My first fall

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Well, after reading about it, I personally would never go over RRtracks at a 45 degree angle, especially when wet. I don't think one needs to obsess about calibrating an exact 90 degrees, but way better 85 than 50!
I guess the faster you are going the more likely you will be thrown when your wheel gets caught and you come to a dead halt. I like to take the safer alternative myself.

[massbikebabe]

Falls do not count in my house until you have:

1. Scraped the Sh!t out of some part of your body

2. Had an audience

3. Perserved the integrity of your bike while falling

4. Were able to laugh about yourself

5. Got right back on and rode that bike

karen
glad you are o.k. and able to tell us about your fall

[CorsairMac]

just as a "foot" note:

I was setting up a bike I'm selling ( me? selling a bike?) and I put the platform pedals back on for him. When I test rode the bike, as I was coming to a stop I realized I was twisting my sneakered (or trainered for the UK ladies) foot off the platform pedal. I guess my feet have muscle memory now! lol

[Cassandra_Cain]

just as a "foot" note:

I was setting up a bike I'm selling ( me? selling a bike?) and I put the platform pedals back on for him. When I test rode the bike, as I was coming to a stop I realized I was twisting my sneakered (or trainered for the UK ladies) foot off the platform pedal. I guess my feet have muscle memory now! lol

LOL - damn, wish I would have been at the stoplight next to you to see this. I'm sure more than a few people snickered. Better that than falling though

[leveerider]

Today was my first fall (and this is also my first posting on this forum). I was riding in a pace line at around 20mph. My front tire hit the back tire of the bike in front, and I went down hard on the asphalt. I've got road rash to the entire left side of my body, and banged up my knee a little. Funny, I never even thought about whether or not I would un-clip in a fall until I read the previous postings on this thread. At some point during the fall, I came un-clipped, so that wasn't a problem. I did some research on bike sites about what to use on road rash to promote healing without scarring. Found a great product -- Johnson & Johnson Advanced Healing Adhesive Pads. Everyone should stock up before their next fall.

[Fledgling]

I was also relieved when I finally had my first road bike fall. I was out on a two lane, gravel shoulder country road this past Monday since if you want to ride hills in Kansas, you usually have to go looking for them. I pulled off the road to get a drink from my canteen, slid off of my saddle and put my unclipped right foot down, and just tipped right over to the left. No points for a crowd, though. Believe me, I checked.
Scuffed my handlebar a bit, but no other damage than scraped palms, a butt-bruise, and an interesting looking set of chainwheel slices on the outside of my right ankle. No worries, though; ride went on to be magnificent!

It's nice reading about similar situations.
Safe and Happy Riding!

[nafula]

See, everyone else has a pretty cool story about their first fall. Mine, completely embarassing. But I was the only one who saw it happen.

I was riding rollers between the door frame in my basement. My front tire slid off the side, but I was still upright with my back tire still on the rollers. The thought that occured to me is that I would "jump" the front tire back on the roller. Of course, not thinking that I could roll right off the back. Which is what I did. Into the toolbox and wooden shelving that was on the other side of the door frame.

[farrellcollie]

I had my first real fall last night on my commute home from teaching - I unclipped the right foot as I came to a crossing - but needed to dodge a tree by leaning left - kaboom. I have some bruises and loss of skin - the only serious part was my left wrist - which I thought might be broken but now appears merely sprained - swollen and bruised. Walking the dogs last night was a bit of a pain - I couldn't hold one of the leashes properly - fortunately old dog just sort of plods along and pup was in the right hand.