Collided with a little girl. How do I know if my bike is okay?
#1
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Collided with a little girl. How do I know if my bike is okay?
So with my mountain bike, every time I went into the shop, they always said something needed to be fixed. Every single time. And it would cost hundreds. Seemed like each time my bike fell, it needed a fix. It could just be falling off the stand from the wind.
Now on my 4th ride with my road bike, I collided with a little girl. She turned right into me. She was only like 50 pounds. The crazy thing was she wasn't hurt. She might have been pushed back a couple of inches. I flew down a 5 foot hill to the right, while my bike fell over on its side right where the collision occurred. I feel I'm very lucky, also because she could have been hurt bad. I couldn't believe that she wasn't hurt.
Now I have to be super careful when people are around, especially little kids. That may have been her first time on a bike. Now granted, I was only going about 5 mph.
Do I assume my bike is messed up? I went out and rode it 20 miles after that and everything seemed fine. But based on my experience with my last bike, every time it fell, no matter how soft of a fall, it needed a tune up.
Also, how the hell do you avoid people on the trails? Sometimes they aren't looking and just all over the place. Makes me upset a lot. They can at least look.
Now on my 4th ride with my road bike, I collided with a little girl. She turned right into me. She was only like 50 pounds. The crazy thing was she wasn't hurt. She might have been pushed back a couple of inches. I flew down a 5 foot hill to the right, while my bike fell over on its side right where the collision occurred. I feel I'm very lucky, also because she could have been hurt bad. I couldn't believe that she wasn't hurt.
Now I have to be super careful when people are around, especially little kids. That may have been her first time on a bike. Now granted, I was only going about 5 mph.
Do I assume my bike is messed up? I went out and rode it 20 miles after that and everything seemed fine. But based on my experience with my last bike, every time it fell, no matter how soft of a fall, it needed a tune up.
Also, how the hell do you avoid people on the trails? Sometimes they aren't looking and just all over the place. Makes me upset a lot. They can at least look.
#2
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For others I'll say something else but for you I'll say try this lol:
VR Cycling Simulator
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I'd be changing bike shops....
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I slow to walking pace whenever I approach a pedestrian from behind. Then I'll simply holler "Hello". Perhaps a bell would be a good attention getter too. I don't really care if they move right or left, I just go wherever they open up a hole for me. I also pay close attention to the kids.
I did almost run into a 4 yr old.... a few months ago. Well, more like he almost ran into me, as I already had my foot on the ground by the time we had a near miss.
As far as your bike. Learn to take care of the basics yourself. If it shifts through all the gears ok, and the wheels spin true, then it is probably ok. Make sure the rear derailleur cage is vertical, and there is no tendency for the derailleur to shift into or touch the spokes.
I did almost run into a 4 yr old.... a few months ago. Well, more like he almost ran into me, as I already had my foot on the ground by the time we had a near miss.
As far as your bike. Learn to take care of the basics yourself. If it shifts through all the gears ok, and the wheels spin true, then it is probably ok. Make sure the rear derailleur cage is vertical, and there is no tendency for the derailleur to shift into or touch the spokes.
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Learning basic bike maintenance can be fun. Park Tool, Art's Cyclery and GCN (Global Cycling Network) have step by step videos for free (check out YouTube). Lennard Zinn has one of the standard books.
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Easy: avoid the trails, and you'll avoid all the people on them!
Seriously, someone else was talking about being afraid of cars. Personally, I dread riding on busy paths - the chance of a mishap is far greater, unless one wants to ride at a jogging pace, and frankly, that's not always easy.
Seriously, someone else was talking about being afraid of cars. Personally, I dread riding on busy paths - the chance of a mishap is far greater, unless one wants to ride at a jogging pace, and frankly, that's not always easy.
#11
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A couple of baseball cards attached using a carbon fibre clothespin (we need to counter the weight of the cards) should generate enough noise to ward off any potential crashes with 5 year old little Freds.
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One, get a new bike shop...they are screwing you.
Two, learn to maintain your own bike...super easy.
Three, if the bike is riding fine, it's probably fine.
Two, learn to maintain your own bike...super easy.
Three, if the bike is riding fine, it's probably fine.
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You really can't let your guard down anywhere. I've had plenty of peds step off the curb right in front of me while out on the road too.
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Road bikes are even more flimsy than mountain bikes, it's quite likely your bike needs replacement. Take it to your shop and ask them just to be sure...
#16
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My favorites are the parents-dumber-than-a-bag-of-rocks who obliviously let their spawn wander every where to their left while they keep right...
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Unless something directly hits a derailleur or snags a cable or other moving part, or if the wheels are out of true or the brakes rubbing, then I think your 20 mile ride was most likely an excellent diagnostic test. To paraphrase an old expression - if it ain't broke, it ain't broke.
#18
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There was one family that nearly killed me twice yesterday. Just riding a long in front of me and 2 of them decided to stop suddenly and block the entire path... That's a good reason carry a frame pump, it make a handy beat down tool.
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...the rubberized stuff on the round things ought to be pointed downward toward the pavement. #ideally
...the rubberized stuff on the round things ought to be pointed downward toward the pavement. #ideally
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#22
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That's why it is also a good idea to have a brush guard on the front of your pickup for cyclists who block the road, "it make a handy beat down tool".
#23
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please, get off your bike and walk it. you aren't competent to ride.
mup frequented by 5 yo girls aren't the place to take your road bike for anything quick. ride slowly. otherwise, ride on the ****ing road. it's a road bike you have right?
mup frequented by 5 yo girls aren't the place to take your road bike for anything quick. ride slowly. otherwise, ride on the ****ing road. it's a road bike you have right?