My first off...
dcomp
Posts: 43
This morning I went out for my 20 mile cycle. I am 7 days in and have been doing this every day to try and get some fitness and power before I start going longer...
This morning was the first morning where I went out following a night of rain: It wasn't raining at the time but roads were very wet indeed.
Anyway, 12 miles in I took a shortcut from one road to another through my local park. I'd got some speed going and last time I looked I was doing 24.5mph...
500 metres from exit was a metal bridge, a slight left turn and then a very small incline...
Major learnings from this morning:
1 - slow down for the metal bridge when it's very wet
2 - do not try to start turning into the corner whilst still on very wet metal bridge
To say it hurt when I landed would be an understatement. I slid for the best part of 30 feet and my bike went further.
4 hours in A & E later I am glad to say that no major damage has been done: I have a very deep cut on my elbow and an even worse one on my left knee along with some minor tendon damage to my patella.
I've just got home to inspect the bike (i didn't fancy dong it after having to walk home with it)....the bike is slightly more damaged than I thought it was...hardly suprising.
My brand new bike is now sporting the grazes of it's first 'down' too...
1 - the rear quick release badly scratched but not damaged any more than that
2 - the left pedal is scratched (although these are being replaced with Keo's this week anyway)
3 - The saddle has a rip in it (really annoyed about this one)
4 - the gear/brake lever is scratched and scuffed...somehow, and for some reason, on both sides.
5 - the small plastic window that covers the gear selected marker (I'm sure there is a technical name for this but I don't know it) is missing from both sides also.
It doesn't appear to have bent anything and the wheels are both still running true fortunately.
Like I said, I appear to have come out of this quite well considering the speed and impact (I'm down 2 stone but I'm 6ft and still a little over 15 stone so it was a solid landing.
Question is, how do I go about replacing the parts on the brakes/gears and do I bother replacing the saddle??
I'm off to take the pain killers donated by my very attractive A & E nurse....it was almost worth falling off to meet her!
This morning was the first morning where I went out following a night of rain: It wasn't raining at the time but roads were very wet indeed.
Anyway, 12 miles in I took a shortcut from one road to another through my local park. I'd got some speed going and last time I looked I was doing 24.5mph...
500 metres from exit was a metal bridge, a slight left turn and then a very small incline...
Major learnings from this morning:
1 - slow down for the metal bridge when it's very wet
2 - do not try to start turning into the corner whilst still on very wet metal bridge
To say it hurt when I landed would be an understatement. I slid for the best part of 30 feet and my bike went further.
4 hours in A & E later I am glad to say that no major damage has been done: I have a very deep cut on my elbow and an even worse one on my left knee along with some minor tendon damage to my patella.
I've just got home to inspect the bike (i didn't fancy dong it after having to walk home with it)....the bike is slightly more damaged than I thought it was...hardly suprising.
My brand new bike is now sporting the grazes of it's first 'down' too...
1 - the rear quick release badly scratched but not damaged any more than that
2 - the left pedal is scratched (although these are being replaced with Keo's this week anyway)
3 - The saddle has a rip in it (really annoyed about this one)
4 - the gear/brake lever is scratched and scuffed...somehow, and for some reason, on both sides.
5 - the small plastic window that covers the gear selected marker (I'm sure there is a technical name for this but I don't know it) is missing from both sides also.
It doesn't appear to have bent anything and the wheels are both still running true fortunately.
Like I said, I appear to have come out of this quite well considering the speed and impact (I'm down 2 stone but I'm 6ft and still a little over 15 stone so it was a solid landing.
Question is, how do I go about replacing the parts on the brakes/gears and do I bother replacing the saddle??
I'm off to take the pain killers donated by my very attractive A & E nurse....it was almost worth falling off to meet her!
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Comments
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Sounds like you've come off relatively well!! Hope you get it all fixed up quickly! We've all got to come off at some point to find out the limit of the conditions/bike/skill, or should I say go past the limit? Haha!
It's all good fun! Anyway, hope you have a speedy recovery! Specialized Secteur Sport 2011
B'Twin Rockrider 8 XC
B'Twin Rockrider 9.10 -
I wouldn't replace anything if it all still works.
In 6 months time when you've really caught the bug you'll be justifying n+1 by the fact that you've been riding the 'old bike' all winter, it's now your winter hack and you're going to by something new and shiny for the summer!
Seriously, the cost of little spare parts will be stupidly expensive. I bet those bits of clear plastic, if you can get them are a fiver each!
If the scuffs on your brake levers are on bare aluminium, the consider polishing them out with some fine emery cloth if they really bother you.0 -
dcomp wrote:
I'm off to take the pain killers donated by my very attractive A & E nurse....it was almost worth falling off to meet her!
Lucky you. when I fractured my radius six weeks ago I was treated by an auxiliary, who I recognised as a ex colleague from the factory I used to work in. He was about 60 and I remembered him as a cantankerous old sod!0 -
Ow! Easily done. Best wishes for a speedy recovery...
Check that your handlebars aren't bent as well if you haven't already; I'm afraid that if they are it's highly recommended to replace them...0 -
Wet metal is lethal! I once went down crossing a metal bridge over a canal. I was doing probably 5mph and braking gently - I turned the bars a little and instantly went straight down.
Nowadays I just wonder why they keep putting manhole covers in places that are impossible to avoid on a bike whilst turning.......Faster than a tent.......0
