Hit a bird today
#1
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Joined: May 2007
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Bikes: CAAD 9 Tiagra, DaVinci Madrid, DaVinci Oslo, CAAD 10 (one day)
Hit a bird today
.. that's right, a bird. Stupid seagulls. A few were eating from some remnant mcdonalds bags by the side of the street. I had just turned a corner after pumping up a nice hill and was gaining good speed. All the others kept eating or walked away, but this one slowly starts moving into the street. I slowly edge farther into the street, zero traffic. Then the bird takes off, and starts flying. Now I'm starting to swerve away from it but its picking up speed and it went right into my front wheel.
Luckily I didn't clip in this am and so landed on my feet holding my handle bars, and there's this bird struggling to get out of my spokes. It dropped a french fry in the process and managed to get itself out after a few seconds and no help from me. I start walking away, get on the bike looking back, and the bird was slow to get up, grab its fry and walk back to the food.
Luckily I didn't clip in this am and so landed on my feet holding my handle bars, and there's this bird struggling to get out of my spokes. It dropped a french fry in the process and managed to get itself out after a few seconds and no help from me. I start walking away, get on the bike looking back, and the bird was slow to get up, grab its fry and walk back to the food.
#3
Senior Member

Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Colorado Springs, CO
Bikes: 2015 Charge Plug, 2007 Dahon Boardwalk, 1997 Specialized Rockhopper, 1984 Nishiki International, 2006 Felt F65, 1989 Dahon Getaway V
Unpleasant, and potentially gruesome. But least you didn't "taste pigeon":
https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cy...ed-pigeon.html
https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cy...ed-pigeon.html
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2012
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From: WKY
Bikes: 2014 Trek Crossrip LTD, 2013 Raleigh Misceo
Glad you and the bike are ok. I was hit in the head by a Barn Swallow. It was a glancing blow, so really no big deal. The bird zig-zagged on one of aerobatic maneuvers they execute and bam! I barely saw it before the hit.
Almost hit a turkey a few weeks back. They rest of the flock got off the trail. One old tom didn't want to be bothered. I braked to avoid that collision. Would hate to wind up in pile with one of the guys!
Almost hit a turkey a few weeks back. They rest of the flock got off the trail. One old tom didn't want to be bothered. I braked to avoid that collision. Would hate to wind up in pile with one of the guys!
#6
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,524
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From: Chicago
Bikes: Marin Four Corners, 1960's Schwinn Racer in middle of restoration, mid 70s Motobecane Grand Touring, various other heaps.
Glad you and the bike are ok. I was hit in the head by a Barn Swallow. It was a glancing blow, so really no big deal. The bird zig-zagged on one of aerobatic maneuvers they execute and bam! I barely saw it before the hit.
Almost hit a turkey a few weeks back. They rest of the flock got off the trail. One old tom didn't want to be bothered. I braked to avoid that collision. Would hate to wind up in pile with one of the guys!
Almost hit a turkey a few weeks back. They rest of the flock got off the trail. One old tom didn't want to be bothered. I braked to avoid that collision. Would hate to wind up in pile with one of the guys!
#7
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 40,863
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From: Sacramento, California, USA
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
#8
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 672
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From: SF Penunsula
Bikes: 1970? Dawes Galaxy (cannibalized), 197? Bob Jackson Frankenbike, 1989 Jamis Diablo
#9
Banned.
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 2,717
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From: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Bikes: '74 Raleigh International utility; '98 Moser Forma road; '92 Viner Pro CX upright
weird day for bugs today, but turned out ok. A bee landed on my eye behind my glasses and didn't sting me - that's like the first time I haven't been stung by a bee when I hit it. Some bug made into my nostril, but I blew it out instantly - don't know what it was.
#11
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Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Sacramento, California, USA
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Twice hit pheasants with a car. One got stuck in the grill, the other came through the windshield. That was exciting.
#12
Senior Member




Joined: Apr 2012
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From: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones
I had a duck take me down hard once. The damn bird spooked and flew right into my rear wheel when I was doing 20 mile plus. Took me down hard. I had to bang the front wheel on the side of the road to straighten it out enough to pass through my fork blades and take off the front brake to ride home. Plus I was picking out duck feathers from my campy NR rear derailleur for a while. It shifted fine though even with a few extra duck feathers,
#13
multimodal commuter
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 19,810
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From: NJ, NYC, LI
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
I've been hit by a Canada goose... Twice, I think. Neither got into my spokes, though, so that was good.
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#14
1. Dumb thing was safely off to my right, but on seeing me it bolted toward the pond on my left. I ran right over it with both wheels, caught an amazing amount of air, then landed w/o crashing.
2. Dumb goose safely off to the side of the path with goslings. Stupid thing tried to attack me. Just as it spread its wings and went airborne, coming head on...my right brake lever (mtn bike) caught it in the breast, knocking it backward out of the air.
#17
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 730
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From: WKY
Bikes: 2014 Trek Crossrip LTD, 2013 Raleigh Misceo
Having lived outside of town most of my life, I have hits several birds of various species over the years. However, I owned a minivan with a large, flat, steeply sloped windshield that I think fooled the birds into thinking the windshield was a part of the sky. It was like a reflection of the sky. Birds hit that vehicle frequently! Would make you jerk/dodge/duck if you saw it coming or jump from the loud WHACK if you didn't.
#18
Keepin it Wheel




Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 5,197
From: San Diego
Bikes: Surly CrossCheck, Krampus
#19
Keepin it Wheel




Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 5,197
From: San Diego
Bikes: Surly CrossCheck, Krampus
I ran into a pigeon once on the sidewalk. It was riding home north from UW when I was there one summer, I think it was University Way.
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