Elbeinlaw

T-1: Going over the 'bars is not fun.

I confirmed this truth empirically this morning on a commuting ride. It was the first time I tried it in probably 20 years. It turns out that it's no more fun at 63 10/12ths years old than at 43.

Corollary to the above: Don't ride on any ground cover (like, ummm, grass) if it might hide obstructions (like, let's see. Oh. Like holes.)

(Bike and rider seem to be o.k..)

phughes

Sorry to hear, but glad to hear you're okay.

indyfabz

Yeah. I was touring last year. It was the third straight day of constant rain, and it was still dark. Approached a sizeable puddle on the shoulder. Couldn't go around it because there was a car approaching from behind. I should have stopped, but I didn't. Dumb. I knew better. Turned out to be hiding a giant pot hole. I went right in. Bike came to a complete stop. My ass went off the seat. My left hand came off the brake hood. I started to fall in front of the closing car. Don't ask me how, but I was able gain control of my body and not fall. Looked at the driver as she passed me. Her eyes were as large as grapefruits.

Abandoned the tour at the end of that day. An old friend drove 4.5 hrs. to pick me up the next afternoon. We then drove 3 hrs. back to his country place.

skidder

T-2: Always assume a wet road surface is slippery. I was turning on a wet concrete surface I'd been on many times before and my bicycle slid out from under me. Luckly it was at slow speed and the worst injury was a bruised ego. I took a close look at the surface after I got up and it had been worn down to almost as smooth as polished concrete. And my bicycle had tires with some treads.

Lemond1985

T-3: If you are JRA, and if there is one car approaching from ahead and another car approaching from behind, there is a 90% chance they will pass each other right alongside you.

GlennR

Glad you're OK.

This time of year I ride the old croton aqueduct trail with my son. It's a unpaved, mostly single track path. This time of year it's leaf covered which hides rocks, roots and holes, so we take out cyclocross bikes and know to expect the unseen. There are many times I have the "grip of death" on the bars, but it's a fun trip.

Elbeinlaw

Questions for my education:

1. What's a JRA?
2. What is it about a cyclocross bike that helps with the unseen pitfalls?

Reflector Guy

I have the same problem with joggers on the bike path. Nearly every time I am about to pass one, here comes another one (or a bike) coming towards me. All three of us meet simultaneously. Then I won't see another one for five miles and of course it's another three-way meet.

Retro Grouch 

Reminds me of my mountain biking days. All through the summer I carefully sought out the smoothest path on the trail. In the fall, after the leaves had fallen, I counldn't see the roots and the rocks anymore. I discovered that most of the time I could just let the brakes go and I'd still be all right. I've got to tell you though, I do have a few of those over-the-bars events in my history and my last real mountain bike adventure ended with me riding out of the woods with a broken collarbone and driving myself to the doctor.

Elbeinlaw

T-2: Stop!

I ended up ass-over-teakettle today because in front of me my path lead into a high curb. I could have stopped, stepped over the curb, then continued riding. It would have taken me what, 10 seconds? Instead, I saw some grass I could ride onto to ride around the curb then back to my path without stopping. Ha ha! Joke's on me. I ended up stopped and stopping. And will carry the reminder in a wrenched knee and aching back for a few weeks.

Since I've been riding again over the last 7 months, every single time I've almost been killed it was because I should have stopped and didn't. Should have stopped until I knew a car at a stop sign had seen me. Should have stopped before I rode across a street without stopping to look carefully. Should have stopped to examine the road or path ahead. Etc. Ad nauseum.
****************************************************************************
Any other rules and correllaries out there?

GlennR

Wider tires and lower air pressure.

Also knowing you're not on paved roads raises toy level of preparation to deal with the unseen.

A mountain bike is maybe even better it the surface is really bad.

roth rothar

JRA = Just Riding Along

MaxKatt

No matter where you go, there you are.

rsbob 

T4. If the temps are freezing or below, and you are riding and see thousands of sparkling flecks in the asphalt; you are riding on a sheet of black ice and are flirting with your bike coming out from under you.

CargoDane

T5:
If a car overtakes you on an otherwise traffic-less road, there will always be at least one other vehicle close behind the first.

Troul 

Vehicles travel like geese; in raging flocks.

rsbob 

Deer travel like geese, but usually in pairs. If have one cross your path, be on the lookout for another

frogman

T-6:
She will never understand why you need another bike.

CargoDane

T7: When you ride that bike into a headwind you wish it would stop. But when you are home again, you wish to be out there instead.

Digger Goreman

Or *name your part/accessory* when the other "works just fine".

BobbyG

T-8 Mud is always slicker than it appears.

rsbob 

T-9 if you see cracks in your tires sidewalls, both your days maybe numbered.

GlennR

T-10, it never gets easier, you just go faster/farther.

rsbob 

T-11 Going with Glenn’s theme... Dedicated cyclists have a masochistic bend, since they learn to live with discomfort and pain to reach their goal (time, distance, speed, destination). Exception: If you avoid pain, you may not only be dedicated, but smarter!

Wildwood 

Leaf covered roads/paths always remind me to Slow Down and never remove hands from the bars.


It has been a long, long time since I went over the handlebars, but not long enough!