Escaped Disaster on 2 wheels

[motoguy128]

Well, not on a motorcycle, but still 2 wheels. On Sunday, I was heading out of town for a brisk afternoon bicycle ride/workout. After making a fast left downhill turn, I realized that wit hthe light timing, I could make the last green light leaving town onto the Mississippi river bridge if I sprinted.

 

I'm out of the saddle, hammering hard, probably around 30mph since it's slightly downhill, but thre was a moderate headwind, and all of the sudden "POP"!!! ... the chain jumped off the front chainring as I come down with my right leg.

 

I'm not sure how I saved it...maybe just years of riding or just plain luck, but the bike swerved violently from the sudden steering input caused when my weight shifted rapdily as my right leg drop 6", foot unclipped out of the right pedal and hit the pavement.

 

I somehow got the steering back under control and lifted myself back into the saddle. I pedaled softly to get the chain sorted ou and back on the chainring, clipped my right foot back in and resumed pedaling... and made the light.

 

I looked around to see if any of the cars in the intersection noticed... but otherwise put my head back down and pressd on across the bridge.

 

The does make me thing twice when I stand-up and start sprinting hard. On that bridge in the return direction, thre is only a 3' tall concrete baricade seperating the roadway from a 80' drop to the river below, a barge going through the locks, the bridge "pilings", or the riverfront park. Launching over hte bars...or getting tagged from behind by a motorist could send a bicyclist clear over the barricade. Although... that might be better than getting run over. So if you're faced with a 60-80' drop to a river below... what's the proper technique for entering the water??? Feet first, knees slightly bent, arms crossed, head bakc slightly, take a deep breath... and hope the water is at least 20' deep??? I'd worry about having the wind knocked out of me, and gasping for air while trying the re-surface. The good news... the coast guard station is a 1/4 mile downstream from the bridge.

 

 

Anyone else have some lose calls where you were sure you were going to hit the pavement but pulled on out of you a** soemhow?

[Jeepster]

WOW, nice save motoguy.

Although my training/memory may be out-dated I was taught to enter unknown water feet first if at all possible.

Legs should be scissored open front to rear and and kick/swing them closed as they enter the water to minimize the depth you might reach.

Arms shold be held to your chest vertically and hands covering face/head to protect yourself from losing consciousness.

Never enter unknown water head or butt first to avoid unconsciousness or paralysis.

 

 

[Albert]

Physical fitness is dangerous.

 

Sorry, glad you're OK.

[motoguy128]

Any see the high speed crash during a descent in the Tour de France this year??? I think they said he was traveling at around 50mph. He slid across the pavement like a MotoGP racer hitting the kitty litter... except he didn't have leathers or a FF helmet... and that was after he face planted. Ouch! I'm forgetting his name now, but I believe he fractured his cheekbone among other injuries.

[Green RT]

I am not sure I understand all of the situation described by the OP, but it strikes me that speeding up to make a light is always a bad idea. It shortens the time available to check for hazards, and the added speed contributes to reducing options should an unexpected hazard arise (as it did in this case). You are focusing on making the light, when you should be focusing on checking out the intersection and traffic.

 

Glad you came out of it okay.

[bushmanstan]

Having ridden and raced bicycles for 15 years, both road and dirt, I've had a few serious crashes and seen a few. The most memorable involved a group of deer. A friend and I were on a training ride and were about 20 miles from town going down a 50+ mph downhill (nicknamed "the wall") when a group of 3 deer come out of the ditch. My friend hit the first one and luckily went over the deer while I somehow managed to miss the other two. This guy hit on his shoulder then flopped, skidded and got back on his feet while he was still sliding. Neither of us had a phone so I had to ride back to town and get my truck then go get my friend. His bike, of course was not rideable.

 

No broken bones but some serious road rash.

[motoguy128]

Speaking of wildlife... I have seen a riding partner just miss a squirrel wit hhis front wheel, but somehow the little critter got caught by his rear wheel spokes and got flug up 5 or 6 feet into hte air. We were going downhill at abotu 30mph...and almost crashed we were laughing so hard.

 

 

I've also run over a squirrel on a dual sport motorcycle while 2-up going about 40mph on a gravel road. I was going slow enough that I could either hear the poor little guy shreek, or the sound if it's spine being crushed. IF hte dumb little things didn't double back into your path, they might not get squished in such lage numbers.

[bushmanstan]

I can top that. I was racing a mountain bike in the woods and there was this squirrel heading in a path perpendicular to mine. Our two lines crossed his head got stuck in my front spokes which resulted in the squirrel losing his head (when his body would not fit between my front fork) and me going over the handlebars.

[PBee]

Having switched from "rat traps" to clips the day before I was trying to be extra aware of everything I was doing. Coming to a 4 way stop I slowed to almost a complete stop then tried to pull my foot out of the rat trap I was accustomed to - down I went. What should be sitting across the street but a cop in his car laughing his rear off.

 

There is no recovery from total embarrassment.

[motoguy128]

Having switched from "rat traps" to clips the day before I was trying to be extra aware of everything I was doing. Coming to a 4 way stop I slowed to almost a complete stop then tried to pull my foot out of the rat trap I was accustomed to - down I went. What should be sitting across the street but a cop in his car laughing his rear off.

 

There is no recovery from total embarrassment.

 

It is a requirement to fall over at least once during the first few months of using clipless pedals. These days, I mostly just do track stands (balance the bike at a near standstill without unclipping). None of the lights on my riding routes are very long, so I just wait it out for 10-30 seconds and practice improving my balance.

[AviP]

I don't like pedals with clips. I have never used them and don't plan to start now.

 

As to the best way to enter the water, it has to be feet first, head straight, arms stuck to your side. If your feet are separated, the water could hurt your nuts. If your arms are flailing, your armpits will sting for days. If you land on your stomach, you will look and feel like a tomato. If you land on your back, paralysis is a possibility. And if your head meets the water anyway other than normal, it could knock you out.

 

But given that you only have less than 2 seconds before you hit the water, good luck on any muscle memory and reaction time. I know I couldn't do it.

[JohnnyJ]

A good friend just spent 22 days in the hospital because of a bicycle crash; Broken ribs, punctured lung, blood clot of some sort. He was bent low reaching for his water bottle when the front wheel (off-road) hit a rut. He essentially went down and got stabbed by his own pedal.

 

 

JohnnyJ

[Dave39]

I had a blowout a while back on my Trek on a fast down hill. The bike was all over the road, but I managed to stay upright. On another ride on a Delta levee, I hit an unknown object on the road and went over the 45 degree inland side of the levee, hit a pile of brush at bottom, flew over the handle bars, did a mid-air somersault, and landed on my back in the brambles. Just ended up with a lot of scratches (and more importantly the bike OK)....not so lucky last Fall when I hit a large rock on the road shoulder at 20mph. Went over handlebars and landed on my side on concrete curb....smashed scapula, 2 broken ribs, and lots of road rash. That made a total of seven broken ribs so far from bike crashes.

[Bill_Walker]

On another ride on a Delta levee, I hit an unknown object on the road and went over the 45 degree inland side of the levee, hit a pile of brush at bottom, flew over the handle bars, did a mid-air somersault, and landed on my back in the brambles. Just ended up with a lot of scratches (and more importantly the bike OK)....

 

Wow! You're lucky you didn't go off the river side and land in the riprap (large rocks used to protect the levee from boat wake erosion)!

[Dave39]

Yeah, funny thing is I let out a yell when I went over. My riding buddies in front stopped to look back, and I was gone. I had vanished.

[Knifemaker]

All this DANGER...AND you have to pedal your butt off tooo.......I'll stick with two wheels WITH a motor.... and leave this bicycle riding to you, young and crazy guys...

[LeftCoastMan]

I'm out of the saddle, hammering hard, probably around 30mph since it's slightly downhill, but thre was a moderate headwind, and all of the sudden "POP"!!! ... the chain jumped off the front chainring as I come down with my right leg.

 

I did this once mountain biking. Unfortunately, the chain locked up, getting caught between the frame and tire, spilling me in a bunch of rocks. Because I only us clipless pedals and I had the tension a bit tight on the clips, I went flying with the bike. I broke nothing. I had more road rash than I care to remember. (Or is it road rash if it happens on a trail?)

 

I swear if I could carry my mountain bike on my RT, I'd sell my car, and live off the bike(s).

[LeftCoastMan]

All this DANGER...AND you have to pedal your butt off tooo.......I'll stick with two wheels WITH a motor.... and leave this bicycle riding to you, young and crazy guys...

 

Dealing with cagers is 10X as scary. Drivers of cars do the same idiotic things to cyclists and motorcyclists, but at least with a motorcycle you can twist the throttle to escape some problems.

 

But my worst experience on a road with a bicycle was with a bunch of motorcyclists. They somehow forgot the motor vehicle code that a bicyclist has a right to the road, and one clipped me while in a group. Destroyed a beautiful, sexy, Pinarello Carbon Fiber frame. Rider was cited, his insurance paid out a huge claim for my bike. Why I didn't get hurt is beyond me.