Avoiding falls
04-24-23 | 06:08 PM
#26
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From: SW Fl.
Bikes: 1999 DAHON Mariner, Day6 Semi Recumbent "FIREBALL", 1981 Custom Touring Paramount, 1983 Road Paramount, 2013 Giant Propel Advanced SL3, 2018 Specialized Red Roubaix Expert mech., 2002 Magna 7sp hybrid, 1976 Bassett Racing 45sp Cruiser
Yes, I can attest to this technique for straightening aluminum (and steel!) rims.
My dad's truing workbench had a 2x4 mounted with spacers to leave a gap about the width of a rim. He would insert the bent part of the rim and push down on the wheel. Loosening the spokes too much would make the rim "noodly" though, making it hard to isolate the bent section. After watching him and practicing on my own, I was able to bend back a bent rim to roughly straight, then true the wheel with spoke tension.
Other mechanics would lay the wheel on the ground and step on it. That always seemed pretty crude to me.
My dad's truing workbench had a 2x4 mounted with spacers to leave a gap about the width of a rim. He would insert the bent part of the rim and push down on the wheel. Loosening the spokes too much would make the rim "noodly" though, making it hard to isolate the bent section. After watching him and practicing on my own, I was able to bend back a bent rim to roughly straight, then true the wheel with spoke tension.
Other mechanics would lay the wheel on the ground and step on it. That always seemed pretty crude to me.
04-24-23 | 06:18 PM
#27
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From: Bastrop Texas
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As you get older things become more important like...Selecting a Flight Plan
Yep... And I am talking about bicycles. I am so glad no major damage was done on your fall, Bravo...
Selecting a Flight Plan
Pre-Flight Check List
Staying prepared for your next landing, Planed or Not...
Yep... And I am talking about bicycles. I am so glad no major damage was done on your fall, Bravo...
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04-24-23 | 07:55 PM
#29
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From: Toronto
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The best way to avoid falls is to ride slowly and in a straight line or turn with a big radius.
But if you do, don't try to break your fall. Instead roll with the punch.
But if you do, don't try to break your fall. Instead roll with the punch.
04-24-23 | 08:37 PM
#30
Gruppetto Bob
Joined: Sep 2020
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From: Seattle-ish
Bikes: Orbea Orca, Bianchi Infinito & Campione de Mundo
If you do see an unavoidable object try to either hit it at a 90* angle, similar to RXR tracks, or try to bunny hop over it. Bunny hopping is best accomplished with clipless or pedals with toes straps.
When running in the dark along a road side< I didn’t see a chunk of black asphalt curbing. Down I went on one knee and had to limp 2 miles home with a badly bruised knee. There are times you just can’t see it, and when you can’t you will be going down so learn how to fall like a wrestler. Fight the urge to stick your arm out to brace the fall but instead keep your hands on the bars and try to roll with a tucked in shoulder.
When running in the dark along a road side< I didn’t see a chunk of black asphalt curbing. Down I went on one knee and had to limp 2 miles home with a badly bruised knee. There are times you just can’t see it, and when you can’t you will be going down so learn how to fall like a wrestler. Fight the urge to stick your arm out to brace the fall but instead keep your hands on the bars and try to roll with a tucked in shoulder.
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04-24-23 | 09:18 PM
#31
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My only observation is the extension levers on the brakes. As I understand it, those are frowned upon because your hands are too close to the steering axis to really control the bike when needed. Some levers from the same era, without the extensions, should be easy to find.
04-24-23 | 10:32 PM
#32
Gruppetto Bob
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From: Seattle-ish
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Then there was the time I just finished my bike commute to work and took the curb cut right in front of the front door of the building. The sidewalk had oversize expansion joints which were exactly the width of my front tire which conveniently got lodged into and abruptly brought me to a stop. There was no time to yank the wheel, unclip or take evasive measures and promptly hit the pavement. I was fortunate there were none of my coworkers there at that early hour or I would never heard the end of it. Sometimes you just go down.
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04-25-23 | 08:24 AM
#33
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From: New Canaan, CT
Your wheel - best fixed by an old mechanic who was doing it 40 years ago because your rim is almost certainly bent. Common in the old, pre- modern higher strength aluminums common for bicycle rims. THe standard practice then for getting that rim "right", straight and very close to true was a practice heavily frowned on now by mechanics, shop owners and lawyers. Loosen the spokes around the bent, then slam that area of the wheel hard on a concrete step or the like to bend it back straight. (Rim never quite goes back perfect. The beginning and end of the bent stretch will have work hardened and resist going back to it's previous. But a skilled mechanic can get the overall shape so close the wheel will roll and brake just fine. And to the whole operation in 10 minutes. (Our mechanic used to tell the customer 4 hours - just to get him out of the shop and do with with no one but us employees watching!)
This practice is riskier with the rims after yours with the new alloys. Far stronger, less "mild" and doesn't take to being bent and re-bent nearly as well. Modern mechanics will either not touch your rim or want to adjust spokes to correct the true. If your rim is indeed bent, that means unequal tensions on the spokes to force the rim to run straight. Such a wheel will never be a "happy" wheel and very likely be an ongoing problem. So look for that old mechanic. And if he refuses to let you watch him - well I think you just found one of the good ones!
This practice is riskier with the rims after yours with the new alloys. Far stronger, less "mild" and doesn't take to being bent and re-bent nearly as well. Modern mechanics will either not touch your rim or want to adjust spokes to correct the true. If your rim is indeed bent, that means unequal tensions on the spokes to force the rim to run straight. Such a wheel will never be a "happy" wheel and very likely be an ongoing problem. So look for that old mechanic. And if he refuses to let you watch him - well I think you just found one of the good ones!
04-25-23 | 02:47 PM
#34
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From: New England
Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM
With the barage of daily stimuli it is hard to differentiate significant signs from accidental ones. I spoke the handiman in the housing complex today and he said there was construction around there last week. A cone that is left behind but has no clear active significance vs. a sign in ongoing work or construction, big difference there.
Yes, but we have the power of hindsight and will now insist that we can tell you what you did wrong and why it's your fault.
Cones signifying nothing happen a lot. So does encountering nearly invisible junk on the road like that when there is no cone.
04-25-23 | 02:52 PM
#35
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From: New England
Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM
Just be careful it doesn't make you more willing to throw your hands out to catch you, that's really dangerous.
04-27-23 | 05:34 PM
#37
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From: Mich
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04-27-23 | 08:08 PM
#38
Riding straight ahead over that gravel would likely be okay. Turning, the bike tire is depending on gripping the road surface, so it probably slid out there.
Yes, it's not always easy to see sand or gravel on a corner. The texture can be so similar to the normal road surface near there.
I've seen a few riders wait to the last instant to try to cross railroad tracks at 90 degrees. Their wheel did cross at 90, but they were still leaning into the turn. It turned out to be a damp steel rail, and they instantly slid out and went down. I don't always try to go 90 degrees to a rail, 60 degrees is fine for me, maybe even 45 degrees -- but I must be riding a straight line all the way across both rails, and centered over the bike. No leaning!
Yes, it's not always easy to see sand or gravel on a corner. The texture can be so similar to the normal road surface near there.
I've seen a few riders wait to the last instant to try to cross railroad tracks at 90 degrees. Their wheel did cross at 90, but they were still leaning into the turn. It turned out to be a damp steel rail, and they instantly slid out and went down. I don't always try to go 90 degrees to a rail, 60 degrees is fine for me, maybe even 45 degrees -- but I must be riding a straight line all the way across both rails, and centered over the bike. No leaning!
05-14-23 | 06:35 PM
#39
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From: New Canaan, CT
My arm has more or less healed at this point; I had initial pictures of the fairly long gash in the arm, not deep though. Also my left hand had skin ripped. No medical care, because I knew what to do and the pain was not indicative of a fracture.
Also I was able to get the front wheel repaired; the in town shop said no dice, they didn't want to do it. A shop up in Brookfield straightened and trued it.
Also I was able to get the front wheel repaired; the in town shop said no dice, they didn't want to do it. A shop up in Brookfield straightened and trued it.
