Fell Off My Bike Today

[noTAGlove]

......commuting to work. Not hurtling downhill in a peloton at 30 mph, but from being stationery and trying to push off while looking over my shoulder.

Pushed down on the pedal hard, had a bit of a wobble, then hit the kerb and keeled over at 0mph in the road.

Took the brunt of it on my rib cage as I had nothing but the tarmac to break my fall, and to say I’m in pain is an understatement.

I can’t be the only one.

[pastrana72]

......commuting to work. Not hurtling downhill in a peloton at 30 mph, but from being stationery and trying to push off while looking over my shoulder.

Pushed down on the pedal hard, had a bit of a wobble, then hit the kerb and keeled over at 0mph in the road.

Took the brunt of it on my rib cage as I had nothing but the tarmac to break my fall, and to say I’m in pain is an understatement.

I can’t be the only one.

Get well soon.

I slipped on ice a while back on my bike, and went down hard on my hip. For a minute I thought I had broke my hip.

Got up and cycled home with my mate laughing at me all the way (about 18 miles) and over the next week I had the worse bruised arse and hip I have ever seen, I hate riding when it is icey now.

I did break or more actually smash my elbow when I came off my bike, still can not straighten my arm more than a decade later but I still think the hip was more scary.

So I feel your pain, literally.

[weedram]

Is the bike OK?

[J3w3ll3r]

Had many “comedy offs” at the lights, pull up slowly, release shoe from clip to put foot down.....shoe no release...and over you go in slow motion, pretty sure every cyclist has done it

My lifetime best was at the beginning of a charity ride, I was at the front of the holding pen, 500 riders behind, the klaxon went and as I tried to roll forward my shoe engaged weirdly and over I went, much hilarity ensued


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[hilly10]

Had many “comedy offs” at the lights, pull up slowly, release shoe from clip to put foot down.....shoe no release...and over you go in slow motion, pretty sure every cyclist has done it




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Yup done that. Bloody clips

[Tone]

Came off my bike a while back, don't know how it happened, I just hit the road......hard. I don't remeber much apart from some old dear trying to help me to my feet, she's was around 5 foot tall and I'm 6' 2"

And no, I wasn't wearing a helmet

[JonRA]

Ouch!

OP - hope you get better soon (I have had a similar fall on my motorbike when it only had 10 miles on the clock!)

[Dave+63]

Wishing you a speedy recovery OP.

[Cookie]

Had a couple of slow (<10 mph) falls due to either ice or diesel recently, and surprised at the resulting elbow or shoulder injuries and recovery time.🤕🤒
Funny how as a kid I seemed to just bounce off the floor and simply dust myself off moving on to the next “challenge”.

Speedy recovery OP.

[Motman]

I fell off my motorbike once and busted my knee. Looking at the x-Ray,he doc said I was lucky that that was all that was damaged.

[sweetpea]

I sympathise and feel your pain....

I too have had a couple of stationary topples..... usually not managing to 'Unclip' my foot in time and just falling sideways..... very embarrassing.

I always wear a helmet - only in the hope that nobody recognises me when I fall off :)

Mike

[number2]

19th July last year.

[catch21]

I’ve been over a couple of times in the last year. On the second occasion I got tangled up with the frame somehow at about 5mph and cracked my helmet against the kerb. Still got a slight abrasion on my cheek bone, but for sure without a helmet that one would have ended up in hospital I’m sure. A real lesson for me.

[Motman]

A customer of mine went to the USA and hired a Harley as part of his trip. Didn’t travel one single inch on it as he dropped it before pulling away. Holiday ruined and his leg was in a splint with one of those big boots on for about 4 months.

[unclealec]

I fell off my motorbike once and busted my knee. Looking at the x-Ray,he doc said I was lucky that that was all that was damaged.

That's some penis you've got there.

[sweetpea]

That's some penis you've got there.

I've a feeling that Paintshop might be involved there.......

Otherwise...... good effort

Mike

[Dave O'Sullivan]

I fell off my motorbike once and busted my knee. Looking at the x-Ray,he doc said I was lucky that that was all that was damaged.

Great X-Ray!

[magirus]

Came off several years ago going down into a twisty corner, slid a fair way and luckily nowt coming the other way or I wouldn't he here now. My side took the brunt and a small stainless flask in my bag cracked a rib or three, couldn't move properly for three months. My ar$e says hi . . .

[MartynJC (UK)]

My sister was knocked off her bike by a bus which proceeded to run over her foot. That is after she hit her head (crash helmet) and cracked the bus window and ended up with a cracked spine. It was lots of physio to get mended but she was determined to walk properly again.

She plays piano professionally and continues to do so again now.

You can’t tell she’s been injured now by looking at her.

M

[seadog1408]

What watch were you wearing?

[magirus]

What watch were you wearing?

CWC RN quartz, obviously my body subconsciously twisted to fall on my right side and save the watch. ;-)

[unclealec]

My sister was knocked off her bike by a bus which proceeded to run over her foot. That is after she hit her head (crash helmet) and cracked the bus window and ended up with a cracked spine. It was lots of physio to get mended but she was determined to walk properly again.

She plays piano professionally and continues to do so again now.

You can’t tell she’s been injured now by looking at her.

M

Respect. Wattagirl.

[GIB984]

Went over the handlebars, nearly landing in the canal when my MTB front wheel got stuck in a rut and I couldn't jump it out - it looked a lot worse when I did it! Bike did end up in the canal but my brother managed to pull it out before it went fully under. Cut all my elbow as well but didn't take a pic :)

[Huertecilla]

The three of us; my son, his mom and I, tumble fairly regularly. The second least as she is true to female form more cauteous ánd learns from mistakes. We, also being true to male form, are more foolhardy. We basically allways have a bruise or scab as reminder of the latest landing. Currently my thum and elbow on the left are growing a scab.

I gréatly prefer loose fitting denim/canvas or such offroad as it soaks up a surprising amount of bruises and cuts. All of my thus kit as rips and abrasions which I would have sported when wearing lycra. On the road bike it simply flaps and flops too much, has too much wind resistance but as to tumbles the lycra is like being nude. The kevlar stuff makes disappointingly little difference.

With regards to the topic title; in order to be able to fall óff the bike we have flat pedals on the mtb.
To make finding footing easier we have mtb clips/shoes on the road bikes.

@helmet; we use a better quality made-to-look nicer-packaging-stuff thing on the tarmac racers, have bought some proper polycarbonate helmets for the rock bashing on the mtb and wear a (unfortunately obligatory) bobby-dodger when on the casual town bike.

[ratty_uk2011]

This is why I always wear a helmet when road-cycling. Its surely saved me cuts and scrapes a couple of time when I've come off.

[roondog]

[/QUOTE]

I wish I'd one like that...instead of this big thing!

[hilly10]

Came off my bike a while back, don't know how it happened, I just hit the road......hard. I don't remeber much apart from some old dear trying to help me to my feet, she's was around 5 foot tall and I'm 6' 2"

And no, I wasn't wearing a helmet

Serves you right, going out with no helmet.

[degsey]

Came off my motorcycle on Sunday. Front brake locked and I was only doing 20 to 30 mph.

Lots of damage to the bike, me and every piece of safety equipment I had on. I still feel very lucky.

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[stevieb]

I thought it was only me at this stage of life. Cycling to the station a week or so ago early morning and just turning into the station carpark when front wheel went from under me. Must have been ice or a bit of diesel. Went down fast and hard and cut up all my knee and knocked the other limbs about. Most worrying was the large chunk broken off the helmet - glad it was that though and not my head.

[solwisesteve]

Yup done that. Bloody clips

My dad did this back in the days when there were rat-traps on the pedals (my old bike in the garage still has these). Stopped at the lights and couldn't get his feet out so toppled over. Apparently some old dear rushed across to help under the impression he must have had a heart attack.

[noTAGlove]

Wishing you a speedy recovery OP.

Thanks. Seems like I’m not the only one then!

Woke up this morning convinced I was going to need to get to an NHS walk in centre, but as the day has gone on the rib cage has eased up a bit.

Amazing how much damage you can do falling 3 feet. As someone said, in our younger days we’d have just bounced off the tarmac and got back on with it.

[Dave+63]

The first time I rode in cleats, I was doing a 100 mile sportive with two of my brothers. They both said that I’d fall over at some point.

I did 98 miles before gently toppling over onto a grassy bank at a junction. I was laughing before I hit the ground!

Obviously riding motorbikes both on and off the road for many years, I’ve had my fair share of spills!

[JohnB4]

Cycling home, looked over my shoulder as a red van was very close to me and must have drifted , caught the kerb and went over handlebars as was doing about 10mph, bruised and odd cut but luckily got away without further damage as landed hard on shoulder, not recommended when one is 65+..... still go out on bike but uber careful! Cheers, John B4

[Tooks]

Went over the handlebars, nearly landing in the canal when my MTB front wheel got stuck in a rut and I couldn't jump it out - it looked a lot worse when I did it! Bike did end up in the canal but my brother managed to pull it out before it went fully under. Cut all my elbow as well but didn't take a pic :)

Bruce? Is that you?!

I’ve had a few of those rut moments, not funny.

[Pretzel]

This thread is scary, time to look at tricycles.

[Argee1977]

I had so many offs in my time, hit by a few cars and doing mountain biking meant it wasn't unusual to have injuries, such as cracked ribs, concussion, bloodied up, etc, but always walked away from each accident. I've known a few guys who weren't so lucky, couple of folk at my old workplace were killed in road traffic accidents, and an old mate from college jumped on his bike after being in a shop, fell off as he was unbalanced and hit his head and died, it did make me think how easy it is to just have a simple off that could turn into a really bad accident, so made me think a bit more about some of the stuff i was doing!

[Jimmcb]

Has the council been in touch for damage to their kerb??

[mattjg01]

Been off many a time with some ridiculous falls. Most embarrasing was along the Embankment in London, coming up to Houses of Parliament there are a few speed bumps in the cycle lane as you approach the traffic lights. Somehow I managed to pull sharply on my front brake as my front wheel touched met the speed bump. Cue my back wheel flipping up and fligging me over the handlebars in front of a mass of people wandering along the embankment.

Like most I imagine, I jumped up, pretended all was fine, striaghtened my handlebars and quickly pedalled away. Then had 25 miles to cycle home with blood dripping down my arm and leg!!

All the stupid falls, often when stationary and clipped in, are the reaon why I cycle with a helmet.

[Xantiagib]

......commuting to work. Not hurtling downhill in a peloton at 30 mph, but from being stationery and trying to push off while looking over my shoulder.

Pushed down on the pedal hard, had a bit of a wobble, then hit the kerb and keeled over at 0mph in the road.

Took the brunt of it on my rib cage as I had nothing but the tarmac to break my fall, and to say I’m in pain is an understatement.

I can’t be the only one.

Most of the times I have fallen off is when I have been stationary - though last time I was cut off at a bend and smashed into the pavement
Broke some ribs and painful knees and ankles for about a week
make sure you take anti inflammatories for the ribs - and breath deeply and slowly - even though it hurts - if you start to produce a lot of phlegm - check its clear and not bloody
and after about a week you should be ok even if you cracked or broke some of the ribs - not much they can do about them

bike was fine - needed new handlebar tape thats all
watch - speedy pro - was fine as I fell to my right on purpose away from the car (european roads they drive on the right here)

[chicaneuk]

When I was learning to adjust to riding with proper road cycling shoes and pedals that you clip into, I came to a stop in traffic on a hill.. forgot about unclipping, bit of a wobble, a panic and was on the floor before I knew it.

To be fair the person in the car behind, got out to make sure I was OK - think it was probably adrenaline but didn't feel a thing to be honest, laughed it off and got back on to ride home. Did feel like a twit though.

[noTAGlove]

and after about a week you should be ok even if you cracked or broke some of the ribs - not much they can do about them

You’re right, 5 days in and I feel I’ve just turned a corner, metaphorically speaking.

Pain has just eased off today such that it’s not extreme anymore. First five days where agony. I wouldn’t like to go through that again.

Maybe I didn’t do correct pain management, but there’s only so many paracetamol and ibuprofen tablets you can pop every 24 hours.

[seadog1408]

IF you have broken your ribs, not just a bruise or mild fracture, it won't just be a week.

[Xantiagib]

IF you have broken your ribs, not just a bruise or mild fracture, it won't just be a week.

indeed depends how many - it seems that its ok for a couple of days then it hurts to even fart for about a week or two.... I still have some discomfort in the ribs after 3 weeks - a good 6 weeks to recover almost fully