DropDeadFred

so i just got my gopro hero today, so i figured I'd troll youtube for some vids with cool angles, mounting points...etc. I found this...so much going wrong in this group...starting with the paceline and sleeveless jerseys...
https://youtu.be/GaQJB_bWA4c

DropDeadFred

super surprised that he didnt lose all spokes in that amount of time locked up

zazenzach

i genuinely lol'd

HokuLoa

Why oh why do I open an watch these???? I even sit here waiting for the refresh in agonizing anticipation of the grue-to-come...

Sundance89

There was a thread last week about a paceline group asking someone to not use his triathlon bike but rather use or buy an appropriate road bike with the group. The request and thread got very personal when I think it shouldn't have.

I have found not allowing the use of aerobars in paceline training to be a common request. Even when traveling and riding with other groups, they state the same thing while announcing the ride, or will even post it on a website if they have one.

DropDeadFred

i was very active in that thread lol...i just thought it funny to see video proof

curiouskid55

funny that the clip ons didnt have anything to do with the crash. Lapped wheel, lost control, reagained control then flipped in a pot hole.

vandalarchitect

I think the argument could be made that had he been ridding with drops he could have avoided the skewer to his spokes

DropDeadFred

you see how quickly he fumped out of the aero position? of course it had something to do with it. he wasn't properly pacing, flew up and crossed wheels.

Tapeworm21

The guy in the lead is obviously legit. He only needs one aero bar on the bike.

jwible

Um, being on the clip ons made it impossible for him to modulate speed leading to the overlap in the first place. I'd say it was the primary cause of the crash.

Sundance89

*unbelievable* I really didn't think there would or could be a statement like this with a video and bouncing ball to follow along with. . . . "didn't have anything to do with the crash"?? Nothing whatsoever? Wow.

Just to be clear, the rider not being able to brake, slow down and correct his speed while in the aerobars contributed nothing to this crash?

He had to take his hands off the aerobars and place them onto his drops to brake, by then it was too late.

Let's at least agree that it contributed, to what degree I won't argue with you about.

DropDeadFred

reminds me of the grinches reindeer

spock

If you are riding in a group, before making a sudden move like the second guy did, you need to glance back. The guy behind him had exactly half a second to react. Aerobars or not, be responsible. Also riding on the side of someones wheel like that should be questionable.

mkadam68

If I may, in their defense, it looks like this is a "closed" group of 5 friends. They look like they're all triathletes (or wannabes) out training. So, fine for them. That said, it was funny as all get out. Wouldn't have been if he had been hurt bad.

Now, this doesn't relate to the other thread because that one was about someone not part of the group jumping in, wasn't it?

Gorden Gekko

I think he missed the class on protecting your front wheel at all times

bianchi10

this video is a Perfect reason for TT bikes/aero bars shouldn't ride with road bikes. To be honest I didn't FULLY understand why in that particular thread but this clears it all up! holy cow!!!

Sundance89

Well let's see how many assumptions you can make in one stroke. You already have the group as closed to others, they're friends, and they are all triathletes. How 'bout just looking at what you see in this video that contributed to this crash? And with that, we can see by the rider being on his aerobars, it was impossible for him to control his speed "until" he removed his hands to GET to his brakes.

Now, does the subject of riding with aerobars not being allowed in a paceline group ride because of risks relate in anyway to the subject here?? .... Hmmm? Ney. I don't see it either. But I sure as heck see them closing the group to others, friends (I'd say lifelong friends), and all triathletes with 2 kids each and their favorite color is blue, as completely relevant.

DropDeadFred

i liked that thread...found it relevant. Found this...found it even more relevant...

this is exactly what you don't want to see happen in a pace line...it could have been worse.

spock

Ability to react to a mishap and doing things responsibly so mishaps don't occur, have nothing to do with each other. Everything that happened in that video points out to factors other than aero bars and being unable to respond fast enough because someone was in aero bars. It could have been easily avoided if the guy glanced back before swerving left all of a sudden or a dude not having his front wheel along someones rear wheel so close.

Jakedatc

This... Who knows what the 2nd guy could have been dodging. it doesn't matter. Same as in a car, the driver behind is responsible to avoid anything that happens ahead. not being able to hit the brakes or steer away quickly is a product of the aerobars.

Bob Dopolina 

I see several mistakes in that short clip all of which contributed to the contact and eventual crash.

1. The lead rider pulls through on the left and then, while still on the front, stops pedalling and drifts left while looking back. This was after the contact and I assume he wanted off the front but it is an error.

2. The second rider is also slightly overlapping wheels and is forced to drift left based on what the first rider does. This is a pretty small error but leaves one less place for the 3rd rider to go.

3. The rider who crashes:
i. Was on his aero bars in 4th position. Unless the team is practicing for a TTT what the heck was he thinking?
ii. Because he's on the aerobars he can't modulate speed and drifts into an overlapping position.
iii. Then he decides he needs to use his brakes. When he moves to brake he stuffs his wheel into the rider's QR. He should have done nothing at all and soft pedalled for a few seconds. The space would have open accordingly and he could have slipped right into position.

Side note: Overlapping wheels is fine (and what you do in a cross wind) but if you're going to do so you need to overlap MORE so your FR QR is in front of the other rider's RR QR.

My take is that the areo bars were the principal cause of the crash.

Bob Dopolina 

I don't see any swerving. I see drifting.

I don't think he was avoiding anything. Was he was getting ready to pull through? Did the lead rider signal him to come through?

powermatt99

This makes me nervous about joining any sort of riding group. I'm not a social person and I enjoy riding alone. Riding with a group would be to push myself beyond what I can do alone. Then I see this sort of thing. I know, most riders are probably smarter than this but it only takes one to wreck a whole group it seems.

sakonnetclip

Agree, the few seconds where he has his left hand on the aero bars / right on the drops and guess what? He can't control the bike!

Full disclosure, I've never rode with aero bars, but this isn't rocket science. I hope he wasn't hurt all that badly...