fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Do I win ?
Who has never had an "off"?
- Thread starter jefmcg
- Start date
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jonny jeez
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chislehurst, Kent, UK
@jefmcg its tricky without being clear on the mileage that each rider is putting in but from those that have, it seems to suggest an average of about one off every 10,000 miles. There are a number of exceptions of course with some riders cuddling the curb once every year.
Be good to know how many miles contributed, in total, to those that voted "a few" .
Interesting thread.
Be good to know how many miles contributed, in total, to those that voted "a few" .
Interesting thread.
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Jenkins
Legendary Member
- Location
- Felixstowe
Only a couple of times in the past eight years - both self inflicted.
The first was coming back from an eye check up at the local hospital which involved having my pupils dilated. I was told not to drive so did the 20 mile round trip by bike. Unfortunately I forgot to take any form of eye wear (this was before I needed glasses) and I couldn't see a thing on the way home and rode into a kerb, came off and banged my kneecap on the same kerb as I came off - still can't kneel down on that side comfortably.
The second time involved a loss of balance due to intoxication (quiet road, soft verge landing) and a trip to hospital as it was suspected that I'd suffered a head injury due to being unconsious - a blood test would have shown the real reason for passing out as I don't do large quantities of alcohol usually.
The first was coming back from an eye check up at the local hospital which involved having my pupils dilated. I was told not to drive so did the 20 mile round trip by bike. Unfortunately I forgot to take any form of eye wear (this was before I needed glasses) and I couldn't see a thing on the way home and rode into a kerb, came off and banged my kneecap on the same kerb as I came off - still can't kneel down on that side comfortably.
The second time involved a loss of balance due to intoxication (quiet road, soft verge landing) and a trip to hospital as it was suspected that I'd suffered a head injury due to being unconsious - a blood test would have shown the real reason for passing out as I don't do large quantities of alcohol usually.
D
Deleted member 1258
Guest
In my case we'll never know my exact mileage. I did very many miles before we had the electronic gadgets and we started to record our miles so exactly. This subject came up a few years ago during a cafe stop, best estimates among my cycling mates put me at over 100,000 miles covered. My own record kept since 2010 show me covering 36000 miles over the last 7 years.
Shut Up Legs
Down Under Member
I probably have one off about every 10,000 miles too, and given I do about 9,000 milles a year, I average one off a year (at most). They've all been fairly minor ones, though, with nobody else involved. I really must improve my breaking technique (or perhaps not).
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I've only had one “proper“ off as an adult about 6 years ago when I was caught out by black ice on the old Peugeot road bike I had at the time. I was going pretty fast at the time but just slid along the road, a bit bruised but nothing to worry about. The scary part was getting up my feet, thinking could have been worse and then seeing a Honda Accord coming sideways towards me! Thankfully we managed to avoid each other.
Otherwise just a couple of silly falls while more or less stationary - like trying to look over my shoulder to see if my tail lamp was working and riding into a hawthorn hedge....
Otherwise just a couple of silly falls while more or less stationary - like trying to look over my shoulder to see if my tail lamp was working and riding into a hawthorn hedge....
KnackeredBike
I do my own stunts
Lots mainly due to intoxication. I live near Oxford so it obligatory to get absolutely buggered and then cycle round town on a regular basis.
velovoice
Veteran
- Location
- Between the City and the Sea
I ticked "a few times".
Lessee... over approx. 25,000 km (I just checked my total tally on My Cycling Log) in 8 years -
- Tried to bunny hop the Brompton up a kerb. I'd never done it before it but hey, I'd seen it done. No f*cking idea what I was thinking!
- Disembarked train station one night with a load of shopping only to remember my bike was there, so loaded it up rather haphazardly for the 0.8 mile journey -- hooked small messenger bag over the handlebars -- so of course I had a 'tesco moment' and endo'd in most dramatic fashion. I needed the chiropractor the next day and the Cross Check needed the front wheel trued. That was probably the worst "off" in terms of damage done to me or bike.
- Clipless moment #1 when I first went clipless (Speedplay Frogs) right in the middle of the junction A3 and Tooley Street. All traffic screeched to a halt. Very embarrassing. (see footnote)
- Clipless moment #2 a year later when I switched to Speedplay Light Action pedals - exiting a pedestrian gate on a Sustrans trail. No damage to me but buggered my rear mech (see footnote)
- Clipless moment #3 a week after #2 - on holiday on the Isle of Wight - last minute change of direction approaching the house where we were staying (see footnote). Impressive bruises this time and guess what, wrecked the less-than-a-week-old brand new rear mech. (and... see footnote)
Footnote: clipless moments all in moments of indecision about where I was going. So of course all at virtually a standstill pace. But it wasn't the pace that did me in, it was not making a decision about where I was going and then sticking to it. He who hesitates falls over.
I think that's it. Every single one my own fault with no other parties involved. For someone as clumsy as I am off the bike, I'd say this is pretty good!
Lessee... over approx. 25,000 km (I just checked my total tally on My Cycling Log) in 8 years -
- Tried to bunny hop the Brompton up a kerb. I'd never done it before it but hey, I'd seen it done. No f*cking idea what I was thinking!
- Disembarked train station one night with a load of shopping only to remember my bike was there, so loaded it up rather haphazardly for the 0.8 mile journey -- hooked small messenger bag over the handlebars -- so of course I had a 'tesco moment' and endo'd in most dramatic fashion. I needed the chiropractor the next day and the Cross Check needed the front wheel trued. That was probably the worst "off" in terms of damage done to me or bike.
- Clipless moment #1 when I first went clipless (Speedplay Frogs) right in the middle of the junction A3 and Tooley Street. All traffic screeched to a halt. Very embarrassing. (see footnote)
- Clipless moment #2 a year later when I switched to Speedplay Light Action pedals - exiting a pedestrian gate on a Sustrans trail. No damage to me but buggered my rear mech (see footnote)
- Clipless moment #3 a week after #2 - on holiday on the Isle of Wight - last minute change of direction approaching the house where we were staying (see footnote). Impressive bruises this time and guess what, wrecked the less-than-a-week-old brand new rear mech. (and... see footnote)
Footnote: clipless moments all in moments of indecision about where I was going. So of course all at virtually a standstill pace. But it wasn't the pace that did me in, it was not making a decision about where I was going and then sticking to it. He who hesitates falls over.
I think that's it. Every single one my own fault with no other parties involved. For someone as clumsy as I am off the bike, I'd say this is pretty good!
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slowmotion
Quite dreadful
- Location
- lost somewhere
One dooring
One left hook
Half a dozen clipless moments
and
some self-inflicted bouncing when alcohol may or may not have been a factor.
I've been pretty lucky so far. It won't last.
One left hook
Half a dozen clipless moments
and
some self-inflicted bouncing when alcohol may or may not have been a factor.
I've been pretty lucky so far. It won't last.
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- Location
- Glasgow
I ticked "a few".
Been cycling daily since October 2011, around 3,500 miles a year.
First winter, fell on ice at a very slow speed, no harm done apart a few bruises.
Then I joined CC, discovered studded ice tyres, but a few years later fell on ice again: it was a sunny day in March, I took the bike without studded tyres, fell on a downhill just a few yards from home.
That was the only off that caused me blood, I had a tarmac hole in my elbow for months!
The others, all at very slow speed or stationary, did not do any damage to me or bike:
once I slid on gravel, once on mud;
once I fell off sideways at the lights, had stopped the bike but forgot to slide off the saddle
once I collapsed in a heap into a bush, bike on top of me (took the corner too fast)
once got run into by a dog in a park
once I came off on a path, was too tired and lost concentration
last, just a few days ago, I was shadowing a cycle tutor, she told me to follow the beginner on the track while giving instructions to turn, the beginner run into an obstacle, I panicked and tried to jump off my bike
Been cycling daily since October 2011, around 3,500 miles a year.
First winter, fell on ice at a very slow speed, no harm done apart a few bruises.
Then I joined CC, discovered studded ice tyres, but a few years later fell on ice again: it was a sunny day in March, I took the bike without studded tyres, fell on a downhill just a few yards from home.
That was the only off that caused me blood, I had a tarmac hole in my elbow for months!
The others, all at very slow speed or stationary, did not do any damage to me or bike:
once I slid on gravel, once on mud;
once I fell off sideways at the lights, had stopped the bike but forgot to slide off the saddle
once I collapsed in a heap into a bush, bike on top of me (took the corner too fast)
once got run into by a dog in a park
once I came off on a path, was too tired and lost concentration
last, just a few days ago, I was shadowing a cycle tutor, she told me to follow the beginner on the track while giving instructions to turn, the beginner run into an obstacle, I panicked and tried to jump off my bike
Mr Celine
Discordian
- Location
- Waxing my moustache
I posted a pic in the 'your ride' thread last week of my road bike odo showing 12345.6 miles. I've only had one off in that distance, my only ever crash at speed, caused by f***wit farmers leaving spilled grain all over the road. At least with ice there is a chance of staying upright. Result was a badly scuffed brifter and an enormous friction burn on my hip, though my shorts survived unscathed.
My current hybrid has done a similar mileage. Two low speed crashes due to interactions with pedestrians, both my fault, one resulted in a broken radial head though it was three weeks before I bothered to find out why I couldn't straighten my arm. That was my first bike with clipless pedals, so there were several clipless moments to start with, the most memorable one occurring half way through a ford. My last clipless moment was a couple of years ago and was caused by a loose cleat bolt.
The hybrid I had before that had a couple of offs, the best one after fitting a child's seat which I immediately forgot about. The audience outside the local shop were treated to me nonchalantly dismounting only to realise too late that I couldn't swing my leg over the child seat. This was the slowest motion off I've ever had, it seemed to take forever to hit the ground.
My current hybrid has done a similar mileage. Two low speed crashes due to interactions with pedestrians, both my fault, one resulted in a broken radial head though it was three weeks before I bothered to find out why I couldn't straighten my arm. That was my first bike with clipless pedals, so there were several clipless moments to start with, the most memorable one occurring half way through a ford. My last clipless moment was a couple of years ago and was caused by a loose cleat bolt.
The hybrid I had before that had a couple of offs, the best one after fitting a child's seat which I immediately forgot about. The audience outside the local shop were treated to me nonchalantly dismounting only to realise too late that I couldn't swing my leg over the child seat. This was the slowest motion off I've ever had, it seemed to take forever to hit the ground.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
7 people have said never. You aren't trying hard enough. 
lazybloke
Ginger biscuits and cheddar
- Location
- Leafy Surrey
Four offs in about 15,000 miles of cycling.
The worst was being hit by car in 2010. No bad injuries but I was shaken up and didn't cycle again for almost a year; that was commuting only - I didn't resume regular leisure rides until 2014.
Today, I love my cycling but have a low annual mileage.
The worst was being hit by car in 2010. No bad injuries but I was shaken up and didn't cycle again for almost a year; that was commuting only - I didn't resume regular leisure rides until 2014.
Today, I love my cycling but have a low annual mileage.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
7 people have said never. You aren't trying hard enough.
Never as an adult. Old pilots, and all that.
