Lowside on Page Mill

[Pluot]

Hi all,

I crashed yesterday so I thought I'd share. Rode Page Mill with some friends. Very windy and lots of debris and foliage. Slid out in the corner over a patch of leaves. I think I probably could have taken a better line. Not sure if I didn't take the leaves as seriously as I should have, or I rode over them while I was paying attention to something else. I watched the video several times and it looks like I might have ridden over the right side edge of the patch. Usually I avoid riding over patches of gravel and leaves.

Here is the video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Y8V_zIK-nA

Damage wasn't bad, I didn't get hurt. Broke off tip of shift lever, clutch pedal bent, left blinker broke, and now my hazard lights won't turn off.

We straightened out the pedal as it was pushed stuck. Felt ok, so went to lunch at Alice's then went for a ride up Mt. Hamilton.

 

[Aware]

It is really hard to tell from the video. I was ahead of you and rode by the same patch of leaves. It was a thick line, and was slippery as glass. I managed to avoid them but failed to warn anyone about them.

 

[anytwowilldo]

Glad you were not hurt!
Reading the surface you are riding on is an art, both on and off road. An inch or two in the wrong direction can lead to the bike sliding out from under you before you even realize what is going on. Generally most everything on the street: leaves, water, cardboard, green moss, painted surfaces etc will adversely effect you traction. Reading those conditions at speed can be difficult and can catch good riders off guard. Be safe and have fun out there!

 

[budman]

Nothing definitive enough to analyze.

Glad you were not hurt.

 

[MysterYvil]

Debris is always tricky. The sun dappling on that stretch of Page Mill doesn't help, either.

The pace looked safe to me. Were you perhaps focused on the leader of your ride, or maybe unable to see?

Whatever the case, Mrs. and I are glad you're okay!

 

[canyonrat]

Difficult to determine what happened. Glad you did not get hurt. I would chalk this one up to being a new rider.

 

[mrzuzzo]

Yeah, something similar happened to me on my street at a slow speed and I've been riding for a long time. None of the ABS, TC, or any other electronic wizardry helped me when the road is covered with slippery leaves...

Which led me to the conclusion that I need more dirt training.

Best solution is to stay out of the mountains in frigid weather with leaves on road, IMO.

 

[ScottRNelson]

The section of road where your bike went down definitely calls for slowing down a bit extra and picking a line through the clearest section, which will almost always be a tire track. It looks to me like the left tire track has leaves in it, though.

I've dumped bikes twice on leaves myself during the past few years, but at a slow enough speed that I just stepped off of the bike as it went down. I didn't hit the ground myself. You can't expect the front tire to steer when on leaves and you can't really brake either. All you can do is to be extra cautious to stay off of them as best you can.

Sounds like you got off fairly easy on the broken stuff. Just fix it and get on with your riding. These things happen sometimes. It is usually a good reminder to have quality riding gear.

 

[DataDan]

You can't expect the front tire to steer when on leaves and you can't really brake either. All you can do is to be extra cautious to stay off of them as best you can.

If you can't avoid them, plan your line so you're not making your steering input as you cross. Either get leaned over and on the gas before you hit them, or cross more-or-less upright and then lean.

 

[Ran Bush]

Glad you're not hurt.

As others have said, if you ride long enough it's not "if" you're going to fall down, it's "when" and "how fast were you going". Sounds like you came out okay this time.

Some days you're the windshield, some days you're the bug ....

Once again, glad you and your bike are okay.

 

[ScottRNelson]

As others have said, if you ride long enough it's not "if" you're going to fall down, it's "when" and "how fast were you going". Sounds like you came out okay this time.

Not all riders crash. I know of several that have had a long riding career without a single crash. Unfortunately I'm not one of those, but I've managed to be crash-free since 2003.

I still wear riding gear that will protect me in the event of a crash, because you never know when it might happen, but the goal is to do everything possible to avoid a future crash.

 

[Whammy]

Glad you aren't hurt.
On roads like that there are a lot of warning signs that tell you to slow it down.
The two I see from the get go was the glare from the sun peaking through the trees.
Blind corners.

I'm sure you have been down that road a time or two but you never know.
The change in seasons changes the roads.