Falling off

graeme_s-2

I've been commuting since April 2006, and I'm still having stupid falls. I got a new fixie in August, and I've already fallen off it twice. The first time was at a pedestrian crossing when I managed to accidentally clip my foot back in just as I went to put it down. Then last night while making a right turn in the wet my back wheel slid out from under me and I clattered onto the floor. This left me with a fairly spectacular gravel rash on my right thigh, and matching (but slightly worse) marks on my right forearm. I also managed to scuff the palm of my brand new waterproof specialized gloves (first day I'd worn them), and put a very small hole in the arm of my howies merino base layer, which I've only had for a week.

I'm generally very confident and steady, and then every now and then I make a stupid mistake and next thing I know I'm lying in a heap on the deck

p.3.rider

This is why drugs are bad children!

shmo

I had a really stupid fall last night. Was going under a bridge in total darkness and for some reason decided to check that my rear light was still blinking by putting my hand behind it. Looked over my shoulder, yep it's working, looked back and went straight into a metal fence covered in brambles. Quite surprised that I didn't land on any poo though, usually there's some lying around just to make it worse.

prj45

I've fallen off four times in my cycling career.

Once when I was young and tipsily cycling around Brixton Beach at 1 o'clock in the morning (snapped an alu frame).

Once when I was young and tipsily cycling across Vauxhall Bridge at 1 o'clock in the morning (hit a very large pothole, ruined a nice coat).

(I don't do drunken cycling any more)

Once when I clipped a commuter who was running across the road at the bottom of traf square (I went quite a way down whitehall without being attached to my bike).

And once when I got to the top of a road near a canel, it was icy and the bike just went from underneath me, I was hardly moving though.

The last one was the only one that made me feel like being a child again that had had a bad fall .

graeme_s-2

I wasn't sure exactly what I'd slipped on when I fell on Monday, but I went past where I fell this morning, and there are two man hole covers right in the middle of the road there, so I'm pretty sure I must have gone over one of them just as I was pulling away and turning.

prj45

Ha Ha!

I write a post boasting I've only fallen off the bike four times in 15 years and what happens next!

Got wiped out by perfectly timed car door this morning!

Nursing the bruises now, and I'm going to need a new front wheel.

That'll learn me.

chrisjsmith

Ouch!

I've been riding 3 months now (I never had a chance as a kid). I've fallen in someone's front garden, nearly been killed by a bus and lost it on a drain cover resulting in:

http://chrisjsmith.me.uk/images/ouch3.jpg

Do most people fall hard when cycling or is it the usual "oh shit" moment hopping along on one leg with the bike landing on you (mainly embarrasing)?

spasypaddy

chrisjsmith wrote:

Ouch!

I've been riding 3 months now (I never had a chance as a kid). I've fallen in someone's front garden, nearly been killed by a bus and lost it on a drain cover resulting in:

http://chrisjsmith.me.uk/images/ouch3.jpg

Do most people fall hard when cycling or is it the usual "oh shoot" moment hopping along on one leg with the bike landing on you (mainly embarrasing)?[/quote
not really, the three falls/crashes ive had so far:
first one hospitalised me and an operation was needed, hitting a car when you are travelling at 30mph hurts, hurts alot!
second one was slipping in the wet and ended up with scratches and bruises for a week or two, took me about 10mins to get back on my bike due to the pain
third one i just toppled in a clipless fall moment because some daft bint walked out in front, then walked back onto the pavement and then finally decided to step right out in front of me and stop in sheer fear. I fell, she stepped over me, i patronised her by calling her love

Random Vince

on the roadie its a "oh, i'm on the floor and ow it hurts"

on the mountain bike its a slow bail usually but then i've been mountain biking for a deccade starting when i was young and bounced when falling off (its my firm belief that children bounce)

only been on the roadie since the summer

mea00csf

don't fall off on the roady or the commuter.

However, the mountain bike.......it's not a complete ride if i don't come back covered in bruises (last ride was 12 seperate bruises, some larger and more black then others) and at least some part of my body starting to get a big lump developing :oops:

Gambatte

Not fallen off the roady (yet). Last time I was on the MTB, I had a close one. On the road, nice wide swing out to the right before turning left. Suddenly most of the pressure leaves the front wheel. Steering capability disappears and the bike dropped.

How come I was able to unclip and be stood at the side of the bike as it hit the deck?

t4tomo

I thought I'd nip between those big red & white barricade type bollard thing's that were closing off a bus lane as it was easier than filtering through the crowds of traffic (as there was no work started in the bus lane) Misjudged the width of the Brommy and clipped a peddle on the side of one, which effective stopped the bike dead and I carried on. Was wearing gloves so whilst I felt a bit of a berk, there was no damage.

I also nearly lost the back end on a series of 3 wet manhole covers at the top end of Shaftesbury avenue - I now always ride around them.

tyskie

Just the one decent crash for me in many years of cycling (T-boned by a car). Looking at the injuries I think I fell pretty hard. Not to be repeated hopefully.

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/s ... yfinal.jpg

http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i36/s ... -small.jpg

However, when I can cycle again, my new bike has got to match the metal in my leg.

Belv

chrisjsmith wrote:

Do most people fall hard when cycling or is it the usual "oh shoot" moment hopping along on one leg with the bike landing on you (mainly embarrasing)?

Hard. Always.

Gussio

t4tomo

Doesn't take more than a heavy mist at this time of year for the roads to become slippery as a greased pig. Manhole covers, road marking and zebra crossing....they all fill me with a morbid fear when conditions are damp.

Gambatte

Just started riding the MTB and figured I needed to learn to lift the wheels, hop etc.

It was last winter, so luckily when this happened it was nice and dark, with no witnesses.
I was on the road and heading towards a snicket/gennel/alley whatever you want to call it. Before I can get to it, theres a particularly high kerb to pop up onto, which I’m approaching at 90 degrees.

Somehow I not only completely misjudged the timing, I put nowhere near enough effort into the ‘hop’. The front wheel hit & stopped dead. Unfortunately I didn’t. Cue the rear wheel in the air, my feet on the kerb and a particularly nasty nadgers/headset interface

I walked for the next 100yards


slowly :oops:

Lbaguley

He he - I did exactly the same thing earlier this year Gambatte, although I guess I must have been carrying a little more speed as I had an uncomfortable face/hand/elbow/knee + pavement interface.

All with only one witness and the probable cause of my lack of concentration - a rather attractive and particularly classily dressed young lady... :oops:

Of course she only notices me when I'm in a heap on the floor with my bike on top of me.