Stearman

First spill on a rain shortened ride this morning. My plan was a quick stop to adjust seat height, but I forgot about those dang toeclips

Two hundred thirty plus pounds falling over and hitting the pavement in slow motion - not a pretty site, funny to some probably, but not pretty. Scraped knee and elbow on me and a couple of minor scratches on the bike - nothing major. Got up and wiped the wet asphalt and mud off of me, checked the bike and climbed back on for another mile.

Also passed the 100 mile ODO mark for me and the bike - feelin' good!

-dave

(51)

It happens to us all. "There are two types of bikers; those who have hit the pavement, and those that will."

You think 230 pounds hitting the pavement is funny? Imagine 300+ flopping around!

Let us know how you feel tomorrow. I felt fine when I crashed, straightened up my handlebars, threw my broken mirror in the bushes and continued my ride. Later that day I had immense pain in my wrist. Apparently I fractured some bones in there and didn't know it. It took about a month for the pain to subside. I also had puncture wounds in my claf where to some sprocket teeth poked me

Tom Stormcrowe

Shoot, I've hit the pavement and slid across the road on my butt, losing it in a curve too fast, I've wound up hanging over a tree limb from clotheslining myself in a drop, I've wound up in a snowplow pile stuck upside down winter riding, still attached to the bike, heck, I've wrecked lots of times!

Stearman

Oh, I know wrecking is nothing new and that there will be more to follow. Just that the reason why on this one was a bit embarrassing and was the first time since I was a 20 something hot shot.

Knee is a bit stiff and sore, but I'll work it out on my evening ride.

(51), I'm surprised I didn't hurt my wrist. I would have thought that I would have extended my arm to catch my fall, but for some reason I didn't. Landed knee first and then my forearm and elbow. I've had a busted wrist before and know how painful they can be.

-dave

Halthane

i fell over right in front of a car full of very attractive women one of the first times I rode clipless. Just couldn't seem to get clipped out at a stoplight

KingTermite 

Doesn't sound too bad. GratZ on the 100 mile mark...I remember how jazzed I was to hit that 1st 100 miles on the computer.

My first spill was taking a 90 degree turn too sharp and flying over handlebars, knocking handlebars severely out of center. I'd take your first spill any day.

My first spill on clips sounds about the same as yours though....I got lucky and defied the laws of the gods of cycling by doing it when nobody was around to see.

(51)

Yeah, I wonder how many people have fallen without being seen. It's like Murphy's Law. Someone has to witness your embarrassment.

Stearman

Just in from a 7 mile jaunt. Knee was pretty stiff before I started. Stretched it out before the ride and now it feels great.

Yeah I agree, my first one was pretty minor - thank goodness. I haven't been over the handle bars since I was about 8, I hope I never go over again

Halthane - I hope at least one of the those girls came to your aid

-dave

KingTermite 

I did it twice. That time I mentioned, where I messed up handlebars, and then again about a year ago. That time I REALLY screwed up my handlebars (needed to be replaced). But that was great...I wish I could have seen myself from outside. I did a perfect flip over handlebars and landed square on my butt, legs out in front of me, in the grass on side of trail. I was waaay more shocked than injured. Maybe a minor scrape and the wind knocked out of me, nothing more.

doghouse

What's with today?

Finishing up 20 miles, I was slowing down to allow an oncoming pickup to pass by so I could make a left into my subdivision. There were 3 cars behind me. There is no stop sign on the road I am on, but the truck stops 30 feet in front and motions me across. As my front wheel crosses the center line, he starts forward. I hit the brakes and down I went!

Guess everyone got a good laugh at my expense. Glad June is over!

Stearman

I had a driver do something similar today. I was coming down the street and this car was sitting at an intersection - she had a stop sign, I didn't. She waits until the last minute and decides that I don't have the right a way. Luckily I had time to slow up.

This town doesn't have any bike paths/routes and bikes aren't allowed on the walking trails, so it's the street or nothing. I'm really not comfortable riding on the street yet. Never gave it a thought when I was a kid.

-dave

jaxgtr

OK, I'll fess up, I fell and no one saw it, but it is still embarrassing. One of my routes through the business park and a sprinkler heads came off around a corner and I was not aware of it. The road is always wet right there by the time I make it around to it and I know how fast I can go. Well about 1/2" of water was draining across the freshly asphalted road and I slid right across on my behind right into the center island. I riped my shorts and my heavily bruised and red behind was exposing itself to the viewing public. I decided the public did not need to be exposed to this horror and I went home and made sure I did not have any rocks or other goodies left in, a side benefits of being married to a nurse.

Stearman

Ouch! A butt full of rocks can't be good

-dave

jaxgtr

No, it's not. Used to ride Motorcycles on road and off and have taken several spills on them and I think out of the two, if I had to crash, bicycle please.

breadbin

Just count yourself very lucky you got away with it. I remember seeing a friend nearly goin under a truck. He turned a quick right down a hill in front of a truck coming the other way (irish roads) and the bike went from under him, he hopped up and left the bike, don't know how he got up so quick but the truck went over the bike, couldn't stop in time. Lucky. Very lucky. Glad you're ok though.

Tom Stormcrowe

Quantum theory states that an unobserved event is merely a probability included with infinite other possibilities. You did observe it yourself though, so probability collapses to a single probability pathway and there ya are, on your side, still clipped in

Sandwarrior

How is the knee today?

If it still is hurt and stiff, remember to ICE it up, and take your favorite anti inflamatory

I do hope you are feeling better though

JumboRider

I have come to the conclusion that true cyclists insist on testing how slow they can go with their feet on the pedals, without doing a track stand, before resting on the pavement.

ronjon10

If you've got scrapes, pick up some tegaderm. It's heals magically fast.

keithm0

Welcome to the "those that have" club. I'm glad you're OK.

jaxgtr

Knee feels good, but having muscle spams pretty bad in the calf. Woke my wife up at 4 am this morning to get me some pain meds, but I did talk her into letting me leave the house today. I'm getting cabin fever, so we went to lunch. Note to anyone on crutches, rude people in a restaurants don't care that you are walking on crutches and will almost knock you over just like you have two good legs just to get in line first. Good thing I caught the back of her shoe by accident and not on purpose .

Swelling is pretty bad, but was told that was to be expected due to the fact that they did both arthroscopic and cut into my knee to pull the bone out. No over the counters yet since I am taking the Percocet on occasion, but will check into that on Tuesday on my follow up. I do have this cool little ice cooler that hooks to a brace that pumps the uber cold water through it and helps reduce swelling. It last about 3 to 4 hours before I have to have the ice changed. Pretty nifty if you ask me.

Stearman

My left knee (the one I landed on yesterday) is doing great. However, my right one (the one I landed on today) stings a bit. Yeah that's right, I did it again. Same story, different day, opposite knee.

Some people have to learn the hard way

-dave

keithm0

After I bought my first "clipless" pedals, a friend of mine (an experienced biker) told me I would fall 3 times. Sure enough, I fell 3 times within the first couple of months. I hope he's right -- I don't want to do this again!

jaxgtr

I'm thinking I'm glad I went clipless. Hope you feel better soon.

Wogster

Just to reduce confusion for some folks, we have two people with sore Knees, Brian (jaxqtr) and the OP, so:

Brian, any word on when you will be able to get some saddle time again????

As for the OP, a little ice and some Aspirin(acetylsalicylic acid) or Advil(ibuprofin) will help, as they both have anti-inflammatory properties as well as pain relief, if you can get to a pharmacy that sells homoeopathic remedies, then there is Quercetin, it's a natural anti-inflammatory, that might help as well.