Accident this morning - i blame the shoes

poochiem

came off the bike this morning along the south canal just past the charlemont bridge junction. I had a tank-slapper (I don't know the equivalent term in cycling?) mainly due to wearing stupid shoes. For some reason i put on converse type runners this morning, when I came out of the saddle i lost my pedal and ended up on my back in the middle of the road. Thanks to the guys behind me for stopping traffic and asking how I was, especially the woman on the vespa. No damage at all but a lesson learned. (and some minor scratches to remind me from time to time).

Just to add the Helmet really saved me, i landed on my back with some force and cracked the back of my head on the tarmac but the helmet took all the impact. now i will swear by them. thank you Bell.

fletch

Jesus sounded nasty...glad you're okay

adamshred

really reinforces the importance of helmets. Had a similar fall just at the corner of KPMG as the luas tracks meet stephens green and was also saved by the helmet. Otherwise my head would have cracked against the path. Everyone thought i had just been in a fight though because i had a massive shiner on my eye!

Lumen

adamshred wrote: »

really reinforces the importance of helmets appropriate pedal/shoe combinations.

Fixed that for you

poochiem

adamshred wrote: »

Had a similar fall just at the corner of KPMG as the luas tracks meet stephens green and was also saved by the helmet.

what is it with that place and pedestrians tripping into the bike lane like lemmings? i've had a bunch of near misses there but when I'm walking along there I never feel the urge to throw myself under a bike.

just to add - I now have a hurty knee and my elbow is whinging a bit.

DBCyc

Sorry to hear about your fall, glad you are okay. I had a similar spill a few years back on a wet evening where my runner slipped off the wet pedals and sent me flying on Wexford Street. Luckily I only suffered cuts and bruises and a damaged ego

Since then, I have converted to clipless pedals and SPD cycling shoes and never have to worry about that happening again. Definitely worthwhile

adamshred

poochiem wrote: »

what is it with that place and pedestrians tripping into the bike lane like lemmings? i've had a bunch of near misses there but when I'm walking along there I never feel the urge to throw myself under a bike.

just to add - I now have a hurty knee and my elbow is whinging a bit.

Yeah usually what I do there is just speed up and hug the kerb to pass as close to the peds as possible in hope that they will appreciate the danger that they would pose to themselves should they decide to move in front of oncoming traffic.

poochiem

absolutely. was looking for spd shoes on crc last night. my pedals are spd/regular clipless...came with the bike i bought from a boards member; you know those ones that flip over one side in spd? ah, i'm new to cycling so a bit behind on the accessories etc.
Kinda glad to have a fall out of the way and not be hurt, everyone asks "have ya had an accident yet" as though it's compulsory, so now I can say "yeah".

rubadub

poochiem wrote: »

just to add - I now have a hurty knee and my elbow is whinging a bit.

adamshred wrote: »

really reinforces the importance of helmets.

and knee & elbow pads, and gloves.

adamshred wrote: »

Otherwise my head would have cracked against the path.

"Heads" are acutally remarkably strong, helmets crack like eggs, they are supposed to.

poochiem wrote: »

I had a tank-slapper (I don't know the equivalent term in cycling?) mainly due to wearing stupid shoes. For some reason i put on converse type runners this morning, when I came out of the saddle i lost my pedal and ended up on my back in the middle of the road.

I don't understand what happened. Are you cycling with pedals which are meant for proper cycling shoes? I have cycled with converse many times with no bother.

poochiem

rubadub wrote: »

I don't understand what happened. Are you cycling with pedals which are meant for proper cycling shoes? I have cycled with converse many times with no bother.

no - these http://www.bikebling.com/Shimano-PD-M324-Multi-Purpose-Pedal-p/shimano-pd-m324-pedal.htm ...sorry not slighting your converse, mine are 'own brand' and i would have been better off in bare feet

rubadub

poochiem wrote: »

no - these http://www.bikebling.com/Shimano-PD-M324-Multi-Purpose-Pedal-p/shimano-pd-m324-pedal.htm ...sorry not slighting your converse, mine are 'own brand' and i would have been better off in bare feet

Mine are cheapo ones too, I have real ones too and they are like being in bare feet too, thats why some people like them (popular for lifting weights in). I can now see how they might be dodgy on those pedals, mine are flatter, more of a "platform".

blorg

rubadub wrote: »

"Heads" are acutally remarkably strong, helmets crack like eggs, they are supposed to.

This is very true, I have had several impacts where I cracked my head both with and without a helmet and have destroyed more than one helmet. In no case do I imagine the helmet saved my life or even saved me from injury (in fact in both cases it almost certainly made the injuries worse.) Still would prefer to be wearing one if I am coming off but strongly against compulsion.

cdaly_

I use BMX type platforms (afraid of cleats...). They have loads of 2mm 'spikes' and pretty much no chance of slipping off.

DirkVoodoo

I had a few "slip off the pedal" moments during winter. Since I started commuting by cleats I have had no such issue, it's nice being safely locked in.

The problem with MTB specific pedals is that the pins used to secure your shoes tend to leave nasty shin wounds when the chain skips or you slip off the pedal, dangerous things they are. I have two little punctures on my shin that still haven't healed up yet.

Lumen

Whilst I recognise that some people value the convenience of being able to cycle in normal shoes, and understand that some people with extreme duck feet may have ergonomic reasons for avoiding cleats, I find myself completely at a loss to understand why anyone would choose ordinary pedals for reasons of safety alone.

It's a bit like refusing to use a seatbelt because you're concerned that it would trap you in the wreckage after an accident.

Double-sided SPDs, properly fitted and adjusted, are extremely easy to engage and disengage, but even if they weren't I'd take the risk of staying clipped in in the event of a crash over the far more significant risk of having a crash due to pedal slippage any day.

Captain Havoc

Glad you're OK, it's pretty scary when you come off eh.

I use SPD and have them set loose for commuting, which is brilliant.

Helmets, agree 100% with blorg, it's rare instance that I don't wear one but I'm against compulsary use.

DirkVoodoo

The only negative against SPDs are you need to either keep your "real" shoes at work or carry them around with you. Some people walk around in them, I can't because the slightly stiffer soles make me walk like a duck.

Lumen

Lumen wrote: »

Whilst I recognise that some people value the convenience of being able to cycle in normal shoes, and understand that some people with extreme duck feet may have ergonomic reasons for avoiding cleats, I find myself completely at a loss to understand why anyone would choose ordinary pedals for reasons of safety alone.

It's a bit like refusing to use a seatbelt because you're concerned that it would trap you in the wreckage after an accident.

Double-sided SPDs, properly fitted and adjusted, are extremely easy to engage and disengage, but even if they weren't I'd take the risk of staying clipped in in the event of a crash over the far more significant risk of having a crash due to pedal slippage any day.

I have SPD-SLs instead of SPDs, so from what I've read it's easier to disengage from SPDs, but often I'm put in a situation where I've to put the foot down due to rapid braking. In these I'd prefer not to have to clip out, so my (loose) toe clips suit me fine. From my circumstances I prefer not being (properly) clipped in on my commute, but whether that's actually safer is debateable for me.

And I keep my shoes at work Dirk, no problems there.

poochiem

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

The only negative against SPDs are you need to either keep your "real" shoes at work or carry them around with you. Some people walk around in them, I can't because the slightly stiffer soles make me walk like a duck.

well i haven't got spd shoes yet. i think the flip-sided pedals are a happy medium as i use the bike for nipping through town and to the shops etc not just the commute so it will be handy to be able to wear civvy footwear too.

Lumen

Dónal wrote: »

I have SPD-SLs instead of SPDs, so from what I've read it's easier to disengage from SPDs, but often I'm put in a situation where I've to put the foot down due to rapid braking. In these I'd prefer not to have to clip out, so my (loose) toe clips suit me fine. From my circumstances I prefer not being (properly) clipped in on my commute, but whether that's actually safer is debateable for me.

I guess everyone is different, but an advantage of clipless pedals over toe clips is that you unclip in a different direction (sideways) to the direction of motion, so you are not having to pull your foot back against the deceleration forces.

I don't think it's just me either; clipless pedals are pretty much universally considered to be safer than toe clips, which is (I guess) why they were invented in the first place.

tomasrojo

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

The problem with MTB specific pedals is that the pins used to secure your shoes tend to leave nasty shin wounds when the chain skips or you slip off the pedal, dangerous things they are. I have two little punctures on my shin that still haven't healed up yet.

I've barked my shins up a few times with the pins, for sure. Nothing too serious though. I just like wearing relatively normal shoes. I may try clipless down the line, but I find rubber-soled shoes (well, shoe-like boots in my case) and bmx-style pedals work fine.

**Timbuk2**

I don't know why anybody would use toe clips over clipless pedals. They are a lot more dangerous. The danger is reduced by not tightening the clips too much, but then you are compensating your pedalling power as your foot will be moving around slightly within the cages.

With clipless pedals, you can tighten it down as much as you like and still be able to get out really quick. I have Shimano SPDs, and they are extremely easy to clip in and out of. If your cleats are properly adjusted, there usually is no need to raise the release tension as your feet are in their natural position and are not trying to move laterally during hard efforts.

And some people say that you will always fall over when using clipless pedals for the first time. But this is bull IMO. I never fell over, and I've been using clipless pedals for about 3 years now.

I use SPDs because of their walkability. My balance is bad enough without trying to walk into shops with slippery, protruding cleats.

Raam

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

I never fell over, and I've been using clipless pedals for about 3 years now.

Now you're just tempting fate!

morninwood

fitted these the other day for wet weather. i know, they are ugly as heel and weigh a ton but provide excellent grip in regular shoes.