Had my first accident this past weekend.
 

Left an area of skin about the size of a dollar bill on the pavement. Jammed my right wrist when I braced myself from the fall. Bent the handlebars a little but otherwise bike is fine. Never knew a pain in the knee could be so big a pain in the rear till you have to put pants on !!!

I feel your pain. Literally! I've been riding for a year and a half and took my first spill last Sunday. Pedal dug in the pavement and spit me off. DEEP road rash about the size of a quarter on my left knee. Two on my left elbow not as deep. 11 sprocket teeth marks dug into my right calf. That hurt! Yesterday I venture out again to the MUP, come off the pavement to rest, tires get in mud and I'm spit off again! Reopened wounds on left arm and knee, but not bad. Chest and left arm landed on the handlebar and now my left side hurts pretty bad, but only if I move... or sneeze. Ouch!!! Suspect a bruised rib and left shoulder although no bruising is evident after 16 hours. So, a year and a half and no wrecks of any note and now 2 in a week. Hopefully I've paid my dues for a while.

Sorry about your accidents, and glad to hear only minor injuries. BigTerry - you're lucky you didn't break your wrist, arm or dislocate shoulder. Putting your hand out and bracing is something you learn NOT to do if your ride mtn bikes for a while. It's generally safer to maximize surface area on a fall (but that's how collar bones and hips get broken too...).

Again, sorry about the falls you guys. Heal up fast!

Something I've learned from my two falls is you don't even have time to think. BAM and you're down! I've always heard not to put your hands out, but I don't recall having time to think about anything. Maybe it will come to me as I fall some more :)

From my experience, putting my hand out reduced the impact on my head. I'll take a dislocated finger and broken wrist over a head injury any day.

I came upon an accident scene where the victim held his handlebars tight as he went head first over the front wheel. I know that because his knuckles and the back of his hands were badly scuffed up (no gloves). The front of his helmet was crushed. He didn't know where he was, or what had happened so we suspected a concussion. The ambulance put a neck brace on him and packed him away.

Learn to make tucking your chin and rolling automatic. Martial arts teach this. Heal quickly!

darn sorry to hear that. feel better soon. summer is definitely the 100 most dangerous days of the year.

Must have been a weekend for first-time accidents. At 62, after a year and a half riding, had my first "real" accident on Saturday (not counting my zero-mph falls while learning to use clipless pedals). Road rash on arm and a couple of places on leg. Stayed on the bike all the way down and bounced the back of my head pretty hard on the pavement. Glad for the helmet and glad I ride an older road bike (96 Trek 470). Helmet probably saved me from serious injury and the bike has enough scratches on it that a few more just add to its character.

Thanks fo all the tips. Makes a newby feel welcome. Prob going to make an appt with my doc today. I am cleaning the scrape with peroxide and then adding neosporin. But it is getting infected and swollen regardless of what I do to it. I went to work yesterday and my slacks rubbed it all day long.

Ouch !!!!!

ask for a local anesthetic before they clean it

fify

Your lucky you only sprained your wrist. I put mine out with less than a mile on my new Synapse when I was cut off and separated my shoulder even though I thought I tucked and rolled. That one felt like slow motion to me. The second was as Gary above stated it was just BAM and I was picking myself up with a cracked helmet and right shifter a little turned.

Been there, done that. Heal up quickly and get back on the bike.

Don't forget to replace your helmet!
 

If your head hit the ground, you need a new helmet! Helmets are "use once" items. Even if it looks okay, the styrofoam may have compacted, and no longer be as effective.

Guess it has been one of those months.

Had my first real crash after a year of cycling and 6,000 miles on July 7th. Went down on a group ride doing about 22mph. Large strawberries on right hip, right hand, right arm and back of right shoulder. Somehow my left knee got tangled in my water bottle and got really bruised up. Turned all purple and yellow...

Hit back of my helmet on pavement and cracked the styrofoam. My brand new jersey and arm coolers were toast but saved me some skin :-) Tore hole in shorts and right glove. New helmet, water bottle mount, handlebar tape and derailer hanger and I was back on the bike the next morning. Sewed up shorts, arm coolers, and glove.

Helmet saved my butt!!! I feel everyone's pain ;( Be safe and careful in group rides.