Thought I would test out my new cycling shorts and pedals today and did really well dodging idiotic drivers who seem out to get me or need me to change their radio stations they go that close, mad dogs and owners with 12m death leads and pot holes that people could go caving down...
However I stopped at the lights and proceeded to topple sideways AS I forgot I was attached to my pedals (first time I have ever worn clets and been connected) and didn't know how to remove them - so I fell sideways and crashed through a roadworks barrier (MUPPET) - gouged out 4 lumps of my leg and had to cycle home with blood dripping down - sore.
I really hope this was a lesson learnt - disconnect shoes before trying to put foot on floor!
Comments
I think this is almost a right of passage. I did exactly the same thing but I managed to do it at the end of my road at rush hour in front of most of my neighbours. I also gouged out a chunk of leg which I focused on very intently until all of my neighbours moved on and my embarrassment ebbed slightly.
So no matter how much of a fool you think you have made of yourself, there is always somebody who has done a better job of it!!
Hope the injuries aren't too bad; get some germoline on the grazes! Happy cycling!!
the topples are better than the crashes................topples are more embarressment than pain ..after 2 years without one I managed it again last week in the middle of my main road .............the embarressment of a pensioner and taxi driver coming to my aid
I noticed the grazes straight away but forgot that the brusies that occur on the inner thighs from where the bike lands on them can hurt longer
As an aside to this, Mrs C managed to do just that on a moped at a set of busy traffic lights. Didn't even have the excuse of cleats....
Not sure what I got into more trouble for; Being unable to stop myself laughing at her, or for telling all & sundry afterwards
I am sort of glad it isn't just me that has embarassed themselves but sorry to everyone who has injured themselves in this unfortunate way.
Seren nos I woke up this morning with brusing and couldn't work out where it came from! So I am walking like John Wayne today!
I fell off in front of approx 40 cyclists in Suffolk the other weekend, took the missus out as well! I blamed her for stopping in a stupid place.........cut leg and ankle and the biggest bruise on my arse.
As above, not a proper cyclist until you have fallen off - or just a crap cyclist like me
Yup guilty,
first trip out with cleats a few years ago, get to road junction and oooohhhh splat onto the pavement. Gashed knee on the curb bruised elbow and shoulder. got up and carried on fortunately it was on an early Sunday morning so no-one about to see
Now out of habit I unclip as I am aproaching junctions
Kanga I have to do it 3 more times...
Actually forget that I am not sure I want to be a bike ponce!
And I must stop reading this - going over handle bars scars 12 months later!!! This Sprint Tri was meant to set me up changing my body in a positive way not scarring myself.
https://totriornottotri.wordpress.com
I spent a good half hour against a wall practising my clipping in and clipping out of my SPDs when I first got them, and then went on a little cycle totally prepared to fall off and I didn't. And I was safe on my second ride too.
But then I went on a bike biking weekend and got to a junction that I wasn't expecting to have to stop at, and promptly did. Ripped my lovely cycling top and got a big graze and bruise.
Next day I was going well and we were stopping to wait for the others, so I took my time, looped around to line up behind the others, and somehow failed to unclip the correct side. That was an almighty bruise.
Had a couple of panics since then, but am still to discover the world of cleats (I think they are different from SPD aren't they?).
I always worry when I am struggling going up hill because if I have to stop, I will just have to topple because I am clipped in.
I think hills are generally dangerous as we should just avoid them at all costs