSI means more rubber on the road so a bit more grip. Might help.
 

Gillstay

Veteran
If you fitted half toe clips which are nice and cheap, Zefal ones are good.
Then you will find the pedals are then sitting in a different position and may not injure you. Cheap thing to try out. :okay:
 

Mazz

Senior Member
Location
Leicester
If, after considering all the replies above, the OP still wants some shinpads, then I don't see why a simple pair of footy shinpads can't do the job. I'm sure you could get a pair for a fiver.
 
OP
OP
M

Milena

Active Member
Personally, I rarely straddle the frame of my bike and walk, but when I do, it is only for very short distances. - A couple of metres at most.
Depending upon the style of your bike, you are likely instantly restricting movement in your legs (pedals), arms (handlebar) and body (saddle) and as a consequence you do not have full control of your bike. You create your own trip or pedal strike hazard and if something does go wrong, a bike stuck between your legs with you over the crossbar, instantly reduces your escape options.
The solution is not shin guards, but either getting off the bike in those places you don't feel safe to ride properly, or to scoot with one foot on a pedal.

Sir, how do I scoot with one foot off the pedal? My foot won't make full contact with the ground while seated. I'm stupid. I'm sorry. Thank you. I appreciate your reply and everyone else's.
 
OP
OP
M

Milena

Active Member
Actually for the type of riding the OP seems to be doing, trainers are OK depending on the pedals: they don't need stiff soles.
But such trainers do require decent lugs - as in for cross country as opposed to 'flats' for road running, with (rubber) studded tread.
Matched with rigid plastic bodied pedals mine do me OK and I also use those shoes for short trips on my road bike which has SPD-SLs on.
Minimal grip trainers and rubber pedals are not a good combination. But rubber pedals are less likely to take chunks out of the OP's shin(s) given their hobby-horse shuffling and in the gutter on the pavement shuffling style.

What are lugs on shoes sir? What are cross country shoes? Thank you kind sir.
 
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