Advocacy & Safety - how often do you crash?

i'm not sure which forum is best to post this question. here seems reasonable.

in around 2600 miles, i've taken one spill. wet, wooden bike-path bridge at the end of a little curve. i was going about 18 mph. i was just in the process of coming out of my lean for the curve when my front tire reached the bridge. SLIP! luckily, i really didn't hurt anything but my pride.

so how often to you have spills, crashes, accidents, etc.?

It's been at least 15 years since I've done a tumble on the bike, a couple of peds caught me off guard on a blind corner on a slick trail and I inadvertently grabbed a big handful of front brake.

I have no car, so I ride virtually everywhere, and outside of of mountain biking, I've never had a spill. Okay, there was that one time I got hit by the crazy woman in the BMW, but I was unharmed, and her BMW suffered far more damage than my bike. Boy was she pissed... (hee hee)

While commuting I have never taken a slip that ended with me being on the ground. I slipped on ice but managed to stay upright. I've hit bad potholes and wobbled around like a drunken monkey but never fell completely over. Usually I can get a foot down before I lose my vertical posture.
Now, while mountain biking... I don't consider it a good ride unless I need a few pints of blood afterwards.

I don't fall or crash often (can't fall on the trike). The last crash was on the trike. I was not looking where I was going and turned back around to see myself heading straight into the curb. My right wheel went up the curb and I flipped onto my left and skidded to a stop still sitting on the seat, still clipped in. I suffered not a scratch, my white jeans didn't even get dirty, and the only part of my bike to get a scratch was the left hub on the outside.

Before that, I can't recall anything since I was 16 years old.

I'm a noob with under 1000 miles under my belt. I've crashed three times.

Once, right after I put knobbies on my mountain bike (used bike, came with slicks for commuting by the previous owner) I decided to putz around in the torn-up pre-construction stuff near my apartment. I went down a 6 foot drop at about 45 degrees, but did not see the giant boulder under the thick, tall grass. My wheel hit it and it tossed me off. I was on the brakes pretty good already and leaning far back to maintain balance, so I wasn't going fast. It broke the mount on my headlight, nothing more.

Another time, I was on my hybrid. I swapped the slicks from my mountain bike onto it (makes more sense than knobbies on a hybrid, slicks on an MTB). It was raining hard, and on my way to the bus stop, half the outer lane was full of silty, slick clay mud. It was almost orange and in the pre-sunrise light it looked like sand under a thin layer of water. It was too late to move to the inside lane to go around it, so I attempted to coast through it at about 25 miles per hour (just coming out of a downhill). I failed and slipped, sliding on my left side through the mud for about 50 feet or so. You should have seen the looks I got boarding the bus.

The last time was during our last snowstorm. The mountain bike is sure-footed in ice and snow, but not when I am trying to show off. Some people at the bus stop downtown were pointing at me coming down the road. The snow was powdery and coming down really good and I work with one of the people. I decided it would be fun to do a sideways skid and throw snow on them. I failed and slipped, sliding on my left side through the powdery snow for about 10 feet. Not the result I was looking for but damn was it fun.

Had my helmet on all times, but it wouldn't have mattered as I didn't hit my head any of them. No injuries so far, just hurt pride.

i'm not sure which forum is best to post this question. here seems reasonable.

in around 2600 miles, i've taken one spill. wet, wooden bike-path bridge at the end of a little curve. i was going about 18 mph. i was just in the process of coming out of my lean for the curve when my front tire reached the bridge. SLIP! luckily, i really didn't hurt anything but my pride.

so how often to you have spills, crashes, accidents, etc.?


I collided head on with a car in Japan, and it was 95% my fault. I was going to fast for conditions, down a hill in the pouring rain on a narrow lane, and a car came around a dead bend. My brakes--which were spongey anyway, failed to stop me and I went right into his front end; he had managed to come almost to a complete stop. Over the bars I went, onto the hood with a distinct mushy feeling of humiliation, and slid off the hood landing on my side, grinding me left elbow into my ribs. I probaboy cracked one or two, from the feel of it.

roughstuff

1969-1970

Would ride onto the lawn and intentionally "crash" by falling off my bike.

1974

Crashed while being chased by a dog on the way home from school. First and only "road rash."

1979

Hit by a truck while riding on the wrong side of the road. Thanked the driver for giving me a ride home.

1989

Toe clip accident. Came to a stop, couldn't get my feet out of the straps and fell.

2003

Toe clip accident. Came to a stop, couldn't get my feet out of the straps and fell. Went clipless a few months later.

2005

After a rainstorm, intentionall seeking out and riding fast on wet pavement in order to test home-made fenders. Bike slipped out from under me while rounding a bike circle on the UCD campus. Seriously tasted pavement, and still have lingering wrist pain. Purchased full fenders the following January.

2007

Was riding fixed gear and forgot I was riding fixed gear. Stood up to coast. Bike becomes catapult. Didn't exactly crash but my right foot came unclipped and I tore my shoe cover.

rail road tracks/crossings are a btch.. twice they've brought me down, both times one of them slid along my back tire as went over them - both times it was raining and wet..

Last crash: Druken on an MUP and crashed into my wife. She was not happy, but managed to get a foot down before falling, so at she was least slightly amused when I landed in a disgusting mud pit.

Previous: Unexpected ice patch, landed on my chin...the only time I've ever hit my head.

Before that: Clipless topple

Before that: While throwing a top-secret surprise retalitation snowball at someone on foot who instaigated an impromptu snowball fight a minute earlier.

Before that: Ice

Before that: Foot in the spokes...don't want to talk about it.

Before that: Clipless topple

That's as far back as I can remember...the range is about 6 months, so that puts me at about 1 fall per month. Sounds about right...I can live with one a month.

Every 5000 miles or so. But that counts cat 5 crit racing.

Only ever fell once on the road and that was thanks to a dog, speed, and low tire pressures due to a protracted mud ride..... that one hurt.

When the season sees a lot of mountain biking, I average a few tumbles a year and one spectacular year, at least 7 head first trips over the bars.... (deliberate, sometimes you get hurt and your bike gets hurt a lot less if you dont fight it and just become an airplane for a - short - while. Anyone here besides me ever go feet first over the bars? That was a good one;p)

My last crash was about 4 years ago. As I was coming around the corner of the house our dumass dog ran to greet me and clipped my front tire. In trying to recover I smashed my tender parts against the stem, cnated to the right and slid down the downspout on my back, catching the downspout hanger on my way down which put a nice 12" abrasion/gash there.

I haven't had a serious crash in years. The last one was wet leaves on a side street, and it was more wounded pride than anything. Last bad crash was on a wet steel grated drawbridge in traffic. I was on the downhill side and went down hard, broke a wrist and severely twisted a knee. I as probably running 18mph on a loaded tour bike:( That was in 1989.

Aaron:)

I don't crash very often, but I had more on my DF than I have had on my bent. The worst crash on my DF: 2000+ miles into the year, riding up a short incline and standing up to maintain my speed when the chain breaks. Bashed the "boys" on the top bar, and then did an endo. Pulled the bike down on top of me. Ended up with road rash all down my right side and somehow managed to get scrapped by my pedal on the left side. Next one was about 3500 miles into the same year, I tried to get into a driveway of a 7-Eleven from the road. I missed the entry angle and simply fell to my right. At the time I really didn't think much of the fall. I took most of it on my right hand, arm and shoulder. As I was completing the 20 miles of my 26 mile commute, my left wrist started aching really bad. I thought I was just favoring the right side, not seated properly etc...By the time I got to work the pain was excrutiating. The end result was that I had somehow torn the cartiledge and ligaments in my Left wrist. That ended the riding for that year.

I have had two in 1325 miles last year. Both times the front tire on my Agio slipped out from under me. The first fall came 24 miles into riding my new bent. Trail was wet from a recent downpour and there was a drainage trail of gravel across the bike path. I was in a tight downward spiraling right hand turn and the front tire slid out to the left. I was going slow enough so I put my right foot down to stop the slide, but momentum took me down on the right knee. Very bad road rash, gravel in the skin that had to be dug out, and blood everywhere. When I got home my wife thought I had been shot in the knee. The second fall was minor as far as I can remember. I don't think I posted it to the forum, and I don't have any notes in my log book about it. It was the same type of fall though, front tire slid out to the left in a tight turn. I just attribute it to being a rookie on a bent.

I haven't been outside yet this year and that sucks

Probably about every 10,000 miles or so -- almost always because I'm going faster than I should. Haven't had a serious one in over 20 years though.

I don't crash......but once in a great while, I will do a surface density test of the road.

I don't crash......but once in a great while, I will do a surface density test of the road.

Brilliant...

About every two years or so, I take a digger on the road, riding about 5K miles a year. Two of the last four have involved a dog, one of which chased me into a curb and I t-boned the other. I have been trained how to fall, so I usually hit rolling, instead of playing human crayon.

Funny, but when I hit something, like a dog or a down rider, and go over the bars, the bike lands on top of me. I do not recommend it as a way of saving the paint job.

I don't crash......but once in a great while, I will do a surface density test of the road.
:lol:

In about 20,000 miles in 5 years, by a 51 year old rider who should know better:

One road crash--that was a doozy--surgery and off work for 5 months.

I slid out on wet grass the first time I rode slicks on a MTB, but no subsequent problems. Lots of crashes on singletrack, wet leaves, rock salt, ice and boardwalks, but nothing worse than broken ribs and/or road rash and/or intense humiliation.

Hit a stone wall once when I first started riding. I swear it jumped out at me!

In about 27 years, 3 times, not including race crashes, which of course don't count.

Last crash was about a year ago when I was purposely testing the wet traction limits of a corner I always take, that has a decorative painted concrete sidewalk in the middle of it. I can report that I found and exceeded the traction limits.

Only one crash to count for was in a parking lot after getting groceries there was a hump in the pavement so that I couldn't see the exit driveway and it turned out to be a lot of unexpected gravel I got a scar to prove it thats a bout it in 15 years of bicycling never crashed as a kid either

I crash every night between 10 and 11...cept if I am partying on the weekend, when sometimes I don't crash till the wee hours of the morning. When I was younger sometimes I wouldn't crash at all, but I'm too old for that now. :p

I go down at least once a year on ice or snow. Never had any serious injuries, though, as there is usually a nice cushion of snow to fall into.

Jalopy

I used to crash maybe once every decade, but the past two years, I've crashed 3 times. Twice commuting, and once on my mountain bike. I'm getting older...

A junkie stole my burley trailer and I saw him with it a week later and I chased him down. I went over the handlebars at like 25 mph, i sprained my wrist, hyperextended my knee and tore up my hands. I did get it back though. Wal-mart mtb dragging loaded trailer vs. 30 year old 10-speed. No contest.

I pretty much only crash the MTB. The only spills I have had on the road bike were newbie to clipless related.

On the road, commuting, three or four in ten years, mostly related to snow/ice or ridiculously bad pavement. Traffic was not present in all cases.

At least twice due to botched curb hops (although technically by the time I went down on those I was off the road).

I've been brushed by cars but never hard enough to knock me over.

Mountain biking, I crash pretty much every ride. As it should be.

A small spill about once a year.
Major fall every ten years.

I've crashed about 5 times this winter (sliding on ice with road bikes), and once last fall (loose sand/leaves on a tight corner), once last summer (My wife turned sharply and ran into me)

Numerous accidents when I was younger, the worst of which happened when I was 17, on my way to work and got left crossed in a parking lot. Did $850 damage to the front of the truck that hit me, I got up and went to work. Didn't file a report, and then she refused to pay for my bike. I ended up telling her where to go, took two 2 x 4's and straightened my frame, was riding it the next day.

Last I heard my friends were STILL making life miserable for her. (Gotta love small towns! :roflmao: )

Only been riding for 5 years, all commuting. Closest I've come to a collision was within the first two months, when I went over the handlebars in the intersection to avoid an oncoming car which had pulled out from behind some other cars to roar through without noticing me, and he didn't stop. Fortunately, no one hit me, I just hit the road. Nothing more than minor abrasions.

Other than that, I've managed at least one fall every year, sometimes 2-3, usually due to ice. Once I forgot to re-attach my front brakes after putting the wheel back on, could not slow down enough to make the turn up my driveway, and ended up tumbling down the hill into the neighbors driveway; more road rash. Fortunately, it was after midnight and no one saw me, even the person who had just given me a ride in her car and dropped me off! :o

someday i will

Aside from MTB, I lay down the bike maybe once a year. Pretty much see all hope is lost and walk off it. I have found this works much better than hoping that somehow I will pull it out and then making a crater.

However, once while MTBing, I thought I knew a trail and came around a corner which was a drop of like 8 feet. The entire county heard that one - I thought I was dead. Amazingly I landed and stayed on the bike. I did immediately stop and used a rock to restart my heart...

i'm not sure which forum is best to post this question. here seems reasonable.

in around 2600 miles, i've taken one spill. wet, wooden bike-path bridge at the end of a little curve. i was going about 18 mph. i was just in the process of coming out of my lean for the curve when my front tire reached the bridge. SLIP! luckily, i really didn't hurt anything but my pride.

so how often to you have spills, crashes, accidents, etc.?

Hmm, road crashes, well 2 that I can think of, once when I slid on some gravel (nice case of road rash), and once when I got rear ended by a car, no injuries, amazingly enough......

MTB crashes, well at least 3, see my blog for details of the April of last year one, my shoulder still aches when I think about that one..... I decided after that, that the MTB deserves to be morphed into a commuter/touring bike.....

On the road I have only crashed when hit by a car so that I guess = 2. On my mountian bike lets not even go there, I started to get tired thinking about the number of times I have had to brush myself off. :D

I've crashed about 5 times this winter (sliding on ice with road bikes), and once last fall (loose sand/leaves on a tight corner), once last summer (My wife turned sharply and ran into me)

You ever think about getting a mountain bike for winter rides? Those studded tires sure are nice. Of course they won't help on sand and wet leaves, which have also been my downfall a few times.

You ever think about getting a mountain bike for winter rides? Those studded tires sure are nice. Of course they won't help on sand and wet leaves, which have also been my downfall a few times.

I would recommend a cross bike for snow though with studded tires simply cause the tires are narrower and cut through the snow better than wide ones do. My 2 cents :P

as little as possible if i can help it, but every once a year sounds right at some point or another

I have got got in a ridge a time or 2... Probably about 3. All of those times having to dodge a car or pedestrian. I fell over one time trying to get my drink out of my holder. And I got hit by a car, who just came out of a hidden drivway. The worst part about it wasn't the torn up knee, bent tire, it was the cheap ass latch on my seat swerved from the impact. I fell on top of it so it felt like an uneducated person trying to **** a guy. It just pounded the hell out of my pelvis. the latch caused one of the most frightening Bathroom experiences of all time, finding black balls!

so how often to you have spills, crashes, accidents, etc.?

I was slaloming down a ski run at Sugar Bowl (http://www.sugarbowl.com/) the other weekend when I hit a patch of hard ice that I didn't see, couldn't get an edge in, slid out and hit the snow at the edge of the ice. *wham* Yard sale on the slopes.

The last time I crashed on my bike was last fall. I was in a hurry to catch a bus so to avoid red lights I was riding the wrong way on the sidewalk like a fool. I manuevered between a utility pole and its guy wire planted in the sidewalk, only to have the strap on my messenger bag catch something on the pole. Down I went.

Crashes on bike are rare, though. Maybe once every 15,000 miles? The last time I was hit by a car was in 1987.

RFM