Greasy this am - nearly had an off

t4tomo
t4tomo Posts: 2,643
edited April 2011 in Commuting chat
Was quite slowly turning left this morning in London and must have gone over a metal thingy in the road, as suddenly the bike slipped away from under me.

Luckily its a Brommie ,and I don't have anything so foolish as spds, so managed to hop off ono my left foot and keep hold of the bike with my right hand as it flew out at 90^ before returning to my side, whence I remounted and rode off to the bemusement of some watching pedestrians.

Could have been nasty though, I could have a dose of road rash whilst watching y bike slither across teh road under a lorry.

I wheel span setting off from the next set of lights too.

Did it rain oil last night or normal rain?
Bianchi Infinito CV
Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Ultegra
Brompton S Type
Carrera Vengeance Ultimate Ltd
Gary Fisher Aquila '98
Front half of a Viking Saratoga Tandem

Comments

  • Pufftmw
    Pufftmw Posts: 1,941
    I kinda did that on a motorbike once. Someone changed the oil but didn't put in a new crush washer in the sump plug so it came off and pee'd oil out onto the rear wheel. I hadn't realised and did a left 90 turn (fortunately at slow speed) & was surpised to find the back overtaking me :shock: :shock: :shock:

    I was on the front brake so I turned into the skid, put my feet down and ended up astride the bike facing the opposite way to which I had entered the turn...

    Happened to another bloke I know and he wasn't quite so fortunate and ended up taking out the GO LEFT chevrons on a major roundabout and breaking his leg/arm in several places :(
  • pete54
    pete54 Posts: 488
    It's probably just rain. Those drain covers are very slippery when wet. Avoid turning on one at all costs.
  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    a mate almost lost it on the way in yesterday - brand new tarmac laid down last week on a roundabout (new build estate) and this was the first rain on it,

    Almost the perfect storm for a greasy slide - and him clipped in :? He managed to keep it together which was a good thing for him as there was a car tight up behind him which would've had no chance of stopping if he had come off :evil:
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
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  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,485
    Spilt diesel or oil? There's a lot of it around.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • Noticed a lot of oily patches on my run in today, must be more common after a long period of dry.
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    Noticed a lot of oily patches on my run in today, must be more common after a long period of dry.
    This. Hasn't rained for weeks round here
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  • MonkeyMonster
    MonkeyMonster Posts: 4,628
    JonGinge wrote:
    Noticed a lot of oily patches on my run in today, must be more common after a long period of dry.
    This. Hasn't rained for weeks round here

    London can produce that weird black slick stuff when it rains a little I think due to all the traffic exhaust. Fecking slippy it is too. Its worse when it rains just a little rather than a lot I find.
    Le Cannon [98 Cannondale M400] [FCN: 8]
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  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,485
    JonGinge wrote:
    Noticed a lot of oily patches on my run in today, must be more common after a long period of dry.
    This. Hasn't rained for weeks round here

    London can produce that weird black slick stuff when it rains a little I think due to all the traffic exhaust. Fecking slippy it is too. Its worse when it rains just a little rather than a lot I find.

    Indeed. I and my bike were covered in it this morning (omitted to refit my raceblades). Sun's out now though :D
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • mtb-idle
    mtb-idle Posts: 2,179
    yup, same here. After weeks of riding in the dry it was a shock to have to remember to watch out for all the road furniture, steel drain covers, painted road markings etc.

    Also had a 'tan line' on my shin when I took off my socks from all the grime flicked up even though I have full length 'guards
    FCN = 4
  • As others have said, when it has been dry for a while and then rains, the water can mix with the crap on the roads and leave a greasy film. It's always good to be cautious after a long dry spell when it rains.
    "That's it! You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college! " - Homer
  • fossyant
    fossyant Posts: 2,549
    As others have said, when it has been dry for a while and then rains, the water can mix with the crap on the roads and leave a greasy film. It's always good to be cautious after a long dry spell when it rains.

    +1...........
  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    Came even more cautiously around the same corner this am - there is a double iron cover thingy. Must have been a combo of that and the "first rain for a while" syndrome
    Bianchi Infinito CV
    Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Ultegra
    Brompton S Type
    Carrera Vengeance Ultimate Ltd
    Gary Fisher Aquila '98
    Front half of a Viking Saratoga Tandem