Almost made it through the year without a single fall since taking up cycle commute back in April/May. Cycled in to work every day I've had a bike available (two weeks between it getting nicked and insurance sorting out replacement aside), but on Saturday afternoon was making a quick trip to Dales to spend £50 of vouchers in their sale...
Cycled along the canal path then down a long, frost covered grass slope. Joined a cyclepath at the bottom and was doing a decent speed downhill when I noticed a (small) branch in my path. Not intending on avoiding it I noticed at the last minute that it was covered in massive thorns and thought a quick swerve might save the tyres. Not a good plan with my recently frost covered tyres. Quick wobble then straight down, jacket sleeve wrecked (£50 jacket, so broke even with the vouchers!) along with my elbow, hip and the top of my thigh. Nice distressed look on my jeans too!
Elbow's agony and savlons dry spray with iodine stings more than I was expecting (although I wasn't exptecing iodine!)
As an aside, the guy in Dales was great - I went in to get a poly bag to stick some gear in (Topeak pannier bag was jammed on its frame) and he came out to check over the bike and offered me chance to get cleaned up, etc.
Bike just needed the handlebars and wheel realigned so did it my self and cycled slowly home.
Anyway, moral of the story - take the risk on the wee thorns, your elbow takes longer to fix than your tyre!
(edited to make a bit more sense)
Cycled along the canal path then down a long, frost covered grass slope. Joined a cyclepath at the bottom and was doing a decent speed downhill when I noticed a (small) branch in my path. Not intending on avoiding it I noticed at the last minute that it was covered in massive thorns and thought a quick swerve might save the tyres. Not a good plan with my recently frost covered tyres. Quick wobble then straight down, jacket sleeve wrecked (£50 jacket, so broke even with the vouchers!) along with my elbow, hip and the top of my thigh. Nice distressed look on my jeans too!
Elbow's agony and savlons dry spray with iodine stings more than I was expecting (although I wasn't exptecing iodine!)
As an aside, the guy in Dales was great - I went in to get a poly bag to stick some gear in (Topeak pannier bag was jammed on its frame) and he came out to check over the bike and offered me chance to get cleaned up, etc.
Bike just needed the handlebars and wheel realigned so did it my self and cycled slowly home.
Anyway, moral of the story - take the risk on the wee thorns, your elbow takes longer to fix than your tyre!
(edited to make a bit more sense)
