First Crash!

harrywrigley

Went out with a cycling club this morning and hit a totally invisible patch of black ice, both wheels flew out to the right and I slid on my left thigh for just under 30 meters on the flat!

Luckily my bike is pretty light and my right foot was still clipped in so I managed to raise my right leg and keep the bike from touching the road (great skidding skills!).

To my amazement my tights had no sign of wear at all and I was Injury free.

My left shifter and left pedal must have taken all the blow and the shifter was pushed in a little bit and the metal plate on my pedal was bend. Other than that there where only a few small scratches on the hoods.

So just letting you know that even though it has been above 2 degrees for the past 5 days there is still censored ice... Bad times!

ps. Happy Boxing Day

Squillinossett

Glad to hear your ok, I have my first off few months back. Due to Oil, no ice though.

I have not been out this week for that very reason as roads near me are pretty bad, so just been stuck on the old Turbo...

My bike skills are not as good as yours as I seemed to use the bike as padding....ho hum

capilinconnemara

Not a nice thing the first fall. Glad your ok. Ice seems to have caused and saved you. I still have rash from 7 weeks ago where i slid for about the same, leaving a yellow stripe on the road from my jacket and although my tights only opened ot the stitching about an inch the little padding I have on my hip was left on the road

Infamous

I fell twice on the way to the club run this morning. Black ice.

A bit scraped but I'll be back out tomorrow.

RoadMeridaBen

I had my first crash yesterday morning, me and my brother decided to try and get some miles in, we got about 0.2 miles from the house when he wiped out infront of me (black ice) and i tapped the brakes and attempted to move around him and i wiped out aswell.

We were going at 25 mph at the time leading to us spending most of christmas day in the A&E waiting room (5 1/2 hours), he smacked his face on the road and i just slid passed him on my hip. Brothers bikes shifters took a big scrape he fell to the left so there wasnt much damage.

I fell to the right and must have taken the full impact because there wasnt a scratch on my bike apart from a scrape on my pedals. Today my hip hurts, but not as much as having to buy new tights

Mark Alexander

Well done, You popped your cherry! I'm glad you're ok.

Monty Dog

The worst thing about these slides is that although you don't damage the clothing you can get painful 'burns' on the skin. 4 years ago I had a big slide on Christmas day on a fast descent - shredded some Assos tights and it left me with with a large graze on my leg.

flanners1

Since road biking and now with a set of rollers going out in the weather we have had just ain't worth it IMO, just too dangerous cold and horrid. Gagging to get out but not to cycle on shitty filthy and salted roads with freezing sleet and wind. I am getting old.

rake

i dont know why anyone would try to ride on ice it makes no sense to me. i have no damage to my bike.

NWLondoner

Glad your ok

Hope to get out myself tomorrow and Monday before the cold snap comes back.

tlw1

Didn't need to read this - planning to go out with a cycling club for the first time today

cookiemonster

My sorry tail of woe - Five hours in casulty for me yesterday - CT scan of head, pelvis and stomach. Bikes and ice don't mix. Luckily I cushioned the fall for my new Roberts by getting my face between it and the ground so no damage done (to the bike...). I'm missinga couple of teeth, have one swolen to the size of a peach and burns abrasions and swelling across my lower front.

Worst of all I have abrasions in a place ( or maybe on a place) that is more important to me than my Roberts

lucky I guess than nothing is broken, and that I was wearing a helmet, but I'm fairly unfortunate in the way my face was down while I slid along the ground for 10 meters or so.

NWLondoner

Good god cookie :shock: When you crash you do it in style don't you.

I hope you recover quickly.

I thought i was going to have one today. Coming down Totteridge Lane too fast and saw what i thought was sheet ice across the whole road :shock: Slammed on the brakes only to find out that it was a burst main :oops: :roll:

bristolpete

A friend and I had a 50 mile boxing day ride booked, but oddly the north of Bristol where we ride was still frozen solid - I did a recce when I went to my parents. In the end, we rain checked, but I went out locally and did a swift hour. Odd that one side of a city can be totally different to another.

Be safe out there everyone.

John C.

Flanners1 wrote:

Since road biking and now with a set of rollers going out in the weather we have had just ain't worth it IMO, just too dangerous cold and horrid. Gagging to get out but not to cycle on shitty filthy and salted roads with freezing sleet and wind. I am getting old.

I've said it before but my first crash on rollers was when I swerved to miss the cat that walked in front of me :oops:

NWLondoner

John C. wrote:

Flanners1 wrote:

Since road biking and now with a set of rollers going out in the weather we have had just ain't worth it IMO, just too dangerous cold and horrid. Gagging to get out but not to cycle on shitty filthy and salted roads with freezing sleet and wind. I am getting old.

I've said it before but my first crash on rollers was when I swerved to miss the cat that walked in front of me :oops:

PMSL :shock:

NervexProf

cookiemonster wrote:

My sorry tail of woe - Five hours in casulty for me yesterday - CT scan of head, pelvis and stomach. Bikes and ice don't mix. Luckily I cushioned the fall for my new Roberts by getting my face between it and the ground so no damage done (to the bike...). I'm missinga couple of teeth, have one swolen to the size of a peach and burns abrasions and swelling across my lower front.

Worst of all I have abrasions in a place ( or maybe on a place) that is more important to me than my Roberts

lucky I guess than nothing is broken, and that I was wearing a helmet, but I'm fairly unfortunate in the way my face was down while I slid along the ground for 10 meters or so.

My sympathy Cookiemonster - winced on reading about the loss of 2 teeth and the grinding of your face over 10 metres of road.

Hope you feel better today - you sound stoic yet positive.

Recover soon, do. Keep us updated.

flanners1

cookiemonster wrote:

My sorry tail of woe - Five hours in casulty for me yesterday - CT scan of head, pelvis and stomach. Bikes and ice don't mix. Luckily I cushioned the fall for my new Roberts by getting my face between it and the ground so no damage done (to the bike...). I'm missinga couple of teeth, have one swolen to the size of a peach and burns abrasions and swelling across my lower front.

Worst of all I have abrasions in a place ( or maybe on a place) that is more important to me than my Roberts

lucky I guess than nothing is broken, and that I was wearing a helmet, but I'm fairly unfortunate in the way my face was down while I slid along the ground for 10 meters or so.

Sheesh! Nasty nasty, hope you feel better soon. I went out today with this thread on my mind, cold lots of wind but no ice luckily. Felt a bit sluggish missed lunch so hoping that was the reason, will try to get out tomorrow morning.

Pokerface

Almost makes me want to wear a helmet.

John C.

Pokerface wrote:

Almost makes me want to wear a helmet.

Sh! don't tell anyone but, if the picture in your profile is you, then you are wearing one.

cookiemonster

NervexProf wrote:

Hope you feel better today - you sound stoic yet positive.

Recover soon, do. Keep us updated.

Cheers

Yep - its ok, nothing that wont heal in a week or two or be sorted by a couple of trips to the dentist. The docs were more worried than me - possible eye socket fracture, maybe something in the stomach, how does that pelvis look to you? etc. So I guess I feel fairly well off that none of that was on the menu; collarbones intact, everything functioning and I wasnt collected by a passing car...

I havent seen anyone with this level of bruising and swelling to the face since I left glasgow though...

Pokerface

John C. wrote:

Pokerface wrote:

Almost makes me want to wear a helmet.

Sh! don't tell anyone but, if the picture in your profile is you, then you are wearing one.

That's my 'summer' helmet.

Cheshley

Pokerface wrote:

John C. wrote:

Pokerface wrote:

Almost makes me want to wear a helmet.

Sh! don't tell anyone but, if the picture in your profile is you, then you are wearing one.

That's my 'summer' helmet.

Winter helmet, anyone.......?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=24915

johndoran

I just cannot for the life of me see why anyone wants to ride in conditions that to be honest you can't really enjoy. Just one fall can wipe out a season and its not like you are going to lose that much fitness even if you are off your bike for a couple of weeks.

NWLondoner

johndoran wrote:

I just cannot for the life of me see why anyone wants to ride in conditions that to be honest you can't really enjoy. Just one fall can wipe out a season and it's not like you are going to lose that much fitness even if you are off your bike for a couple of weeks.

To be honest riding through the winter months is never that enjoyable.

Also those 2 weeks can easily snowball into 6-8 weeks and then you are on the back foot. I suppose it depends how many rides one person can do in a week.

Unless it is REALLY dangerous then from now on I am going to get a ride in.

I have found out to my cost that putting off rides when you could really have managed it is counter productive.

salsarider79

I am sooo lucky. I've been commuting in the ice and snow, been for pleasure rides(?!?!) as well. Damm cold, but I feel so much better for it.

And I've been on my Roubaix most of the time with a 22mm front tyre.


Oh, censored what did I say??????? :shock:

roger_merriman

NWLondoner wrote:

johndoran wrote:

I just cannot for the life of me see why anyone wants to ride in conditions that to be honest you can't really enjoy. Just one fall can wipe out a season and it's not like you are going to lose that much fitness even if you are off your bike for a couple of weeks.

To be honest riding through the winter months is never that enjoyable.

Also those 2 weeks can easily snowball into 6-8 weeks and then you are on the back foot. I suppose it depends how many rides one person can do in a week.

Unless it is REALLY dangerous then from now on I am going to get a ride in.

I have found out to my cost that putting off rides when you could really have managed it is counter productive.

it was beautiful today very slow as was ice on some parts including a comedy off at almost zero speed.

but still worth it as was shockingly lovely and crocknorth was fun as ever.

flanners1

Had to happen....went out at 0730hrs to meet mate who cycled out of London to Westerham, I cycled from T Wells. Had breakfast a chat, on way back on country lanes went down on black ice, was a low-side took it all on my right hip. First stack on a road bike, broken an assortment of bones on MTBs over last 20 years in Alps etc. My pride is injured as well as my swollen hip.

Knew I shouldn't have gone it really was treacherous on the roads but got away with a bad bruising and swelling and a small scuff to the carbon lever's clear coat which I touched in after I washed the bike. Took all the carnage rather than the bike, didn't even wreck my longs as the ice was so smooth like glass. Felt like when I low-sided my FZR600 on diesel in 1993! I will sit this cold spell out and revert back to the rollers laptop and my kitchen! That is after a 3-4 day rest! censored ! :?

sagalout

I went out today too. Probably not a great idea to be honest. I thought about turning back a few times after seeign the gutters frozen up. Didnt really enjoy the ride all that much as had loads of small 'moments' and the descents were scary as hell, but was doing ok until I came to this road. which started off just frosty, then after a couple of miles tuned more into ice and just got worse. No tun offs so ended up pushing a mile or so to get to a main road then detured home. Did 25 miles and felt good when I got home, but think it will be the turbo until this cold snap ends.

Nuggs

I went down on black ice yesterday. The main roads were fine, but as soon as we were on minor roads (i.e. the ones not completely filled with cars far too busy thinking about the sales to give cyclists any room), it was pretty sketchy.

I was only doing about 10 mph when I came off and managed 30 miles afterwards but I am stiff, bruised and sore today.

Better get used to the monotony of the garage walls...

scott-s30

I had my first crash today, hit sheet ice while coming back down the lanes, it looked like normal tarmac. Bike just shot sideways to the right, both wheels at once, went down and slid for about 20feet. Luckily no cars following me 'cos there's no way they'd have stopped.
No damage other than bruises on my hip and elbow and a small cut in my jacket sleeve (first time I've worn it out).
Prior to this I'd been up on the hill riding across snow and ice and never took a tumble.
Brilliant day all the same!