Falling Down

[featuretile]

I just started to get on my bike on a friend's steep driveway which had two different down angles, and I lost my balance and the front brake seemed to be too tight and I went down. Nothing major - skinned my elbow and knee, but now my rib cage is hurting. The ribs worry me more as I have 2 special rides planned for next week.

I still went on the ride because there were 3 other people with me, and I did not want that fall to make me afraid to ride again. But, I had been feeling very safe before, and now I feel somewhat more vulnerable. It's like I was feeling so good about my riding, and I just fall down almost standing still.....

What do others feel about confidence level after falling?

[ny biker]

I think you did the right thing by getting right back on the horse, so to speak. I always find I'm a bit shaky after a fall, but I just ride through it.

Make sure you clean the scrapes well with soap and water, and you might want to ice the sore area around your rib cage.

Other than that, think about whether you can learn anything from it, and then put it behind you and enjoy your upcoming rides.

[tulip]

I've spent some time practicing falling on grass so that it doesn't come as a big surprise when it happens in the wild. After your ribs feel better, you might want to try that with a friend. Falling happens, but we can be somewhat prepared with a little practice.