AlanW
Maximum Pace
- Jan 30, 2007
- 1,215
- 440
TCCer down, and this time it is me. So I thought I would post a quick report / warning about the road I was on.
On Sunday 11th Aug I was about coming down a road that I have done many times before, a back road from route 138 to Odawara here. I was going my normal speed, looking forward to pizza at the station at the finish of my ride. Conditions were good, dry road, although it was very hot.
The road has several drainage ditches which are covered with metal grates. I'm usually a bit cautious over these, especially in the wet. Even when dry they shake the bike a bit. But on Sunday as I crossed one I felt my front wheel give way, then the bike stopped completely and spat me onto the ground head first. I thought the grating had collapsed, but in fact there were two separate grates with a narrow gap between them, just wide enough for my tyre to slip down. I did not even see that there was nothing to support my wheel. So my front wheel had hit the far side of the ditch with a lot of force.
Like this
But the gap was the same as the grating pitch. (Thanks joewein for finding this pic)
I just had time to realise I was going to crash hard, then my head hit the ground. My helmet took the direct impact, my sunglasses exploded into about 20 pieces, then I was flipped over onto my back. I did not slide or tumble, just stopped.
The outcome:
30+ stitches to the face and mouth
Cracked vertebra
Ruined frame and front wheel
Helmet crushed
Bent saddle
One week off work
This was my hardest crash in all my years of biking and I never want to hit the road that hard again!
Take care out there everyone.
AlanW.
On Sunday 11th Aug I was about coming down a road that I have done many times before, a back road from route 138 to Odawara here. I was going my normal speed, looking forward to pizza at the station at the finish of my ride. Conditions were good, dry road, although it was very hot.
The road has several drainage ditches which are covered with metal grates. I'm usually a bit cautious over these, especially in the wet. Even when dry they shake the bike a bit. But on Sunday as I crossed one I felt my front wheel give way, then the bike stopped completely and spat me onto the ground head first. I thought the grating had collapsed, but in fact there were two separate grates with a narrow gap between them, just wide enough for my tyre to slip down. I did not even see that there was nothing to support my wheel. So my front wheel had hit the far side of the ditch with a lot of force.
Like this
But the gap was the same as the grating pitch. (Thanks joewein for finding this pic)
I just had time to realise I was going to crash hard, then my head hit the ground. My helmet took the direct impact, my sunglasses exploded into about 20 pieces, then I was flipped over onto my back. I did not slide or tumble, just stopped.
The outcome:
30+ stitches to the face and mouth
Cracked vertebra
Ruined frame and front wheel
Helmet crushed
Bent saddle
One week off work
This was my hardest crash in all my years of biking and I never want to hit the road that hard again!
Take care out there everyone.
AlanW.