Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Fifty Plus (50+)
Reload this Page >

Went over the handlebars today for the first time in years!

Notices
Fifty Plus (50+) Share the victories, challenges, successes and special concerns of bicyclists 50 and older. Especially useful for those entering or reentering bicycling.

Went over the handlebars today for the first time in years!

Old 07-22-18, 12:50 PM
  #1  
kbarj
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
kbarj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 131

Bikes: Trek 8.3 DS (21)

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 41 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Went over the handlebars today for the first time in years!

Took my 10 year old out on the trails today as we reviewed the mountain bike trail he hopes to race on next Sunday. It's a pretty easy trail with only a few lightweight technical sections. I was on a Trek DS 8.3 (hybrid) and found myself wishing for a mountain bike several times, but generally the bike did fine. Then it happened. I just didn't pop up my front wheel at the right time when we hit a section of tree roots (second lap of a 2.9 mile course by the way). The front wheel locked in between two roots and I went up and over. It was weird, since it seemed like I paused, balanced on the front wheel for a second or two. Then I came down over the handlebars and the bike fell back. The pause was confirmed by the other riders. I am 62. Been riding since I was 4. This was my second time to go over the handlebars - the other was at age 10 the first time I rode a bike with handbrakes. Just as embarrassing now as it was then. At least my 10 year old thought it was cool. Other than a big lump on my left shin, I'm fine.

Am I the only old guy dumb enough to be doing stuff like this?
kbarj is offline  
Old 07-22-18, 01:17 PM
  #2  
Wileyrat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Tucson Az
Posts: 1,655

Bikes: 2015 Ridley Fenix, 1983 Team Fuji, 2019 Marin Nail Trail 6

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 332 Post(s)
Liked 205 Times in 128 Posts
No, you aren't.

My wife wants me to get a camera so I can record my mtn bike trips. Not for the scenery, but to see the occasional crashes.

Good that you're ok.
Wileyrat is offline  
Old 07-22-18, 01:28 PM
  #3  
kbarj
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
kbarj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 131

Bikes: Trek 8.3 DS (21)

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 41 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Wileyrat
No, you aren't.

My wife wants me to get a camera so I can record my mtn bike trips. Not for the scenery, but to see the occasional crashes.

Good that you're ok.
Too funny! Glad I am not alone! My two adult sons gave me a GoPro for Christmas and I've been trying to figure out what to do with it. Sounds like a plan!
kbarj is offline  
Old 07-22-18, 02:42 PM
  #4  
drlogik 
Senior Member
 
drlogik's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 1,763

Bikes: '87-ish Pinarello Montello; '89 Nishiki Ariel; '85 Raleigh Wyoming, '16 Wabi Special, '16 Wabi Classic, '14 Kona Cinder Cone

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 698 Post(s)
Liked 405 Times in 251 Posts
+1 for: Too funny! Glad I'm not alone!

I'm 60 and went over the handle bars last year when riding trails with my then 15 year old. Luckily I wasn't bolting down the trail but I was going fast enough. Landed hard onto the bottom of a tree that wouldn't move. I laid there for a minute to see what hurt. Other than a bruised rib I seemed ok. I, too, thought, what the heck am I doing?? I got back on the bike and kept riding..........I guess it's the rebellious inner 17 year old in me.

Last edited by drlogik; 07-22-18 at 02:45 PM.
drlogik is offline  
Old 07-22-18, 06:15 PM
  #5  
Wileyrat
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Tucson Az
Posts: 1,655

Bikes: 2015 Ridley Fenix, 1983 Team Fuji, 2019 Marin Nail Trail 6

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 332 Post(s)
Liked 205 Times in 128 Posts
To hell with this getting old stuff, I've decided I'm not going down without a fight.

An occasional mtn bike crash is an acceptable price to pay (road crashes, not so much).
Wileyrat is offline  
Old 07-22-18, 06:27 PM
  #6  
Dudelsack 
Senior Member
 
Dudelsack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: South Hutchinson Island
Posts: 6,647

Bikes: Lectric Xpedition.

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 146 Post(s)
Liked 96 Times in 46 Posts
Endos are overrated IMO.
__________________
Momento mori, amor fati.




Dudelsack is offline  
Old 07-22-18, 07:48 PM
  #7  
Kurt Erlenbach
Senior Member
 
Kurt Erlenbach's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Space Coast, Florida
Posts: 2,465
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 21 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Mountain bikers are crazy. I simply do not understand the allure of falling down. Pavement is where a bike belongs.
Kurt Erlenbach is offline  
Old 07-22-18, 09:52 PM
  #8  
Hondo Gravel
Life Feeds On Life
 
Hondo Gravel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Hondo,Texas
Posts: 2,143

Bikes: Too many Motobecanes

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4385 Post(s)
Liked 4,496 Times in 3,008 Posts
Wrecked a few times in Lajitas Texas just outside Big Bend NP and got some blood drawn from cactus. My MTB skills were dull from mostly gravel and road riding but so what I had a blast.
Hondo Gravel is offline  
Old 07-23-18, 12:51 AM
  #9  
canklecat
Me duelen las nalgas
 
canklecat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,522

Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel

Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4558 Post(s)
Liked 2,798 Times in 1,798 Posts
My last OTB was in 2015. I was on my comfort hybrid testing some new tires and decided to try 'em on wet grass just to see how far they'd skid. Turns out, none. Despite being chevron tread, not knobbies, they dug in like it was WWI and I went over the bar.

Oddly enough, I landed on my feet.

I was so shocked by this fortuitous landing I turned around to look behind me to be sure I wasn't actually unconscious or dead, tangled a foot in a brake cable, tripped and fell.

The horses in the nearby pasture nickered and neighed in equine mockery.
canklecat is offline  
Old 07-23-18, 07:44 AM
  #10  
metalheart44
Senior Member
 
metalheart44's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Northwoods, Wisconsin
Posts: 702

Bikes: Holland Exogrid & Holland HC

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 98 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times in 6 Posts
It buffed right out ....

metalheart44 is offline  
Old 07-23-18, 08:14 AM
  #11  
E53 
Chuggin' Along
 
E53's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Billerica, MA
Posts: 123

Bikes: Specialized Roubaix

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 45 Post(s)
Liked 5 Times in 4 Posts
Back when the world was flat, (1963 or so) I was riding on my friend's handlebars while on our way to the candy store. We screamed down "little store hill" and made it to the bottom. We were going pretty fast and hit a pothole which caused the front wheel to come off. There was a brief jumble of limbs and metal and asphalt, then we got up brushed ourselves off, and remounted the wheel "finger tight" and off to the candy store we went.
I replay that episode whenever I get going around 35 mph downhill.
__________________
Note to self:
If a road has the word "Hill" included in it's name, it might not be a good idea to try it.
E53 is offline  
Old 07-23-18, 09:52 AM
  #12  
Dudelsack 
Senior Member
 
Dudelsack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: South Hutchinson Island
Posts: 6,647

Bikes: Lectric Xpedition.

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 146 Post(s)
Liked 96 Times in 46 Posts
Yikes.

I remember my endos. In particular, I remember that magic moment whilst in mid-air contemplating the likely bodily sensations I was soon to encounter. It was ok until contact with the ground was established.
__________________
Momento mori, amor fati.




Dudelsack is offline  
Old 07-23-18, 02:51 PM
  #13  
Classtime 
Senior Member
 
Classtime's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,672

Bikes: 82 Medici, 2011 Richard Sachs, 2011 Milwaukee Road

Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1924 Post(s)
Liked 1,954 Times in 1,086 Posts
Showing off for our kids never gets old.
Mountain biking a course with my son, he 11-12, me 48 or so, and we were repeating a couple oopdy-dos getting air. After a couple practice runs, I went for it and went over the bars and into the bushes. It took me a while to get untangled and my helmet had cracked. My son rides over and says, "Would you be careful! How am I supposed to get home?"
Classic.
Classtime is offline  
Old 07-23-18, 06:07 PM
  #14  
kbarj
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
kbarj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 131

Bikes: Trek 8.3 DS (21)

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 41 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I am loving these stories! It's nice to know I'm in good company...or at least have some company! But wow! Metalheart44's picture is savage! As is Classtime's son. My own son didn't even slow down. He told the ride leader, "He'll be fine!"
kbarj is offline  
Old 07-23-18, 07:18 PM
  #15  
baldilocks
Full Member
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Indiana
Posts: 430

Bikes: Giant ATX Lite & Schwinn Mesa

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 156 Post(s)
Liked 7 Times in 7 Posts
I went down a path (downhill) and had my front wheel drop into a hole the size of the wheel. I went over the handle bars and I'm 51 years old.
baldilocks is offline  
Old 07-24-18, 07:42 AM
  #16  
OldsCOOL
Senior Member
 
OldsCOOL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: northern michigan
Posts: 13,317

Bikes: '77 Colnago Super, '76 Fuji The Finest, '88 Cannondale Criterium, '86 Trek 760, '87 Miyata 712

Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 659 Post(s)
Liked 595 Times in 313 Posts
I havent been over since riding with my son 18yrs ago. He still laughs at me

We were on sandy trails, he riding out front on his bmx and I had my new mtb. I came over a rise and sucked a fly into my throat. The reflex action is having hands go tight on brake levers. As I was coughing the ground came up to meet me. The 12yr old kid on the bmx was in hysterics, the 42yr old kid on the mtb was coughing, laughing and checking for scrapes.

That was my first mtb ride.
OldsCOOL is offline  
Old 07-24-18, 07:55 AM
  #17  
GAJett
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 96

Bikes: 1973 Raleigh Competition, 2010 Rivendell A. Homer Hilsen, 2010's Bike Friday Pocket Companion

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 19 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Oh, hell yeah.
Most recently by not paying attention while brushing some c**p off my front wheel. Noticted I was about to rear-end a parked dump truck so grabbed the brake with the one hand still on the handlebar (the front, of course). Straight over. Road rash and a cracked helmet. People asked why I didn't call for an ambulance or stay home from work. Geez, it wasn't serious!

Two Summer's ago (61), was watching the kid on his BMX bike. Thought I'd give it a try, then thought I'd try to double a jump. From about 8 feet up I thought "This isn't going to end well.". Next I remember my kid and an EMT are standing over me. A ride to the hospital and an MRI showed no damage. My wife said my son was on his way to me, and a nearby man was already dialling 911 before I hit the ground. Oh, and another helmet to replace. (Lifetime score: 4 bicycle & 2 motorcycle helmets.)
GAJett is offline  
Old 07-28-18, 03:30 PM
  #18  
kbarj
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
kbarj's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 131

Bikes: Trek 8.3 DS (21)

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 41 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I'm only on my second helmet since I started riding again a few years ago. Had a mishap with a high curb that didn't go well. When my head hit the pavement, my first thought was "Wow! I'm glad I'm wearing a helmet!" Got up, rode another few miles home. Minor scrape on the right handgrip. Tore my pants at the hip. Tore my shirt at the shoulder. And cracked the helmet all the way through the right temple. I had a check up scheduled with my doctor just after this. When I explained what happened, he immediately wanted x-rays. He started with the infamous, "At your age..." I think he was a little disappointed that the x-rays showed everything to be fine.

Last edited by kbarj; 07-30-18 at 07:49 PM.
kbarj is offline  
Old 07-29-18, 08:06 AM
  #19  
Retro Grouch 
Senior Member
 
Retro Grouch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: St Peters, Missouri
Posts: 30,225

Bikes: Catrike 559 I own some others but they don't get ridden very much.

Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1572 Post(s)
Liked 642 Times in 363 Posts
My last endo was a 7 or 8 years ago, almost to the day. I know because it happened on my wife's birthday.

I was riding with my 10 year old grandson on the dead flat Katy Trail of all places and somehow got tangled. I went over the bars and broke both elbows. The local EMS folks also sent a pick up truck for our bikes. For 2 weeks I had to have a medical attendant while my wife was at work but the worst injury was mental. It took me several years to get over the anxiety every time that I tried to ride.
__________________
My greatest fear is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "how sensible" dad was.
Retro Grouch is offline  
Old 07-29-18, 08:27 PM
  #20  
GeneO 
Senior Member
 
GeneO's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: midwest
Posts: 2,528

Bikes: 2018 Roubaix Expert Di2, 2016 Diverge Expert X1

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 482 Post(s)
Liked 151 Times in 105 Posts
I have only once when I was a kid. Even with Hydraulic disc brakes! Fingers crossed.
GeneO is offline  
Old 07-29-18, 09:39 PM
  #21  
Hondo Gravel
Life Feeds On Life
 
Hondo Gravel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Hondo,Texas
Posts: 2,143

Bikes: Too many Motobecanes

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4385 Post(s)
Liked 4,496 Times in 3,008 Posts
Originally Posted by Retro Grouch
My last endo was a 7 or 8 years ago, almost to the day. I know because it happened on my wife's birthday.

I was riding with my 10 year old grandson on the dead flat Katy Trail of all places and somehow got tangled. I went over the bars and broke both elbows. The local EMS folks also sent a pick up truck for our bikes. For 2 weeks I had to have a medical attendant while my wife was at work but the worst injury was mental. It took me several years to get over the anxiety every time that I tried to ride.
I love riding the Katy. Glad you recovered and continued riding. Unless otherwise 2019 will be Katy Trail 3 this time I might start in St. Charles and head west.
Hondo Gravel is offline  
Old 07-30-18, 10:26 AM
  #22  
rydabent
Banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Lincoln Ne
Posts: 9,924

Bikes: RANS Stratus TerraTrike Tour II

Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3352 Post(s)
Liked 1,054 Times in 634 Posts
While some may not like the suggestion, it might be time for a recumbent or a trike.
rydabent is offline  
Old 07-30-18, 10:44 AM
  #23  
TheLibrarian
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Hudson Valley, New York
Posts: 481

Bikes: 2014 Giant Roam

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 84 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
There will certainly be a split second of pause at the top especially if you have a balance point touching the ground. I flipped twice in the past few years once on a trail going down a boulder twisted sideways and more or less stayed on the bike. Another time on the road slamming on the brakes getting cut off by a car who insult to injury laughed at me to boot. Flipped once as a teen borrowing some kids bike who's only handbrake it turns out was for the front wheel. Flipped a shopping cart in my late teens with hundreds of pounds of ice in it (force equals mass times acceleration) coming down a hill and hit the lip of the curb coming up a handicapped ramp. I felt the floaty mid air apex on that one. A friend was there fairly close and a big big guy I was like catch me and he was like nah. Idk if he was even close enough. Broke my thumb or wrist on that one. And glad I'm not the oldest one having the first kid at 40.
TheLibrarian is offline  
Old 07-30-18, 10:10 PM
  #24  
Oldguyonoldbike
Senior Member
 
Oldguyonoldbike's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Norman, OK
Posts: 839

Bikes: Casati Laser, Colnago Tecnos, Ciöcc Exige, Black Mountain Cycles Road

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 129 Post(s)
Liked 177 Times in 78 Posts
Glad you’re okay, and you have plenty of company. I went over the bars of a road bike in April and left a few square inches of face on the concrete.
Oldguyonoldbike is offline  
Old 08-01-18, 08:03 AM
  #25  
canerods
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: S.W. Ohio
Posts: 32

Bikes: Fuji Absolute 1.9, Fuji Roubaix 1.3, Diamondback Wildwood Trail Bike.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I even dislike the feeling of the rear wheel lifting off the pavement... I need to remember to slowly apply the rear brakes when coming to a complete stop on pavement prior to a dismount. At 72, I don't want to ever go over the bars!
canerods is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.