Clipless Pedals

First of all, I don't understand why they are called clipless pedals when they do in fact allow you to clip your shoes into the bike pedal?!?

I was pretty excited to add this feature to Firefly (my bike). I had ridden with clipless pedals a few times before when I was borrowing Blue Devil (Kirsten's bike). It was intimidating enough to go into the bike shop and make this purchase (I always feel like such a dork in there, like I'm riding a big wheel compared to the fancy bikes and bikers in bike stores). After they installed the new sleek pedals, they put my old clunky pedals with the plastic pseudo-clips into a bag. I felt like I had just got the training wheels off my bike!

Well, EVERYONE you talk to about clipless pedals mentions that when you first use them, you are bound to take a few spills. But, I thought I was better than that since I had never fallen.

So, I may have been feeling a bit cocky when I set out for a long ride on the Potomac that evening to break Firefly in with her new equipment. For the most part, I had a great ride.....until I got within a block of Big Blue on my return trip and noticed there was a huge truck trying to parallel park and blocking the bike lane. As I approached, traffic to my left was heavy and I slowed to let the truck finish parking. I unclipped one pedal but in the process of trying to decide whether to go around or fully stop, I toppled over. The fall was not pretty but the worst part was that it happened directly in front of the strip of bars and restaurants in Clarendon...on a Thursday night....at 8pm. PEAK PEOPLE outside watching this event unfold!

I ate my humble pie for dinner that night and embarrassingly walked Firefly the few hundred feet back to Big Blue with my bike cleats clomping, while trying to ignore the whoops and laughs coming from the (motorcycle) bikers drinking at Mexicali . I guess I was do for a fall..I just hope that will be the last one.


This picture is titled 'Before the Fall' (yes I know it's cheesy, but Carly made me pose for it).