I fell off my bike, when did you fall last ?

Dr.No

Fell off the bike this morning after skidding on ice in Cork city. Was on the last downhill stretch into work when the rear wheel slid out and I went down. Slid down the street a few meters. Bike is ok most importantly. I've no major injuries thankfully, apart from a swollen and bruised right elbow. First fall in several years, previous fall I broke my left arm in two places and dislocated my shoulder.

crosstownk

I thought this thread would be busier today. I hope everyone stayed as upright as the quietness of the thread suggests.

I drove to work because I'm a scaredy cat when it comes to ice.

Domane

I fell off my bike twice in one day a few weeks ago, actually within an hour of each fall! The first fall was pure bloody stupid where I clicked my left foot into the pedal instead of my usual habit of right foot first and then I leaned over to the left to push off, forgetting that my left was clicked into the pedal and I fell over, in my driveway, in front of my kids and neighbours. Wiped the skin off my left knee and had blood pouring down my leg. After I'd cleaned up the leg, I tried again and headed off, only to fall again while going round a fast left corner when I hit loose gravel and the bike went out from under me. Thank god for gloves or else I'd have needed a skin graft on my left hand. Needless to say, I tore the fresh scabs open on my left knee and bled profusely all the way home while getting horrified stares from pedestrians who saw my lower left leg covered in blood. The thing that really annoyed me was that I tore a small hole in my saddle during the second fall. First real damage to my bike!

Duckjob

Not a fall, but had a near miss yesterday coming out from town. Head down, doing 35kph+ and following a moment of pure mind-wanderment realised I was heading for the kerb. Turned the front wheel and it skeeshed along the kerb, before wobbling out slightly and then back in to skeesh along it again. Fortunately got enough clearance after the 2nd contact to regain control and continued on in a more attentive manner

That horrible moment where you're not sure whether you'll save the situation or end up in a heap on the road.

jon1981

Duckjob wrote: »

Not a fall, but had a near miss yesterday coming out from town. Head down, doing 35kph+ and following a moment of pure mind-wanderment realised I was heading for the kerb. Turned the front wheel and it skeeshed along the kerb, before wobbling out slightly and then back in to skeesh along it again. Fortunately got enough clearance after the 2nd contact to regain control and continued on in a more attentive manner

That horrible moment where you're not sure whether you'll save the situation or end up in a heap on the road.

35kph ... brave man in those icy road conditions! :eek:

Duckjob

jon1981 wrote: »

35kph ... brave man in those icy road conditions! :eek:

Nah the roads I was on at the time were well thawed. There's potentially slippier parts of the commute that I slow well down for.

Jan Laco

A considerate driver and a lifesaver manoeuvre caused me to crash into the back of a jeep yesterday.

I was heading straight on and a jeep ahead was indicating to get into left lane to turn. It stopped it's turn to let a cyclist ahead pass.

Then it appeared to continue its change of lane so I indicated to turn right onto the lane for straight ahead and looked behind to make sure the car behind wasn't coming up on me.

When I looked forward the jeep was after stopping to let me pass and I smacked into the back of it. Nothing too bad but enough to bend the brake and gear changer section to bend.

RainyDay

Jan Laco wrote: »

A considerate driver and a lifesaver manoeuvre caused me to crash into the back of a jeep yesterday.

I was heading straight on and a jeep ahead was indicating to get into left lane to turn. It stopped it's turn to let a cyclist ahead pass.

Then it appeared to continue its change of lane so I indicated to turn right onto the lane for straight ahead and looked behind to make sure the car behind wasn't coming up on me.

When I looked forward the jeep was after stopping to let me pass and I smacked into the back of it. Nothing too bad but enough to bend the brake and gear changer section to bend.

I've had close shaves in traffic when you look behind to check that it's OK to pull right or left, and you find the car in front hasn't moved on as you expect it to move, and you're a lot closer to it than you'd like.

griffin100

RainyDay wrote: »

I've had close shaves in traffic when you look behind to check that it's OK to pull right or left, and you find the car in front hasn't moved on as you expect it to move, and you're a lot closer to it than you'd like.

Happened to me last summer. Came up behind a slow moving combine, pulled in behind him to let an oncoming car pass, took a quick look over my shoulder to make sure nothing was coming before overtaking and when I turned back the combine had stopped. I ended up having to squeeze the brakes like never before and stopped with the front wheel under the rear of the combine and my face inches from the back. It was my first time ever out on my new DeRosa as well.

funnights74

Domane wrote: »

I fell off my bike twice in one day a few weeks ago, actually within an hour of each fall! The first fall was pure bloody stupid where I clicked my left foot into the pedal instead of my usual habit of right foot first and then I leaned over to the left to push off, forgetting that my left was clicked into the pedal and I fell over, in my driveway, in front of my kids and neighbours. Wiped the skin off my left knee and had blood pouring down my leg. After I'd cleaned up the leg, I tried again and headed off, only to fall again while going round a fast left corner when I hit loose gravel and the bike went out from under me. Thank god for gloves or else I'd have needed a skin graft on my left hand. Needless to say, I tore the fresh scabs open on my left knee and bled profusely all the way home while getting horrified stares from pedestrians who saw my lower left leg covered in blood. The thing that really annoyed me was that I tore a small hole in my saddle during the second fall. First real damage to my bike!

arybvtcw0eolkf

Coming into work one day and I tried to time the barrier so I wouldn't have to click out but I made a bollox of it, but seeing a barrier to my left which I thought was within reach I leaned into that, made a bollox of that too and went on my snot.

I was still clipped in and caught between the bike and barrier and the gate man had to help me up.

So I go into work, pretending nothing happened and sat down for a minute with the lads.. Nothing, silence ~ then suddenly they erupt, I was caught on CCTV.

The fookers were waiting to see would I mention it first.. Feckers.

Kevincavan83

Monday evening trying to break my KOM segment lost the front wheel coming around the roundabout only ended up with busted cheekbone, road rash on my elbow a bruised shoulder and even bigger bruised ego

bikedude

This Wednesday, almost home lost the front wheel on a bend, over ice or oil.

Broken little finger on the left hand, two elbow scratched and road rash on the left upper leg (the most painful bit of it all) and a severelly bruised Ego.

Left hand shifter scratched, shorts ripped and a role in the jacket, glasses broken. Will be off the bike for 2 weeks.

cython

Wednesday evening on the way home, a pedestrian made sure to end up right in front of me by not only walking out in front of me to cross the street in front of stopped cars (light was green to traffic but they couldn't clear the yellow box), but then changed her mind in front of the first car and backpedalled into the cycle lane without looking when I was only a few feet away. Could do nothing but jam on and hit her anyway, albeit slightly slower

2 bright flashing lights (one pulsing at around 800 lumens!) and a high vis still weren't enough for me to be seen, apparently. This on the back of a spill on ice this day last week as well on the way into work. Here's hoping there's no truth to these things coming in threes!

RainyDay

bikedude wrote: »

This Wednesday, almost home lost the front wheel on a bend, over ice or oil.

Broken little finger on the left hand, two elbow scratched and road rash on the left upper leg (the most painful bit of it all) and a severelly bruised Ego.

Left hand shifter scratched, shorts ripped and a role in the jacket, glasses broken. Will be off the bike for 2 weeks.

OK ok we get it, you're wearing shorts in the cold weather, no need to make up a big song and dance story about it ;-)

bikedude

RainyDay wrote: »

OK ok we get it, you're wearing shorts in the cold weather, no need to make up a big song and dance story about it ;-)

If you had legs like mine you would need to show off ;-)!

ted1

Very close to coming off yesterday.

Was cycling through Donnybrook at about 8am and a taxi cut into the bike lane to undertake another car, he sandwhiched me between the car and kerb, body and arm and shoulder were rubbing off the car. I was doing about 28kmh at the time, I managed to slow down as I bounced off the car. If I didn't have 36 holes/spikes on my front wheel I swear it would have collapsed and put me under the other taxi behind me.
I managed to chase the taxi man who was oblivious to having hit me. He could see how shaken up I was and was genuinely very apologetic. I made him promise to use his mirrors in future. I really hope he does.

triggermortis

Came off yesterday morning on ice. Wasn't expecting it as I'd made it as far as the airport (Zurich) with no ice and the airport is usually cleared and gritted by the time I arrive - 7.30 ish.
Slight right hand curve but bike just went from under me. Bruised hip and elbow and tore a seam in my rain shell. Gabba sleeve also got a bit of rash. I slid a fair way on my side but tights survived with hardly a mark.
Cheap Ali Express light battery pack holder ripped, and due to the battery falling the wires got ripped out. Fixed that in work though.
The right shifter needs to be realigned and there's a slight tear in the bar tape but all else seems ok

triggermortis

Came off yesterday morning on ice. Wasn't expecting it as I'd made it as far as the airport (Zurich) with no ice and the airport is usually cleared and gritted by the time I arrive - 7.30 ish.
Slight right hand curve but bike just went from under me. Bruised hip and elbow and tore a seam in my rain shell. Gabba sleeve also got a bit of rash. I slid a fair way on my side but tights survived with hardly a mark.
Cheap Ali Express light battery pack holder ripped, and due to the battery falling the wires got ripped out. Fixed that in work though.
The right shifter needs to be realigned and there's a slight tear in the bar tape but all else seems ok

Weepsie

About an hour ago cycling to work. Went around a corner too fast I'd say, just off Dorset street. There's a speed bump just after the bridge into a cul De sac. It an get very slick/greasy but I was going to fast and just lost the back wheel completely

Being sent for an xray now as my arm is in quite an amount of pain

A thanks to the two concerned passers by.

Alanstrainor

Hope you're alright, it was greasy out there this morning.

nialljf

came off last week (may or may not have involved not clipping out in time). landed on the drive side of the bike and i have an issue. rear derailleur is acting up a bit. it seems like the hanger is bent inwards, and is hitting the spokes when on the lowest ring. sounds heavy when pedalling also, especially when in higher gears. indexing seems fine. any ideas of issue here? is it a case of bending the hanger back out?

Weepsie

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Hope you're alright, it was greasy out there this morning.

Thanks very much. Small fracture a little below elbow unfortunately. No cycling for 4-6 weeks, but really 2 months as I'm away in 6 weeks

cython

nialljf wrote: »

came off last week (may or may not have involved not clipping out in time). landed on the drive side of the bike and i have an issue. rear derailleur is acting up a bit. it seems like the hanger is bent inwards, and is hitting the spokes when on the lowest ring. sounds heavy when pedalling also, especially when in higher gears. indexing seems fine. any ideas of issue here? is it a case of bending the hanger back out?

I don't mean to sound condescending, or abrupt with this, but I can't think of a better way to say this - if you have to ask what's involved for this, then just take the bike to the shop. Hangers can be straightened, but generally to get that right involves a tool like this, it's not too easily eyeballed, and to be honest if it's bent enough there might be concerns about the strength of the hanger when straightened.

The risks of getting it wrong are at a minimum dodgy shifting, and worst case your rear mech gets sucked into the spokes and you damage the mech, hanger, wheel and maybe even your frame.

coach22

First crash today. A car pulled out in front of me as i was flying down a hill in the cycle lane.

Went in to the side of it pretty fast. Hip took most of the impact and I think my head hit the drivers side window.

Got up pretty quick and two people witnessed it who gave me their details. Driver gave me their name, number and insurance details also.

What do I do now? Handlebars look broken and got a small rip in my gabba. Helmet probably needs to be replaced too for peace of mind.

Hopefully the hip isn't too sore tomorrow

Beasty

You should probably get your injuries checked out. If it does not warrant a trip to casualty maybe a trip to something like VHI Swiftcare today or your GP on Monday. Sometimes injury can take some time to show, and the fact you think you hit your head probably warrants some attention.

Any accident involving personal injury is required to be reported to the Gardaí. I would suggest trying to write as much down about what happened as you can recall and paying a visit to your local station

You should be able to claim against his insurance if the driver was so clearly at fault, and your witnesses should help

Weepsie

Second what beasty says, due to this weeks experience. If the mater rapid injury clinic is open (smithfield), GP might refer you there if you ask.

It took 12 hours for signs of my concussion to show about 2 years ago, requiring a second trip to the doc

beauf

Ditto. Knocked off injuries didn't appear for a day or two after. I regret not reporting it.

Last off was about a year ago, got front wheel caught in a gap in the concrete, kinda rolled off the bike. Bent the hanger. Bit bruised. Got off lightly I reckon.

Mercian Pro

Took about two months for my ruptured scaphoid ligament to show up in a MRI scan after going over the roof of a van that turned across me. Luckily I hadn't settled with the insurance company as they were being petty about the value of my deceased bike. By the time it went to the Injuries Board, I had had successful reconstruction surgery and got a very good award. Having a Garda at the scene who spoke with witnesses proved critical.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Took about two months for my ruptured scaphoid ligament to show up in a MRI scan after going over the roof of a van that turned across me. Luckily I hadn't settled with the insurance company as they were being petty about the value of my deceased bike. By the time it went to the Injuries Board, I had had successful reconstruction surgery and got a very good award. Having a Garda at the scene who spoke with witnesses proved critical.

Scaphoid ligament or bone?.. I only ask as I've done my scaphoid bone in a motorbike accident and know how nasty an injury, and surgery it is.