falling for no reason

this morning DH and i went out for a 20mi ride. we stopped at the LBS to get some upgrades(well. fixes) on DH's bike. when were were getting ready to leave, i started pedaling out and i kinda tipped over. i was right in front of the LBS and fell into their window. i didnt break anything, just ended up drawing attention to myself.

last week, i started pedaling out wearing worn down, slick running shoes(dumb idea, i know this now) my shoe slipped and i ended up hitting the toptube.

i feel like such a dufus. :rolleyes: :confused: :o

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Originally Posted by abvnx

last week, i started pedaling out wearing worn down, slick running shoes(dumb idea, i know this now) my shoe slipped and i ended up hitting the toptube.

i feel like such a dufus. :rolleyes: :confused: :o

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Oh my! Hope you din't hurt anything, Artie Johnson:p
Throw those shoes out!

Don't feel like a dufus. There is a better reason. There is ALWAYS a reason:D :

The reason is technical:
- your center of gravity went beyond the linear plane originating at your wheels.
- when this migration occurs, gravity tries to bring the "top weight" into equilibrium, thus drawing the top weight (you;) ) to the ground
- this often, but not always, also results in a release of energy (noise) as two solid pieces of matter try to occupy the same space.

:D :D :D :D

Welcome to the club:p and find humor in your humanity:cool: :D

I had one of those leaving my driveway on Wednesday morning before work. I had just clipped in and my rear tire slid out from under me on a patch of weed growing in the cracks. Ouch!

I learned a good lesson though - my shoes unclip themselves just fine when I fall with sufficient force!

I fell coming up my driveway once and almost hit my head on my own car. Now I stop and unclip in the street and then walk my bike up the drive . . kinda suspicious that it might happen again!!

so, I am new at this, what is a DH and an LBS? :confused: I feel dumb asking, but I NEED TO KNOW! :cool: BTW-I am laughing at myself right now! :D I do that sometimes....

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Originally Posted by tjf9

I learned a good lesson though - my shoes unclip themselves just fine when I fall with sufficient force!

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:D :D :D :D
That really is a good lesson, now you won't be too terrified of falling.

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Originally Posted by twiggjlm

so, I am new at this, what is a DH and an LBS? :confused: I feel dumb asking, but I NEED TO KNOW! :cool: BTW-I am laughing at myself right now! :D I do that sometimes....

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I laugh at myself a lot too.
That, as Martha would say, is a good thing.
DH is dumb husband or darling husband
LBS is Local Bike Shop

my question is - how do we know whether a prticular DH is darling or dumb? :confused:

Context. Also sometimes he's both at once.

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Originally Posted by tjf9

I had one of those leaving my driveway on Wednesday morning before work. I had just clipped in and my rear tire slid out from under me on a patch of weed growing in the cracks. Ouch!

I learned a good lesson though - my shoes unclip themselves just fine when I fall with sufficient force!

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Ha. I almost did this the other morning. I decided to take a quick spin before work because I woke up extra early. Just 20 minutes or so around the neighborhood. Forgot I was clipped in as I was coming up the driveway. Duh. I managed to get out in time, but barely.

And actually, I've been riding clipless for a while and had my first fall yesterday.

I was going to make a left turn and a guy on the side street that I was turning onto zoomed up and went WAY over to the right (his left) side of the street, which wasn't a one-way, so I'm not sure why he did that. My choices were to stop, ride into him, or ride into the parked car to his left. So I decided to stop and let him go, and totally fell. Luckily, I did not get run over by the traffic around me, but I easily could have. This, after 30 wonderful miles and I was less than a half mile away from my house. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by twiggjlm

so, I am new at this, what is a DH and an LBS? :confused: I feel dumb asking, but I NEED TO KNOW! :cool: BTW-I am laughing at myself right now! :D I do that sometimes....

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DH= Darling Husband ("D" can mean other things:eek: )
SO=Significant Other
LBS=Local Bike Shop...you know, the one that gives service and assistance
GF=Girlfriend
BF=Boyfriend

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Originally Posted by Mr. Silver

Don't feel like a dufus. There is a better reason. There is ALWAYS a reason:D :

The reason is technical:
- your center of gravity went beyond the linear plane originating at your wheels.
- when this migration occurs, gravity tries to bring the "top weight" into equilibrium, thus drawing the top weight (you;) ) to the ground
- this often, but not always, also results in a release of energy (noise) as two solid pieces of matter try to occupy the same space.

:D :D :D :D

Welcome to the club:p and find humor in your humanity:cool: :D

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i like this explanation, it makes me seem like less of a dork:D

You need a reason to fall? :confused: I never have a reason. I sometimes have an explanation, but they're usually too embarrassing to use in public.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Silver

DH= Darling Husband ("D" can mean other things:eek: )
SO=Significant Other
LBS=Local Bike Shop...you know, the one that gives service and assistance
GF=Girlfriend
BF=Boyfriend

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OMG!! That is great! I don't have a DH but I do have a BF! Sometimes he's a DBF, (dumb boy friend) He doesn't ride a bike tho, his loss!! Anywho, thanks for the help on the acronyms!! :D

If there was dating advice out there as good as the stuff on this site, I'd be all set!! :cool:

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Originally Posted by twiggjlm

OMG!! That is great! I don't have a DH but I do have a BF! Sometimes he's a DBF, (dumb boy friend) He doesn't ride a bike tho, his loss!! Anywho, thanks for the help on the acronyms!! :D

If there was dating advice out there as good as the stuff on this site, I'd be all set!! :cool:

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We have a new one for the dictionary:

DBBF= Dumb Bikeless Boyfriend

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Originally Posted by Mr. Silver

We have a new one for the dictionary:

DBBF= Dumb Bikeless Boyfriend

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Luv it!! :p

Hi everyone, first post. I'm a new rider but have been spinning for a few years. I tell everyone my muscles know what to do but my brain does not know what to do on a moving bike.

I have a beautiful new bike and was on a nice ride with friends last Sunday. Here in Mass. it was a picture perfect summer Sunday morning. We were about 15 miles into our ride and my friend's DH was ahead of us, circling because we were slower. Well, I'm not sure exactly what happened but he turned left and I crashed into him. It was my first flying dismount! And yes, my clipless pedals released just fine.

Luckily, there was no traffic and no sand, rocks or gravel on the roadway, so I only have bruises and scrapes...no deep cuts and no broken bones. But I felt SOOOO stupid. Fortunately the bikes are also ok. We picked up and continued to complete our 20 miles.

I confess I also fell on a test ride when bike shopping (did not buy that one!) and have a nice knee wound that is finally healing. I'm kind of a mess, I guess.

So this may not have been falling for no reason, but it wasn't for a good reason, that's for sure.

My big question is....how do I get over the fear of hitting a pothole when going downhill and there are cars nearby? I am terrified of crashing while going really fast.

As I said, my legs, heart, and lungs know what to do. My brain, not so much! :)

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Originally Posted by nomummytummy

my question is - how do we know whether a prticular DH is darling or dumb? :confused:

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Well, just for an FYI, mine will always be the "darling husband" if I should ever choose to refer to him as a "DH".
Just to make things easier for everyone, my husband's name is Bill. So if you hear me talk about Bill, he is my darling, devoted and delicious husband. ;)

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Originally Posted by AmyO

My big question is....how do I get over the fear of hitting a pothole when going downhill and there are cars nearby? I am terrified of crashing while going really fast.

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As you can tell by my avatar slogan thingie, I share your fear. I jsut go REALLY slow downhill. It's simply a matter of TimeInTheSaddle (TITS) and improving your handling skills.

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Originally Posted by AmyO

I confess I also fell on a test ride when bike shopping (did not buy that one!) and have a nice knee wound that is finally healing. I'm kind of a mess, I guess.
:)

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When I got my clipless pedals, I was in the LBS and fell over on their counter :eek: Fortunately, the LBS guy(he's now my friend) caught me b/f I crashed and did serious damage to me or the store. Afterwards, we put the bike on the trainer to practice. I'd get my left foot unclipped, then crash to the right. bad habit:rolleyes: :p Jenn

I once fell standing. Yup. I had stopped to wait for a biking buddy who had been hailed by a passing car. So, I waited about 50 feet up the road and chose that moment to fish a butterscotch candy out of my rear pack. I had unclipped my left foot which was FIRMLY PLANTED ON THE GROUND. Somehow, when I reached back, my right knee twanged a little and I shifted it and then the next thing I knew...I was falling on my right side. Oh...Yeah.. no breeze, no wind, no wind sheer, no nothing. Three cars witnessed this hideousness and I had people rushing to help. Those same 3 cars had bikes mounted on them and I'm sure that every single one of those people thought I had had a heart attack: the only reason a cyclist would suddenly pitch over STANDING STILL:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: . I was almost willing to fake a heart attack just to avoid the humiliation.
The good thing, of course, was that everyone had their own story of bike humiliation to tell; all we needed was a campfire and some hot dogs to make it complete.

Jan

Heehee, my first big fall was a goofy one, I was circling back around the seawall in Corpus Christi, right where all the fishermen were. I was standing with my left foot unclipped, right foot still clipped in, just waiting for cars to pass before I did my turn around.

Bam, just fell right over. I popped up really quick and was laughing at myself. Mind you, the wadefisherman were running through the bay trying to get to me to see if I was ok. I had to wave and yell out to get them to stop:p

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Originally Posted by AmyO

My big question is....how do I get over the fear of hitting a pothole when going downhill and there are cars nearby? I am terrified of crashing while going really fast.

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Go down more hills.

Your bike can take relatively large potholes with no trouble if you keep after tire pressure and use suitable tires for the road conditions. 28-35mm on a road bike should handle most small potholes, even if you don't steer to avoid 'em. Plus, as you practice riding a moving bike, you'll learn that it's very easy to get it to twitch to avoid obstacles.

Unless you have very steep hills or very long ones, you won't get going very fast downhill if you coast. I would top out at 35 mph or so coasting off an 18% grade, which was the posted speed limit for the hill (thus, no pedaling down it trying to go faster). If your speed feels excessive for the conditions, use short gentle bursts of braking to slow down, and make use of both the front and rear brake. Slamming on the brakes or trying to hold your speed to a comfortable flat speed are good ways to have accidents. Comfy flat speed means there's a chance of your brakes overheating and not working as well. And slamming on the brakes is a good way to go over the handlebars.

It is *very* sane to be scared of going down hills if you haven't practiced it. But the more you practice, the better you'll get. Keep reminding yourself that you go the posted speed limit in a car, and it's ok for a bike to go that fast. Roads are designed to take traffic going a good 10 mph over the posted limit.

About the only thing I wouldn't do is try to walk down the hill if it's too scary. Bikes can get really squirrelly on downhills, and it'd be easy to lose control of the bike.

Thanks, Torrilin. that all sounds like good advice. I think you're right...I just need to do more of it. Never having had a bike this light or this responsive before, I think more time and more frequency is what I need. I've only gone about 80 miles or so. One of these days I'll find a group to ride with.

Zencentury, thanks for letting me know I'm not the only squirrelly one. Love the monkey!