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Clipped-in vs flat pedals: injuries in crashes?

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Cudzoziemiec:
I've just read a thread on another forum in which someone is wondering how using cleated or flat pedals might affect a rider's injuries in a crash due to an unrelated event, such as being hit by a motor vehicle. He seems to be thinking that if your feet are not attached to the pedals, you may be able to use your legs, cat like, to save yourself and minimise injuries from hitting the ground. Someone counters that riding clipped in gives you more control in situations such as hitting an unexpected hole or bump, and so is safer. The thread is here.

It seems to me that being clipped in does give more control in most circumstances and that a foot sliding off the pedal can be dangerous, but also there are certain low-speed situations - probably mostly off-road, but also when negotiating obstacles such as sustrans gates - when it's useful to have a foot free for a dab. These situations probably don't include being hit by a car - though I could imagine you might get some ankle damage from body and bike twisting at different rates or in different directions as they hit the ground but being joined together.

Just repeating to be clear, this is nothing to do with 'clipless moments'.

caerau:
Well for those low speed moment, most clips allow one to twist one's heel and release.  ::-)

caerau:
Are they aware that cleats are designed to release automatically upon an impact?

Cudzoziemiec:

--- Quote from: Caerau on 24 March, 2015, 12:37:37 pm ---Are they aware that cleats are designed to release automatically upon an impact?

--- End quote ---
The second post in that thread says the same - but then goes on to say they never have and never will use them, so I'm not sure where they get that from. IIRC one of the early systems back in the '80s, where you had to flip a lever (Cinelli?), was supposed to work like that - the lever would hit the road and flip open. Anyway, IME of two clipless moments, it's not correct of SPD. I suppose it might work like that at higher speed (both mine were of the 'stop and topple' variety so pretty much a stationary impact).

Kim:
My take on it is that they're a clear safety benefit on a recumbent:  Fighting against friction *and* gravity with muscle tension to keep your feet on the pedals isn't conducive to control (or good spinny pedalling technique), and on some designs (tadpole trikes particularly) there's a substantial risk of injury from running your foot over if it slips off and gains traction on the ground, or just a nasty bruise to the Achilles that'll ruin your day if it hits the front wheel at speed.  Anecdotally, based on a handful of falls from a SWB bike, staying clipped in means you only get injured by landing on and sliding across the ground, rather than sliding forward and colliding with the hard/sharp bits at the front of the bike.  Unfortunately, once learned, the unclip instinct is strong, and you'll probably only stay clipped in if you go down very quickly (eg. on ice).

On an upright, I find being securely attached to the pedals prevents minor shin/ankle injuries and possible loss of control in the wet.  In situations where dabbing a foot down might be helpful, I'm probably unclipped already.  The trade-off is clipless moments, and ending up tangled with the bike if you fall.  Anecdotally, my injuries from falling off upright bikes have all been to the lower arm and knee, so I don't think foot retention makes an awful lot of difference injury-wise.

Disclaimer: I've never had a collision with a motor vehicle  / cyclist / pedestrian / etc  that knocked me off a bike.  It's always been some combination of incompetence and road (or lack thereof) surface.

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