Originally Posted by
Equinox
I never wanted to say this for fear of jinxing myself. This was my first crash in 17 years of riding. I also ride in an area where road conditions are very bad. A valid question I have to ask myself is, if MORE vigilance is required for me to enjoy cycling safely, is it worth it? The answer is different for all of us. To say that my accident was avoidable is technically true, but not really valid. I could have avoided the crash if I decided not to ride that day. I know what you mean, though.
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DrIsotope I've had a few wrecks in the last year. Six, to be exact. All were some variation of mud or algae and all were on a MUP. Not a single one on the road. I got a little damage on the frame of one bike, broke a helmet, ruined some riding pants and jacket, and destroyed an Apple watch.
Since these all happened on a MUP, the last few really made me wonder if I should just stop riding on the various MUPs in my area. But they all connect different road routes that I like and avoid congested areas where I don't want to ride on the road. Plus, I like not having traffic around for half my ride. So I decided to just be VERY, VERY careful when I see the road surface is wet, even on the actual road. If the road is completely wet before I ride, I'll wait or skip the ride. If it rains during the ride I just exercise a lot of extra caution. I'll often unclip one shoe and be ready to tripod if needed. In some cases where I know mud or algae is likely to be present when wet, I go ahead and drag the unclipped foot. Actually, if it's rained hard for a few days, there are areas where I'll just get off and walk. Slick tires and mud just don't mix.
So far so good. I feel like a wimp, but so far so good.