What was your most shameful / painful ride?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

Andrew_Culture

Internet Marketing bod
Mine was this cold January ride in Dorset; I hadn't ridden for a few months because I'd just become a parent for the first time but assumed (stupidly) that I'd still be reasonably fit. My brother in law wanted to get into cycling so we hired a couple of MTBs and set out for the day having eaten nothing more than a couple of eggs on toast.

I should probably mention at this point my brother is pretty fit, in fact he ran this year's London Marathon in 3.07...

I swear I nearly died. I have never felt so utterly unwell for so long in all my life - the ground was slippery, and the cold air was ripping my lungs to shreds. I was also possibly quite hungover. My brother in law barely broke a sweat, whereas I just broke.

It's hard to express just how bad I felt during that ride, but rather than being downhearted it convinced me to get back on my bike and ride as often as possible. Now I'm itching to do this ride again!
 

Jimmy Doug

If you know what's good for you ...
Climbing the Colle San Bernado in Italy between Alasio to Garessio with a fully-loaded touring bike. I hadn't slept the night before, and had camped about 50 kms away from the start of the climb - which I started at midday. Big mistake. The temperature in the shade was creeping towards 40 before I even began, and I very quickly finished my three bottles of water. There was a little village on the way up, and I managed to get more water, but it didn't last very long. The climb was steep and long, but I kept on gaining then losing altitiude, which meant that it didn't get any cooller and I didn't get any closer to the top. Then I had a puncture .... then another! After 20 kms the heat really started to get to me and I had no water left. A man in a little Fiat Panda went past and handed me a 1.5 litre bottle of cool water - which disappeared really quickly. In the end, I stopped in the shade and decided to wait for the evening. But when a couple in a big 4x4 offered to take meand my bike to Garessio, I accepted. That was the first time I'd ever been happy to see a 4x4! Ever since then I have a date with that mountain - I have to do it again, but in better conditions. It was stunning!
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
Shameful? Bonking on my first attempt at SDW in a day. Somehow, I have little actual, recollection making it off the downs and into Shoreham. Loosing the ability to pedal shortly there after. Falling off the bike in seeming slo-mo. Crawling (literally) across the pavement to a newsagents, sicking up the Mars Bar I bought some five minutes after I ate it. Sobbing as, vomit stained, I granny ringed it to Brighton, raging as I failed to cycle up to the station....

Painful? Doing a trailquest with muscle spasms in my back. We needed the points. Back locked in the car on the way to the event and several hours later I had to be lifted off the bike and taken to A&E.
 

GrumpyGregry

Here for rides.
Wow, how bad did you look for a stranger to give you water :smile:

I very much got to the stage where I was fantasising about a kindly stranger with a flatbed truck stopping to offer me a lift!
Seems to be pretty common practice in the Alps, Pyrennes and the Picos whether you look bad or not.
 
OP
OP
Andrew_Culture

Andrew_Culture

Internet Marketing bod
Shameful? Bonking on my first attempt at SDW in a day. Somehow, I have little actual, recollection making it off the downs and into Shoreham. Loosing the ability to pedal shortly there after. Falling off the bike in seeming slo-mo. Crawling (literally) across the pavement to a newsagents, sicking up the Mars Bar I bought some five minutes after I ate it. Sobbing as, vomit stained, I granny ringed it to Brighton, raging as I failed to cycle up to the station....

Painful? Doing a trailquest with muscle spasms in my back. We needed the points. Back locked in the car on the way to the event and several hours later I had to be lifted off the bike and taken to A&E.

Whoa!
 

TheDoctor

Europe Endless
Moderator
Location
The TerrorVortex
I've ridden with Plax in Snowdonia a few times now.
Every time, I get my arse handed to me on a plate.
I was so far behind her going up Llanberis Pass that she thought I'd got lost...
 

Rickshaw Phil

Overconfidentii Vulgaris
Moderator
I don't think I've ever had a shameful ride but the most painful was definitely my first 50.

In September last year the plan was to ride from home near Shrewsbury to Bridgnorth and back. A ride I'd long thought about doing but kept finding excuses not to do.

It started well, I went via Condover, Acton Burnell and Harley, then via the villages of Wigwig and Homer to Much Wenlock where I took a route onto a bridleway. After that it was an easy ride into Bridgnorth.

I had a quick look around the Severn Valley Railway station before having lunch and starting back along the Mercian Way... and instantly loosing my way. It appears that the NCN route 45 has a missing link which I'd just stumbled into.:wacko:

Once that gap was sorted out, I joined the gravel trail along the old trackbed towards Ironbridge and had gone about half a mile when the front wheel locked and I was flung heavily to the ground!:B) I took skin off both palms, both knees, my right wrist and various places up my right arm and shoulder.

On checking the bike, a small stick (no more than 4 inches long) had flicked through my front spokes, jammed the wheel and brought me off.:crazy: A chap stopped to ask if I was okay. It was much appreciated but he had nothing on him to be able to help.

After making what repairs I could (the front mudguard was flapping all over the place), I pressed on as far as Ironbridge where I bought a small bottle of TCP and some cotton wool, and set about cleaning the wounds. I must have looked a right sight as a couple of people stopped and asked whether I was alright and whether there was anyone I could call to fetch me. It was tempting but I suddenly felt determined that the route wasn't going to beat me and decided to continue.

A few miles further on I met a couple cycling who also showed concern. At this point the adrenalin was still pumping and I was more concerned about the state of the bike than me. They were able to help though with some cable ties to secure the broken mudguard for which I am extremely grateful.

The rest of the ride is a bit of a blur as the adrenalin was definitely wearing off (especially over the last 5 miles or so) and it really started to hurt.

The worst thing was showering after the ride. It had to be done but....:cry:

Until this ride I had never understood how the pro riders could come off at high speed, shredding skin and spattering blood, yet get back on the bike and race almost as if nothing had happened. Now I think I understand..... adrenalin is amazing stuff.
 

cyclingsheep

Active Member
Location
Twickenham
During an off season from racing mtb's cross country I was trying to improve my downhill technique by doing a local timed run. The first run went fine, my best ever on this course but I felt I could shave off more time. Second run and I was away but too loose and out of control trying to carry too much speed. On one corner the rear started to drift and I but my inside foot down to right myself. As I was going forward my toe caught something on the inside of the corner basically pulling my foot back in the direction I'd just come. When I skidded to a halt adrenaline was really pumping and on seeing my foot at a weird angle, assumed I'd dislocated it, reached down and pulled it so it was straight with my knee again. Several minutes of punching the ground ensued while swearing loudly (sorry mum). A couple of riders who were following 2mins apart asked if they should send up the 4x4 and at the time I said yes but with having to clear the course first and then wait for the help I figured I'd be quicker riding down one legged with the banged up one flapping in the breeze. At A&E I was told I'd broken my leg and shattered my ankle requiring pins and surgery that very evening. Not a long ride but certainly my most painful.
 

mcshroom

Bionic Subsonic
The CC Ecosse Pedal for cake ride in 2010 for me. I went up there to try and ride my first century, riding from Glasgow to Edinburgh and back again.Very little sleep, a long drive in the morning and they were faster than me. and I completely bonked before even getting to Edinburgh. This led to Scoosh and Semab guiding me into Telemark and HJ's place very sllowly (and at points slightly wobbly). To top it off, I crashed into the back of Tele's mudguard on the way down to Waverley to get the train home.
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
Went for a ride with my fit but non-cycling neighbour. Me on my road bike with lycra, him with his semi-slick hardtail and jogging pants.

I had a heavy cold in the days before and was still suffering, but thinking I'd take it easy and besides, he doesn't cycle so will be slow right?

Nope. He chose a hilly route and being skinny, flew up every hill. Me, being the 'proper' cyclist couldn't be seen to be struggling, so rode harder than I should have. 7 or 8 mile into the ride I was completely spent and kept making excuses to stop for a rest like: 'need to stop cause I greased my seatpost last night but I fitted it a couple of mms too short' or 'just gotta ring home and ask if they need owt from supermarket on the way home'.

From starting off two abreast, I started falling behind until it got so bad that he'd get about 200 metres in front and then wait for me.

15 miles into the ride and with about 8 flat miles to go, he suggested that we ride flat out for the last third. I agreed but I was already riding at max effort. Very quickly he disappeared into the distant and had been waiting at the finish line for several minutes I when I got there.

I learned never to ride when feeling unwell and never to trust someone when they say 'I'll struggle to keep up with you'
 
Top Bottom