http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Crashing - break, bruise or bounce - & which bits en Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:38:52 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743&page=2#post-311603 Mon, 29 Jul 2019 10:46:31 +0000 fimm 311603@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The Brompton that was rear-ended was the old one that didn't have the rear hinge lock; so when it was hit it folded at that hinge (I wasn't sitting on it IIRC, it was in a queue for a roundabout). Crumple zone, effectively... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743&page=2#post-311596 Mon, 29 Jul 2019 08:25:46 +0000 Tulyar 311596@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Bromptons have the key benefit of step-over exit at speed, with practice this can be a smooth action followed by going up a flight of steps (it doesn't work so well for going down...) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743&page=2#post-311449 Thu, 25 Jul 2019 22:43:16 +0000 minus six 311449@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>this thread has served its purpose.. never consider the brompton</p> <p>for most of my cycling life i've never worn a lid, indeed always resolutely against the notion</p> <p>however as a commuting cyclist filtering up and down A90 dual at 30 kmph average, turns out it does make some difference to look the part</p> <p>i get waay less argy bargy when i'm wearing a kask and as a minor plus my cap no longer blows off in FRB wind</p> <p>that said - been over the bars and front bonnets etc and its been all hips and elbows, never the head, inshallah </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743&page=2#post-311448 Thu, 25 Jul 2019 22:07:47 +0000 fimm 311448@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Oh yes I was rearended at low speed on the Brompton. Damaged the rear rack, bruise to my hip from nose of saddle I think. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743&page=2#post-311446 Thu, 25 Jul 2019 21:14:05 +0000 Arellcat 311446@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>a 28mph downhill where…</em></p> <p>I can vouch for that one. The BT pole very nearly lost!</p> <p>I've probably had quite a few little skids and wipeouts, but I've definitely had more on the road than on the trails. These are the ones I can remember.</p> <p>In about 1990 while on my mountain bike I failed to sufficiently bunnyhop a large ramp, and I caught my back wheel on the lip. I mean, who puts a wooden 2x2 edge at the top of a ramp? Polystyrene notwithstanding, I think I was temporarily stunned, if not concussed, because I don't remember the incident, only the minutes before and after.</p> <p>In about 1994 my right-hand crank broke. I accelerated to the ground and took a lot of skin off my knee.</p> <p>In about 2003 I slid my mountain bike on a right-hand off-camber turn in the wintertime, pre-spiky tyres and just about pre-Kevlar tyres. I tore my cycling jacket and hit my head on the ground, but my Giro Ventoux took the impact (which wasn't much of an impact, but at least it didn't hurt). I think that was the only time in recent* memory I've hit my head.</p> <p>In 2005 I was t-boned on a roundabout, by a driver in a left-hand drive car with steamed up windows. I was riding my much missed black quasi-low racer recumbent. That was my only real car-bike collision, but had bumps and bruises only.</p> <p>In early 2010 I slid my black pre-sparkly purple recumbent on a roundabout, and grazed my right hip pretty spectacularly.</p> <p>I've been properly over the handlebars only once, in about 2011, when on my mountain bike. I emergency stopped behind a driver who went, and who then didn't went. The snow and my rucksack provided a convenient rollcage effect, but I clobbered my shin.</p> <p>I fell off my Brompton in 2015 while performing a low speed u-turn that my trailer decided to prevent. The right-hand crank gouged a lot of skin off my ankle and it took weeks to heal, and left me with a big, ugly scar that I'm quite minded to tattoo over to cover it up.</p> <p>At the end of 2018 I slid and fell off Matilda the Elephant Bike on wet decking at Meggetland, and clobbered my shin and my right arm.</p> <p>Earlier this year during winter I rolled the torpedo on an ungritted road, and slid on my side for about 20 yards, coming to rest by the verge. I hurt my arm a bit but otherwise I was ok; but the paintwork took a beating.</p> <p>* for large values of recent </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743&page=2#post-311436 Thu, 25 Jul 2019 17:11:51 +0000 amir 311436@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yikes. I'm not reading this thread anymore! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743&page=2#post-311433 Thu, 25 Jul 2019 16:46:43 +0000 Tulyar 311433@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Aside from the very lucky call when a driver hit me from behind on A9 at an estimated 40mph mainly broke ribs, a fractured hip, and kissing a car's rear window.</p> <p>The rear shunt was a horror realisation, this guy ain't stopping, and I threw myself &amp; bike over to the outside lane, got clipped and cartwheeled down the side of the car, watching the white line go past a few inches BELOW my head. The one satisfying outcome was that I wrote off the car. Less pleasant was the chip on a lumbar vertebra, which than kept rubbing a nerve and giving painful spasms for at least 5 years.</p> <p>The hip was when the Brompton hit a hole and I suspect the rear wheel folded under, making the bike unrideable, I was unable to manage a roll and basically the energy of stopping for c.20mph to 0mph was absorbed than my hip hit the road. Still it was a neat simple fracture, unlike the guy in the same ward, who'd hit a sheep at around 50mph when it jumped out in the middle of a group riding LEJoG in the North Lakes </p> <p>Ribs I remember were when the crank snapped going uphill at barely 5mph and as I rolled over the bike landed on top of me, and a 28mph downhill where I managed to lock up the rear wheel with the brake, and skidded perhaps 5 metres on loose road grit going through an S bend. Lost the line and body-checked a BT pole. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743&page=2#post-311432 Thu, 25 Jul 2019 16:42:15 +0000 acsimpson 311432@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm not riding today so feel safer to post here. The crashes which come to mind are;</p> <p>1) The worst was as a student in St Andrews a car pulled in front of me to park on the right hand side of Market Street. I went over the bonnet and landed on my shoulder while the bike stayed where it was and needed a new wheel and fork.</p> <p>2) Glentress black route, I didn't have my weight far enough back going over a 6 foot drop and scorpioned on landing.</p> <p>3) Going round the corner onto Ainslie place when it was still cobbles. I lost a wheel and ended up dazed on the ground.</p> <p>4) The most embarrassing was going through Rodney Street tunnel I lost traction and ended up lying down having been riding in a straight line.</p> <p>5) Slow crash along with my riding partner. I wasn't badly hurt but they ended up with a chainring in the back of their leg and still bear the scars. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743&page=2#post-311321 Wed, 24 Jul 2019 16:52:35 +0000 I were right about that saddle 311321@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>All safe riding is the same but all crashes are unique? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743&page=2#post-311320 Wed, 24 Jul 2019 16:46:43 +0000 fimm 311320@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A couple of low speed clipless moments don't really count.</p> <p>1) Fell backwards on ice, hit head. Suspect that helmet may have reduced damage to head but have no evidence for this, and I carried on using the helmet afterwards. Note that I was riding the Brompton, on which I don't usually wear a helmet, but I had chosen to wear one precisely because it was icy.</p> <p>2) Brompton front wheel went into a pothole. Damage to palm of hand. Not wearing a helmet, no impact to head. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743&page=2#post-311305 Wed, 24 Jul 2019 15:50:51 +0000 gembo 311305@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@neddie, yes a johnny apple seed venture to create non-thorny cushions on all bends.</p> <p>Two ice related fails around murrayfield. One as guy in front had spiky tyres before I knew about them and I slid around the corner at Riverdale on my hip. Remounted and cycled to Leith but stiff on way home</p> <p>Second fell head first onto kerb on high speed bump near the same corner (not the same winter), helmet will have helped with avoiding bruising here. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743&page=2#post-311298 Wed, 24 Jul 2019 15:12:45 +0000 Rosie 311298@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@neddie - Indeed. I was cushioned by a hedge when falling sideways when my seat stem broke.</p> <p>If you want to have a dark pit of horror at What Could Have Happened stand bruised and shaken but otherwise okay looking at a jagged piece of metal where you had been sitting 4 seconds earlier. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743&page=2#post-311296 Wed, 24 Jul 2019 14:36:11 +0000 neddie 311296@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@gembo</p> <p>Bushes are good. We need more roadside bushes. But not thorny ones. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311291 Wed, 24 Jul 2019 14:12:17 +0000 LivM 311291@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Two slips on ice here (grazed side first time, broken specs the second), plus down on tram rails behind Commercial Quay (bruises).<br /> My husband has been more spectacular with one head injury which left him off work for 8 months (mountain biking) and (recently) a broken upper arm (off work for 2 months+) (also mountain biking). Plus another road bike accident on gravel in Dalmeny estate which was cuts and bruises.<br /> He's a definite fan of helmets as the first injury would likely have killed him without one.<br /> All incidents in last 10 years. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311289 Wed, 24 Jul 2019 14:03:34 +0000 gembo 311289@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@cyclingmollie, that is a bad one</p> <p>I overcooked a corner near Ullswater and went head first through a bush into field as bike went on down the road. </p> <p>Helmet stopped scratches maybe, I was very lucky. Got back on went up Kirkstone </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311282 Wed, 24 Jul 2019 13:37:29 +0000 Cyclingmollie 311282@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Worst crash was about fifteen years ago during a criterium race at Ingliston. I'd chased down a break when a prime lap (a prize lap) was announced so the bunch caught us going flat out. I made it round a tight corner on the inside and got out the saddle to sprint when my front wheel went sideways on a patch of sand. I went straight down. Broken collar-bone, hip bursitis, concussion and road-rash from my knee to my shoulder. I couldn't walk for a week and was off the bike for two months. I found a tyre track on my cracked helmet so someone went right over my head. Sadly someone else came out of the incident with a punctured lung. It was a real mess. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311270 Wed, 24 Jul 2019 12:24:18 +0000 amir 311270@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I had two near offs this morning due to misjudging the resistance offered by post-storm flopping vegetation (umbellifer, buddleia).</p> <p>In the past, I've had painful but not serious offs due to oil or ice. I've been more cautious since. I didn't hit the ground with my head but my left hip has taken repeated batterings resulting in bursitis.</p> <p>My last crash was the most serious, up in the Lammermuirs. I came off, probably due to a flat front tyre after a cattle grid. Thanks to the support of two accompanying forumers (I'll always be grateful to them), plus the nearby training of the Borders Mountain Rescue Team, I was whisked off to the hospital. I was possibly unconscious for a short while and my helmet and ear were well grazed (helmet dumped, ear kept). I was kept in for observation, which was good because in that condition I couldn't walk (bad abrasions esp knees and arm, sholder separation. I had balance problems for a month afterwards (which cured spontaneously).</p> <p>So I do continue to wear a helmet in generally, though I made an exception on a recent tour of the Netherlands.</p> <p>When I was a kid, I cycled a lot but never wore a helmet (or fell off much). My parents gave me a hairnet style helmet but I never used it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311253 Wed, 24 Jul 2019 09:43:50 +0000 sallyhinch 311253@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sorry Snowy but that made me laugh too </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311238 Tue, 23 Jul 2019 23:13:47 +0000 Snowy 311238@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>3 'offs' in the last 30 years. All my own fault.</p> <p>1. Fast downhill singletrack, pedal caught rock and I superman-barrel-rolled, then my bike landed on me, then the guy behind hit me hard as well. Much pain but no damage except pride.</p> <p>2. Icy downhill singletrack, bike chose a different route from me, somersaulted/slid 15m downhill, stood up and couldn't find my bike? No real injuries but puzzled for a while.</p> <p>3. Rode up to my house, failed to unclip, fell over in front of several of my neighbours in such a way that I was entangled with the bike and couldn't get free. I can still hear the laughter. No injuries, but considered moving house. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311236 Tue, 23 Jul 2019 22:24:18 +0000 mcairney 311236@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Quite a few when you add them up, mostly caused by icy/wet conditions and/or my over-exuberance.</p> <p>1. Chain snapped while putting the power down on my (at the time) brand-new Giant MTB. No injury other than my pride and a snapped chain and a trashed derailleur.</p> <p>2. Low-speed topple in snow at the corner at the Range. A couple of cuts and bruises but nothing major.</p> <p>3. Rear wheel going AWOL while going over one of the bridges on the Brunstane Burn path during torrential rain. Quite a bit of road-rash, a few scrapes, some minor damage to the bike (scraped paintwork, bent hanger). Ironically I'd decided to go that way due to not fancying trying to stop going down Milton Road in the rain!</p> <p>4. Running out of road/skill going downhill on gravel at the Pentlands on the MTB. Was really lucky as I walked away from this with only a mild concussion as the top of my head came to a stop thanks to a large boulder. Hate to think what would have happened if I hadn't been wearing a helmet. The helmet didn't appear too badly damaged but it went to the tip afterwards just in case.</p> <p>5. Low speed skid on wet leaves on the Brunstane Burn path resulting in a couple of bruised/cracked ribs.</p> <p>6. Brunstane Burn again this winter. Rear wheel went AWOL again on black ice. I thought I'd learned my lesson taking the MTB but that obviously isn't enough when confronted with untreated paths. Ended up toppling in slow motion on top of my bike and in particular the pedal and front cog.<br /> Managed to cycle into work but decided that as it hadn't stopped bleeding by lunchtime I should probably seek medical attention. I now have a gnarly set of scars on my thigh that look like I've been in a fight with Wolverine.</p> <p>7. Coming up Candlemaker Row having upgraded to clipless pedals and not being able to unclip and doing a classic sideways topple. Thankfully neither myself or the bike were seriously harmed.</p> <p>The morale of the story appears to be- avoid the Brunstane Burn path in anything other than perfect conditions- it's obviously a death trap. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311231 Tue, 23 Jul 2019 21:25:15 +0000 LaidBack 311231@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>So much pain in these posts I feel I have to join in...</em></p> <p>With recliner the crashes I've had have been elbow scrapes and banged hip - less to fall being factor plus desire not to entertain people who believe that I should fall off with my choice of bike.</p> <p><ul>Worst one was on a recliner was with a customers bike. Classic semi-low racer with small front wheel. Customer (not on this forum) had fitted a 28mm 20" (406) tyre.<br /> Came round fast onto MMW from Bristo Place. The not so dropped kerb blew out tyre just as I was cornering. Guy in juice bar came to see if I was ok. The bike was fine!</p> <p>Second worst one was 10 days ago with sensible upright e-bike. Rear wheel slid out on the wet glassy cobbles at junction and I went down hard onto cobbles at BoS entering Lawnmarket. People came to help then too.<br /> I can only cycle any distance reclined at moment - bruised ribs I think. </ul></p> <p><em>If people don't come over then maybe a lesser fall - although probably random?<br /> Wearing helmet in both instances but not bashed.</em> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311227 Tue, 23 Jul 2019 21:05:04 +0000 HankChief 311227@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Trying to remember all of mine...</p> <p>Tldr: Only 1 head injury: most were leg/arm. No helmet damage.</p> <p>I must have crashed as a kid but I can remember by brothers' crashes more...</p> <p>The best one was when he pulled a wheelie and the front wheel ran away down the road. Unsurprisingly he went over the handlebars.</p> <p>As a teenager,<br /> A) I was hit sideways by a tractor's trailer on the A66 Appleby bypass. Landed on my arm so scrapes on my elbow.</p> <p>B) Taking the right hand corner from Silver St into Trumpington Street in Cambridge in the wet, my front wheel went away from me. I remember keeping my head up as I hit the deck. It worked to protect my head/face but unfortunately I did manage to grate my chin down to the bone...</p> <p>As an adult,</p> <p>C) a few ice crashes onto my hip</p> <p>D) a few cornering issues where the road was more slippery than I reckoned and I've bashed my hands/elbow/leg.</p> <p>D) my chain coming off as I trying to accelerate on Maybury road and I landed on crossbar still moving forward and fortunately veered to the left, hit the pavement kerb and landed heap in the verge. No drivists stopped but the next cyclist did. Elbow &amp; leg injuries only.</p> <p>E) A unglamorous pile when I tried to guide 2 bikes home simultaneously. Leg/arm grazes only </p> <p>F) Yesterday. I stopped to take a photo of some new pavement marking at the Stenhouse tram crossing. Having secured a couple of good shots I noticed an email reply to PG's request that MCC object to a small planning application by his house... So I started to read the reply (they said no) and forgot about that stupid 3" concrete barrier at the top of Saughton Mains Street. Hit it at slow speed and took a few chunks out of my leg. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311221 Tue, 23 Jul 2019 20:24:43 +0000 sallyhinch 311221@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Stiltskin - of course, but don't spoil the fun of a chance to swap war stories and compare battle scars. Even better than the various 'what bike should I buy' or 'what mad trip should I go on' threads ... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311220 Tue, 23 Jul 2019 20:23:49 +0000 gnr1751 311220@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Im more worried about the bike lol </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311218 Tue, 23 Jul 2019 20:10:55 +0000 Frenchy 311218@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>managed to cycle to A+E</em></p> <p>One wee spot of luck there, at least!</p> <p>Hope you heal soon. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311216 Tue, 23 Jul 2019 19:57:32 +0000 gnr1751 311216@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>My first major off was yesterday! Cycle path from the Wisp to R.I.E major slug fest, going round one of the bends a bit too fast and front wheel slid through 90degrees , result over the top I went only to land on the bar ends .Various scrapes and two broken ribs, not a mark on my helmet.managed to cycle to A+E where I spent a pleasant morning full of morphine lol </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311215 Tue, 23 Jul 2019 19:33:26 +0000 stiltskin 311215@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Don’t want to rain on this thread but I’m not sure what this will prove. Firstly because the small, anecdotal nature of the sample &amp; also because the OP appears to be trying to confirm a hypothesis before the evidence is in. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311213 Tue, 23 Jul 2019 19:25:49 +0000 stiltskin 311213@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Of my two major offs. The one on black ice gave me a headache for a couple of hours. Glad to have the helmet on. The one where the car turned into me while I was waiting to turn right led to my back going into spasm owing to the contortions involved in diving out of the way. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311201 Tue, 23 Jul 2019 18:08:07 +0000 wee folding bike 311201@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sallyhinch, yes. One of my Bromptons was hit by a guy in a VW a while ago. I got off and landed on my feet. </p> <p>Rarely fall off. The only time I was injured I had a plastic hat. It didn’t help. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=19743#post-311195 Tue, 23 Jul 2019 16:18:37 +0000 paulmilne 311195@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The only time I banged my head was when I was going slower than walking speed, and the front tyre hit the slight rise of a 'dropped' kerb at just the wrong angle and I tumbled over and bumped my unhelmeted-head on a lamp post. Ouch. Arguably just the sort of incidents where a bicycle helmet is most useful. Otherwise the usual sprained wrists, bruised ribs/hips/shoulders, scraped legs. </p>