joejack951

Similarly to K.Katso, I headed out for a night ride after a brief snow squall. Temp was 34°F at home and the roads were just wet. I started riding north. Hit black ice and went down hard about 5 miles from home. Slowly rode home and finished my ride on the rollers.

Jasper Storm

Had a classic early 80's steel frame w/ Campy/Modolo/Phil Wood. Early 2000's, bought and installed a modern CF seatpost because I read (prolly here) that it would "save weight." Was scared of over-torquing the clamp, first and only ride, the post slowly sank into the seat tube till my knees were hitting my chest.

HazeT

Bought a specialized... brand new!

Lanovran

Hmm... A few things come to mind.

1. I used to think that the stem cap bolt needed to be really tight, 'cause that's what holds the stem on, right? Fortunately, I never quite managed to break anything, though I did hear some unpleasant creaking and popping noises from time to time.

2. One afternoon a few years ago when I rode up a hill into a local park, I stopped and attempted to prop myself up with the toes of my right foot (while still astride the saddle), only to discover that I had stopped on a sideways slant and couldn't reach the pavement with said right foot. I flailed my foot for a bit, and then I fell over into the dirt right as a car full of highly amused college girls drove by...

3. On more than one occasion, I've ridden to work or the grocery store and gone to secure my bike to a rack when I'd suddenly realize that I'd forgotten to bring the keys to my locks.

4. Probably the stupidest thing on this list: I used to be a gutter bunny.

akeelor

Mine either

hokie cycler

That's gold Jerry, gold!

hokie cycler

On a difficult mountain century, at the mile 80 rest stop, someone picked up a packet of chamois cream and thought it was a gel. I was laughing for the next 10 miles.

Sojodave

I adjusted my rear derailer the night before my first race. Got into my first big hill and realized my adjustment caused my front derailer to not shift into a the smaller cog. As you guessed, I didn't win that race.

Eight Bit

^^ THIS ^^ at least once every couple of months !!

dougmon 

Good lord! How large was your bike?

wade@speedx.com

I just shift too fast to crack a car parking at the side of the road~

canuckcicle

Taking off my gilet after a cold descent and neglecting to watch the road surface. I had one arm out, hit a pot hole and grabbed for the bars only to have the gilet go into my front wheel. Broken collarbone, lots of road rash and the ten other guys I took out with me were none too impressed.

Danbob

What the hell is wrong with waving? I have been waving since I start cycling...I don't wave when we are in a focused group or I am descending at a high speed or climbing some steep hill...but when I am just riding a long or on a flat or noticing my surroundings, why wouldn't I wave at another cyclist? I get waved at all the time, even by teams of riders our training who actually compete....It's called being polite...Snooty cyclists are the reason why people think we are all jerks...And you know what? For the most part they are right from what I am noticing! You don't have to be a competitive, arrogant, unfriendly prick to be a cyclist...There is one group around here who goes out, rides like they are competing on local bike paths, screams at pedestrians to get out of the way, screams at barristas at the local starbucks, rides their 5-10k plus roadbikes once a month on a saturday, talks crap, etc, and they are the laughing stock. I was approached by a group leader to join one time, and laughed right in his face and told him I would rather ride alone than be associated with such a moronic bunch of stereotypical road cyclists. He was humiliated and walked away mumbling to himself. I have no patience or tolerance for people like this. Ride your bike, be friendly, and act human.

Stucky

My very first cycling accident: I was 5 years old. We lived next door to a bank's parking lot, which was a great place to ride my tricycle (as well as play on the snow piles in the winter; fly a kite; etc.). One day I got brave, and decided that I'd go out the back of the parking lot (the bank was on a corner) and go down the sidewalk, around the corner, and home via the front parking lot entrance- seemed simple enough.

Trouble was, while rounding the corner, I ran into some woman's leg. I tipped over- but amazingly, the woman didn't seem to suffer any harm (She was kinda 'sturdy')- I just kept apologizing profusely as I got up off the ground and righted my tricycle. The woman didn't seem to pay much attention to the whole thing, and was gone in a second.

Getting my first crash out o the way at such a young age was good, I guess- as I had very few falls after that- I guess it taught me to be safe.

jfowler85

Hit a pedestrian (who was walking in the bike lane) because I made the mistake that we made eye contact and he was thus aware of me. Impact was low speed but we both ended up on the ground.

bres dad

Not me but my daughter. She had just got a new mountain bike. This was the first multi-speed bike and the first without coaster brakes she ever had. We went out on a family ride. I was hanging back with our other daughter as she was having mechanical trouble. I then heard my other daughter screaming (she was with my wife a few hundred feet ahead of us). We caught up and apparently they turned off into a small park, riding downhill with a curve in the middle of the hill. She didn’t hit the brakes and went off the road at the corner and crashed. When I got there, she was in a tree with her butt stuck up in the air (my wife was trying not to laugh once she realized she was physically fine.) She was ok and but pretty rattled. The way she landed in the tree was funny and almost cartoonish in nature.

thinncrispy7

signing onto this bike forum

Hiro11

I started riding bikes seriously at age 12 with a local touring group. The touring group was headed by a very experienced group of adult cyclists who carefully taught us the rules of riding on the road. As a result, I was able to avoid most newbie errors. Still, lessons I've had to learn the hard way:

1. Always unclip a few seconds in advance of when you need to put your foot down, don't wait until the last moment.
2. Practice using a CO2 cartridge at home before trying to use one on the road. Hint: they get really cold.
3. Running low pressures = pinch flats.
4. Take the lane at a four way stop to prevent cars from left hooking you.
5. Assume drivers have no spacial sense and no ability to gauge closing speeds, because they don't.
6. There are lots of group riding tips, one of the more important ones: avoid coasting in a group, always pedal.
7. Cross winds can and will blow you off the road very quickly. Especially with deep-section wheels.
8. Not to get graphic, but as you ride more ensure that you take very good care of your "undercarriage": excellent hygiene and chafing prevention are essential.
9. Saddle bags: get a good small one and use it. Don't listen to the fashion police, cramming everything in your pockets is silly.
10. Lower threadcount tires are less prone to cuts but ride more harshly than high threadcount tires. Neither is better at preventing punctures or pinch flats. Pick your poison.

martslc

Thinking I could cross a highway before the light turn red from yellow but not making it right in front of a police car only to get pulled over for it. Done things like this more then I care to admit. Stupid, stupid.

Also thinking I could fly across a bridge covered with a skiff of snow while trail was clear, yep I slummed the deck so hard and fast skidding/spinning around out of control all the way across the bridge on my back. Stupid, stupid.

WalksOn2Wheels

What else do you have in your pockets that prevents a small saddle bag from fitting in them? I say this because I had a flat repair kit that fits in a small saddle bag, like really small. It goes in the center jersey pocket and phone/CC/keys go in a ziploc bag in the right rear pocket. What all do you have back there that prevents a tube, CO2 inflator, and a single tire lever from fitting?

I've been known to use a large saddle bag under the right conditions, but will use pockets only 90+% of the time.

WalksOn2Wheels

Signing in isn't a mistake. Expecting serious advice/input is.

TheKillerPenguin

Underdressing cuz real men don't give a **** bout the cold. Knees be sensitive, gotta take care of em!

Hiro11

Nothing prevents this stuff from fitting, but in my experience a saddle bag is just easier.

Dan333SP

Yikes!

WalksOn2Wheels

If you understood that post, please post a translation for us all.