October 19, 20178 yr Since autumn is upon us and the leaves are falling on wet roads and tracks, please take care. Yesterday evening I had my first cycling accident on well-used cycle track that makes a sharp turn. As I entered the bend on the track I hit a film of mushed-up leaves. Despite my low speed (15 km/h) my bike lost its grip and sent me flying. I was happy to have helmet and apart from few grazes and bruises, I think my pride took the worst knock. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
October 19, 20178 yr Yes a few years back at this time of year and it was Freshers week at Essex Uni when I took a short cut through their grounds - I luckily managed to avoid the leaves but found student puke was about as slippery... Thankfully after doing a bloody face-plant (helmet not much good in this situation) I managed to get my front tooth shoved back in by my dentist and it's still in place.
October 19, 20178 yr Has anyone else had a similar experience? I found that wet mud and wet wood has the same effect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22foc6FgjLs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGz-4ikH7v4 Actually, looking at the path and that bridge, you're right about the 'film of mushed-up leaves'.
October 19, 20178 yr Acorns. Acorns are dropping nicely over the lanes and cycle paths I use. The ones that ping off to the sides are fine. The ones that don't are like chuffing marbles Grrrrr Gaz
October 19, 20178 yr Time for the studded tyres to go on, I left it to late last year as it was mild and came a cropper on black ice which only appeared for a few days. My swollen hand and bruising of many shades and took about 4 weeks to disappear. Leaves I tend to be cautious with the studs will go on next week. Have to agree with you Gaz, the oaks are producing a bumper crop this year, the squirrels will be extra busy. I've heard a few bouncing off car body work as they have pinged off as my tyres have caught them, also have had a few twitchy commutes.
October 20, 20178 yr Author I'm compiling the ultimate skid list... Ice Mud Puke Wood Acorns Tree roots Pine cones The puke story from Wicky was a first for me. If there are any other unexpected dangers lurking out there please add them with your story.
October 20, 20178 yr If there are any other unexpected dangers lurking out there..... Wasn't Barry Sheen off'd at speed once by a particularly large earthworm? (Although for bragging purposes, I wondered if it was just an ordinary sized worm that merely covered a larger area after its fateful encounter with a motorcycle slick?). Gaz
October 20, 20178 yr Hi, can I add cobble stones to the list. Just got back on my bike after having my shoulder reconstructed, 9 screws and titanium plate. Lost front wheel on cobble stone and landed on my elbow shattering my shoulder. All well now and back on bike after 4 months.
October 20, 20178 yr Author Hi, can I add cobble stones to the list. Just got back on my bike after having my shoulder reconstructed, 9 screws and titanium plate. Lost front wheel on cobble stone and landed on my elbow shattering my shoulder. All well now and back on bike after 4 months. Sounds awfull, I'll add cobbles to my "look out" list as we have a few cobbled street where I live,
October 20, 20178 yr I'm compiling the ultimate skid list... Ice Mud Puke Wood Acorns Tree roots Pine cones The puke story from Wicky was a first for me. If there are any other unexpected dangers lurking out there please add them with your story. Add leaves, cobblestones and worms to the list then.. Oh man! with all those hazards I might just get one of those training wheels, and a treadmill for the dog, and go biking in front of the telly!
October 20, 20178 yr Author Ice Mud Puke Sand Wood Worms Leaves Acorns Tree roots Pine cones Cobblestones I'll stop in and watch TV with LeighPing.
October 20, 20178 yr Not to forget wet manhole covers (pc version - services cover plate). One of my two worst ever crashes due to this. I am very very wary these days !
October 20, 20178 yr Hoses and electric extension cables running along the cycle path, rolled off one yesterday (without falling). The EU1 Atlantic cycle path itself is a danger in places. Second manhole covers, my regular route has one in a roundabout... Chestnuts anyone? Big Bens are the best acorn and chestnut crushers around, you just have to stop worrying that your tyre has exploded with the noise they make!
October 20, 20178 yr Author An ode to skidding Ice and grit and mud and puke, You better brake and take a look. Sand and wood and cobblestones, Are lurking there to break your bones. Manholes, leaves and slimy worms, Give high-speed skids on real hards terms.
October 20, 20178 yr Wet/damp weathered wooden stream/ditch bridges, I've come a cropper in local large recreational park. Front wheel entering on at any angle bar straight on and you bite the deck.
October 21, 20178 yr An ode to skidding Ice and grit and mud and puke, You better brake and take a look. Sand and wood and cobblestones, Are lurking there to break your bones. Manholes, leaves and slimy worms, Give high-speed skids on real hards terms. Except braking is the worst thing you can do....
October 21, 20178 yr Here in north finland, we have upto 8 months of deep snow and ice, and when i say ice, oh boy is it ice! Imagen the road, pavement and everything inbetween, a giant ridged ice sheet about 5cm thick! Locals keep telling me to get spiked tyres. After 4 years, i still dont have any. Only come off twice in all that time, and i cycle every day, every where.
October 21, 20178 yr The bumper crop of acorns may lead to huge squirrels, which may or may not be slippery! Steve.
November 7, 20178 yr Since autumn is upon us and the leaves are falling on wet roads and tracks, please take care. Yesterday evening I had my first cycling accident on well-used cycle track that makes a sharp turn. As I entered the bend on the track I hit a film of mushed-up leaves. Despite my low speed (15 km/h) my bike lost its grip and sent me flying. I was happy to have helmet and apart from few grazes and bruises, I think my pride took the worst knock. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Happened to me on an otherwise pleasant lakeside ride in an autumnal Switzerland. I was on a 20" folder and discovered that the smaller the wheel is,and the shorter the handlebar, the faster you hit the deck! Virtually no warning at all!
November 7, 20178 yr Here in north finland, we have upto 8 months of deep snow and ice, and when i say ice, oh boy is it ice! Imagen the road, pavement and everything inbetween, a giant ridged ice sheet about 5cm thick! Locals keep telling me to get spiked tyres. After 4 years, i still dont have any. Only come off twice in all that time, and i cycle every day, every where. Thats because Finnish drivers and riders know how to handle vehicles. Their control is 1000x better than in the UK where even the slighest bit of damp brings an onslaught of crashes due to idiots not having the slighest clue how to read the surface they are driving on. Most surface hazards are not difficult to see/predict and after 25 years riding motorbikes (mopeds through to Hayabusas) on UK roads in all weathers I have yet to be caught out. The best thing anyone can do in the UK is spend a couple of days on a skidpan learning at what point traction is lost and how to deal with it. Further, find an empty open space full of snow/ice and deliberately make the car lose control. If you ride, spend lots of time on an MTB or (if motorbike) a trials bike offroad. Wear protective gear and expect to fall off, but after a while you will be able to throw vehicles around like you wouldnt believe. Having experience of when things can and do let go (and more importantly, being able to know traction limits of various surfaces) is the only way to prepare for when it happens unexpectedly (which it shouldnt....generally..) The above isnt meant to be patronising, but it does irk me somewhat that 99.99% of drivers do not seek out further training once the simple driving test is passed, nor do they seem to have any interest in trying to further their skills, instead bleating on about how some leaves on a road 'caused' their £50k BMW to become scrap.
November 7, 20178 yr Thats because Finnish drivers and riders know how to handle vehicles. Their control is 1000x better than in the UK where even the slighest bit of damp brings an onslaught of crashes due to idiots not having the slighest clue how to read the surface they are driving on. Most surface hazards are not difficult to see/predict and after 25 years riding motorbikes (mopeds through to Hayabusas) on UK roads in all weathers I have yet to be caught out. The best thing anyone can do in the UK is spend a couple of days on a skidpan learning at what point traction is lost and how to deal with it. Further, find an empty open space full of snow/ice and deliberately make the car lose control. If you ride, spend lots of time on an MTB or (if motorbike) a trials bike offroad. Wear protective gear and expect to fall off, but after a while you will be able to throw vehicles around like you wouldnt believe. Having experience of when things can and do let go (and more importantly, being able to know traction limits of various surfaces) is the only way to prepare for when it happens unexpectedly (which it shouldnt....generally..) The above isnt meant to be patronising, but it does irk me somewhat that 99.99% of drivers do not seek out further training once the simple driving test is passed, nor do they seem to have any interest in trying to further their skills, instead bleating on about how some leaves on a road 'caused' their £50k BMW to become scrap. You could also grow up on a farm in NZ, best 379 hectare skid pad in the world where I grew up Oh and "Houston, we have leaves!" Took a while but temperatures are finally down and leaves have started changing colour and falling off
November 10, 20178 yr So I fell off yesterday, hit a damp patch of road under a tree right on a sharp bend. I have a radial fracture at my elbow so no more cycling for six weeks
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