Great save

[tuco]

I almost had my first fall at traffic lights today.

We were on the main road heading towards lights at a T intersection. We slowed expecting a short red light since it was only a T intersection. I didn't unclip and hoped for green . . . still red . . . rolling slower . . . still red . . . better unclip . . . !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! left foot (usual one I unclip) stuck in clip . . . over balancing to the right . . . brace for impact - no, bend torso to the left for more time . . . damn, now I've got more time to think of the bruises . . . over I go . . . 'CLICK' . . . right foot magically unclips and I got it onto the road stopping the bike at a 45 degree angle. It all happened in slow motion (from my point of view anyway) so I seemed to have plenty of time to think of how to avoid embarrassment.

We had a good laugh about it but I made a mental note to not anticipate light changes from now on.

[gururug]

Yeah Tucs, I know the feeling, I have had two similar incidents in the last few days.

However something more worrying occured when I was pedaling up a hill my right foot came out on its own!!!

The foot sort of flicked out to the right when it came out o i'm guessing my pedals have came a bit looser over time and I might need to tighten them.

THankgod I was not fully torquing it at the same time as this may have meant not just embarrassment but a few injuries aswell.

I have not purchased a helmet as yet but that incident and coupled with the experiences of others is sure making me contemplate getting one.

[stryker84]

mate, please get a helmet ASAP, in fact, i'd go so far as to suggest you nto go riding without one.
not only is it fully illegal, but it's just not safe. all it takes is one stack, your head hitting the ground, and i don't want to think about it any further.
please, helmet, NOW.

[sogood]

still red . . . better unclip . . . !! BAN ME NOW FOR SWEARING !! left foot (usual one I unclip) stuck in clip . . .

Strange and funny isn't it? As if there's a gremlin, every time you need to unclip in a panic, invariably the cleats would not disengage. Or maybe the panic muscles aren't adequately trained...

[Mulger bill]

Lucky there Tuco, those panic muscles worked well getting the right foot out in time Can you trackstand? After years of practice, I've managed to get it up to 5 or 6 seconds now So jealous watching the Velo champs holding for ages on high banks.


Gururug. Please, please get a lid.

Mate, I hate the rotten, sweaty, uncomfortable, bulky, fragile things but I'll wear one everywhere except up and down the street testing after maintenance. I've needed one twice in twelve years, one when I hooked a branch and went down sideways. The left side of the lid had a flatspot the size of an apple and the microshell was ground up badly at the spot. I was able to ride home eventually but had a fortnight off with concussion. Number two was on the commute, a passing car flicked up a bit of gravel, I'm just glad it didn't find a vent.

[tuco]

Lucky there Tuco, those panic muscles worked well getting the right foot out in time Can you trackstand? After years of practice, I've managed to get it up to 5 or 6 seconds now So jealous watching the Velo champs holding for ages on high banks.

It wasn't panic muscles I tell you, it was magic and all these years I thought magic was only to keep planes in the air. Do you know the wings are only there to reassure passengers?

I'm not game to practice track standing. I wasn't too bad on the old bike which didn't have clipless or straps so there was no chance of a catastrophic failure.
I couldn't handle the embarrassment of falling over at the lights while trying to look like I was a balancing legend.

[MJF]

Isn't it amazing that, at the instant you start to lose balance, your legs automatically try and lift straight up even thought you know you have to unclip first? I've almost come a cropper a few times, but have somehow always managed to save myself at the last instant.

[MichaelB]

Almost came a cropper in my driveway the other day after managing to do a 38km ride with an average of 30.36km/hr at an anverage cadence of 94.

My problem was that I was too stuffed, and a bit slow in unclipping....