Did you fall off the first time you tried clipless pedals?

I made the switch recently and nearly fell under a bus on a main road in the first week. Was waiting to turn right and unclipped my left foot as usual, but accidentally leaned over to the right and felt myself beginning to topple in to the path of oncoming traffic. Luckily managed to unclip my right foot just before the point of no return. Stupid early morning not working brain.

I had a slow topple to the floor (clips and straps) the other day, right infront of a group of kids. Still want to get clipless though, can't wait to fall over with those - i see it as being inevitable with my luck.

Thanks for the help guys!
I took them out on a cycle path and just would coast (single speed freewheel bike) and then unclip and the. Break to a stop leaning on my left foot had a few dodgy moments when I would topple to the right wide but managed to unclip before I hit the dirt.
I found that unclipping one foot and pedalling with just the one also helped me.
I think I'll stick with them going to take them on some more paths before the open road.

first time had a practice over the fields near me....toppled into some nettles.

I fell off twice when setting off......I didn't realise you had to lean as much!

Stuck the clips and straps on one of my bikes to save the faff of silly shoes for running errands, on the way back from the doctors earlier dropped my prescription out me pocket, skidded to a stop and flicked my heel out to "unclip".... massive fail there, luckily stopped near a wall so only fell halfway before hitting the wall.... then the bike rolled out from under me, last minute save and landed on my fet catlike... what excitement.

also failed yesterday out on a ride, trying to wheelie when it all went wrong, fell off the back with feet still clipped in, ended up in a crumpled pile of me and bike... I thought my pride was bruised worse than my side... the weak little limp today says otherwise.

i fell off for trying to unclip at my door

also failed yesterday out on a ride, trying to wheelie when it all went wrong, fell off the back with feet still clipped in, ended up in a crumpled pile of me and bike... I thought my pride was bruised worse than my side... the weak little limp today says otherwise.

Done this a fair few times. Did it on the strip in Hyde park showing off once! Regrettable!

I've been meaning to dredge this thread myself...

First clip fail in ages... Someone told me recently I had my pedals too tight, well on Wednesday I tried to clip out whilst waiting to turn right, couldn't get my foot out quick enough... Really really embarrassing!

first week of clipless i feel off a few times, always at really low speeds.

this was with spds.

switched to look keos, no problem whatsoever!

I have yet to fall off with SPD-SL but I've forgotten that pedalling a couple of turns while not clipped in doesn't really work, slipped, and smashed my balls on the saddle roughly 100,000 times already.

I've only stacked it once, about two weeks after I first started using SPDs - was turning off the road onto a shared use piece of pavement, going about 1mph and some woman on a boris bike came at me. I had to brake sharply and put my foot down, except I couldn't unclip in time - cue the slow-motion topple and roll. These days I unclip one foot well before I turn off!

I once fell over trying to put my cycling shoes on.

Just had my first ride with clipless, bought some cheap Exustar pedals and I'm wondering why I was worried: no problems unclipping (but have the pedals set up very loose) and no spills, however pulling away was a different matter as I struggled to get back into the pedal. I practised pulling away on the road outside my house when I got back and I'm sure it will soon be no-look.

Pedalling action felt good, the pedals have plenty of float (too much really, but I can reduce with more tension), feet felt right, cadence was smooth and power transfer felt right: my fast bike now goes faster I reckon

It's easier to clip in if you tighten them. It gives it a more direct clunk and you're in sort of feeling.

My fast bike now feel faster I reckon

fixed.

Actually, if he's gone from flats, it's quite likely it IS faster.

Currently looking to buy my first road bike ever and wanted to try clips. Everyone I spoke said everyone falls off. I'm after a 54cm full bike if anyone has one going. I'm 5ft 9 and 15 stone so I might need something strong ;0)

Seriously though I'm looking to spend about £400-£600 on a second hand modern ish bike. As I'm a complete newbie I'd really like as much advice as possible. I have some friends that are real road warriors like many of you I'm sure, and feel very much out of my depth. That said I've been lurking the last few days and this place seems pretty friendly

Seeing my mate's chain pop off on a steep uphill with a car following slowly behind him (single track road) only to see him lose all momentum and roll over still clipped into the bike in the middle of the road was one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

you have not seen the comedy thread created by some cretin trying to forge a train ticket

Haha - No I was very lucky a car was next to me and the driver didn't see me :D

Actually, if he's gone from flats, it's quite likely it IS faster.

Clips or straps, depending on the bike. I haven't ridden without retention since about 2008, honest injun

Well definitely feels faster anyways. Carbon soles also help with the illusion

Full slow-mo fall last night.. Slowly pulling up behind a van at the lights so unclip my left foot to stop, lights turn green and van pulls forward, I think great and go to clip back in, at which point the van abruptly stops and as I'm getting going again, I stop as quickly as I can, which means not having my left foot clipped in. Unfortunately I veered to the right and all of my weight was over that (clipped in) side.

TIMBER!!!!!!!!!!!

Been riding clipless for everything but popping down the shops for nearly 13 years now. Don't try your first few rides with heavy panniers or the fall sideways is inevitable each time you stop. 6' 7" of angry bloke is quite an impressive* sight to see toppling sideways. I did go over the bars on my mtb shortly after. Somehow the bike went over my head with my right foot still attached. I backed off the spring tension a little after that.

• Possibly.
  

I was OK first time out but did the slow fall at a quiet T junction a few days later. Only other fall was when I met a tractor on a narrow country road, I politely stopped to let him past then fell into a ditch - unclipping upside down is challenging. I think the tractor driver enjoyed the moment.

While slowly straightening myself up at a red light on Euston Road, I fell over in front of a double-decker bus. What a twat.