Road riding falls

[SadieKate]

Just wondering about falls on the road only and not in a race - just recreational or training rides.

Would you describe them as newbie-type falls or $hit happens kind of falls?

[DrBee]

I fell once on my hybrid when turning around (after the dog chase) in big chunky white gravel.

I fell once on my roadbike (after that @#%! woman nearly obliterated me) - well, that was the crash which was fairly significant.

[Bikingmomof3]

That is an easy one for me. Riding clipless! I was having a splendid ride, stopped to get a drink and chat with my husband. I unclipped right first, when I usually unclip left. So, when my left leg went to stand, I fell, since it was still clipped. Sadly, that has happened not once, not twice, but three times. sigh

[bikerz]

Six-time-slow-motion-tip-over-veteran!

(Should I vote 6 times?)

[dachshund]

I used to bike to work a lot. One time a woman opened her car door into me. I was concentrating on the bus going by and didn't see the door open. The end of the door caught my foot and I flew through the air.

Another time I was behind a car making a left turn. A pedestrian stopped in front of the driver, which I didn't realize. He stopped, and I plowed into the back of his car. I went over the handlebars and landed on the trunk. The driver apparently didn't hear the thud that this created, and drove off. I then hit the pavement.

I was probably 22 years old when these happened, and the force of gravity didn't affect me quite as much then as it does now. :)

[dachshund]

I also had the obligatory beginner clipless fall... slowly stop and fall over.

[SadieKate]

Hey, all you lurkers! An awful lot of viewing and not a lot of voting. The best result comes from a large statistical sampling.

Don't be shy!

[SadieKate]

228 views and 8 votes? I'm going to start lurking on "who's on line" and calling out names of you slackers that look and don't vote. :cool: :D

Come on! My assumption is that most most falls are low speed and not career ending. Sure $hit happens. It happens in all sports and daily life. Is my assumption true? Can we reassure the timid that they can persevere and enjoy the ride?

[xeney]

I have only fallen twice. Once was a low speed tip over the first time I used toe clips, and the other was a sideways slide on some rotten leaves. The second one hurt a lot more.

[Brandy]

Low speed tipper-overer here!

[Veronica]

I voted!

Only one fall so far. Kim saw it. It was our last day of the Yellowstone tour and my pedals were filthy...

That's why my knee warmers have a patch.

V.

[Kalidurga]

So far, I've only had one tip-over in less than a month since going clipless. Similar to bmo3: Clipped out the left foot (the one I put down first) as I slowed coming towards a bench. Braced my arms, pulled on the front brake, shifted my weight forward to ease off the saddle, and somehow leaned too much to the right. Since the right foot was still clipped...

Sad thing was, I had just had my handlebars perfectly re-taped, and the right bar tape is now gashed from scraping the side of the bench :(

Since the question specified road riding, can I mention the two times I slid and fell in the mud on the C&O Canal towpath after heavy rain?

[winddance]

I voted, too!

I tipped over trying to start uphill.

[Kitsune06]

I voted. My most recent crash was Wednesday, actually. Panicked and slammed on the brakes. Usually I can pull sideways into a slide-stop with [relative] grace. However, this was on gravel. Loose gravel. With Spot barking and tearing after me, I pull sideways and extend my leg... but I'm going too fast (and the brakes aren't helping, because of the gravel) so I crash onto one leg and panic (more) because I'm having a hard time getting up, and the dog's still behind me. He panicked when he saw me wipe and ran off (always does... but I'm always so afraid of what might happen should he catch me someday) ugh. Still dealing with the gravel roadrash. I just hope all the 'holes' look right when they heal.:(

[SouthernBelle]

My only real crash was in April. Sunday morning in the park. I had told my self not to ride there anymore, too many children. Sure enough I dodged a child, went left when I shoulda went right. Hit a cornered curb. Front wheel went over the first part of the curb, but not the second. Of course I kept going, up and over, and came down in the parking lot with my left arm underneath me, which broke my ribs and gave me a big old hematoma on my arm. Thank goodness for the helmet because the next day I realized I had a knot on my head too.

People came rushing up, thinking I had broken my shoulder. All I could do was try to gasp, "ribs, ribs." I was very proud of myself. My first complete sentence was to ask if my bike was OK. Some very nice people loaded my bike and took me home after I declined an ambulance (which really wasn't a good move as I came to find out.)

This is what taught me to carry my cell.

[Nanci]

I'm not a slacker!!! I am still awaiting my first serious crash. I had a tip-over in June that still really frikin' hurts when I kneel on that knee...

[weathergal]

My crash (as an adult) was sliding out on a patch of gravel when taking a turn. That was 3 years ago, and to this day I still get kind of freaked out about gravel on the road.

Despite having my clipless pedels for over a year, I still haven't done the slow motion tip over thing, although I've come close. Of course, having said that I'll probably forget to clip out the next time I ride. :)

[Denise223]

I voted. Sideways low speed tip over.

[mimitabby]

not counting the slow speed blunders, two falls, one because i turned too hard
on uneven pavement, the other, because i couldnt decide which way to go i fell down on a curb cut.
The slow ones are just stupid.. so half and half.

[KSH]

Fell over on my side... on a very slick muddy road. Once the brakes were applied the bike just slipped out from under me.

The damage to myself and my bike were minimal... and I was very lucky.

[DebW]

No clipless tip-overs. One over-the-bars accident in May 2005 that broke my collarbone. I'm assuming it was over-the-bars because I came to 6 feet from the road with a bumped head, a broken collarbone, and dirt ground into my jersey on the back of my shoulder. It was my own d##m fault too - wasn't watching the road and (I presume) hit the curb.

The only other accidents which I'm not counting because they were decades ago were (1) a toe clip and cleat tipover back in the old days when the cleat was nailed to your shoe and you had to loosen the strap by hand to get out, and (2) getting hit by a slow-moving car on a 3-speed (minor damage to me, bent the bike).

[PinkBike]

i voted! no slo-mo falls from the clipless pedals, but went down hard approaching a street light, my front wheel went into the groove between asphalt and sidewalk - as it will do!! - lotsa road rash but nothing major. i've watched my DH fall from the same thing and once from riding thru a dark parking lot hitting a median he never saw. my old bike commuter buddy also did the front-wheel-in-a-road-groove thing, he went over the bars. never anything serious.

[rheidis73]

Just wondering about falls on the road only and not in a race - just recreational or training rides.

Would you describe them as newbie-type falls or $hit happens kind of falls?

Yep, mine was riding clipless the first time. I totally forgot that I was clipped in and feel over like a ton of rock. The second time it happened, I was in the road (no cars luckily) and I hurried to get off my butt and pretend nothing happened! I had the biggest bruise on my hip for days...but of course, that was at a slow speed...

[withm]

3 falls that I can remember. One was a "right hook" - hit by a car many years ago. One fall test riding a new bike - it had clipless, but don't remember if I had bike shoes or was riding in tennis shoes.

Then the official obligatory FALL when I put clipless on my my own bike. And when I realized I was going to fall, I announced "I'm going to fall," did just that, after saying a few choice words I just broke out laughing. There I was laying on my back with the bike between my legs, STILL CLIPPED IN WITH BOTH FEET. And I didn't have a prayer of getting out of the pedals. Well I suppose I could have gotten the shoes off and crawled out. Fortunately I was with others, and one rider was able to lift the bike up so I could get the right angle to unclip A car stopped, and the people ran out to see if I needed help and I was laughing so hard they didn't know what to think. I was pathetic!. I almost wish someone had a camera that day. LOL. Anyway I dusted myself off and did the rest of the ride. When I got home I did discover a small bit of road rash. Didn't rip the tights but ripped up my leg when the end of the handlebar hit it. I was still laughing about it so at least I provided great entertainment for the group that day.

So I guess "most" of my falls go into the "slow speed timber" category. I hope that's the last one cause falling hurts more when you get older. :(

[terpin]

I've had two of the "early days of clipless" falls. The first one I was stopping on purpose and totally forgot I was clipless. I just went side ways onto the curb. The other time I lost momentum on a hill.

[mimitabby]

not counting the falls people have because of clipping in or out, it looks like most falls happen AFTER people have slowed down or... before they speed up.
Sounds good. that's why we're still all riding!
:D

[bcipam]

I have had falls for various reasons. The worse occurred 7/4/2003. I had ridden 36 miles to Huntington Beach to watch the 4th of July parade. After was riding home (the ride total was around 50 miles) when I slowed for a red light. I didn't notice that in the bike lane there was a mound of asphalt. I was going so slow that the bike just went sideways and I was launched over the bars, landed on my head and knocked myself out, continued onto my shoulder breaking my collarbone. The whole adventure was not good. I ended up in the hospital disoriented, sweaty, in icky bike clothes. Had I been speeding and ran the light I wouldn't have fallen. Oh well.

PS: I had surgery November 2005 to repair the collarbone fx which did not heal and also now have a permanent brain injury - fun huh?

And yes I am an experienced rider. Never fell as a newbie.

[bike4ever]

I had two minor clipless falls ions ago. My worst was in April when I slipped on mud and slid forever. That was a broken wrist, bruised cheek, bruised hip and broken helmet. I voted for the slide out since it had the most impact on me. I don't count the clipless tips as falls - just my stupidity.:o

[oxysback]

I voted!

My first fall was about a year after I got clipless pedals. It was the old "have one foot out but end up leaning the other way" type of fall. My second fall (just last year) was because of me being stupid and trying out my front brake. Duh!! No injuries on either one...not counting pride, of course!

[yellow]

I voted sideways slide, but it was really something inbetween tip over and slide. :p

One fall on my road bike (countless on the mtn bike). I was at the bottom of a hill and in too low of a gear. Started to mash, hit some gravel, and slid out sideways. I wasn't going very fast, but it wasn't a tip over.

[Lifesgreat]

As a child, my most memorable fall involved trying to use a jump rope to steer my bike.

As an adult, ALL my falls involved uncooperative clipless pedals.

[DeniseGoldberg]

I'd classify my only really bad crash as a "sometimes **** happens" kind of thing. Unfortunately due to head injuries I'm missing the actual memory of that occurrence, but my suspicion is that I somehow hit a crack in the road wrong (as in my tire got stuck...). I can't really imagine how that happened, but something stopped my bike in her tracks.

--- Denise

[Bad JuJu]

Slow motion tipover grrl here. But mine had to do with getting used to actual toeclips rather than clipless pedals.

I had just started riding with toeclips and straps, learned how to route the straps in the buckles so I could tighten them by pulling up on them after I got moving, and I even got the tension dialed in so the clip/strap/pedal would hold my foot well enough to ride but I could still get it out by wiggling my foot backward, without reaching down to loosen the strap. Well I thought I was the smartest thing on the road and was just having a grand old time.

Then, I slowed for a stop and...simply forgot about the clips entirely. Wham! On the ground and feeling foolish, but nothing bruised other than my pride. So I learned the not-too-hard way to remember to pull my foot out of the clip before stopping.

[maillotpois]

Every which way but loose...?

I've probably had 5 falls, only one of them a low speed tip over and due more to inattention than a clipless issue as I'd been riding cliplesson a MTB for 4 years by then. Here are the other ones I can remember, roughly in order:

1. 2002 - Rode into a pole at the Tahoe century whil so captivated by the singing and poetry of the person I was riding with (a dear friend and TNT honoree) that I failed to notice the ONLY ONE of the darned poles they left in the bike path. Endo'ed and almost landed on my feet.

2. 2002 - Touched a wheel on Silverade at about 24 mph in a tight pack. I've touched wheels a bunch of times, and this is my only fall - due probably to complete exhaustion, dehydration, inability to recover (it was high 90's and we'd sone about 95 miles of a Death Ride training ride. Bent bars, scraped up. Nothing serious.

3. 2005 - Rode into a ditch in the midst of an 85 miler in sideways driving rain on Hwy. 1. Again probably due to exhaustion, inability to recover. Maybe I just wanted a nap. It was nice soft grass!! No injury or bike damage.

4. 2005 - coaching Tucson race (El Tour de Tucson for TNT - the only one I really do as a race). NEVER AGAIN. At mile ONE, Newbie rider crashed right in front of me as he shrieked like a little girl and locked his brakes trying to avoid that SCARY water bottle that rolled across the road. I could have avoided the water bottle but not the 200 pound cylist. I went down, hard and ended up DNF-ing that race after about 40 miles because my back was killing me. That one was the hardest recovery - for months my back hurt on climbs. No bike damage.

I think that's it. My husband jokes that I crash a lot - I really don't - I just crash dramatically. Seems like most are due to pushing myself so hard that I am beyond my ability to recover from silly things.

For 5 years of serious riding (3000 - 6000 miles per year), that pretty good I think.

[Lise]

I'm going to take the risk of jinxing myself here.

If I wipe out in my tri next week, we'll know the real cause, won't we? ;)

OK.

I have not fallen off my bike since high school. I had two falls, both riding whatever cheap, skinny tired bike I had back then. (It was the 70s) One was a wipe out on ice on the way to school. I arrived all scraped up under my jeans. I guess it was probably early spring, with patches of ice still on the streets. I took a corner and .... down! The other was riding to work at a small bookstore, where I'd be the only employee in that day. Again, skinny tired bike. Rutted dirt path. Tire went one way, I went the other. Landed on the left side of my face. Nobody wore helmets back then, come to think of it. I was a mess, and I went to work anyway, tried to clean myself up as best I could. I can't remember how I got home. The bike was OK. Maybe I even rode home. I ended up needing derm treatment for infections on my face from the dirt. I've got three small scars to prove it. :cool:

I've had a couple of near misses with the clip ins, but have always gotten out in time.

Sooo...how to vote? That's one sideways slide and one over the bars.

[Geonz]

Welp, the question was a little scary - "the majority of your falls" - sounds like they happen all the time!!!
My falls generally have a good reason, though not necessarily something I could change. In hmmm... definitely over 20,000 miles of riding:
- moved to sidewalk in a drizle when an ambulance was coming... went over wet RR tracks... does that count as side-slide or side-tip? Graceless splat that owuld have hurt the noggin proper w/o helmet.
- Fall on the ice and snow during the "Illini Chill" - defies category since I'm not sure I was upright anyway :-) WHen you fall into snow it doens't matter, though my keys were in my pocket and left a bruise and a hole in my sweats.
- Tip and splat going 5 mph carrying something and hitting a stick.
-over-the-bars... when the club said "Sue, you *gotta* see how fast you could go on a lighter bike!" and we didn't consider that a higher quality bike would have higher quality brakes... hello, gravel!
... but then, there were the roughly 15 falls that I *caused* in that messy clumpline I didn't realize (newbie thing) I was in, when the bike in front of me lost her light and I hit the brakes jsut hard enough to bring 'em all down behind me... I didn't go down at all, of course, 'cause it's the one in back who bumps wheels who goes down!

[Fredwina]

I think SK has jinxed me!
Today I was in 25mph paceline, crossed wheels, and have pretty new blue sling for my left arm (fractured Humerus)
My previous worst fall (which resulted in a Ambulance ride). Descend at 30 - hit a patch of gravel - slid out. Problem here was I wear clip-on over prescription glasses and the cut me to where I was bleeding bad enough that I could not see out of one eye. Had about 10 stitches (Knee got banged up pretty bad), Broke a finger, and destroyed a helmet.
I've never gone over the bars, and I used to do a lot of mountain biking. I remember think today That maybe should have gone OTB (The tandem couple I was with Can drop pro women(I.e. Amber Nieben) with ease. we had been going 20, but had attracted a few wheel suckers, and I think Tom and Sue upped the pace to shake them

[Jenerator]

With a sample set of only 4 road crashes (that I remember) I voted for every which way...thought I could have gone with variations on slow & high speed slides...

I'm not sure of the first, it may have been over the bars, or it may have been a high-speed slide. I was 5 or 6 at the time, the hill was steep, there was gravel, I hit the coaster brakes hard before trying to take the corner at the bottom. I got a bunch of stiches in my head and a scolding from a neighbor for damaging the curb with my head. (before the new scolding starts, it was the reckless 60's...I don't think they had bike helmets for kids then)

The second and third were variations of the slide, one from my rack coming un-bolted and getting jammed in my spokes, the second cornering on ice.

The 4th was the obligatory slow speed tip when getting used to clipless pedals.

[light_sabe_r]

The one crash... hit the gutter and Fell off right side... SLID on the road and still have a palm sized scar on my right calf... It's fading to look more like a birthmak

[deedolce]

Yah, hard to count those silly tip over falls, being clipped in. How many have I had?? 4 or 5? And many close calls where a desperate yank of the foot has saved me.

My one fall in motion was my own newbie fault for trying to get as close to the edge as possible instead of asserting my presence on the road, and letting this sedan 'think' it could squeeze it, me, and the giant tomato truck coming the other way with no bike lane on a narrow country road. My tire fell off the edge of the hardstuff and into the soft gravel, and I slid for a while, kissing asphalt. Road rash on my cheek (hey! It erased some wrinkles!) and messed up my hand. I limped the 5 miles back home, shaking. Got a cell phone that week!

[massbikebabe]

Sadie;

Before my stroke I did an awesome fall to the right, rolled onto my back and got my bike over me so it would not get scratched. My son thought it was the best fall he ever saw. Then there was the fall backwards onto my arse trying to do a pop-wheelie fall. These days when I feel strong enough to get on my bike I fall off to the left all the time, (this bein my stroke side). I also drive my bike to the left and go looking for crashes, (not on purpose):mad:
So I am an everywhich way faller, but mostly because life happens!!!!!


karen

[Tater]

Road bike wipe outs? Three. First was the obligatory unclip failure after switching to clipless pedals. Second was a slow-mo tip over in Yellowstone, eighteen miles into a metric. (I think I was looking for my friend, turned the handlebars one way and my body went the other.) Third was dog induced. Avoided one, but the down stroke of my left pedal caught the second one in the head and I went down. Now I have the same problem as Nanci, my knee still bothers me to kneel down on it and that incident happened at the beginning of May!
Mountain bike wipe outs? I lost count a long time ago!

[Kitsune06]

My endos were stupid learning experiences. My first was when I was a kid and wanted to hear the 'pingpingpingping' sound I figured my shoe would make on the spokes of my bike's front wheel :o

The latest was probably dumber... I was playing at doing trials stuff, and after doing a near-trackstand, I got going a little and tried doing a stoppie. Oh, I stopped alright. The back of the bike came up, I came off the saddle and was promptly straddling the top tube and handlebars with feet not quite reaching the ground. >< OHOHHHWWWOWWWWWW!!!:eek:

...uh... yeah. I looked around and made sure no one was there to see, then promptly scooted. Haven't tried THAT since! :rolleyes:

[Leonne]

My first fall was a simple, in place and fall over because I clipped in and then put to much weight on that side and just fell over. My boyfriend just laughed. It was pretty funny. But made me sad to see the first scratched on my bike.

[arnaew]

My only claim is the slow topple over sideways. My SO had just fitted a compact crank to my bike, and like a complete tosser, I took it for its first trial up the Gorge Road to Kangaroo Creek Dam, thinking 'hey, a compact crank will get me up these hills that I couldn't get up before!' (Adelaide South Australia is on the plains with the ocean on side and nothin' but hills on the others - if you want to get out of town, you have to climb.) So I'm climbing up an 8% gradient, come to one of those revolting turns around the cliff face that gets even steeper as you turn, change down to my new lowest gear and whack! it slips out of that gear and back to the higher one with an almighty jolt. I'm firmly clipped in and, will admit, am only doing about 6kph (very slooow) - the whack and subsequent jerk of the bike shifts my centre of gravity, my left cleat snaps out of the pedal, the bike is angled to the turn, I can't slide back in so can't pedal, going any slower means I fall over sideways - and of course I do. Wearing 3/4 knicks, so only have bitumen rash on my right calf, but oww! SO was pretty concerned about the new cranks... looked after me too, and adjusted us both beautifully.


Incidentally: massbikebabe, I note you wrote you fell on your "arse". I thought Americans always said/wrote "***". Is this a New England thing or is it just pronunciation vs spelling?

[im4smiley]

I too have had the clipless stumbles, I call them stumbles cause I never really fell, I did ride with some people once that I had never ridden with and one girl was very nervous riding in the road. we had to stop wait for traffic to stopp so we could cross a road and when it was clear we were all bunched up crossing and she just stopped I was in back of her, caught her back wheel and we went down kind of slipping sideways down the little incline. We were ok, her bike ok, my shifter hit the ground...not ok had to replace it.

[East Hill]

All right SadieKate, you have brought me out into the open with the call to slackers!

My first, and so far only, significant fall occurred when I was still foolish enough to think that riding on the sidewalk was safer than riding in the road. I hit a large bump in the concrete, but due to my slow speed (I was on a beach cruiser) did not perform an endo, just fell off sideways. Still managed to get my left knee quite bloody, and the scars remain to this day--almost ten years later.

East Hill

[newfsmith]

Falls that have done me damage:
1) First spring morning ride without studded tires, I rode through spring run-off on my way to work in the morning & found the skim of ice under the water. My wheels went left, bike & I went right & landed on my right shoulder, with my feet still clipped in. Slight AC separation, bike fine.
2) New Symmetry set up with flat bars. Took it out for it's very first ride and couldn't unclip, landed on my left elbow. 3 weeks later, when I still couldn't extend my elbow I had rads & learned I had cracked the head of my radius. A few months later I developed a "frozen" left shoulder, probably secondary to the fracture.
3) New Felt with first drop bars I had ridden in 15 years. I was approaching a line of traffic stopped for a red-light, went for the top of the bars to brake out of habit, and came up with 2 fist-fuls of nothing. Panic stop with no control & fell to right. I was wearing tights, which didn't tear, but sure tore me on my right knee, leaving a dark tatoo.
4) Casual ride with my husband while on vacation, looked back to find him, looked forward to see a rock, slow swerve and fall to left, landing on left knee. I didn't even skin my knee. Got up & rode back to camp with DH, then went out & did a couple hill repeats. The next morning my knee was so swollen I had trouble getting out of the sleeping bag. Wound up cutting vacation short, spent a week with my knee in an immobilizer, and took 3 weeks to be able to commute both ways again.
5) Nearing the Provincetown finish of the PMC this year I was turning left for the Family Finish when the rider in front of me realized he needed to go the other way to get to the Inn & made a U-turn in front of me. I swerved to avoid him, but ran out of road and hit the deep sand. Partial tear of ligaments in my right thumb, still wearing Spica splint. Also did something dramatic to my front brakes, the quick release won't lock. I had to do some cable adjustment to get enough braking ability to be able to finish the ride. Bike is in the LBS for post crash check and repair.

So, it is quite clear that my road skills are not great, I tend to ride faster than I should, I'm easily distracted, and I don't plan bail-outs enough. I would like to go to a Ride NoHo clinic to improve on that, but in the meantime I guess I have to say, "ride with me at your own risk."

[GLC1968]

I almost replied that I'd never fallen :eek: when I remembered my two stupid falls while reading everyone else's responses. They are so embarassing, that I think I blocked them out.

They were both during the MS Bike Tour ride last fall.

The first happened at the top of this HUGE local hill. I felt really strong, so I virtually flew up the hill and passed tons of people. I get to the top, all proud of myself, and when my husband catches up and tries to tell me that I'm turning the wrong way. I felt the need to point out which arrows I was following. As I went to point out the correct arrow, I drove right off the road onto the gravel shoulder and completely skidded out. Of course, by this time, all the people I'd passed on the hill were at the top just in time to see me do it. :o Other than a couple of scratches to my bike, I was fine.

The other time, was AFTER the ride was over. I was riding down this cement path to the parking lot where our car was (and there were tons of people milling around) when my wheel slipped into the opening between the cement blocks and just stopped moving. There was nothing I could do as I didn't realize what was happening until it was too late. I just fell over sideways onto a decorative lamp (and crushed it!). About 10 people rushed over to help me and I felt like such an idiot! Who bikes 115 miles in a weekend and falls when it's over? Duh. :o

[SadieKate]

All right SadieKate, you have brought me out into the open with the call to slackers!lBwahahahahahaah!:D

I'm sure hoping this thread will do what I intended. Get the faint of heart to understand that by far the majority of falls are oopsies. Sure you might have a wound and a story to share, but truthfully it is the odd falls that cause serious damage. If you look at the comments from people who said they voted based on the highest impact falls or discounted falls due to cages or the learning stages of clipless, you'll see that the statistical results for slow speed tip overs would be even higher.

I should share my falls, 4 of them:
1) Couldn't get the strap loosened on the cage fast enough before a gravel patch in the shade where there hadn't been one before, especially when the lurking drafter nearly took off my head as I leaned over to grab the buckle.
2) as a newbie rider on a fast handling bike making a U-turn where I had no business doing it
3) Starting up at a slightly uphill intersection and being knocked into a gigantic pothole by another rider just as I was getting into my pedals
4) Front tire flatted and rolled off the rim in a 18 mph turn. The only damage to me was the road rash down my left arm and some soreness.

#4 made the most impact, but the majority of my road falls are simple oopsies.

Keep 'em coming! Remember that the slower the speed the more opportunity you have for scoring style points.

[fixedgeargirl]

Two road bike falls to my name. The first was as a newbie road rider on a too-big frame with old tires. Trying to keep up with BF on a winding downhill I took the turn too sharply, hit the gravel on the edge of the road and wound up in the gravel on the edge of the road, winded. My mtb skills were not particularly useful that day.

Second was on my custom ti bike, going downhill to the light at on edge of my neighborhood. Lo and behold the light was green (first time I'd ever hit it green), so I got all hot, took the 90 degree turn way too fast, and slid most of the way across two lanes of the road, the folks with the red light watching. My bike slid all the way to the curb. I jumped up, thought "I gotta get out of here", collected my bike and got up on the sidewalk. Fortunately, it was cold and I was covered head to toe in various combinations of wool and lycra. Rubbed a big hole in my tights, and an even bigger hole in the sleeve of my wool jersey, so I got some road rash over my other road rash scars from mtb. As I replayed the mental tape, I realized I was descending like a mountain biker through that turn, and the geometry of my road bike really calls for a different style :rolleyes: .

My most spectacular crash ever was on my townie, when a volleyball popped over the "safety net" at the sand court and hit my front wheel. Over the bars, knocked out, black eye, scabs head to toe, bit a hole through my lip. Total 4th of July buzz kill :p .

[greenmachine]

I voted for the sideways low speed tip over since I've done that sooo many times... In fact the last time I did that move was when I was riding with the So Cal TE gals on Memorial Day and they all saw it!! I had a couple really colorful bruises and a titch of road rash, but that's it. It was more embarassing than anything, but everyone said how graceful I fell. So, I guess this one counts for style points, right SK?

I did have 1 bad crash when I was much younger and inexperienced. No helmet, and I was riding a bike that didn't fit me and I crashed into a curb, splitting my right ear in half. I ended up with a concussion and lost the hearing in my right ear from the impact, but it still could have been MUCH worse. After eight weeks of recovery, I started riding with a helmet.

Oh, then there was the time when a driver didn't see me and pulled out in front of me. I tried to get out of their way, but ended up rolling over the hood of the car and landing on the other side. Me and the bike were pretty banged up, but nothing broken.

Judy

[Trek420]

I think I saw all 6 of Bikerzs falls :D

weren't they on that one Richmond ride?

1) 20+ years ago at College and Broadway driver just HAS to turn into a driveway right NOW, no signal and hits rear of the bike dead on. I dive, roll out of the way. No road rash, pretty shook up, bike's toast.

I don't think I could take that ukemi (falls) like that at this age.

fast forward. Trek goes go clipless and no falls till ....

2) Alameda Creek Trail on that little woopdeedo right before the trailhead? I've slowed waaaaaaaaay down for a kid and her Dad both nervously going downhill. Going so slow I don't see the big as my head chunk of rock right in front of me. Doh.

Either I hit it or react to the sight of it and do a slow motion fall to the left I end up with a picture perfect forward roll *with* the bike. Didn't even unclip. Yelling as I roll 15 feet down "I'm ok!"

I'm ok, bike's ok (this was my namesake Trek) but had to replace both taco'd wheels. Mmmmmm, Mavics. and that was when I discovered upgades to bikes.

Next time I'll hit the kid, they bounce back and wheels are &*^% expensive. JK ;) But dayum those were nice wheels.**

3) On Alameda Creek Trail with Pedadler (rarely posts here) We're just stopped enjoying the view and I .... just ... fall... inexplicably .... over. Nothing hurt but my pride.

4) On the Cinderella there's my nemesis intersection. It's not like I don't have forever to speed up to catch the green or slow through the red. Always end up stopped at the red then have to get going on a hill. :::sigh::

Year before last it's one of those "I'm clipped in! No I'm not. Thud" Again, nothing hurt but my pride.

Later on I overhear one woman say to another "look! there's the gal who fell at the intersection. And she's still climbing" :::sigh::: so glad to be an inspiration to others.

** sorry for the thread hijack, how many of you considered the crash an excuse to get new parts? Ride safely TE :)

[ccnyc]

4 Sideways low speed tip over's for me, but I was clipped out (right foot) each time.

First: On the walkway of the George Washington Bridge at the really narrow part of the walkway, I clipped out (right side) because I was letting some other riders go by me. I reached for the railing of the bridge (on my right) to steady myself and because the railing was so wide I couldn't get a good grip, my hand slipped off and I fell over on my left, clipped in side... in front of lots of other riders. I practically bounced back up off the ground I was so embarassed.

Second: Coming to a stop at the bottom of a not very steep hill I put my unclipped right foot down and my metal cleat (Speedplay Zero's) slipped on the pavement and I went down, sliding maybe a few feet. My first road rash.

Third: Waiting at a stop sign, right foot unclipped, chatting with my husband (on my right) I lost my balance and tipped over to the left. More road rash, but my Shebeest tights had no damage whatsoever.

Fourth: Struggling up a very, very steep hill that I had never done before I realized that I couldn't turnover the pedals anymore. I got my right foot unclipped, no problem, but fell to the left. Road rash and feeling sorry for myself were the results. Oh, I even had a couple low gears left and I would have most likely made it up the hill. I guess my brain just took a vacation for a few moments!

Carol

[EvilTwin]

Three decidedly ungraceful clipless falls: first one was the first day with my new bike. I had practiced clipping in and out at the house, so BF and I set out. Get to the first intersection, and oops... I can't get my foot out. Oh f****... Bf looks back to see me topple over just as the SUV comes up to the stop sign. No scrapes/bruises... made it ok the rest of the ride, and after we fininshed, we looked at my pedals and realized they could be adjusted to be easier... duh.
2nd time was similar, but 2 months into riding...slowed and unclipped for an intersection, saw a car, then decided I had room to go... unfortunately, I was off balance and when I tried to pedal, I just fell over. BF again hears me swear just as the car comes up.... dumb. Third time was the next day at a stop sign. Unclipped left, went to put right foot on the curb, and missed.... promptly fell again. With cars as an audience again.... That's it so far.... I'm sure there'll be more!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Wow, so in this poll so far, 70% of all falls were "sideways lo-speed tip-overs" and from reading, it seems almost all of these were from being clipped in.
Hmmm....
Think I'll continue avoiding those clipless thingys for a while yet! :cool:
Gonna put my PowerGrip straps on soon- I think they may be way easier for me to get in and out of in a hurry.

I couldn't vote yet because I haven't fallen yet in my first two months of riding. I did skid on gravel a bit though- and hopped off my saddle only far enough to come down right on my tailbone on the saddle horn- AGhhhhh!!!!
Still healing a week later- but it was not a fall!

[SadieKate]

Ah, Lisa, you are jumping to the conclusion that clipless guarantees a fall. Before you make the decision to stay clipless you need to set up a poll about the benefits outweighing the cons of clipless. There must be some reason so many of us use them.

[DebW]

Ah, Lisa, you are jumping to the conclusion that clipless guarantees a fall. Before you make the decision to stay clipless you need to set up a poll about the benefits outweighing the cons of clipless. There must be some reason so many of us use them.

Clipless were invented because they are far safer and easier and quicker to use than their predecessor: cleated shoes with clips and straps. Those were so dangerous that most recreational riders didn't use them, and thus missed the benefits of pulling up and back on the pedals. Most riders who used them learned how to do trackstands because getting in and out at every stop light was really annoying. Unfortunately, I never learned the trackstand. See my post in this thread of my one tip-over fall three decades ago. Compared to that system, clipless are HEAVENLY! In many a panic stop with clipless pedals, I've always gotten out in time.

[kaybee]

I voted. I'm a slow-speed tipper overer, and have matching scars on my knees to prove it.

KB

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Oh I am sure that clipless have MANY wonderful benefits!
However, as a new rider who doesn't have a great sense of balance and confidence yet, I feel I want to get surer on my bike before I try that sort of thing. I also think clipless may not make the best sense when riding in low speed town/traffic situations where you have to stop, start, or weave and where cars are making unexpected moves all around you. At least not for me.

I admit it gives me the shivers when I read posts about new riders who have only been riding a couple of weeks falling over at stop lights and intersections while practicing clipless AND learning to ride at the same time.

[cosc]

My fall happened when I made a sharp turn to the right to avoid a car that was skidding past a stop sign.The incident happened 14 months ago and my handlebar still has a imprint on my breast.

[7rider]

Two falls that I can recall....
perhaps I, too, have blocked them out!

One was actually on the mtb on a totally flat bike path several years ago. My sister and I were cruising along, side by side having this nice little chat. All of a sudden, my front wheel stopped cold, and I got pitched over the handlebars. Before I knew what was happening, I was flat on my back, looking up at the sky. The only thing around - other than my shocked sister - was a small stick, about 6 inches long, 1" diameter, lying beside my bike. I must have rolled over it, my tire scooped it up and it jammed in my fork, stopping me cold. Fortunately, nothing was hurt - not me or the bike.

Second time was this May on Bike-to-Work day. I stopped at the Silver Spring, MD, rest stop to visit with friends who own the LBS and to pick up my goodie-bag. I was wearing my REI Singular bag, rather than using my panniers, and forgot to bring my bungie net for the rear rack on my commuter. So I had no way of carrying this bag - a fabric shopping bag - except in my hands. I had to go down a small hill to get to my office and (perhaps you can see where this is going) the bag swung into my wheel, jammed against the fork, and once again, I got pitched over the handlebars! Ugh. This time, it was onto hard concrete and I ended up with several trips to my chiropractor to undo the damage (my chiro loves my accident-prone ways).

Hopefully, I'm good for a few years now! :rolleyes:

[CR400]

My most recent fall was a high speed sideways roll over.

[TxRider]

Had a couple of those "oops, new at the clipless pedal thing & forgot to clip out" experiences when I first switched over.

Also, about a year ago, while on a training ride for the MS150, had another rider fall on top of me at a stop sign while I was stopped & my foot was on the ground. This person decided to "try clipless pedals" for the first time - the weekend before the ride - & forgot to unclip! I had a few bruises but was okay other than the softball sized lump on the inside of my thigh which had gotten caught between her & the frame of my bike. Took about 3 months for that to completely heal though ... not pretty!!!