Author Topic: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip  (Read 2505 times)

Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« on: 02 September, 2008, 08:42:50 pm »
I fell off on my commute home tonight.  Nothing as dramatic as Fuzzy and there was no one else involved.  Just me and the MonstaThorn.
I came to a T intersection near Bulkington.  It was raining slightly, the road was wet but not sodden, more greasy and as I slowed to turn left I think I either hit some diesel or the mud pushed into the road of late by the tractors clearing the crops from the fields all around.  Next thing I knew I the back wheel went and then the front followed, both slid out from underneath me.

I was wearing my Assos shorts.

My left foot unclipped but my right didn't.  I held onto the bars and put the left Speedplay cleat onto the road and sort of skated along as the bike slid away from me.  I was still gripping the bars.

I performed a slow motion Jonathon Edwards skipping movement - not the hop or the jump - but the big stretch of the skip in slow motion - like the splits but not sideways.  Like a really big lunge !

The bike was sliding along on the rear QR skewer and my left Speedplay pedal.

When I stopped my left thigh was burning so I quickly stood up and made sure no one was watching my poor attempt at cycling ballet and then took stock, before getting back on and cycling on.

I was okay for the next 10 miles and then the adrenaline wore off and I was a shaking mess.  My legs didn't feel right.  I couldn't communicate with them so just kept pedaling towards home, minus any sort of power.  I also got very cold.

No damage to Assos.  Pedal slightly damaged, cleat slightly damaged.  No damage to bar tape  :thumbsup:  Slight scratch to rear QR lever.

I'm just thankful I was not near a car, that my Assos are not stuffed and that the bike is okay.

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #1 on: 02 September, 2008, 10:05:46 pm »
You sound as though you are OK after a nasty scare, GruB.

I'm all in favour of a 10-minute time-out after any kind of "off" or near miss. It sounds as though it may not have been enough in your case, but it really helped me with mine in late July.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #2 on: 02 September, 2008, 10:15:04 pm »
You sound as though you are OK after a nasty scare, GruB.

I'm all in favour of a 10-minute time-out after any kind of "off" or near miss. It sounds as though it may not have been enough in your case, but it really helped me with mine in late July.

Yes, I usualy take time out after an off. Especialy when alone. I let the adrenaline discharge, then I check I am OK, then check my bike. It's all too tempting to keep moving, thinking that your bike is OK, when it isn't. I check my bike with a clear head and not with the "See what I want to see" attitude.

Glad you and your bike are OK Grub.

Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #3 on: 02 September, 2008, 10:40:26 pm »
Glad you're OK (not to mention the Assos- they're precious).
My reaction would also have been to jump back on and keep going, checking as I went that bike and body seemed OK.
It seems that the adrenaline rush carried you for some way.

Are you alright now ?
*Crosses fingers*



Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #4 on: 02 September, 2008, 11:28:59 pm »
Crikey GruB, you're a bit of a wet one for an Aussie.  I'm sure you can imagine the real word I'm thinking.  :P

More seriously, glad this wasn't a bad one.
Your Royal Charles are belong to us.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #5 on: 02 September, 2008, 11:39:11 pm »
Hey - look after yourself!


Glad everything is OK and lets hope you get some proper bruises to show off!
It is simpler than it looks.

Che

Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #6 on: 02 September, 2008, 11:47:58 pm »
The one and only time I've totally skidded out (blick ice, rounding a corner; going uphill, so I guess I figured I'd be slower and unlikely to skid - bollocks to that!), I bent the deraillieur hanger without noticing. Until I put it through the spokes at the big hill, that is. The moral? Check your bike really well if you do something like that!

Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #7 on: 03 September, 2008, 05:50:36 am »
After sitting down and watching some TV last night, when I got up to get her a cuppa, I noticed pain in my right hip joint.  Same pain when I went to bed.  Same pain this morning.  Muscular only so I'll take it easy today.

The bike is fine.  Luckily I went down on the non drive side so no damage to any key components.  My cleat took more damage than I'd first thought and quite a lot of the plastic is no more.  Same for the bottom of my Specialized shoe - plastic has gone.

In hindsight I should have stopped for a bit.  I did when I noticed the adrenaline had gone but not for long enough or to enable me to take stock.

Live and learn, live and learn.  One reason I posted really, to help others in case they find themselves in that position.

Cheers all.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #8 on: 03 September, 2008, 07:45:17 am »
When I fell off last year I gratefully took all the bandages from the paramedics and then completed the 30 miles needed for my first 100 miler.  ;D Like an extra from 24 Days.
It is simpler than it looks.

Pete

Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #9 on: 03 September, 2008, 08:05:25 am »
Take care GruB!  On my last big 'off', I 'took 10'.  Well, I didn't really have the choice did I, being unconscious!  And I was ambulanced off so no option to get on the bike and continue.  But I was back on the bike three or four days later.  I even (at an extremely slow pace) re-visited the place where I thought it happened (looking for my teeth).

I'm afraid, a detail in your report only firms up my resolve never to go clipless (I've even got a pair of Look pedals and cleats - unused - in the cupboard).  At my age, and with my standard of cycling, it doesn't make sense for me, although I agree it's a benefit to others.

Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #10 on: 03 September, 2008, 08:19:46 am »


The bike is fine. 

Thank god ;) ;D


Glad you're ok too Grub,  of course ;D


I always consider offs like this ( and I dont have many) as almost inevitable. You fall off, dust yourself off and get on with it. If you didn't you wouldn't ride.
Teethgrinders advice about taking time , rather than rushing to get back on and away is good advice though.

Jacomus

  • My favourite gender neutral pronoun is comrade
Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #11 on: 03 September, 2008, 09:53:29 am »
Take care GruB!  On my last big 'off', I 'took 10'.  Well, I didn't really have the choice did I, being unconscious!  And I was ambulanced off so no option to get on the bike and continue.  But I was back on the bike three or four days later.  I even (at an extremely slow pace) re-visited the place where I thought it happened (looking for my teeth).

I'm afraid, a detail in your report only firms up my resolve never to go clipless (I've even got a pair of Look pedals and cleats - unused - in the cupboard).  At my age, and with my standard of cycling, it doesn't make sense for me, although I agree it's a benefit to others.

An understandable concern Pete, however using SPDs would give you the advantage of being clipped in, but also they disengage easily upon impact. After all, they are designed for MTBing where one is expected to fall off regularly. In my experience of using them for MTBing, they do disengage every time.

Road pedals such as my Times, or our Looks do have a much more secure grip on the pedal.
"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity." Amelia Earhart

Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #12 on: 03 September, 2008, 09:09:41 pm »
J-r-G,
Valid point. My left Speedplay unclicked immediately ( I must have done it without even thinking )  but the right foot stayed clicked in.  I was grateful for this as it enabled me to slow down the bike without coming off off off completely.

Each to their own Pete.  I'd be lost without mine.

Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #13 on: 03 September, 2008, 09:10:41 pm »
One other thing, I checked out the 'scene' when I ride by this morning.  Loads of mud from the farm vehicles and perhaps a little diesel or oil at the junction too.  It was inevitable in the circumstances.  Damn weather.

mattc

  • n.b. have grown beard since photo taken
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Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #14 on: 04 September, 2008, 10:18:36 am »
I think the 'perils' of being 'trapped' in your pedals are overegged.

We've all had/witnessed those 'clipless' moments - nobody gets properly hurt. If you're having an off worth worrying about, then staying attached to your pedals is not going to make things significantly worse.

With MTBs speed of unclipping is a convenience thing - there will be far more times per ride when you HAVE to stop. I don't believe safety comes into it.

All IMHO !
Has never ridden RAAM
---------
No.11  Because of the great host of those who dislike the least appearance of "swank " when they travel the roads and lanes. - From Kuklos' 39 Articles

Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #15 on: 04 September, 2008, 11:17:37 am »
Clipless pedals seem to be an Everest to so many cyclists, but they are really just a basic skill, and a very very useful cycling tool.
Your Royal Charles are belong to us.

fuzzy

Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #16 on: 04 September, 2008, 01:46:55 pm »
Just seen this GruB! Hope the 'bits' are OK now. Hips and groins are very easy to strain when putting them through unfamiliar activity like doing the 'wanna save my Assos' jive.

Be careful out there dudes and duedesses :thumbsup:

Regulator

  • That's Councillor Regulator to you...
Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #17 on: 04 September, 2008, 02:52:52 pm »
I had my first clipless moment in Holland whilst on holiday.  Coming off a cycle path to cross a road my right leg wouldn't unclip and I toppled over.  Luckily the bulging panniers helped protect me from a front mech implant and all I suffered was minor grazes and embarassment.

The embarassment was compounded by two passing cars stopping to check I was OK...  :-[
Quote from: clarion
I completely agree with Reg.

Green Party Councillor

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #18 on: 04 September, 2008, 03:38:27 pm »
I had my first clipless moment in Holland whilst on holiday.  Coming off a cycle path to cross a road my right leg wouldn't unclip and I toppled over.  Luckily the bulging panniers helped protect me from a front mech implant and all I suffered was minor grazes and embarassment.

The embarassment was compounded by two passing cars stopping to check I was OK...  :-[

Did you have any luggage on the bike?  ;D ;D

PS The big boys made me say that!
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #19 on: 04 September, 2008, 08:13:11 pm »
Just seen this GruB! Hope the 'bits' are OK now. Hips and groins are very easy to strain when putting them through unfamiliar activity like doing the 'wanna save my Assos' jive.

Be careful out there dudes and duedesses :thumbsup:

 :thumbsup: ;D :thumbsup:

Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #20 on: 04 September, 2008, 08:16:54 pm »

Each to their own Pete.  I'd be lost without mine.

What, clipless pedals or teeth?

Re: Not a Menchov, more like a slow motion Edwards skip
« Reply #21 on: 04 September, 2008, 08:18:05 pm »
Both.