Crashed and burned, learned a valuable lesson.

esoteric · 30 Jun 2022 at 18:23

Been riding my bike to work for 4 weeks, this is after about 25 years being off a bike so it's been pretty tough especially on my quads. I had the last two weeks off the bike due to the rear axle failing because of dead bearings, then it turned out the rear rim was stuffed so needed a new rim. Both items out of stock which is why it took two weeks.

Yesterday I was back on the bike and after having two weeks recovery I was having some powerful rides and my quads are feeling great. Riding home tonight the traffic lights were in my favour so on this down hill road I was able to go flat out and was doing about 35mph to 40mph. Realizing I was going to fast to travel the roundabout safely I hit the brakes locking up my wheels and I couldn't turn enough and hit the curb and when I stopped rolling I was about 15ft away from my bike. Luckily I flew over the pavement and landed on the very tall uncut grass on the other side which cushioned my somersaults and I wear a packed backpack too which helped. What's great is a car stopped to check on me and the driver was a first aider and another car stopped to check also.

I have no major injuries, I have a graze on wrist and my right side torso is a teeny bit sore. The new back wheel though which cost me £50 2 days ago.. buckled :cry:

Slam62 · 30 Jun 2022 at 18:32

Bloody cyclists

azazl187 · 30 Jun 2022 at 18:36

I don't really get it. When was the burning part?

Kenai · 30 Jun 2022 at 18:38

azazl187 said:
I don't really get it. When was the burning part?

When he got home and threw his bike on a bonfire shouting "I'm never riding again".

Probably.

Hotwired · 30 Jun 2022 at 18:48

azazl187 said:
I don't really get it. When was the burning part?

Maybe there's a couple of flat spots on his tyres now.

esoteric · 30 Jun 2022 at 19:05

Slam62 said:
Bloody cyclists

I'm not a cyclist I'm a commuter :cry:

azazl187 said:
I don't really get it. When was the burning part?

Kenai said:
When he got home and threw his bike on a bonfire shouting "I'm never riding again".

Probably.

I'm definitely riding again, I don't want to pay these petrol prices. While I was off the bike £30 got me 8 days of driving

Hotwired said:
Maybe there's a couple of flat spots on his tyres now.

Tyres are fine

just the back rim is buckled. I lifted the front so that rim is okay.

arknor · 7 Jul 2022 at 23:31

35+ on a bike I find scary just the noises coming from the bike are enough to make me want to slow down

fez · 8 Jul 2022 at 09:10

arknor said:
35+ on a bike I find scary just the noises coming from the bike are enough to make me want to slow down

What noises is your bike making at that speed? To be honest, its quite hard to find many places around me to go faster than 40mph without it just being dangerous due to sharp bends and the like. The bike is fine with it, my sense of safety, not so much.

esoteric · 22 Sep 2022 at 14:08

I fell off again.

Last Sunday I put my SPD pedals on and tried my cleats for the first time at the local green and only fell off twice. After that ride I forgot to check my cleats and do them up nice and tight being happy with the position they are in. Yesterday I went out for my first proper road ride in my cleats and felt something was wrong, when I got home and checked I noticed the cleats were twisted and the scews were coming undone. Today I reset the cleats and screwed them nice and tight and went back to the park to retest them and good thing I did before I went out on the road because now I twist out to unclip instead of in. Happy with the results I decided to head home so I went out the opposite end of the green which is a very steep but a few metres climb which I had to get off the saddle to climb and even then I was nervous near the top with the gear I was in. The next issue is the next hill straight after that climb which has steps either side of a grass patch, I was going to turn around then noticed if I climb on the grass I can get to the top and join onto the top step so off I went and in a suitable gear this time. I got 80% of the way up and lost traction on the back wheel and wheel span and the chain slipped and I can fall left on the concrete or right onto the grass, destiny chose the path. I landed on my wrist which now hurts a lot, somehow during the fall I unclipped so I also rolled once and the best bit was a car had just pulled up so there was someone to witness my fall, or so I thought. As I lay there sensing my body for damage and hearing the chugging of the car engine I was expected to hear a "Are you okay?" but there was nothing, I lay there for maybe 20 seconds before I feel okay to get up, I look at the car to see a women looking down at her lap. I don't know if she somehow missed my fall or just ignored me. I walked for minute then got back on the saddle and rode home to do the all important post it on the internet.

Sinbad2000 · 22 Sep 2022 at 14:32

esoteric said:
I fell off again.

Last Sunday I put my SPD pedals on and tried my cleats for the first time at the local green and only fell off twice. After that ride I forgot to check my cleats and do them up nice and tight being happy with the position they are in. Yesterday I went out for my first proper road ride in my cleats and felt something was wrong, when I got home and checked I noticed the cleats were twisted and the scews were coming undone. Today I reset the cleats and screwed them nice and tight and went back to the park to retest them and good thing I did before I went out on the road because now I twist out to unclip instead of in. Happy with the results I decided to head home so I went out the opposite end of the green which is a very steep but a few metres climb which I had to get off the saddle to climb and even then I was nervous near the top with the gear I was in. The next issue is the next hill straight after that climb which has steps either side of a grass patch, I was going to turn around then noticed if I climb on the grass I can get to the top and join onto the top step so off I went and in a suitable gear this time. I got 80% of the way up and lost traction on the back wheel and wheel span and the chain slipped and I can fall left on the concrete or right onto the grass, destiny chose the path. I landed on my wrist which now hurts a lot, somehow during the fall I unclipped so I also rolled once and the best bit was a car had just pulled up so there was someone to witness my fall, or so I thought. As I lay there sensing my body for damage and hearing the chugging of the car engine I was expected to hear a "Are you okay?" but there was nothing, I lay there for maybe 20 seconds before I feel okay to get up, I look at the car to see a women looking down at her lap. I don't know if she somehow missed my fall or just ignored me. I walked for minute then got back on the saddle and rode home to do the all important post it on the internet.

/runs away

illuz · 22 Sep 2022 at 14:45

esoteric said:
I fell off again.

Last Sunday I put my SPD pedals on and tried my cleats for the first time at the local green and only fell off twice. After that ride I forgot to check my cleats and do them up nice and tight being happy with the position they are in. Yesterday I went out for my first proper road ride in my cleats and felt something was wrong, when I got home and checked I noticed the cleats were twisted and the scews were coming undone. Today I reset the cleats and screwed them nice and tight and went back to the park to retest them and good thing I did before I went out on the road because now I twist out to unclip instead of in. Happy with the results I decided to head home so I went out the opposite end of the green which is a very steep but a few metres climb which I had to get off the saddle to climb and even then I was nervous near the top with the gear I was in. The next issue is the next hill straight after that climb which has steps either side of a grass patch, I was going to turn around then noticed if I climb on the grass I can get to the top and join onto the top step so off I went and in a suitable gear this time. I got 80% of the way up and lost traction on the back wheel and wheel span and the chain slipped and I can fall left on the concrete or right onto the grass, destiny chose the path. I landed on my wrist which now hurts a lot, somehow during the fall I unclipped so I also rolled once and the best bit was a car had just pulled up so there was someone to witness my fall, or so I thought. As I lay there sensing my body for damage and hearing the chugging of the car engine I was expected to hear a "Are you okay?" but there was nothing, I lay there for maybe 20 seconds before I feel okay to get up, I look at the car to see a women looking down at her lap. I don't know if she somehow missed my fall or just ignored me. I walked for minute then got back on the saddle and rode home to do the all important post it on the internet.

Have you considered giving up cycling?

esoteric · 22 Sep 2022 at 16:22

@illuz Never! never surrender!

@Sinbad2000 I want to say training wheels wouldn't have helped the situation but those are some chunky bois :cry: