What can I say? Everybody else was doing it.
At least that's how I felt, reading report after report of awesome bike rides on super sweet road bikes. Facebook photos, tweets, blog posts. And if everyone else is doing it, why can't I?
I don't have a road bike, but I can soup up my hybrid with pedals that clip, get some cycling shoes, and finally experience the full body cycling experience that is pushing down AND pulling up on the pedal.
If everybody else was jumping off a bridge, would you do that, too, Tracy? I forgot where I read it, but I saw a great answer to that once: yeah, probably. This person reasoned that his/her friends were all intelligent people, and if they were jumping off a bridge there was likely a good reason. Maybe the bridge was on fire?
And that's how I found myself in Prospect Park this past weekend on a nearly empty path, fancy shoes strapped to my feet, fancy pedals fastened to my bike.
And If you know anything about clipless pedals, you know where this is going: the next place I found myself was on the ground. Not immediately, mind you, not the very very first time I clipped in, but within about 10 minutes. I had gone roughly an eighth of a mile. Slowly.
Before I went to the park to try the new pedals, I read a lot about how to practice with them. I loosened the tension on the pedals so it was super easy to release the shoes. I balanced against a wall and did clipped in and out a bunch of times for practice getting used to the feeling. I started with one foot clipped in and one foot not. But no amount of practice prepares you for that moment when you try to stop but your right foot is clipped in and you find yourself lurching to the right. That slow motion feeling of "Crap, I'm going down. Noooooooooooo." Followed by the feeling of hitting the ground or, in my case, hitting the ground and then feeling the entire weight of your body slam your sternum into the blunt edge of your (straight) handlebars, now perpendicular to the ground.
My bike stabbed me. Or punched me, maybe. To say I had the wind knocked out of me doesn't do it justice. I gather from talking tomedical experts my parents that the sternum is strong and it's unlikely that I'm bleeding internally, but that HURTS, yo. Pain. Both my knees are also purple and the right one is a little swollen, but the sternum - ow. Ow. Ow.
I iced it and took some painkillers until later I finally got some relief when I switched to beer. I mean, man has only been able to harness ice for the past hundred years or so. Painkillers, those are also new. Beer, now - that's medicine with thousands of years behind it.
A few notes: yes, my shoes clip into my "clipless" pedals. Or clip-in pedals. Whichever you prefer. The "clipless" part comes as an evolution from toe clips - these new pedals didn't have toe clips, see? They were clipless! My particular pedals are flat on one side and clippable on the other, so I can still use them with street shoes. But soon I'm sure I won't want to.
The best treatment for this level of misery is company. So, please, if you've ever wiped out on your bike, tell me about it? Also, anyone know what the chances are that I fractured my sternum?
At least that's how I felt, reading report after report of awesome bike rides on super sweet road bikes. Facebook photos, tweets, blog posts. And if everyone else is doing it, why can't I?
I don't have a road bike, but I can soup up my hybrid with pedals that clip, get some cycling shoes, and finally experience the full body cycling experience that is pushing down AND pulling up on the pedal.
If everybody else was jumping off a bridge, would you do that, too, Tracy? I forgot where I read it, but I saw a great answer to that once: yeah, probably. This person reasoned that his/her friends were all intelligent people, and if they were jumping off a bridge there was likely a good reason. Maybe the bridge was on fire?
And that's how I found myself in Prospect Park this past weekend on a nearly empty path, fancy shoes strapped to my feet, fancy pedals fastened to my bike.
And If you know anything about clipless pedals, you know where this is going: the next place I found myself was on the ground. Not immediately, mind you, not the very very first time I clipped in, but within about 10 minutes. I had gone roughly an eighth of a mile. Slowly.
Before I went to the park to try the new pedals, I read a lot about how to practice with them. I loosened the tension on the pedals so it was super easy to release the shoes. I balanced against a wall and did clipped in and out a bunch of times for practice getting used to the feeling. I started with one foot clipped in and one foot not. But no amount of practice prepares you for that moment when you try to stop but your right foot is clipped in and you find yourself lurching to the right. That slow motion feeling of "Crap, I'm going down. Noooooooooooo." Followed by the feeling of hitting the ground or, in my case, hitting the ground and then feeling the entire weight of your body slam your sternum into the blunt edge of your (straight) handlebars, now perpendicular to the ground.
My bike stabbed me. Or punched me, maybe. To say I had the wind knocked out of me doesn't do it justice. I gather from talking to
I iced it and took some painkillers until later I finally got some relief when I switched to beer. I mean, man has only been able to harness ice for the past hundred years or so. Painkillers, those are also new. Beer, now - that's medicine with thousands of years behind it.
A few notes: yes, my shoes clip into my "clipless" pedals. Or clip-in pedals. Whichever you prefer. The "clipless" part comes as an evolution from toe clips - these new pedals didn't have toe clips, see? They were clipless! My particular pedals are flat on one side and clippable on the other, so I can still use them with street shoes. But soon I'm sure I won't want to.
The best treatment for this level of misery is company. So, please, if you've ever wiped out on your bike, tell me about it? Also, anyone know what the chances are that I fractured my sternum?
Holy crap...yeah, this is exactly why I'll never do a tri or anything. I could never conquer the clips, and I could never swim in open water. Eeek!
ReplyDeleteI haven't fallen off my bike before, but I HAVE wiped out recently, in most spectacular fashion, from a POGO STICK. I was showing off to Patrick (who is 10) and trying to beat his record. I pogo'ed twice, and then BAM. Elbow first. OW.
Thank you. That made me laugh. And then wince. But mostly laugh - and I needed that this morning!
DeleteEveryone does it! Even when you think you have the hang of it, you will be in a group ride with a bunch of cyclists and still find yourself falling over here or there :-) I practiced in a grass field before I went out on the road and got my bumps and bruises that way. Now, it is second nature and actually ended up being very anticlimactic in the end. Anymore, it feels weird to ride a bike without my shoes and pedals - I feel more unsteady NOT being attached to the bike, oddly enough!
ReplyDeleteThat's what I'm looking forward to, when it becomes second nature. Sort of like driving stick shift, when I was terrified of stalling out at first until it crept up on me that it had become normal and now it feels weird when the car ONLY has two pedals.
DeleteI bought a road bike two (three?) years ago, and I have never, ever, ever put clip/clipless pedals on them. And I never will.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried it in a spin class? It really is better, by a lot. I mean, until you fall.
DeleteI'm with Sam. I'm a mess already. One of the reasons I loved running was that when I exercise my brain goes stupid... I have to concentrate to put one foot in front of the other. I don't know what I'd do if I had to worry about clips... or a tire blow out... I did a sprint tri on my lame roadbike with cage-like pedals. I was not the best, but I got it done. And I enjoyed it. Clips scare the crap out of me -- so, I guess I'm a big wuss. You, however, get a gold star for rising to the challenge!
DeleteTake that star back since I haven't exactly clipped in again since the fall! And yeah, I can't change a tire, either...
DeleteCongratulations!!! Your first fall *wiping the tears away*
ReplyDeleteI've hit the pavement so many times that I've lost count. First time was in the parking lot of the bike store. Yep. Clipped in and boom - down I went. I've also gone down in front of a large group of people because I forgot which foot I clipped out.
It will become second nature and having the clip pedals will make you SO much more efficient on the bike, which equals, using less energy. Woooo hooooooooo!!!!!!!
Wear those bruises proudly!! Don't you think they should make beer cold compresses? You can drink it after it thaws? Hmmmmmmmmm.......
I *really* like the way you're thinking, with the beer cold compresses. That's GENIUS. GENIUS.
DeleteYup, 8th Ave in B'klyn in the middle of the street (ok, side of the street). The best part was that the family of Orthodox Jews walking by didn't even ask me if I were ok. THESE ARE MY PEOPLE (sorta... not really.. but fucking ask if I'm ok and maybe help me get up?).
ReplyDeleteBut Renee, then they might have had to help you up, which might have involved touching you. And you might have been ritually impure and all. But I agree. Should have helped you.
DeleteI fell the very first time out on my fancy road bike. I couldn't clip out and down I went. Tore my PCL. No fix for it, but my right knee hasn't been the same since. I kept riding for a few months, but then I almost fell going 25 mph when I rode over a snake. Now I have a very fancy garage ornament hanging on the wall.
ReplyDeleteYou didn't fracture your sternum. And even if you did, all you can do it drink beer and let it heal.
I'm afraid of that, that the pedals will end up being decorative rather than functional. I'm going to keep trying. Luckily Brooklyn is mostly free of snakes!
DeleteAnd (of course) you're right about my sternum. I took myself to urgent care yesterday when the pain seemed to be getting worse rather than better, and they suggested sprained ligament. I can't imagine the pain of an actual broken sternum. Ouch.