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Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on December 15, 2008 at 5:27pm

I bit it last Thursday a block from my apartment. I was already having a crappy day and i had friends waiting for me and someone had just buzzed me in their car. So hitting a patch of ice, having the bike slip and then sliding another foot on the pavement was just great. I was gong around 5 miles an hour and I hit the road on my hip, so I wasn't even bruised, but that didn't stop me from just bawling once I got home.

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Permalink Reply by JJ on December 15, 2008 at 5:29pm

Ouch! I totally bit it on the lake front too, but luckily I landed on my ass where there is lots of cushion.
justJason said:

I bit it hard on the lake yesterday morning. I also bit it Saturday evening on Clark, right south of Bryn Mawr. The only redeeming outcome of Sat's wipeout was that several folks in cars slowed down afterward to see if I was OK.

But I wiped out both on my right and left sides, and now I have a matching set of bruises!

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Permalink Reply by Danielle on December 15, 2008 at 5:34pm

well, I only used those platforms because they were free, and temporary until I bought pedals with toe clips. it's not my commuting bike, and I was just riding it home to get there. I'm not riding clipless until the spring, and OF COURSE I would not commute on those things. This was an 8 minute ride, and it could have happened to anyone, experienced or otherwise. It's not that I'm inexperienced, because I'm not. I should have just waited until I got my other pedals, but that's my fault. I guess, if I were inexperienced, I would have broken my arm on the way down. This isn't my first winter at all. Thanks for the advice, though!

h3 said:

Very sorry to hear about your spill. Intersections are about 10 times slipperier than between them, even when the pavement doesn't look any different.
Do you have straps on your platforms? I would be very hesitant to use those platforms in general-- they were initially created to help bike shops get around the liability of someone buying a bike with clipless pedals and getting hurt while riding home without cleated shoes-- I really don't think they're useful or wise for a day-to-day adaptation. I would not have my feet attached to the pedals in any way in slippery stuff like this-- you really need to be able to bail very quickly. I don't think I took it above 7 or 8 MPH (briefly) my whole commute today-- if I slipped out at those speeds it would basically be a controlled fall.
Not trying to rub it in, but riding in conditions like this does take special techniques and strategies.
Hope your bruises heal quickly!
-h'


Danielle said:

I just built up my new bike, and I totally wiped out on Lemoyne and Rockwell on the way home. My bike slipped out from under me, I fell on my hip, and slid about 15-20 ft on solid ice. I stopped because I hit my bike, which hit the curb. Yay physics! Didn't even get offered a beer by the roommies when I got home. But, I did find out that my platform/spd pedals have a DETACHABLE platform as it lie in the gutter waiting for me to stand up. Man, I've wiped out only twice since riding, but when I do, I really do it. I always like to give 110%.

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