Yesterday I was super pumped to take my bike out for the first time with my shoe/pedal combo, where my shoes are attached to the pedal. I know it's a little late considering the weather, but I've been waiting on some aerobars and wanted to take the bike in to get fit etc. with the bars, but the bars have been delayed, blah blah blah I'm scared so I didn't go.
Anyway, I bit the bullet, put some air in my tires, and set out. I walked my bike through the street, over to the path, and got on, clipped in, and started riding. I was thinking "oh this isn't that bad", rode, rode, rode, then noticed that my front tire was pretty low and I was almost riding on my rim. I didn't want to wreck my tire or bike, so I weighed my options, toying between going home, putting air in, and going back out, or stopping at the gas station that was just a couple of streets over, and putting some air in my tire. At this point, I hadn't tried stopping yet. I decided to go get air at the gas station, so I left the path, went on to a ROAD, and freaked out. I thought "I'm so not ready for this" and rode up on to the sidewalk, stopped, (still panicking), and then forgot to unclip my feet, panicked, unclipped the foot that was on the opposite side as the side I was falling towards, and fell. Fell onto a truck, then down the truck, then onto a cement block, then on to the sidewalk, then my water bottle popped open and poured all over me. Then a group of men walking on the other side of the road called over to see if I was ok. I yelled back "um, yeah?" but was thinking in my head "how to I get my foot out??" I figured it out, got up, started walking towards the gas station. When I got there, I realized the air said "NOT FOR BIKE TIRES". Awesome. Then I walked home.
I wasn't hurt, but I was shaken up, and of course, any confidence I had just went right out the window. I'm a big ole chicken on the bike. Now I'm worse. I know I just panicked, and I forgot to remind myself I was clipped in, even though when I was riding I kept saying "remember your feet are attached to your bike". I just had my mind on my tire, not my feet, and forgot. But I really don't want to ride anymore.
Today I think I am getting the aerobars, so I'll take my bike in to get fit with the bars, then they can make sure it's all road ready, and then I can drive to a path where I won't have to ride on any road at any time and try again. I need to try again soon, otherwise I'll get more and more scared.
I'm lucky I just walked away with a bump on my knee and a sore shoulder. Oh and I was super embarrassed, since I then walked along the road at the same time as all the men who saw me fall.
3 comments:
oh my! i am laughing and cringing as i read this. and cringing not because of anything you did, but because i can only imagine how you felt. i really, sincerely, feel for you, but i also am thinking that you effing rock for trying the pedals and then telling us about it when it didn't go exactly as planned.
as much as we hate these experiences at the time, they turn into those great party stories that you can tell as you impress them and yourself with your kick-ass-ness.
i love that the water bottle decided to kick you while you were down (literally). i hope you weren't wearing all white :)
get back on and try it again. you can DO IT!
Oh no!!! First off I'm glad you are okay! Second of all, your water bottle popped open and poured all over you? That is just mean!
When I fist got pedals I rode circles around my cul-de-sac, just practicing clipping in and clipping out to get the feel for it. But not to worry, we ALL have clipping accidents. And they nearly always happen in front of people and are completely embarrassing. Really I think it might just be a right of passage as a cyclist!
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