View Full Version : I Love My Seven
spingineer
04-10-08, 10:15 PM
I just realized, after 4 years, I have been in two accidents. In both cases, my Seven has survived. I'm not sure if this is a testiment to having a Ti frame, but hell, it is really durable.
My first accident was on Middlefield in Mountain View, and I got side swiped by a car exiting the driveway. I was probably going about 15-20 mph. I had to get my front handlebars re-adjusted, but other than that, no damage. I think I had my front wheels re-trued, but no problem with frame integrity.
My second one was a couple weekends ago, descending Altamont, on an off camber left turn. Again, no damage to the frame, but my rear wheel got a broken spoke. Actually, the broken spoke was due to some impact I incurred, and the bike shop said there was a noticeable bald or flat spot in my tires. Maybe it was bad tread on the tire, and I couldn't negotiate the turn? All I know is I'm going to be on my bike again this weekend ... weee!!!!!
I had to get my front handlebars re-adjustedDodged a bullet there. Those rear handlebars are a bear to adjust! :p
My second one was a couple weekends ago, descending Altamont, on an off camber left turn. Again, no damage to the frame, but my rear wheel got a broken spoke. Actually, the broken spoke was due to some impact I incurred, and the bike shop said there was a noticeable bald or flat spot in my tires. Maybe it was bad tread on the tire, and I couldn't negotiate the turn?One of the first things I noticed on your bike afterward was that the rear tire was just about to come off the rim at one point (that's why I deflated the tube some, to re-seat the tire so it wouldn't blow off). It was before we'd noticed the spoke, so I don't know if it was in the same location. I wonder if the tire could have been/gotten like that before, and contributed somehow.
All I know is I'm going to be on my bike again this weekend ... weee!!!!!Great to hear!
uspspro
04-10-08, 10:48 PM
I wonder if the tire could have been/gotten like that before, and contributed somehow.
I highly doubt it.
Based on the tire coming off, and the flat spot, there was obviously some lateral force that can only really come from the bike getting sideways at a decent speed (probably leaned way over too).
In other words the frictional force was applied perpendicular to the tire. The rear skidded, but there was still enough force to pull the bead out from the rim.
spingineer
04-10-08, 10:50 PM
It's pretty frightening when you know you are in trouble, and you realize in a split second that you are screwed ... it happened too quickly for me to say sh******t
uspspro
04-10-08, 10:52 PM
It's pretty frightening when you know you are in trouble, and you realize in a split second that you are screwed ... it happened too quickly for me to say sh******t
same moment happened for me when that SUV gave me the left hook.
Pics of said seven?
If I got a Ti frame, it'd be a seven.
spingineer
04-10-08, 11:04 PM
Not the most recent picture, but here it is:
http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w112/spingineer/P7090001.jpg
Siu Blue Wind
04-10-08, 11:12 PM
Pics of said seven?
If I got a Ti frame, it'd be a seven.
You HAD a ti frame and sold it before you built it up.
Spingineer, that bike looks new!!
Yep, it would have been really expensive to build up a road bike from a 650c wheeled frame.
I'd have to spend 600 on a custom wheelset, plus the geometry would have bent my spine into a bow.
:)
Next time around I'll research more.
In other words the frictional force was applied perpendicular to the tire. The rear skidded, but there was still enough force to pull the bead out from the rim.Well, that does make a lot more sense than the tire suddenly deciding to ignore the presence of the hook part of the rim and beginning to climb off the wheel... :p
It's pretty frightening when you know you are in trouble, and you realize in a split second that you are screwed ... it happened too quickly for me to say sh******tPeople always say that time slows down in such extreme situations, but I've gotta call BS on that. It's snap-bang-whoosh-slide-bleed and it's all over.
I still love my nearly 10-year old Seven Sola every time I get on it. It just fits and handles so well. One reason I chose Ti for my mountain bike was its durability. I never did fall in love with my carbon Trek, so I bought the Merlin. In retrospect, I should have just purchased an Axiom or Aerios from the outset.
Someone made a joke at the Seven open house whether you get a discount if you buy seven Sevens :D
spingineer
04-11-08, 05:39 PM
Seven refers to how many grand it took out of my wallet to get the Seven out of the shop. :lol:
People always say that time slows down in such extreme situations, but I've gotta call BS on that. It's snap-bang-whoosh-slide-bleed and it's all over.
Seconded. Then the hurting starts.
I've been hoping for a wreck so I can justify purchasing a new bike... just the kind of wreck where the bike suffers a fatal blow and the rider leaves without a scrape.
This happened a few weeks ago as I hit some steel dew covered plates on a bike path and my circa 1990 bike just hit the deck hard while I stood there. Unfortunately Shaw's was able to fix the new clicking noise it for $10. Damn.
Spiduhman
04-20-08, 11:45 AM
Regarding the temporal aspect, my experience has been excruciating "ecstasy," frame by frame, super slo-mo, launched by the initial impact, ending in the second impact that brings time back to its usual pace with a resounding shudder.
In the case where a series of UNpainful events culminates in impact and pain, the passage of time seems more the familiar smeared "blur."
The distinction seems to be related to the onset of shock; in the first case, it was only luck and providence that I was alive while flying through the air - wheel, sky, ground, wheel, sky, ground, wheel, sky, ground; it was only luck and providence that I survived the (unhelmeted) landing.
I've no interest whatsover in verification of hypothesis!!
mayukawa
04-25-08, 12:26 PM
I watched a Discovery Channel episode (or maybe it was a BBC special) in which they say that when we're in a dangerous situation, our senses actually improve (the processing of information from our senses actually increases). They did this experiment with a digital clock that changes very fast. They made it just fast enough so that the person couldn't read it while standing still. Then they dropped the person from several stories up (down to a net) to see if the person can then read the clock while in free-fall. The person was able to read some of the numbers, where he couldn't read any before.
I watched a Discovery Channel episode (or maybe it was a BBC special) in which they say that when we're in a dangerous situation, our senses actually improve (the processing of information from our senses actually increases). They did this experiment with a digital clock that changes very fast. They made it just fast enough so that the person couldn't read it while standing still. Then they dropped the person from several stories up (down to a net) to see if the person can then read the clock while in free-fall. The person was able to read some of the numbers, where he couldn't read any before.
I saw that too on DC in the "brain power" episode: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/human-body/human-body.html. Had something to do with when your brain senses danger, it increases it's "processing framerate" so you can make that life-depending, split-second decision. Kinda explains the sense of slow motion just before something bad (i.e. impact) is about to happen. Cool stuff!
spingineer
04-25-08, 05:31 PM
I saw that too on DC in the "brain power" episode: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/human-body/human-body.html. Had something to do with when your brain senses danger, it increases it's "processing framerate" so you can make that life-depending, split-second decision. Kinda explains the sense of slow motion just before something bad (i.e. impact) is about to happen. Cool stuff!
Yeah, we know that all too well ... :rolleyes:
Yeah, we know that all too well ... :rolleyes:
Yeah, sure do! Too bad we can't turn it on just before whatever causes the accident in the first place ;).
scottmorrison99
04-25-08, 09:24 PM
People always say that time slows down in such extreme situations, but I've gotta call BS on that. It's snap-bang-whoosh-slide-bleed and it's all over.
I've seen the time slows down, chinese kung fu movie slow down in time in my worst crash. Looking up and seeing my bike cartwheeling :eek:over my head in slow motion as I shed skin layers sliding down the road:eek:. My cycling club president came around the turn in the opposite direction in his RV within minutes and picked me and the bike up off the road. He asked how fast i was going when I crashed, and checking the computer we found it was 43 mph(descending, of course). Felt like slow motion, though.
murphstahoe
07-15-08, 05:38 PM
I just realized, after 4 years, I have been in two accidents. In both cases, my Seven has survived. I'm not sure if this is a testiment to having a Ti frame, but hell, it is really durable.
I can't attest to the durability given that my frame fatigued to the point where the seat and down tube cracked, the bike never having been in a serious crash.
However, Seven called today and will be replacing my frame. Word.
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