Originally Posted by Brian Ratliff
(with the exception of HH, who apparently hasn't hit the ground for 30 years, since he was 16).
That's not true. I hit the ground on our first ride on our road tandem when we bought it about 8 years ago. Not used to the gears, wrong gear going up a hill, kept going slower and slower, until we stopped and fell over!
The only time before that was when I was about 12... on my first ride with cleated shoes inside tightened down toe clips.. couldn't unclip at a stop sign...
Of course, I'm not talking about falls during mountain biking on trails, which has happened maybe a half dozen times, including just a couple of years ago on a descent at Northstar at Lake Tahoe. Hit a patch of soft dirt going fast around a downhill turn...