Had my first off today!!

Theomerchant

Been road cycling for just under a year and went out for a nice early ride this morning setting off at just before 8 which was so peaceful and nice....and cold.

Anyway about 30 miles into the ride having decided that over the past 30 miles the roads were ok ice wise I was quite confident.

Riding down a very rural lane I saw an absolutely massive puddle up ahead which wasn't frozen so thought Id slow down a bit for the said puddle and as I did my bike went completely from underneath me causing a nice big bruise on my behind and a ripped jacket.

what I hadn't realised was that because of cars going through the puddle it had caused a roads worth of sheet ice either side of the puddle.

Considering it was my first off it wasn't actually that bad! just going to have to keep an eye out for ice in the future.

Anyone had any similar off's this winter?

Slow Downcp

Very similar - two weeks before Chrsitmas I'd been riding around 5 miles through the lanes, which were wet but no sign of any ice. All of a sudden the front wheel went from underneath me. The bike escaped with scuffed tape and lever - I went to A&E with a badly bruided hip and a fractured elbow

dizzydane

Not this winter... After coming off on several occasions in the past, I've discovered you're better off staying inside on the turbo.

Last year I wiped nicely on a decent coming back from a ride. It took 3 months to have the confidence to ride down there again without sitting on the brakes. Not to mention the damage I did to my bike and myself...

This year I've opted for no riding if there is frost on the cars or the temperature has been in the minuses the night/day before.

I have however, had loads of fun on my MTB (and wish there was more snow...)

IanTrcp

Surrey Hills were a nightmare this morning. The road across the top of Ranmore was white from edge to edge at about 10am as I skittered across it at 10km/h. I met someone who told me he'd fallen off three times already....

After 35km I was averaging 18km/h with cramp in my left hand - all because of descending like a granny!

Had to reassess my route and tour the flatlands of Leatherhead and Chobham instead.....

Airwave

Went down twice this morning heading towards Corfe castle.No warning front wheel wiped out.I was ok but my mate's got a nice cut on his knee&a busted rear derailier.In the next 20minutes we stopped at least another 7/8 cyclists from going down on the same piece of black ice.Even whilst we were dusting ourselves down a car hit the same black ice&went straight off the road narrowly missing another car which had allready crash sometime earlier this morning.Cue ambulance&police.I don't think the occupence were to badly hurt though.

Just glad no serious damage to us or bikes...just pride.

PhilofCas

2 offs for me this morning too! worst riding conditions i've known, probably went out a bit early in hindsight (7:40), I looked out and thought it was wet, I suppose black ice does look wet ha-ha, mate took a fall too, overall a good character builder

Theomerchant

PhilofCas wrote:

2 offs for me this morning too! worst riding conditions i've known, probably went out a bit early in hindsight (7:40), I looked out and thought it was wet, I suppose black ice does look wet ha-ha, mate took a fall too, overall a good character builder

Same time I went out!!. haha I agree!

Mike67

Same story here..three offs this morning...one being a nice long slde down a hill
Roads were OK near me, did about 10 miles at a decent pace with no issues, but once I got out into the sticks there was black ice everywhere.

I ended up walking one section and headed back to the main roads as quickly as possible.
Didn't half dent my confidence though as I was 'clenching' over every damp patch I came across after that, just in case it was ice.

No serious damage done but I've promised myself never to go out if there's a chance of ice again.

Stick to the MTB I think.

markmod

Hope the bruises soon go guys and the bikes are soonest mended.

I saw the ice this morning and had second thoughts about early start, so I thought i'd give it time to melt and dry out. After a late 'full english' Asda brunch (or sports nutrition food as I jokingly call it) and lots of TK Max retail therapy (that took much longer than I expected). I thought it was time for a quick ride late afternoon, all the ice was now gone but the late low winter sun was another danger that reared its head and cut my quick ride shorter than I had hoped.

Remember Guys and Gals, watch out for that winter sun. Today I saw lots of motorists frantically grabbing for the sun visors as they approached the oncoming sun and me! and lots of sunlit orange faces squinting into the orange glow (and i'm not talking about Dale Winton or David Dickinson here) They can miss a cyclist easy in the ' glowing gloomin'

A short but lovely ride, and the warm winter sun on my face was a real joy today (before it became too low for comfort!).

cougie

I crashed today - first time in years. Nice road rash on my hip. It wasn't anywhere as cold as it has been but a lot more ice. We cut short the ride to avoid more icy lanes. I've heard of a few of my pals coming off too.

Low sun is deadly - if you find yourself riding along and you can't see clearly / get off that road asap!

freehub

I crashed on Thursday, had a nice 63 miles ride to Castle Howard in North Yorkshire, no sign of ice at all on the roads, anyway, felt warmish to me, must not have been, coming back in the dark, I take a left and think I'll go a diffo way for a change, so I'm going down this lane around 20mph, suddenly, back wheel slips, I think omfg not again, then I try brake and suddenly straight off, wrote my helmet off and ripped my shorts and same as above, road rash on me hip.

Cycled the last 3.5 miles home at about 10mph, felt like my back end was slipping all the time, not sure it was though.

I was going to go cycling this morning, but I seen frost on the road, and was abit nervous, I didn't want to go out and end up slipping if the gritters had not been out, shame I was looking forward to the ride but can't risk writing anything off again.

I bent the thing that secures the rear mech to the frame too, managed to take it off and bend it back myself tho.

Monty Dog

We had two big offs this morning on the club ride - first was about 8 riders who ended up in a heap. Second was a faster pace, wrecking numerous pairs of tights and bending rear mech hangers. Managed to stay upright but decided to peel-off and ride back on my own as didn't fancy being wiped-out by someone else. Tried to keep to more open roads exposed to sun and wind but could feel back wheel slipping all the time.

vernthemerciless

I also had my first off today, have also been road cycling just under a year.

I made the mistake, with the early morning light shinning in my eyes of thinking the glistening road was just wet. It wasn't and i fell off before I even had a chance to think about it.

I felt lucky I was with the club as i was a bit shaken by the experience and those guys, big-up VCGH, helped calm me down a bit. We were riding in the direction of my house anyway so I climbed back on and pulled off for home, nursing a badly bruised hip and shoulder, at the first opportunity.

Bit of a confidence shaker, as well as putting a dent in my training plans.

"If it sparkles it's ice," will be my mantra in future on mornings like today.

bagpusscp

Yep max icy here as well.Ended up walking for 1/2 a mile.Country lanes a sheet of ice in south Derbyshire.Managed to stay upright ...just.

freehub

I hope tomorrow is different, I wanna ride tomoz, on the transpennine trail too.

batch78

Exactly the same on my club run, couple of slight moments on dark side of roundabouts then puddle which was not icy but road afterwards complete sheet, three of seven went down.

Lucky to have stayed up myself, bent hangers and scuffed jackets all round.

Vern your obviously local, Charlotteville rider myself, Surrey was a nightmare!

Cold clear night again, everyone be careful out there tomorrow

PhilofCas

Theomerchant wrote:

PhilofCas wrote:

2 offs for me this morning too! worst riding conditions i've known, probably went out a bit early in hindsight (7:40), I looked out and thought it was wet, I suppose black ice does look wet ha-ha, mate took a fall too, overall a good character builder

Same time I went out!!. haha I agree!

we weren't the only dingbat's then early doors

mingmong

freehub wrote:

I hope tomorrow is different, I wanna ride tomoz, on the transpennine trail too.

I came off over winter on a 'surfaced' section of the TPT near Wharncliffe Woods. I wasn't moving either! Just put my foot down for a gate stop and found a very slippery bit. Managed to spin the cleat 180deg into my left calf. A nice warm feeling ensued in the area. When I got back 14 miles later I had to peel my leggings off my shin

Beats xmas tele!

Gazzaputt

Lot of people on my club rides yesterday came a cropper on black ice out in Kent.

Did a quick blast out yesterday and thank my lucky stars I didn't come a cropper.

DCowling

I have just gotten my first new road bike for years and had to leave it inside untried as the roads were hellish, went out on MTB and still managed to go a pi$$er on some black ice. This is the 4th time I have been off since christmas ( twice I was dcking about so deserved it ) but the first three was on snow so the landing was not too bad
The upside was that the new bike is a Boardman and had £140 off in a weekend sale

rick_chasey

There's a reason a lot of people are 'fair weather' cyclists.

I only cycle in the winter when it's necessary.

Bikes weren't made for frost and ice!

Pross

Had my first off in years yesterday. Unfortunately I can't blame ice as it was on the velodrome after failing to get off the track before the bank and not having enough speed to stay upright :oops: