what could potholes do to a bike?

[knonist]

Please tell from experience

 

[Norm]

Pinch punctures and buckled wheels as a starter for 10. Deflecting the direction of travel or reducing stability could have you on your arse, leading to all sorted of damage.

 

[summerdays]

Broken elbow - at least that's what I think caused me to come off in Feb, 2 small potholes in line with each other when I was signalling.

 

[I am Spartacus]

They enable you to become an expert in wheel trueing.

 

[PBancroft]

Jar your arms/shoulders/wrists/back if you're holding too tight or sitting too rigidly when you go over them.

Worse than any damage to a bike in my view. There's one at the bottom of a hill on y commute - its not really a pothole, more of a channel across the whole road. Its possible to avoid if you take the correct line, but its location isn't obvious in the dark (even with lights) so for a couple of commutes I hit it hard. I think that's what caused my shoulder injury a few weeks back and took me off the bike for a while.

 

[GrasB]

I wasn't the rider but experienced picking up the pieces... on the bike: bent handle bars, bent seat post, bent peddle spindle, broken spokes, cracked rim, pinch punctures (which puncture the tyre!), cracked axle, bent forks & wrecked headset. On the person: fractured fingers, sprained ankle, dislocated knee & a large amount of road rash.... and that's what was apparent at the scene.

Hint: when doing best part of 35mph down hill don't overtake someone on the left who shouts "hole left" & moves to the right.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

kill your bike...kill you if it is big enough and throws you head first down the tarmac or into the path of an oncoming car

 

[knonist]

Should I steer the bike sharply (if i dont see it until the last second) to avoid potholes or should I be prepared and take it?

Does insurance covers potholes?

 

[GrasB]

You should bunny hop over it. You can also jump over the edge of it to avoid steering quickly.

 

[andrew_s]

Bunny hops are fine so long as there isn't another pothole in your landing area.
If there is, you'd be better off just getting out the saddle and hanging on tight

 

[MacB]

Depends on the bike what it will take but I, at least, lighten myself in the saddle over most blemishes.

Couple of months ago on the night ride I hit a pothole full on, never saw it at all. I was travelling at pace, fully in saddle and going slightly uphill, so plenty of weight on backwheel:-

Bike - pinch puncture rear wheel, broken spoke rear wheel, rim cracked around 5 nipple holes rear wheel, rear wheel out of true. Handlebars moved a bit as well, light mounts swiveled.

Me - jarred everything, damaged existing injury to left elbow, was like a balloon by next evening. Hurt my neck and back and had a pretty sore bum as well.

 

[Tynan]

you lot seem to have met some serious potholes

as a London commuter I hit plenty, slightly loose hands, weight out of the saddle, bent knees, it happens almost automatically as soon as I feel the front whell start to go, that or I've sub conciously learnt them all, it sure ain't concious

 

[fossyant]

Generally, maybe a snake bite if I don't spot it........that's been about it....ever.....

You go..."Oooh..grrrr" - bugger all happens....good quality hand builts.........

 

[downfader]

Smashed my balls pretty hard earlier this year when I hit one at well over 20mph. Have knackered me wrist a while back too, wouldnt say it was sprained but it hurt like crazy for about 2 weeks, as did my elbow.

Once completely destroyed a rear wheel when I hit one. Buckle was so bad the shop couldnt deal with it. Also broke a frame last year when the chain stays snapped on my old marin.

 

[beanzontoast]

+1 for broken rear wheel spoke.

Hit a pothole full of rain once and went sideways into a car mirror - fortunately the snap-back-on type, though my hand had a lovely bruise for a week.