How many times have you fallen/been knocked off your bike?

[Nigel-YZ1]

I've cartwheeled on Rushop Edge, lost a front wheel 3 or 4 times on the bridge at Manvers, somersaulted a fuchsia bush in my mother's back yard, skidded and crunched on the crappy dolomite paths of Doncaster. Quite frankly I'm disappointed if I don't end up flat on my face every so often!

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I must have got into the top bracket before I was 18. My most spectacular was going over the handlebars at speed when I had to emergency brake with a slightly buckled front wheel, doing a somersault and landing on both feet several yards down the road. Most recent, earlier this year, was another over the handlebars performance but that was because I'd run head on into an oncoming car. I'd got so spectacularly distracted by another car that had pulled out without looking or indicating in front of me while the driver was swigging head back from a can that got me so angry I completely failed to see the oncoming silver bonnet. More damage to the car than me.

 

[ColinJ]

Lots of times over the years, some involving miraculous escapes, some involving painful damage. Highlights/Lowlights(?) include ...

• A fall onto my left knee when attempting a u-turn in a very narrow lane.
• A fall onto my right knee when paying too much attention to the attractive women in the sportscar next to me when I should have been concentrating on clipping my foot in properly.
• 3 heavy falls on black ice in less than an hour on one New Year's Day
• MTB 'endo' #1
• MTB 'endo' #2
• MTB 'endo' #3 - I stopped dead, shot over the bars, did a high backflip and landed heavily, fortunately onto grass
• Worst outcome was on ...The Duncroft Avenue Sprint Time Trial in 1969

 

[vickster]

2 times - first was Sept 2009, 2nd a while later - non event which involved hoopla'ing a Sirrus around a metal post somehow and landing on my behind after taking a right hander into a park too fast

1st a bit of a freak accident which resulted in a torn meniscus, cartilage damage, 2 knee surgeries, and a joint that will be forever damaged I went off a cycling path to go round a pedestrian and the kerb back onto the path was higher than I thought and I went flying, going too fast, caught front wheel

Almost splattered on Tuesday night on a roundabout - somehow managed to brake, unclip one foot, stay upright with bouncing rear wheel and clipped in foot, and even able to throw some choice cusses at the MPV that tried to drive through me!

 

[Hip Priest]

1) Two winters ago my MTB went from underneath me on an icy shared path at low speed. I smashed my front light and tore my jacket, but only my pride was hurt.

2) Last November I rounded a right-hand bend at speed, got out of the saddle to power out of the corner and...my chain came off. I crashed to the ground, taking a big chunk out of my helmet and giving myself a few cuts and bruises. I felt like I'd been bench-pressing a 747 for about a week afterwards.

I got rear-ended by a van earlier this year, but it was low speed and I didn't come off.

 

[Sittingduck]

Hit the deck once but it wasne my fault!! Other rider lost the front wheel at like 8mph right in front of me... doh!

 

[booze and cake]

10+ times but most on mountain bike, which I don't do much of anymore. As mentioned already if you don't fall off MTB'ing you're not trying hard enough. Too many nettles and bramble incidents to mention.

Hit a rambler in the Lake District, whoops, only clipped her elbow, she was fine as I did a cartwheel somersault combo into the ferns.

Been doored twice, its normally the kind of thing you only do once but I was drunk the 2nd time.

Comedy one (to witness but not from my perspective) was trying to do a short cut through bushes along a disused railway line and failed to see the 2 metal cables they used to have as railway fences hidden in the undergrowth, they almost cut me in half, big scrapes up both arms followed by a WWF somersault and slam on my back.

Worst one was high speed black ice mountain bike slam on left hip on concrete, couldnt walk properly for 6 weeks.

Only had 2 in last 4 years of road biking and both losing front wheel on ice. I think I'm finally getting the hang of it! (And also I'm over 40 now so I'm more snappy/breaky than bouncy so I've calmed down)

 

[gavroche]

Only twice, both times I was stationary but just forgot to unclip when stopping.

 

[burndust]

2 majors in about 18months....first one old guy pulls out without checking blind spot...i bang on the brakes over the handle bars i go.....2nd one skidding off at a roundabout at 20mph...that hurt me and my bike

 

[marzjennings]

About once or twice a month for the last 15 years mountain biking. Once hit by a car on the road. Twice unconscious racing on the road, one a snapped chaining sprinting at 20mph, the other a rolled tyre corning at 25mph.

Most recent one (about 2 weeks ago) was just loosing grip in a corner and sliding to a stop, minor graze on right thigh.

I think I've had most the types of crashes seen in this vid...

 

[Globalti]

Marz's video above is typical! I've fallen off or suddenly dismounted dozens and dozens of times in 22 years of mountain biking including many night rides, where it's quite normal to have a couple of low-speed tumbles. On most Thursday mornings in the office I'd be groaning theatrically with some new minor injury.

I had many close calls but the worst actual fall was at high speed on tarmac when I must have hit ice on a fast downhill and I slammed down on my hip - that really hurt. On another occasion after nailng a difficult rocky descent I went over the bars within sight of the car park and smacked my shin on a rock, that hurt. Third was when I was going down a steep downhill in woods and came across a step formed by two tree trunks with dirt piled up on the uphill side - rode it beautifully and was so impressed that I went back for a second go to show off to my night-riding buddies. But the second time I braked, hesitated on the edge and my weight went forward so on landing I went over the bars face-first into the dirt. Got a mouthful of mud but luckily no damage.

Took up road riding four years ago and have yet to fall off.

 

[Kiwiavenger]

1 car, 2 clipless and 1 diesel spill.

Worst was diesel, fractured wrist and fingers (opposite hands too)

 

[Herzog]

Once due to a mechanical (broken femur), and twice due to ice (no injuries, and the slides were good fun).

 

[Biker Joe]

In 60 yrs I've had too many falls to remember.
I've only been knocked off once.
Most falls ended up with road rash and bruises.
Only two crashes were more serious. One cracked pelvis and one tendon damage to left ankle.
So over 60 yrs, I've survived them all and I am still cycling.
Can't grumble.

 

[HorTs]

In living memory I can't remember a fall but obviously I must have fallen as a kid.

***Edit: Just remembered I had an SPD moment.