Stupid stupid accident...

benjai

So I'm almost too embarrassed to admit this, but I had the most ridiculous fall off the bike on the weekend.

Was pootling around Richmond Park ACW, on the fouth lap, just gone up the hill on the southside, and reach down for the bottle on the seattube. I have a Giant TCR, so the seattube has a cutout to let the rear wheel closer to the front, so the wheel is only about an inch away from the bottle. You can guess what happens next...

My finger somehow gets caught between wheel and frame, and the bike instantly goes over. I get loads of cuts down my left side, and also right palm, but somehow my head doesn't hit the floor which is great. My glove is cut open where my finger got stuck, but somehow, my finger only has a small cut. I feel really lucky that my finger didn't get taken off!

Lucikly three guys where right behind me, so they stayed with me for a while whilst I caught my breath, and even put the chain back on my bike for me (thanks guys!). I somehow also manage to cycle back home to Kew after resting a few more minutes.

Anyone else ever seen this happen?! I don't tend to use the seattube cage much because it always seems to be a bit awkward, now I have to be extra careful!

debeli

I did something very similar.

Descending at some speed (not mad, but 30mph+), I decided to have a glug and while replacing my bottle I tugged (with the bottle I think) on the rear brake cable.

As I was freewheeling at the time, it locked the rear for about a squillionth of a second. But I only had one hand on the bars and the other somewhere under my saddle, so I was not as stable as I might have been. I used quite a lot of tarmac in my wild veering as I 'regained control', but happily the road was free of other traffic.

I stayed on, I didn't drop the bottle and I sweated about 3 Lbs of weight off in the next ten seconds.

The descent is very near my home and on the way back from several favourite rides. I often get a little 'flashback' jump of nerves at the place where it happened.

I'd never done it before and haven't since, during a life of cycling. If I have only one cage, it is always the seat tube one, as I find it (other than on that occasion) far more convenient to use.

I'm glad you weren't too badly hurt.

benjai

Wow glad you were ok! 30mph with a lock sounds scary! I wasn't going quick at all, not even 20mph, but I think the surprise (and pain in my finger) threw me off balance instantly.

Ah, I just realised, when I said downtube, I meant seattube. The downtube one is always more natural and easier to use for me than the seattube one.

arthur_scrimshaw

benjai wrote:

Wow glad you were ok! 30mph with a lock sounds scary! I wasn't going quick at all, not even 20mph, but I think the surprise (and pain in my finger) threw me off balance instantly.

Ah, I just realised, when I said downtube, I meant seattube. The downtube one is always more natural and easier to use for me than the seattube one.

Yes but what we all really want to know is 'how's the bike?'

benjai

Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:

benjai wrote:

Wow glad you were ok! 30mph with a lock sounds scary! I wasn't going quick at all, not even 20mph, but I think the surprise (and pain in my finger) threw me off balance instantly.

Ah, I just realised, when I said downtube, I meant seattube. The downtube one is always more natural and easier to use for me than the seattube one.

Yes but what we all really want to know is 'how's the bike?'

Haha, yes that was my first thought after I managed to open my eyes!! A small scuff to the horn, slightly ripped bartape, and scuffs to quick release levers were all that was suffered. I think even my clothes were ok! Do need new gloves though =(

arthur_scrimshaw

benjai wrote:

Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:

benjai wrote:

Wow glad you were ok! 30mph with a lock sounds scary! I wasn't going quick at all, not even 20mph, but I think the surprise (and pain in my finger) threw me off balance instantly.

Ah, I just realised, when I said downtube, I meant seattube. The downtube one is always more natural and easier to use for me than the seattube one.

Yes but what we all really want to know is 'how's the bike?'

Haha, yes that was my first thought after I managed to open my eyes!! A small scuff to the horn, slightly ripped bartape, and scuffs to quick release levers were all that was suffered. I think even my clothes were ok! Do need new gloves though =(

You have a horn on your bike?

Anyway doesn't sound too bad then and you are ok. Although you say you didn't hit your head make sure you check your helmet for damage as things happen fast and the lid may have done it's job without you realising it.

dj58

Hope you recover well. I don't have that problem with my Defy, however having a compact frame and using 750ml bottles, I find it easy to access the down tube cage, so I always use that up first, then swop the bottle over.

photonic69

I had a stupid accident from a moment's inattention last night and cut a few mm off the end of my thumb and nail. Nasty. Was slightly bike related as I was watching Bike Channel and got distracted. Damn cycling accidents.

bristolpete

DJ58 wrote:

Hope you recover well. I don't have that problem with my Defy, however having a compact frame and using 750ml bottles, I find it easy to access the down tube cage, so I always use that up first, then swop the bottle over.

Side loading cages are the answer to this issue.

dinyull

Good job you were wearing a helmet.

iPete

I wouldn't worry, if recent events are anything to go by, even the Pros manage this one.

A few years back I had a backpack slide down my arm (I know, it wasn't being worn properly) which went straight into the front wheel and over I went. Can thankfully look back and laugh at the stupidity.

fenix

So you missed the bottle and put your hand behind the seat tube? That's a new one to me. As is tugging the brake cable with your bottle. How does that happen?

Glad you both survived anyway!

benjai

Fenix wrote:

So you missed the bottle and put your hand behind the seat tube? That's a new one to me. As is tugging the brake cable with your bottle. How does that happen?

Glad you both survived anyway!

Christ, when you put it that way, it sounds even more stupid then I thought it was.

Just had a salt bath, and shrieked like a little girl....

navrig2

I've posted this before but still not too ashamed to share it again.

After a leisurely trails ride with my missus we were headed back to the car park. She was slightly ahead of me but not cycling fast enough so as I pulled along side her I gave her bum a slap (to encourage to speed up).

She wobbled to her right just as I drew level. The rubber grips on our bikes sort of locked/stuck together. I started to swerve away from her and we both went down like a sack of tatties. I stuck my right arm out just as she and her bike landed on me.

She skinned her knee badly and I broke my radial head (arm).

That was really was a STUPID accident.

(It took the romance out of our romantic weekend away!)

Bobbinogs

Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:

benjai wrote:

Wow glad you were ok! 30mph with a lock sounds scary! I wasn't going quick at all, not even 20mph, but I think the surprise (and pain in my finger) threw me off balance instantly.

Ah, I just realised, when I said downtube, I meant seattube. The downtube one is always more natural and easier to use for me than the seattube one.

Yes but what we all really want to know is 'how's the bike?'

Nah, I know it sounds like a sense of humour failure but when someone has a bad off, the last thing I think about is the bike. I don't give a monkey's about mine in many respects. Having arrived at scenes where some chaps are clearly in a bad way then all that needs to be done to the bike is move it out of the way whilst the emergency services do their thing.

Glad all is well with the OP. I once turned up 5 mins early at a club ride a few years back and decided to pass the time by riding around the block in a general half-arsed manner. Road surface was new and wet, I lost the front wheel and ended up at A&E with a large lump stuck out the back of my shoulder, resulting in 2 ops and 12 weeks off the bike. Bike was fine though. Ho hum.

fenix

I did see a bloke on a racer riding to work the other day. Looked like he had a plastic bag of cakes dangling off the drops.
I was too scared to watch in case it went into his wheel or started to oscillate..

(last time i had a bag on the bars it was video cassettes - they got such a wiggle on I nearly came down. Thank god for streaming !)

scott_w1987

I had a stupid accident on Sunday afternoon. Dog walker walking in the same direction of travel as me decided to cross the road in front of me without even attempting to look. I was descending at 30mph, I stopped instantly on my face! Thankfully the bike was completely unmarked, I have no idea how.

apreading

Ouch!

fat_cat

Sh1t that looks nasty. Hope you heal up quickly.

As the bloke in my LBS put it after my last crash, " you either trash yourself or your bike but seldom both". Needless to say I trashed myself!

sloppyschleckonds

Learning to crash should come before learning to ride

cyclingsheep

Was riding with a mate once who said "watch this" as he popped a wheelie and dropped it onto a coke can hoping to crush it.....he certainly did that as it clamped itself around his front tyre and stopped it dead. I was so glad he gave me the heads up or I might have missed it

cougie

cyclingsheep wrote:

Was riding with a mate once who said "watch this" as he popped a wheelie and dropped it onto a coke can hoping to crush it.....he certainly did that as it clamped itself around his front tyre and stopped it dead. I was so glad he gave me the heads up or I might have missed it

Bloke I knew rode over a can like that once on his Road bike. The crash paralysed him. Don't do it.

caitlincourtney

Glad that you are fine.

DavidJB

scott_w1987 wrote:

I had a stupid accident on Sunday afternoon. Dog walker walking in the same direction of travel as me decided to cross the road in front of me without even attempting to look. I was descending at 30mph, I stopped instantly on my face! Thankfully the bike was completely unmarked, I have no idea how.

Ouch get well soon!

SME

Came off this morning and a car narrowly missed me - thanks to the driver for his skills.

My foot felt loose on the pedal but when I unclipped and checked everything it all seemed OK. A few miles down the road I stopped and went to unclip and couldn't - over I went! The cleat had indeed come loose on the shoe. I think the first time I checked it it must have been 'finger tight' and worked a little looser by the next time.

Of all the bolts I check on the bike...! Well, I'll be checking my shoes more often now. Experience is a harsh teacher!