Drillium Dude 

Today I got out with Alex Moll and Bob Freeman for a nice 30 mile loop from Everett to Snohomish and back. Nice weather, beautiful bikes, great company, stimulating conversation. My legs were even working for and not against me today

However...

I wiped out Bob on his 1955 Condor and I still feel pretty terrible about it. Totally my fault; I was in front and veered left at a fork in the trail, erroneously believing the left fork was actually the trail. It was not - it was a small service road, but I didn't realize it until I'd collided with Bob, his front wheel mating fleetingly with my rear. Bob was obviously not expecting my move, and rightly so. He went down pretty hard. Since there's no justice in the world, neither myself nor my bike got a scratch. Luckily, Bob survived with superficial scrapes, although his bike took some dings (GB brake levers, NR pedals and Brooks saddle all took some scraping).

While I'll be passing along a near-mint pair of NR pedals to replace the ones I was responsible for mucking up, I do not have a Brooks saddle nor GB levers. I'm keeping my eye on Ebay regarding those items. Unless some of you here may be able to assist. Bob will be providing me info on the specific type of levers.

Anyhow, that was a first. I've never wiped anyone out in all my years and the first time it happens is the day before my 50th birthday! Let's hope it's at least another 50 years until the next time!

Anybody else have a brain-fade moment you'd like to share (if for no other reason than to show I'm in good company)?

DD

Dave Cutter

Was it this bike.

bconneraz

While I don't have a similar story, I can certainly empathize with you. You're a stand up guy for fixing his bike.

Drillium Dude 

Unfortunately, yes.

I think I'd better go into hiding for awhile

DD

eschlwc

**** happens. we all have brain farts. i wish i could say mine come from age.

this is a beautiful bicycle.



i'm glad it, its rider, and you are alright. but it looks like that's no $95 b17 (new on ebay). rats.

if it's only road rash, i've brought back levers from the dead. they might be the most difficult component to polish perfectly, but with a file, sandpaper and mother's ...

.

ps edit: jeff, thanks for the campy shifters. were those nr or sr? they look and work great. sorry i can't help with the brooks.

jyl

The people are intact, is the important thing.

Oh wait, are we riding together on the 26th? :-)

rootboy 

I've been wondering where you were, D. Dude. Figured you may be on your long ride.
You know…I can sympathize how you feel. Glad you two are OK. And really think it's admirable of you to help fix Bob's bike.
But though this probably won't help any, I have to add that I believe the guy in the back has a responsibility too. I rarely go on group rides and know little to nothing about proper group ride form and etiquette. But I never ride with my front overlapping the guy in front's rear. Except for an instant maybe and I tap the brakes and tuck in behind if so. Alongside maybe. My two cents. An unfortunate accident and I feel for you.

rootboy 

Oh, and…Happy 50th, Dude!

jethin

Good on you for keeping on the bright side here. I'd have to agree with @rootboy that's it probably not all your fault, but I wasn't there. Nice of you to help out anyway.

if it wasn't for bonehead moves I wouldn't have any moves at all. I was the follow man in a similar situation to yours, but just broke a spoke on my front wheel (my friend's bike of course was fine). He and I are both looking at the clouds, Sunday riders, so we assumed no fault and then rewarded ourselves with pie.

SJX426 

Jeff, I too can empithize. I don't remember actually doing the same but there are times when people follow you that trust and expect you will lead and then they expereince an unfortunate incedent. I remember a couple of motorcyle related experiences. Funny, both happened while going around corners, the first was a friend who was riding a harley that was slung a bit low and wide scraping on the pavement almost not making the bend. The second was worse where a different friend was riding his classic Kawasaki with old tires and didn't make the bend. I always feel sad I was part of their experience but cannot accept responsibity for their judgement.

You are a standup person, and I applaud you for your compassion and generosity!

Good to "hear" from you and Happy 50th! I almost remember mine! Oh, that was my 7th 39th birthday or was that my 39.18th birthday? What is the convention?

Bianchigirll 

DD will not be attending he is heading back to Deigo Garcia right now.




I can't recall ever actually wiping anyone out but I came close when I first started riding a lot and trying to start racing in my late 20s. One of the shop owners where I bought my bike invited me out one morning for a ride. Things were going fine until we were going down this short hill and not knowing the area I thought we were going to go right. Like DD I headed that direction and suddenly I feel Jim's shoulder against my right arm as he was intending for us to go left. I was a bit stunned and it took a few seconds for to realize what was happening. It was a pretty close call. The best part was he introduced to this great little bakery that had the best croissants and if they brownies didn't have nuts they would have been good too.

The Golden Boy 

Same here.

holden west

I was riding slowly home late one evening after a long day of work on a flat street with a gravel shoulder. I somehow hit a telephone pole. I don't even think my front wheel made contact as it was undamaged--my chest took the full force of the impact. I was stunned but OK. I straightened the handlebars and was on my way. I was alone but it must have looked hilarious to see. Imagine seeing some idiot doing a faceplant into a pole. Sober.

Jseis 

A year ago and 6 weeks before the STP I took my recently received nearly mint Centurion Super LeMans out for a little "recovery ride". Hah! Man the bike was fun and with a bit of tailwind I was scooting along on our local MUP at say 18 mph and up head was a fun corner with a hard right then hard left. At blast to take on my Colnago with nice tight Time pedals (spoiler alert ). So I roll into the corner very fast and corner right then lay over left and....the next thing I know I'm locked up in the rear, then flying through space, and getting body slammed into asphalt. Right before I got knocked out I clearly hear that shopping cart sound of a bike hitting the deck.

I stagger awake, breathe knocked out of me, look at bike with skinned bar tape and right brake lever . And...those f'ing monster classic Al rat trap pedals. Argh. I'm such a stupid. Lost a lot of skin, bruised hip, groin muscles, shoulder...should've broke my hip (I'm 59). Caught that pedal good, real good. Tossed me off on the high side. Broke my helmet. Sigh. Still rode the STP six weeks later but...on the Col....

Velocivixen

@Drillium Dude - Happy Birthday! So you're 50, huh? Does that make you "vintage"? You know, that's sort of a milestone age - expect a thick envelope in the mail. At first you might think its a wad of money from a wealthy relative.....no such luck. It's subscription information from AARP!

on a side note....you're coming to the C & V ride.....maybe we shouldn't ride near each other because I've been known to "veer to the left" for a variety of reasons and without much warning. It's only later I realize I should have warned those around me


Does the the bonehead move have to have occurred on a bike or just bike related?

busdriver1959

DD, unless you veered very quickly to the left, you bear no responsibility. It is the person in back who is not supposed to overlap your wheel. How can you even know if they are doing this? It's great that you feel bad about the accident but don't believe for a moment that you caused it.

rootboy 

I agree, Busdriver1959. But, though I've never met Jeff, I just "know" him well enough to know my hind sight on the responsibility issue isn't going to keep him from feeling responsible. He's a true gentlemen.

Wish I had some parts to help out, but don't.

holden west

I returned to the parking meter where I thought I last left my bike locked up but it was gone. Stolen! A couple of passing cyclists saw my distress and armed with a description, took off in the chance they could catch the bicycle thief red-handed.

I began the sad walk home and suddenly; lo and behold! My locked bike!

I had parked it on an adjacent street and absentmindedly forgot where I left it.

Lascauxcaveman 

This is why I don't follow anyone closely, unless we've discussed it beforehand and everyone buys into it. Don't be too hard on yourself, Jeff, I'd have to agree the guy that "rear ended" you carries at least 51% of the fault. But yikes, what a gorgeous bike to dump on the ground!

daf1009

My latest bonehead was on the Masi I just got...fortunately, it was only me that crashed. When I got it, I heard the chain squeaking, so I lubed it up...then went out to test ride...everything was going good until coming up that last hill to home...when I stood on it, bang went the chain...and down went me! I did check the paint first...then the scrapes...then the bruises...

cbresciani

First off Happy 50th DD.

The bonehead move I was involved in wasn't from me per se but my sister-in-law. She was visiting from San Diego and is an avid cyclist herself. We are both about the same height so I set up my De Rosa for her to ride while I'm on my Colnago.

We were riding along and came up to a T intersection, me being the lead, I say left and point to the left, well there was a car to the left so she thought I was pointing to the car. I then start my turn to the left and hear the distinct sound of her front tire hitting my rear. She goes down pretty hard, fortunately she wasn't hurt to badly, mainly some road rash and bruises, but my De Rosa... scraped the crap out of both the Campy Record brifters, bar tape, handlebars and Selle Italia saddle. Frame was ok but I was pretty bummed.

I guess the bonehead move on my end was letting her ride my De Rosa and not my wife's Giant OCR.

seedsbelize 

Many years ago, my then gf and I decided to kiss while riding. Bad idea. We both wiped out but she took the worst of it by a long shot.

eschlwc

- hit a curb completely sober. it was kinda in the road, and, leading up to it, i was thinling of passing on one side, but changed my mind at the last second, only it was too late.

- hit a curb completely drunk. my eyeglasses dug into my temple. all cut to ****. almost home too.

- hit a parked car while looking down at the poorly working front derailleur on a brand new build. cut my thigh on the bar end.

- hit a pedestrian forehead to forehead. mutual fault. thank god he was young and strong and both of us got right back up.

- haven't had an accident in over two years! (knock wood.)

- two cars have turned left, right in front of me, as i was traveling at high speed. i was able to lock up the rear wheel and fishtail sideways to a stop both times. it's an incredible feeling pulling off something like that, going on pure instinct and adrenaline. so far, i've avoided 'the big one.'

Saguaro

When I was 12, I was cresting a steep hill on my coaster brake Stingray, and reached down to test the chain tension with my right hand. Forgot to stop pedaling and rotated my index finger into the chain/sprocket interface. Bad idea. My index finger gets impaled by one of the sprocket teeth. Stuck. I start to descend the steep hill with my finger stuck in the drivetrain. Panic. Before things get out of hand I forcefully apply the coaster brake and fall over on the road. I then painfully reverse rotate my finger out of the drivetrain and I'm free. Lesson learned. Do not stick your finger in the drivetrain while riding!

Fahrenheit531 

It's not often I truly, physically cringe and get a knot in my gut while reading a post.