"Oh Shit" moments...

This afternoon, when both wheels went out on a large manhole cover on the OKR/Dunton rd turning. I held it, still not sure how?

Suddenly going head over handlebars as your friend does an emergency stop to avoid hitting you from behind in his car, on the busiest roundabout in town. Massive gash on my inner thigh and torn jeans. Bruised ego but fine...just literally have no idea how it happened. My friend described it as the bike 'buckling under me as i pulled away'. Any ideas as to what might have caused it?

Absolute fucktard nodder this evening. I was hurtling along a clear road, twat riding on pavement on other side of the road decides to cut through stationary traffic and then pull out into my path. I had been going at a fair speed, had clocked him and started scrubbing speed.

He pulls out in front of me and I just bumped into him as I did an emergency stop.

"do you not think to look when you pull out like that?"

"but i did look, i did not see you"

"fuck off, you are either a total fucking idiot or a lying cunt, I have over a 1000 lumens of light, how could you miss me, use your fucking eyes and your frigging brain, you vacuous cunt!"

FFS an exposure joystick mounted on my head, and a diablo on the handlebars. Its not like there was 14.5 stone of 20mph lighthouse bearing down on him.

Just before I had left look mum no friends I had been chatting with chainbreaker about the ridiculous lights I use to avoid people being able to say "sorry mate i did not see you!"

On the way home tonight had a car pull out quite quick with no warning and his headlights were not on as I was parallel to the bonnet. Due to the rain my skid/hop slowed me down enough to be next to the rear passenger door, stupid driver had realised what he had done and opened the bloody drivers door (I assume to apologise - pretty sure he was drunk), luckily managed to swerve and lightly clip the door with my knee. Deffo an Oh shit moment

Spent the afternoon meandering west then started to meander back as night fell. I'm doing about 20mph on a narrow stretch of road when the bus that's just caught up behind me decides that he really needs to overtake me NOW despite the oncoming traffic, and so doesn't leave me much room. It's a brightly but inconsistently lit area and with the bus to the right and the high kerb to the left the road in front of me is in deep shadow. My light is dim enough to achieve some night adaptation on unlit country roads and isn't making much impression in this bright environment, so i don't notice the huge pothole until i'm almost on it.

As my front wheel hits the far rim of the hole, my handlebar snaps off. I'm not sure if it was luck or judgement that threw me onto the pavement and left the bike in the middle of the road. Luckily the bus was far enough past me that its rear wheel didn't get the bike, and the car behind stopped and waited while i pulled it out of the road. They kindly asked me if i needed help too, while the bus didn't even slow down.

It was the right hand half of the bars that snapped off just inside the stem clamp. Looking at the break, i think there might have been a fatigue crack that started the break, but it would have been hidden by the clamp.

Spent the afternoon meandering west then started to meander back as night fell. I'm doing about 20mph on a narrow stretch of road when the bus that's just caught up behind me decides that he really needs to overtake me NOW despite the oncoming traffic, and so doesn't leave me much room. It's a brightly but inconsistently lit area and with the bus to the right and the high kerb to the left the road in front of me is in deep shadow. My light is dim enough to achieve some night adaptation on unlit country roads and isn't making much impression in this bright environment, so i don't notice the huge pothole until i'm almost on it.

As my front wheel hits the far rim of the hole, my handlebar snaps off. I'm not sure if it was luck or judgement that threw me onto the pavement and left the bike in the middle of the road. Luckily the bus was far enough past me that its rear wheel didn't get the bike, and the car behind stopped and waited while i pulled it out of the road. They kindly asked me if i needed help too, while the bus didn't even slow down.

It was the right hand half of the bars that snapped off just inside the stem clamp. Looking at the break, i think there might have been a fatigue crack that started the break, but it would have been hidden by the clamp.

That sounds nasty! Dont suppose you took not of the bus company or the number? You could report the driver if you did which i would do if i were you, sounds like a right royal prick!

^ According to Bicycling Science, stems should have a small chamfer on the inside corners of the bar clamps to help prevent them notching the bars as they flex. You can use a large fine-grained round file to make a smooth chamfer. But I guess if your bars broke inside the stem, this isn't what caused it.

Sounds like a terrifying accident anyway, glad you're okay. You could also report it to the council and see if you can at least get the hole filled.

ooof! ^^

Glad you are ok. May I ask what type of bars they were?

very old aluminium risers of unknown make. Mounted upside down so they were a bit like moustache bars, because i liked them like that.

It was a generic single decker london bus, but as i don't remember any numbers or even exactly when it happened my chances of tracking down the driver are slim, and to be fair the driver didn't squeeze me that tight. I'm just happy to have walked away with a bit of pavement rash.

I'll see about reporting the pot-hole though.

Not sure it qualifies but too much coffee in the past 24 hours, gusty winds, and nothing to eat leads to front wheel shaking more than a rumba on Strictly and increased paranoia... and a greasy road.... and Oh Shit moments become too many to mention.

few days ago i had a real scary moment, i was riding along one of the mane roads riding pretty much the same speed at the cars next to them on a cycle path which was atleast 25mph, was starting to get dark and i had all my lights on, then 1 of them about 2 cars in front decided to just drive in the cycle lane and open the door, but they did it so damn quick!? i skidded(fixed gear) for about 3 metres and managed to drift around to the right to get around the car and rode passed clearing by 1 foot and had to pass in the middle of the road

i just kept riding just very pissed off, then lil after he drives passed so i tapped on the car having that "what the fuck where you doing!?!" kinda look and just sped off, fucking wanker

how do you measure your speed?

I guess it...

Downhill on a road bike at around 55mph I hear "ching-ching" as I run over a sharp piece of metal. Instant double puncture. I touch the brakes and hear a ghastly grinding as the wheels lock and rims get ground down by the tarmac. Can brake, can't steer! Still going over 40 I try and coax the bike toward the grass verge so when I come off it's not on the asphalt. I manage to stay on to the bottom of the hill riding on the rims. Unclip and nearly fall over... legs turned to jelly. Later I see HR monitor reads max 226bpm!!!

how do you measure your speed?

I guess it...

lulz

yesterday cycling through london with polo disc wheel, and everytime i popped up the front wheel over potholes and such, the bars would involuntary try and barspin making the whole journey pretty sketchy

I guess it...

ftfy

I witnessed an 'oh shit' moment at the Vauxhall Bridge junction this morning, just as the lights changed, the roadie in front of me put the hammer down as the lights were changin and snapped his chain, went down like a sack of shit in front of a lot of traffic, luckily after myself and a couple of other guys dragged him and his bike to the side of the road all was ok, apart from what will probably be a very bruised and swollen elbow by the end of the day. Heal up fella.

Some stupid noisy exhaust sport car driving loony trying to kill me this morning by nearly turning through me into a side street when I had clear priority and she was just not paying attention, I had to swerve to avoid her and she looked suitably embarrassed! Heart was racing after that one!

ftfy

yeah very witty

was a 30mph zone and i ride the road most days, so its obvious a good guess is atleast 25mph.....

I think the point is it's at least reasonably difficult to ride at a steady 25mph unless you're going down hill or have a pretty helpful tail wind. Were you riding fixed? If so what ratio are you on?

So far i think Velomancer is winning on this page. Got any photos of what your wheels looked like afterwards?

Yours is pretty good/bad, too, Tom. Sounds like a very lucky escape!

I cannot imagine going at 55mph on a bike... that in itself would be a definite "Oh Shit" moment, let alone any mishaps at that speed!