There are a few things that bind all cyclists together. There’s the general fear of drivers, that comes with years spent on the roads; there’s the make-do-and-mend attitude to repair and cleaning, and the tell-tale chain tattoo; and there is the appreciation that a bike ride can fix almost anything.
To this, add the feeling that you are about to fall over. No matter who you are, no matter how often you cycle, there is, on the horizon, the eternal possibility that you might lose your balance and hit the floor. When you’re clipped in, this multiplies much further, obviously. It’s a constant risk. Changed pedals or cleats? Your heart is probably in your mouth. I’m not talking about genuine crashes, but those slow-motion embarrassments that we’ve all seen, and experienced. In fact, I don’t think I believe you if you’re a clipped-in cyclist who claims to have never fallen over. It’s an embarrassing rite of passage.
