Oh No! Not Again!

I came off my bike tonight.

Son and I had gone to try out my clipless pedals again. Still don't like them so we decided I'd switch back to my usual shoes and go for a cycle round the cycle paths before going home.

Coming the opposite direction was an elderly lady with her little grandson (or great-grandson), a little lad of about 4 or 5 on a bike. They were right in the middle of the path. This path is narrower than the usual paths so Ian, my son who was in front of me went onto the grass at the side of the path. The grass is short, even and flat - the same height as the path. I followed suit. As I made to come back on the path, it was as if someone kicked the bike out from underneath me. Down I went whacking my head really hard on the path. Fortunately I always wear a helmet so that took the force of the impact. I cannot emphasis enough the importance of wearing a helmet. Had I not been wearing a helmet I have no doubt I would have knocked myself out and would probably be in the A&E (ER) right now:eek:

As it happens only injuries are a small bruise on my leg (again:rolleyes: ), a slightly torn fingernail (fixed by the nail-file) a friction burn and a bruise to come out on my pubic bone (ooyah!!!).

I've felt since I got my new bike that she is unstable. Often when I stop she will start tipping to the right or left. That doesn't happen with my Raleigh. I have come to the conclusion that it is the type of tyres my bike has on - Specialized Pro. Here's a pic of them - and one of the damage to my handlebar tape (grrrr).

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22...d/PICT0169.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y22...PICT0170-1.jpg

Anyone else had problems with this kind of tyres?

I have those tires. No problems. I have had the kind of fall you've had on a MUP, but that wasn't my tires' fault. Instead, I hit the side of the pavement at too sharp and angle for the size of the skinny, high pressure tire and thus hit the side of the wheel instead of rolling up onto the pavement. My guess is that the base of the grass was lower than you thought.

It's hard to tell from the pic and I know that Specialized doesn't always paint the most symmetric stripes on their tires, but are you sure it's installed squarely on the rim?

Other things that could contribute to your feeling of stability involve your bike fit, such as your seat position, stem length and stem angle, and whether the frame is the right size for you.

Good point. It could be just the angle I took the pic at but I will check it out tomorrow (bike's been put to sleep for the night).

The bike is the right size for me and the stem and seat are set at the right height, as is the position of the seat.

It's really annoying because otherwise I love my new bike.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Python

As I made to come back on the path, it was as if someone kicked the bike out from underneath me. Down I went whacking my head really hard on the path.

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Sounds to me like your tire/wheel was knocked out from under you by the pavement edge. Sure, the grass may have been the same height as the pavement, but the weight of the bike on the grass and soil would cause you to be lower than the pavement, and you probably hit that pavement edge at a shallow angle, knocking your bike out from under you.

I agree with the analysis of the crash by maillotpois. I had the same crash myself. Was going from street to sidewalk on what looked like a smooth ramp. In fact there was just enough of a pavement height difference that trying to go up on a 45 degree angle just yanked the bike right over! I too fell squarely on the side of my head and was thanking my helmet from the bottom of my heart!

My husband said, I needed to go up there at a more perpendicular angle OR I should have hopped the bike up there by yanking up on the handlebars. Either your son had bigger tires at a lower air pressure, or he knew how to hop the bike.

Sorry for your fall. I did the same kind of thing on a little curb with the guy in a garbage truck watching. I wasn't hurt, though.

That's an easy crash to take. However, if you do feel unstable at other times, I'd still get it all checked out. No sense in prolonging it if you feel something's wrong.

Karen

It could be that I took too shallow an angle going back onto the path but I don't think I did.

Often when I've been stopping, even on a flat bit of road I feel the bike is leaning over to the right. The brakes are not pulling so it's not that. I took the bike back to the LBS a couple of weeks ago and they said (rightly or wrongly) that it's because the tyres have no tread in the middle but tread on the sides. I admit I was neither impressed or convinced by that statement but could see how it could have an effect.

I don't have this problem with my Raleigh (also a Racer), just with the Dolce.

Ah well. They say everything runs in 3s so that is the third time (in my life) I've fallen off a bike.

Glad to hear you weren't hurt too badly and that your helmet saved your noggin! Time to shop for a new helmet--they're only good for one impact.

Oh Python !
Just from looking at the bar tape it must have been a nasty fall. glad you're (mostly) OK. That kind of move from different heights/surfaces scares me too.
Maybe you're putting more weight on one side than you realize?

Oddly enough I was eyeing up the helmets in the LBS. There were a couple that would match my bike very nicely:cool:

My brother may have solved the reason why I fell off. He used to be a professional gardener and said that because of the amount of rain we've had this year the grass was probably greasy and that's why the bike went from underneath me especially as it has the type of tyres it has.