Rain Assisted Fall

Gwhizz
Gwhizz Posts: 16
edited August 2008 in Road beginners
Well it had to happen, even after reading the tips on here about avoiding manhole covers, white lines etc when its wet.

The miserable scottish summer weather bit me yesterday, 500 yards from home at the end of my 14 mile commute - crash! Down I go sliding helplessly between the moving lines of traffic. :shock:

Cruising along 22 - 23 mph having enjoyed the wet conditions, looking forward to getting into the house and into a hot bath when suddenly the front end disappeared from below me. Straight down I go sliding along the road through the puddles on my front for 15 yards or so. Just hoping the car behind me could stop in time - Thankfully it did, the driver (lovely lady) even offered to put the (mangled) bike in her car and drive me home.

A bit sore today, bruised knees hands and ribs and an elbow that looks like it has had a golf ball surgically inserted. Not to mention the ripped shorts and nice big hole in my nightvision jacket :( Lets just put it down to experience :) and get back out on the bike ASAP. :P

Comments

  • unclemalc
    unclemalc Posts: 563
    Sympathies to you Sir. What about the bike tho'.... :shock:
    Spring!
    Singlespeeds in town rule.
  • Gwhizz
    Gwhizz Posts: 16
    Looks like cosmetic only (hopefully).

    To be honest when I arrived home the bike was practically kicked into the shed - Didn't even give it a wipe down to get rid of the water and road grime :cry:

    Will have a look tonight when I get in from work - to sore to ride today.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    you have a NIGHTVISION vest!

    That is sooooooooooooo cool!


    Glad you're okay, get back on the horse and all that jazz! Do you reckon you hit a manhole or something, if not possibly run your tyres a little (5-10psi) softer in the wet, should help the front grip a little. I've been known to drift my mtbs on smooth surfaces in the wet, scarey stuff!
    Neeermad
    Carbon 456
    456 lefty
    Pompino
    White Inbred
  • unclemalc
    unclemalc Posts: 563
    Just look upon the personal damage as the equivalent of that rash trackies get when they keep falling off... :D
    Spring!
    Singlespeeds in town rule.
  • bice
    bice Posts: 772
    I am getting a bit alarmed: are road bikes with slick thin tyres much more prone to slipping about than, say, an old bike with 700x28s or a hybrid with 700x35s?

    I have only slipped off once after hitting a piece of hub cap, but it was on the King's Road in rush hour, so not something to repeat.

    These days, of course, there would be a multiple pile up with all the City boys on their fancy road bikes heading for Fulham. But five years ago cycle traffic in London in the autumn was minimal.
  • boybiker
    boybiker Posts: 531
    I cannot really say if 700x23 is any worse than 700x 25 as I have only used 700x23 slick tyres on my road bike but it does get kind of interesting in the wet.
    Wet roads with gravel get even more exciting :(
    The gear changing, helmet wearing fule.
    FCN :- -1
    Given up waiting for Fast as Fupp to start stalking me
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    bice wrote:
    I am getting a bit alarmed: are road bikes with slick thin tyres much more prone to slipping about than, say, an old bike with 700x28s or a hybrid with 700x35s?

    I have only slipped off once after hitting a piece of hub cap, but it was on the King's Road in rush hour, so not something to repeat.

    These days, of course, there would be a multiple pile up with all the City boys on their fancy road bikes heading for Fulham. But five years ago cycle traffic in London in the autumn was minimal.

    big green with it's fairly sit up and beg position and 38mm tires is much less worried by such stuff than old red and it's drops and 20mm tires.

    So yes but tires differ in grip, different bikes, and so on.
  • HungryCol
    HungryCol Posts: 532
    I was racing last Wednesday night and it started nice, dry roads, overcast until about 30 minutes into the race it hammered rain for the rest of the race. Within minutes there was streams on the road and flooding on corners and between the back wheel spray and the lashing rain at one stage I thought a snorkle wouldn't be that silly. As for potholes... might be nothing might be big... hold on either way.

    Came 8th which I was pretty happy about.
    Every winner has scars.
  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    Hope you get back on your bike again soon.

    I had a scary moment the other day. It was Tuesday Morning and i was coming back from a 40 mile ride to and from London City Airport. I was cycling over the Staples Corner Flyover and decided to change my front gear to the large cog in order to keep up with the flow of traffic when approaching the ajoining sliproad. No sooner as i changed gear the damn back wheel kicked out and almost threw me off the damn flyover :shock: I wouldn't mind but i was riding on nice flat tarmac at the time.

    The sooner I change over to GP4000s the better.

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