Living Car Free - Today's Lesson - The HARD Way!

On my way in to work this morning I hit a patch of black ice just before a stop sign. I was probably going about 15-20 MPH. The front wheel gave out and I ate it. Luckily, I didn't get too hurt. My knee took the brunt of the fall but is only a little sore at the moment. My wheel is a little bent and I broke my left toe strap (even though I fell to my right). That was the fastest I had ever been going in a bike accident - what a rush!

Lesson #1 - Don't use your front break on icy mornings.

Lesson #2 - Replace your rear brake pads when they need replacing so that you don't have to rely on your front breaks on icy mornings.

I didn't want to risk further injury so I ran/walked the rest of the 2 miles to work.

On the plus side, a guy in a car pulled over to make sure I was OK. And they say Santa Fe isn't bike friendly.

Tough morning. Hope you knee doesn't get worse.

Glad you and the bike are OK. A related danger is rock salt that's used to melt the ice. At the beginning of the winter I was feeling so proud that I made it all the way to work on icy streets that I did a fast victory lap in the cleared parking lot. I was making a sharp banked turn when my front tire slid out on loose rock salt and I made a spectacular 3 point landing--arm, thigh and ribcage. I had a bruised rib and a little road rash, but I learned two good points:
Rock salt on pavement is just as slippery as ice, and
Pride really doth goeth before a fall.

Pride really doth goeth before a fall.


I hear that. lately I've been working on a flashy dismount and feeling like I was hot ****, tried to do it at like 8mph and went down hard.

at least it was like 1am and I didn't have to worry about street cred.

arrg - you must be my twin. i didn't post this in commuting!

a stop sign at a dead neighborhood corner at 6am i usually slowly roll through had some ice. i knew it was there as it's blocked by some tall buildings and the sun doesn't hit it, so slowed down and steadied my grip.

i started to brake, saw a cab coming to the corner, and braked harder. HE stopped, i slipped, dropped, and skidded to almost the middle of corner

i wasn't hurt, and no bike damage. hey ONE good thing about skidding/falling on ice is that you and bike don't get road rash (and scuff/damage both), you just keep sliding to a stop, hopefully not under a bus.

anyway completely my fault, and i hurridly waved to him to let him know i was fine, only a bruised ego.

End of the day and my knee hasn't gotten better or worse, just some slight pain and no visible swelling. I WALKED to the bike store during my lunch break and bought a pair of brake pads for my rear. I took the bike to a friend's house after work and everything looked fine excpet for the headset needing some tightening. Getting back on the bike was a little nerve-wracking but I worked through it. Long day!