Sunday, April 5, 2009

One Bent Spoke


One bent spoke on my new bike. Doesn't look like much. Well... What actually bent this spoke is a piece of a small branch that was lying in the roadway on my ride yesterday. I was going uphill, at about 6 MPH, and apparently the tire clipped the edge of this branch, and flipped it into the spokes, which carried it up to the front fork, where it stopped the wheel cold! What happens when the front wheel stops dead while I am going 6 MPH? I flew over the handlebars! It was so sudden I just remembered being upside down, and then less than a second later, I felt my helmet gently hit the pavement, and then I rolled onto my shoulders and back, and suddenly I was sitting in the road! I was extremely lucky! I had some "road rash" on one knee, and my shoulder hurt a bit, but I was fine. A woman who was driving by turned around and came back and asked if I was OK, which was really nice. I realized I was fine, so climbed on the bike, and continued up the hill, and on my way. I don't want to do THIS again...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am glad to hear you were wearing your helmut! A little scarry when things happen so fast.
Feel Better.
Joan

Amy said...

Sooo glad you're okay, phew! Darn good thing you were going uphill and wearing your helmet. But man, amazing that a tiny bend in the spokes now is supposed to reflect you flying over the handlebars.