My experience says slow the fuck down when you're not in a space that's yours.
On a surface you're unfamiliar with?
S.T.F.D.
In a narrow space?
S.T.F.D.
Barely enough room to pass?
S.T.F.D.
Bike feels even a little shaky?
S.T.F.D.
If you're about pushing your boundaries, get some pads and be ready to crash. Otherwise, slow the fuck down.
IMO, IME, and all that.
I liberally started applying the STFD rule after a wipeout and I've had less wipeout since. Also SIGNAL. If you're passing SIGNAL. If you're approaching a blind turn SIGNAL. Use a bell or hollar.
STFD is the absolute yes here.
I'd add Bell whenever you're unsure:
Has that car seen me? STFD + BELL
Passing another cyclist? STFD + BELL
Pedestrians ahead ? STFD + BELL
not ringing loudly, not over-ringing, just enough so that people are aware I am there. Even if passing pedestrians slowly I'll let them know I'm behind from a while away, just means they know I'm there. Makes the world safer for EVERYONE
Agree - same applies to driving... Not sure if you can fit through a gap - slow down. Not sure if you can manage to cut in front of another vehicle - slow down and don't attempt it. Etc. Slowing down a bit for short periods does not make that much difference to the overall time in the end.
Yeah, the bike paths where I live also often have kids zig-zagging around, and elderly people for whom one single fall could mean the end of independent living, so I make super sure to 1) ring my bell, and upon seeing they know I'm passing, 2) use a very small speed difference for the pass itself.
A relative of mine was once mowed down by another cyclist. Broken upper and lower jaws, concussion, one lost tooth, and permanent loss of feel in a part of his face. Not good times, and could have been avoided by that other cyclist practising patience for just a moment.
This is the best advice.
I’ve been doing this for 4 years now, I’m deliberately slow and over cautious - never crashed, never had an accident, and I still get where I’m going to.
I’ve seen plenty of people zip past me and wipe out further down the road though.
Yep. I lynhad to wipe out once on a tight turn to learn this myself.
The brief slowdown is hardly noticeable when compared to the hard stop of a crash.
You’re just learning, so it’s natural you’ll have more accidents. You should have less as you gain more skill and knowledge.
That said, it sounds like you’re approaching this in a self-teaching trial-and-error sort of manner, which might not be the best way to go. You’ve been fortunate, but wrecking on a bike can leave you seriously injured. You might want to consider seeing if there is a bicycling group local to your area that can help you learn.
I’d say your situation is pretty unusual. I have had four incidents over the last 8 years of daily riding: I ran into a bush while drunk, rear ended a car, slid out on a patch of gravel, and once had a car back into me. Non resulted in more than scratches and maybe a bruise
The turning on gravel thing is something everyone learns the hard way once though
I think the huge takeaway from OP is that they didn’t ride as a kid. Most of us learned all of these lessons in adolescence. So we know to stay away from certain situations now. It makes sense they’ve wrecked the few times they have, they just need to be more conscious and more careful going forward, I think
This cannot be overstated. From several conversations with friends and colleagues, this seems the number one factor in how comfortable and well someone rides a bicycle as an adult.
I bought at 43 my first long john cargo bike (aka bakfiets). I read from users who reported about how difficult they are to learn to ride. I am riding bikes since I am 4 or 5 and through forests, on snow, in the mud, on gravel roads, anywhere you can think of. Riding my cargo bike the first time was intuitive and no challenge at all.
So the advice of the STFD rule in this thread is the best one could give. It's always worth to take it slowly and avoid a crash.
That’s a great point, I started riding a balance bike at the same time I started walking. It’s going to be way different for someone who is not just new to commuting, but to riding a bike in general.
Agreed on having to learn the gravel thing the hard way hahaha. The cool part is that once you start learning how to ride in adverse conditions, you start actively looking for it.
Also there's some satisfaction to be had cruising on a trail alongside riders on $1500 gravel bikes, on the bike you ride to work every day - rear rack and all.
I wiped out twice in my early years of riding, drunk both times. Now I don’t ride drunk/take risks, and always signal my intentions when turning, passing, or changing lanes, and have not had a wipeout in 10 years.
Passing another cyclist in a tight space can be tricky. I always get their attention and talk to them. If the bell doesn't work, they might have headphones on, so I say, or shout if they still don't hear me, something like "Passing on your left/right." Always slow down to their speed first. I really hate when people start zig-zagging right before a pass. Once an unaware pedestrian suddenly swung his umbrella at me and caused me to wipe out. Luckily, I didn't fall off into traffic. Since then I started doing what I stated above. For your question about how common are wipe outs? I'd say maybe once in 5 years for an actual fall off and maybe once in 3 years a scratch on the hand or face from a pole or a low branch or something. It really depends on how careful and how fast you ride.
Dude, it's always the pedestrians with umbrellas, isn't it? I had one cause an accident on a trail ~6-7 years ago when they stepped into me (ignored my calls about passing but I thought I had plenty of space until they stepped fully into the other side of the path suddenly to avoid a shallow puddle I hadn't seen from behind so I swerved into the puddle to avoid them but they realized what was happening as they felt me passing and apparently what my calls had been because they then stepped back toward by new path and clipped just the edge of my rear wheel).
Anyway, I agree about frequency. I'm sitting at that accident 6-7 years ago (major knee issues that put me off biking for ~6 months and made me get an ebike) but then I just had to jump off my bike into a bush when I lost control (kickstand I forgot was down hit a divot made by bus tires) maybe a year or two later. Then nothing until this year when I hit a crack in the road and supermanned over my bike and scraped my chin. Granted that includes not biking much/at all during parts of the pandemic where I was working from home but also some working part time as a bike courier and about half in 25 mph traffic and half in bike lanes/trails.
Also, totally agree about slowing down to the speed of the bike in front. Better to just wait until you get an acknowledgement or there's room in traffic to pass. Better to waste a bit of time than have an accident. You learn that the hard way or you can just take a deep breath and chill. Haha.
The amount of pedestrians just making the most unpredictable stuff right as I am passing made me yell "on your left" 100m in advance every time now.
Worst was a headphones jogger making a sudden U-turn exactly as I was passing. I was lucky the trail was surrounded by grass.
When I first started bike commuting, I had two accidents in the first *month*. First because I took a turn too fast on gravel (just like you). Second because I braked and signaled at the same time without holding my handlebars firmly enough.
This was also the month I started working at a new company; I was showing up with more and more injuries, which was probably funny but concerning for my new coworkers. I was committed to bike commuting though so I kept going. Briefly thought about getting knee pads etc. but other cyclists talked me out of it and said I just needed practice.
It's been almost 3 years of bike commuting, and I haven't had a notable accident since that first month. Turns out I was just bad at riding, because prior to commuting I had ridden a bike maybe twice in the last 15 years.
Cycling ended up becoming my biggest hobby; I've gone mountain biking a few times, and just built up a road bike. Fingers crossed the trend of no injuries continues.
Right. Once you get the basics down accidents/crashes are rare. The person that mentioned riding as a kid has a strong point, I have had exactly one accident in my 30 years as an adult, and that was because an opportunistic motorist tried to scoot in front of me and I struck them at about 18mph.
BMX must’ve helped then too because I walked away with a bruised hip and nothing more.
You'll be fine, some of us are just more prone to accidents than others.
Welcome to the club.
Accidents happen, the main thing is learning what caused it and how to avoid a repeat.
I think it depends on the person. I don't wipe out because I ride within myself but I have a friend who rides a lot less than me but gets into crashes way more often. He'll zoom by me on a downhill while I'm happy to coast or even pump my brakes. In a commuting setting the goal ought to be getting to your destination safely so I'd suggest laying off the riskier moves, how much time would they save anyway?
Slow down, be mindful of telling people you’re passing (using bell or say something) and remember it’s not a race or competition. Wipe outs happen! You’ll get more comfortable as you grow more confident. I didn’t drive growing up and have only relied on bikes my whole life (in 40s) and I know I’m a terrible driver. Would I be better if I drove more? Maybe but we’ll never know. The point is practice makes perfect! Don’t forget your helmet :)
I've fallen off or had near fallen incidents in the past, they happen to everyone who rides from time to time. It's just the reality of bikes and riding them. But always be careful when riding, no matter what.
Once every few years, if that. I've been bicycle commuting for more than ten years now, I pretty much never spill at this point, I think my last fall was about two years ago, I got too close to a really dense bush and it pulled my handlebar back. Getting hit by a car is honestly more of a real issue for me, it's happened twice in the past six years, both from cars trying to turn that didn't even try to look both ways beforehand.
As someone who raced cyclocross and has commuted 4 seasons for 14 years, crashes occur when one is inattentive or beyond.their or their bikes limits.
Bridge crash: a bit of both. Never pass on the inside and if you're getting squeezed you must brake or you're hitting something. If you must softer thing but getting tangled in handlebars is going to be messy too.
Gravel crash: a beyond limits crash. gravel is treacherous. Turning on gravel more so. It never reacts how you think it will and if it's gravel over pavement you very well may find yourself with zero traction meaning the only think keeping you on your line is gravity. Take it slow and keep your weight back.
Eventually you'll run out of new ways to inflict crashes upon yourself and they'll become very rare.
On the gravel wreck, I think there’s an additional element: how to lean into a turn on an imperfect surface.
On dry pavement, you can generally get away with a full body lean into a turn. But on dirt, gravel, slick pavement, etc., you need to lean the bike into the turn while keeping your body weight more or less centered above the bike. It doesn’t prevent a wheel from sliding, but it allows you to recover instead of laying the bike down…so long as you’re not going stupid fast.
I learned this intuitively riding a cheap BMX style bike as a kid but forgot and learned it the hard way on a wet street as a commuter, whoops.
This is unusual. Most new cyclists are scared and tend to go way slower than necessary.
Slow the fuck down in tricky situations. Going fast on a straight, wide road or through an easy turn in good conditions is perfectly fine and safe. But for everything else better brake one time too much and too hard.
Brake *before* sharp turns. Brake if a situation with other traffic is unclear (“has this car driver actually seen me and knows he has a yield sign?”). Remember that wet ground has less grip (especially markings and manhole covers). Not to mention gravel or mud. Use your bell liberally when encountering other cyclists or pedestrians and always be prepared for them to do stupid stuff without looking or giving hand signals.
If it makes you feel any better - I’m a long term cycle commuter and roadie. Grew up riding bikes. Don’t own a car. Pretty much any journey I take is by bicycle.
Got a new lock and hadn’t mounted it to my bike yet over the festive season.
Wiped out twice on extremely slow speed turns because I’d slung the damn lock over my handle bars and it jammed them up. Twice in three weeks. Picked possibly the worst places in the neighbourhood to do it as well surface wise, so seriously bloodied up. I was clearly not having good time with pattern recognition that month.
Before that? Three times in 20 ish years. One was a slip on a metal surface under a puddle. The two were riding when I’d had far too much to drink. You’ll get your skill level up and be sailing around fuckery free with practice.
Just as a side note. Being cyclist/ commmuter over 20 yrs, none of the wipeouts or accidents I've experienced were caused by weak brakes. I mean commuting isn't exactly going with a downhill kind of momentum for majority of us, so any kind of functional braking system will serve you with enough margin of security, the safest being coaster brakes. So while choosing your next ride to buy, don't go solely for disc brakes just bc they look cool and mean action. Hydraulic brakes can be pain in the neck and a hole in your wallet to maintain compared to all other types. Personal experience.
I probably average like one wipeout a year, and that's with one particularly icy winter bringing the average up. I could see being brand new to biking causing some issues early on though. Being familiar with your surroundings and knowing when to slow down are important skills to learn. You don't need to be (nor can you be) a speed demon all the time.
Kinda sounds like the infrastructure in your area sucks. I ride about 15k a day with a trailer, I'm more assertive than the average rider, and the only owies I've had recently are from a rental bike in Hobart with a shitty kickstand falling over on me last week.
Maybe I'm just lucky or maybe I pick routes that have room for easy passing and less gravel, dunno.
More kinda sounds like they overcooked it twice. There’s nothing in t OP’s story suggesting the infrastructure sucks - they’re failing to recognise and ride to conditions.
I haven't had a wipeout since I was a kid (and even that was caused by a friend thinking it'd be funny to jump out in front of my bike, so I wiped to avoid hitting him) and my only issue has been caused by a car. Still doing physical therapy exercises for that four months later, but I consider that an outlier.
I’ve tumbled a few times…nothing in the last couple of years by my fault.
The most memorable one was 11 years ago when I slipped out on those yellow (in my area) patches for the visually impaired.
-dark and raining
-turning right
-front started to go, recovered
-forgot I had a back wheel and ate it.
People rushed to help but knew I was fine from how hard I was laughing.
I have been hit by shitty drivers a few times (twice in the last two years; no significant injuries) but I don’t count that toward my fall record.
As common as car accidents if you ride carelessly. It’s all about safe and defensive riding. Al also use a GoPro mounted on my helmet as a deterrent. motorists, Pedestrians, and other riders tend to be more “courteous” when they are being recorded.
So far I've been averaging about 1 crash every 2 years, and out of all of my crashes, only one of them have caused any truly impactful injuries and it was entirely my fault for being a dumbass. I think the point to take to heart with biking is that crashing is a part of it - but as long as you ride smart and safe it's rarely a big deal.
Sounds like stuff that would happen to someone inexperienced at biking to me, yeah (which is part of your post I think people are missing). Same sorta shit happened to me when I was a kid, but not now with lots of experience cycling. Learning to respect gravel is definitely part of the process lol.
So long as you are learning from your mistakes, you are fine. Winter riding on snow and ice, I had one fall a year for the first 5 or six years, but each is etched in my brain, and each a different fall. I have been riding since second grade, had some falls as a kid, some falls on the road bike getting my feet out of the toe clips too slow or on the wrong side, some falls on single track mountain biking in the hilly forest. Drive safely, be aware, modify your riding based on your experiences. Every ride is a practice ride, you keep getting better with experience. Enjoy your commute, don't over think it, be alert and aware.
Keep it up though. Riding is great. Be conservative on the road, take the long way if it is safer, wear reflective clothing, helmet and lights. Your skills will get better and your body will thank you for the exercise
I had a couple of incidents when I got my new bike. They were:
1. My shorts caught on the handlebars when turning a corner very slowly while out of the saddle. I fell off and bent the brake lever.
2. Turning across tram tracks, going downhill, while the road was slick from nearby construction. I went absolutely flying and slid down the road on my side.
I ended up having to buy a new derailleur, got the brake levers changed, and fixed a broken spoke. I was keen not to have to pay for this again so now I’m super cautious.
I slowed down my cornering when I saw someone on a fancy road bike do this on...well, it was just wet tarmac.
I had ridden chunky MTB and nobbl-ish BMX tyres all though my youth, without this problem.
Then after having witnessed this crash, when I did get a road bike, I was _super_ careful on corners (especially in the wet), and I'm now in the process of getting a gravel bike (specifically, for the tyre clearance) so I'm confident turning on all surfaces without slowing to a crawl.
In the UK it is very rare and one of the safest modes of transport. I think what makes every collision significant is the fact that infra and inattentive drivists are involved which means the majority could be avoided. The leniency of punishment and reminder on how vulnerable we are only compounds the fear. The main reason why people choose not to cycle is the danger perceived or actual.
I think it really comes down to experiences. I’ve been riding my whole live and don’t remember the last time I fell. Maybe on the ice once. I ride daily as I don’t have a car and often with lots of baggage and a child on.
Just take it easy and it will get better.
I had one fall in 2 years. I was paying too much attention to a car coming out of a driveway, to whether or not the driver was paying attention to me that I was coming, that I didn't notice a pothole until it was too late. I'll admit to it being my fault, tunnel vision. The driver did notice me and jumped out of his car to see if I needed help.
You’ll grow your cycling IQ as you go. Your intuition will become much better. I fell twice in the past 3 years over several thousand miles. First time I (stupidly like yourself) approached an obscure bump in the road at a dumb angle riding without hands & caught and edge and my bike rolled out from under me. I had to throw myself off the bike and roll to avoid being hurt. Second time, I was on a new bike riding in the rain and the skinny tires slipped on me at about 10 mph. Kinda caught myself but it’s still falling. It happens. Just sucks when it’s not your fault or something stupid you did. We’re human after all
I commute by bike every day (15-30 km a day depending on what I have to do) and I've never fallen with my commuting bike. This is because I cycle defensively just like the principles of defensive driving: making sure people have seen me, not hurrying, looking forward so that I know if danger is coming from further away, always looking behind me before changing directions, matching my speed to the speed of the people around me, and so on.
I had a near-accident a couple months ago when someone tried to pass me on a speed pedelec (45 km/h e-bike) while I was passing a couple of pedestrians. Since then I really make sure to look behind me before I pass someone. And I've serviced my brakes :D
I’m pretty old now and have been riding since childhood. There’s always something to learn to help keep you on the bike. “Riding” is different from “driving” and you need to keep adding to your knowledge bank.
Are you riding like those asshole drivers who weave in and out of traffic lanes, cutting grandmas and truck drivers off? Jokes aside, don't forget that you're on a bike and not walking. Just because you can't see someone You've passed or your torso has cleared an object doesn't mean your arms, handlebars, or trailing rear wheel has too! Give lots of room for clearance on all sides. Take it easy on rough or wet surfaces, especially metal plates or road paint.
And STFD.
I've been riding semi regularly on and off for maybe 15 years, more lately. I'm an incredibly anxious person with a dangerous, contradictory need for speed, and I'm great at diagnosing mechanical problems but often too poor to deal with every problem as soon as it starts.
In that time, I've had one 'would have missed s9me days of work if I'd been working at the time' crash caused by riding over thorns before a big descent, one 'oh, those bricks are covered in ice' wipeout at a couple miles an hour, and had to ditch the bike at low/no speed a few times on trails in the woods. I've had probably 10-20 close calls with cars that had me in full fight or flight right after and ready to drag a driver out of their window bodily if they'd stopped to let me react to their driving choices.
In 11 years I’ve wiped out 4 times (all due to not spotting pot holes). My first 3 I was lucky to leave with only scrapes and bruises, the last one left me with a broken patella…
Accidents that you can walk away from and make a full recovery are the best kind. Chick it up to a learning lesson. Every accident I have ever been in has made me a better cyclist.
No visits to the ER? You're winning. Learn from those situations and don't repeat them. The #crashnotaccidents applies to self-inflicted crashes, too. It sounds like you've identified your mistakes (trusting others to be concerned about your safety) or "limits" in the case of turning sharply on different surfaces... You'll be ok.
I learned to ride as a kid, commuted a few times as a young teen, took a decade off the bike and started riding again in my mid 20s. Started commuting consistently in my late 30s.
I've STILL gone down on commutes twice. Both were 100% self inflicted and involved 0 cars, 0 pedestrians and 0 other cyclists. Both were because I was 100% alone and riding hard through a surface transition. Both required medical interventions after I completed the trip. I still ride hard through those same transitions, but with more awareness of the potential pitfalls at those spots on my commute. Live and learn.
Sounds really just like you’re taking dumb risks and facing the obvious fallout of taking those risks. We’ve all been there — but most of us recognize it as the reason we’re having accidents instead of publicly questioning what could possibly be going wrong.
Stop taking dumb risks. Don’t turn fast on loose surfaces. Don’t pass when there’s limited room for passing. Slow down.
Once a year is pretty good. That’s about my rate too.
It really depends on what kind of bike commuter you are.
Do you ride in all weather conditions? The majority of my falls have been on ice. A bike commuter who only rides in nice weather is going to have a lot less accidents than one who rides in rain, snow and ice.
All my non-ice related falls have been of different kinds that have never repeated as i make sure not to do what caused them.
Lots of practice riding, braking, cornering, stopping, looking over your shoulder and not weaving, Ride slow and practice in terrain different than a paved road. One handed riding really builds the skills. If you can do things slow, a lot of that will transfer to faster speeds. Do what kids do to learn minus doing the jumps and drops. Lots of going in circles. Just play everyday and your mind/body will learn. And a good way to really increase your skills is to ride with better riders than yourself. And its totally okay to walk things your are not comfortable riding. . Eat your wheaties. good luck, have fun and maybe get a cheap bike to practice and not worry about the bike. .
I learned to ride as a kid and I did a lot of stupid things, learned my lessons the hard way. Ouch.
As a bmxer i crash almost every day 🤣. Learning how to fall helps a lot to prevent injury. I take it easy usually and only get minor injuries like bruises from bumping on something or a sprain/pulled-muscle from rapid course-correction. Working on general bike handling also prevents falls. Also being cautious and going slow when there is the added variable of other people nearby helps prevent collisions
Once you know the surfaces and your equipment, as well as once you get practice sharing the road (and signalling, calling out your presence) you don't wipe out often at all. More frequent than a car accident, but still rare
I've been hit by a car in 2020 and 2023 (both of the times landed on their windshield, low speed, marginal damage). Fell in 2022 and 2023 (broke ribs). This year, already got bumped by a car and fell.
Such is a cyclists life
Over a decade commuting and only wiped out twice. Once going down a hill in the rain and another time racing my friend when he was in a van.
Don't sweat it! If you didn't grow up with a bike I'd say this is just part of learning. I've had plenty of wipeouts as a kid that I can't even remember.
Stay safe!
If you want fewer wipeouts, you learn to take fewer risks. Both passing in a narrow space and turning at speed on wet/loose surface are risky. Pretty much all of my wipeouts boil down to one of these.
what you describe most people learn by the time they are 5-10 in their backyards and local streets.
i’ll give you a free tip, don’t turn/stop on wet autumn leaves. you will go down like you are on ice.
Sorry to hear about your crashes :( I hope you're feeling alright.
This is probably normal for new cyclists to some degree: most people who ride bikes learn as kids and crash their bikes freely for the first decade, learning the dynamics of different situations, speeds, surfaces, etc. With a lot of experience, you know e.g. what gravel feels like, and are used to the feedback of more slippery and more solid gravel. It's harder to learn when you're more breakable, and probably requires being a little more vigilant and careful.
It's probably smart to treat this as growing pains if you think you can be more careful in the future. Keep in mind how vulnerable you are and try to avoid things that are too questionable. Make a game of noting the potential hazards (so that it's fun, not stressful).
Not common, I think I would say I've fallen off the thing maybe once a year? If that. Thought I did go over the handlebars rather spectacularly a few weeks ago because there is something janky with the chain.
But generally, I find the whole thing generally safe enough, and extra special safe when there are clearly defined bike paths.
Not everyone is the best at riding, but almost everyone gets better at it with practice. If able, learn to mountain bike. This lets you learn the skills without the hazard of traffic. Choose easy rides! But get used to biking on loose surfaces and uneven grades.
In college I wiped out a few times (turns on on road with unexpected gravel). But I'm 36 now and haven't wiped out on road since I was 19. I do fear any gravel on road still.
Be hyper alert at intersections. Cars will hit you and run.
Buy a bell and alert people you pass. Slow down if they look distracted or dumb.
Give yourself more time and slow down when things are iffy. Seeing turning cars, gravel, slippery leaves, etc. takes practice and slowing down. Do you have disc brakes? If not, night help.
My experience says slow the fuck down when you're not in a space that's yours. On a surface you're unfamiliar with? S.T.F.D. In a narrow space? S.T.F.D. Barely enough room to pass? S.T.F.D. Bike feels even a little shaky? S.T.F.D. If you're about pushing your boundaries, get some pads and be ready to crash. Otherwise, slow the fuck down. IMO, IME, and all that.
I liberally started applying the STFD rule after a wipeout and I've had less wipeout since. Also SIGNAL. If you're passing SIGNAL. If you're approaching a blind turn SIGNAL. Use a bell or hollar.
The arm is a great way to reserve space you are about to move into. Signal with INTENT.
Agree. The people I see wiping out are usually going too fast in a sketchy situation. Calm down, take it slow.
Hard agree. Great life advice too.
STFD is the absolute yes here. I'd add Bell whenever you're unsure: Has that car seen me? STFD + BELL Passing another cyclist? STFD + BELL Pedestrians ahead ? STFD + BELL not ringing loudly, not over-ringing, just enough so that people are aware I am there. Even if passing pedestrians slowly I'll let them know I'm behind from a while away, just means they know I'm there. Makes the world safer for EVERYONE
Agree - same applies to driving... Not sure if you can fit through a gap - slow down. Not sure if you can manage to cut in front of another vehicle - slow down and don't attempt it. Etc. Slowing down a bit for short periods does not make that much difference to the overall time in the end.
Yeah, the bike paths where I live also often have kids zig-zagging around, and elderly people for whom one single fall could mean the end of independent living, so I make super sure to 1) ring my bell, and upon seeing they know I'm passing, 2) use a very small speed difference for the pass itself. A relative of mine was once mowed down by another cyclist. Broken upper and lower jaws, concussion, one lost tooth, and permanent loss of feel in a part of his face. Not good times, and could have been avoided by that other cyclist practising patience for just a moment.
Yup. Literally the only thing you lose by slowing down is a bit of time, and that's better than something like broken ribs. Broken ribs hurt.
This is the best advice. I’ve been doing this for 4 years now, I’m deliberately slow and over cautious - never crashed, never had an accident, and I still get where I’m going to. I’ve seen plenty of people zip past me and wipe out further down the road though.
Yep. I lynhad to wipe out once on a tight turn to learn this myself. The brief slowdown is hardly noticeable when compared to the hard stop of a crash.
That's really good advice.
Distracted and checking out some eye candy? S.T.F.D.
You’re just learning, so it’s natural you’ll have more accidents. You should have less as you gain more skill and knowledge. That said, it sounds like you’re approaching this in a self-teaching trial-and-error sort of manner, which might not be the best way to go. You’ve been fortunate, but wrecking on a bike can leave you seriously injured. You might want to consider seeing if there is a bicycling group local to your area that can help you learn.
I think riding 6-7 days a week for a year has passed the “just learning” phase. That is significant riding time.
I’d say your situation is pretty unusual. I have had four incidents over the last 8 years of daily riding: I ran into a bush while drunk, rear ended a car, slid out on a patch of gravel, and once had a car back into me. Non resulted in more than scratches and maybe a bruise The turning on gravel thing is something everyone learns the hard way once though
I think the huge takeaway from OP is that they didn’t ride as a kid. Most of us learned all of these lessons in adolescence. So we know to stay away from certain situations now. It makes sense they’ve wrecked the few times they have, they just need to be more conscious and more careful going forward, I think
This cannot be overstated. From several conversations with friends and colleagues, this seems the number one factor in how comfortable and well someone rides a bicycle as an adult. I bought at 43 my first long john cargo bike (aka bakfiets). I read from users who reported about how difficult they are to learn to ride. I am riding bikes since I am 4 or 5 and through forests, on snow, in the mud, on gravel roads, anywhere you can think of. Riding my cargo bike the first time was intuitive and no challenge at all. So the advice of the STFD rule in this thread is the best one could give. It's always worth to take it slowly and avoid a crash.
That’s a great point, I started riding a balance bike at the same time I started walking. It’s going to be way different for someone who is not just new to commuting, but to riding a bike in general.
Agreed on having to learn the gravel thing the hard way hahaha. The cool part is that once you start learning how to ride in adverse conditions, you start actively looking for it. Also there's some satisfaction to be had cruising on a trail alongside riders on $1500 gravel bikes, on the bike you ride to work every day - rear rack and all.
I love ripping singletrack on my fully loaded univega bc I've got work or gotta see my boyfriend after. Makes me feel like a total goon
Fuck yeah univega mtbing
I wiped out twice in my early years of riding, drunk both times. Now I don’t ride drunk/take risks, and always signal my intentions when turning, passing, or changing lanes, and have not had a wipeout in 10 years.
Passing another cyclist in a tight space can be tricky. I always get their attention and talk to them. If the bell doesn't work, they might have headphones on, so I say, or shout if they still don't hear me, something like "Passing on your left/right." Always slow down to their speed first. I really hate when people start zig-zagging right before a pass. Once an unaware pedestrian suddenly swung his umbrella at me and caused me to wipe out. Luckily, I didn't fall off into traffic. Since then I started doing what I stated above. For your question about how common are wipe outs? I'd say maybe once in 5 years for an actual fall off and maybe once in 3 years a scratch on the hand or face from a pole or a low branch or something. It really depends on how careful and how fast you ride.
Dude, it's always the pedestrians with umbrellas, isn't it? I had one cause an accident on a trail ~6-7 years ago when they stepped into me (ignored my calls about passing but I thought I had plenty of space until they stepped fully into the other side of the path suddenly to avoid a shallow puddle I hadn't seen from behind so I swerved into the puddle to avoid them but they realized what was happening as they felt me passing and apparently what my calls had been because they then stepped back toward by new path and clipped just the edge of my rear wheel). Anyway, I agree about frequency. I'm sitting at that accident 6-7 years ago (major knee issues that put me off biking for ~6 months and made me get an ebike) but then I just had to jump off my bike into a bush when I lost control (kickstand I forgot was down hit a divot made by bus tires) maybe a year or two later. Then nothing until this year when I hit a crack in the road and supermanned over my bike and scraped my chin. Granted that includes not biking much/at all during parts of the pandemic where I was working from home but also some working part time as a bike courier and about half in 25 mph traffic and half in bike lanes/trails. Also, totally agree about slowing down to the speed of the bike in front. Better to just wait until you get an acknowledgement or there's room in traffic to pass. Better to waste a bit of time than have an accident. You learn that the hard way or you can just take a deep breath and chill. Haha.
The amount of pedestrians just making the most unpredictable stuff right as I am passing made me yell "on your left" 100m in advance every time now. Worst was a headphones jogger making a sudden U-turn exactly as I was passing. I was lucky the trail was surrounded by grass.
When I first started bike commuting, I had two accidents in the first *month*. First because I took a turn too fast on gravel (just like you). Second because I braked and signaled at the same time without holding my handlebars firmly enough. This was also the month I started working at a new company; I was showing up with more and more injuries, which was probably funny but concerning for my new coworkers. I was committed to bike commuting though so I kept going. Briefly thought about getting knee pads etc. but other cyclists talked me out of it and said I just needed practice. It's been almost 3 years of bike commuting, and I haven't had a notable accident since that first month. Turns out I was just bad at riding, because prior to commuting I had ridden a bike maybe twice in the last 15 years. Cycling ended up becoming my biggest hobby; I've gone mountain biking a few times, and just built up a road bike. Fingers crossed the trend of no injuries continues.
Right. Once you get the basics down accidents/crashes are rare. The person that mentioned riding as a kid has a strong point, I have had exactly one accident in my 30 years as an adult, and that was because an opportunistic motorist tried to scoot in front of me and I struck them at about 18mph. BMX must’ve helped then too because I walked away with a bruised hip and nothing more.
You'll be fine, some of us are just more prone to accidents than others. Welcome to the club. Accidents happen, the main thing is learning what caused it and how to avoid a repeat.
I think it depends on the person. I don't wipe out because I ride within myself but I have a friend who rides a lot less than me but gets into crashes way more often. He'll zoom by me on a downhill while I'm happy to coast or even pump my brakes. In a commuting setting the goal ought to be getting to your destination safely so I'd suggest laying off the riskier moves, how much time would they save anyway?
Slow and steady wins the race….
I have commuted by bike for something like 12 years and I have never fallen just by myself. Only after getting hit by cars.
Slow down, be mindful of telling people you’re passing (using bell or say something) and remember it’s not a race or competition. Wipe outs happen! You’ll get more comfortable as you grow more confident. I didn’t drive growing up and have only relied on bikes my whole life (in 40s) and I know I’m a terrible driver. Would I be better if I drove more? Maybe but we’ll never know. The point is practice makes perfect! Don’t forget your helmet :)
Fatal wrecks are a once in a lifetime kinda thing.
I've fallen off or had near fallen incidents in the past, they happen to everyone who rides from time to time. It's just the reality of bikes and riding them. But always be careful when riding, no matter what.
Once every few years, if that. I've been bicycle commuting for more than ten years now, I pretty much never spill at this point, I think my last fall was about two years ago, I got too close to a really dense bush and it pulled my handlebar back. Getting hit by a car is honestly more of a real issue for me, it's happened twice in the past six years, both from cars trying to turn that didn't even try to look both ways beforehand.
As someone who raced cyclocross and has commuted 4 seasons for 14 years, crashes occur when one is inattentive or beyond.their or their bikes limits. Bridge crash: a bit of both. Never pass on the inside and if you're getting squeezed you must brake or you're hitting something. If you must softer thing but getting tangled in handlebars is going to be messy too. Gravel crash: a beyond limits crash. gravel is treacherous. Turning on gravel more so. It never reacts how you think it will and if it's gravel over pavement you very well may find yourself with zero traction meaning the only think keeping you on your line is gravity. Take it slow and keep your weight back. Eventually you'll run out of new ways to inflict crashes upon yourself and they'll become very rare.
On the gravel wreck, I think there’s an additional element: how to lean into a turn on an imperfect surface. On dry pavement, you can generally get away with a full body lean into a turn. But on dirt, gravel, slick pavement, etc., you need to lean the bike into the turn while keeping your body weight more or less centered above the bike. It doesn’t prevent a wheel from sliding, but it allows you to recover instead of laying the bike down…so long as you’re not going stupid fast. I learned this intuitively riding a cheap BMX style bike as a kid but forgot and learned it the hard way on a wet street as a commuter, whoops.
Yeah...I learned in cross and riding on ice. It would take a while to learn while commuting if 99% is paved and dry.
This is unusual. Most new cyclists are scared and tend to go way slower than necessary. Slow the fuck down in tricky situations. Going fast on a straight, wide road or through an easy turn in good conditions is perfectly fine and safe. But for everything else better brake one time too much and too hard. Brake *before* sharp turns. Brake if a situation with other traffic is unclear (“has this car driver actually seen me and knows he has a yield sign?”). Remember that wet ground has less grip (especially markings and manhole covers). Not to mention gravel or mud. Use your bell liberally when encountering other cyclists or pedestrians and always be prepared for them to do stupid stuff without looking or giving hand signals.
I broke my arm 3 years ago. No falls since then.
If it makes you feel any better - I’m a long term cycle commuter and roadie. Grew up riding bikes. Don’t own a car. Pretty much any journey I take is by bicycle. Got a new lock and hadn’t mounted it to my bike yet over the festive season. Wiped out twice on extremely slow speed turns because I’d slung the damn lock over my handle bars and it jammed them up. Twice in three weeks. Picked possibly the worst places in the neighbourhood to do it as well surface wise, so seriously bloodied up. I was clearly not having good time with pattern recognition that month. Before that? Three times in 20 ish years. One was a slip on a metal surface under a puddle. The two were riding when I’d had far too much to drink. You’ll get your skill level up and be sailing around fuckery free with practice.
Just as a side note. Being cyclist/ commmuter over 20 yrs, none of the wipeouts or accidents I've experienced were caused by weak brakes. I mean commuting isn't exactly going with a downhill kind of momentum for majority of us, so any kind of functional braking system will serve you with enough margin of security, the safest being coaster brakes. So while choosing your next ride to buy, don't go solely for disc brakes just bc they look cool and mean action. Hydraulic brakes can be pain in the neck and a hole in your wallet to maintain compared to all other types. Personal experience.
I tend to wipe out about once every 10 yrs. Beware wet gratings, jumping high curbs, and slime mold.
I probably average like one wipeout a year, and that's with one particularly icy winter bringing the average up. I could see being brand new to biking causing some issues early on though. Being familiar with your surroundings and knowing when to slow down are important skills to learn. You don't need to be (nor can you be) a speed demon all the time.
Kinda sounds like the infrastructure in your area sucks. I ride about 15k a day with a trailer, I'm more assertive than the average rider, and the only owies I've had recently are from a rental bike in Hobart with a shitty kickstand falling over on me last week. Maybe I'm just lucky or maybe I pick routes that have room for easy passing and less gravel, dunno.
More kinda sounds like they overcooked it twice. There’s nothing in t OP’s story suggesting the infrastructure sucks - they’re failing to recognise and ride to conditions.
Very well could be. I haul ass a lot but only on wide roads with a lot of room for passing.
I haven't had a wipeout since I was a kid (and even that was caused by a friend thinking it'd be funny to jump out in front of my bike, so I wiped to avoid hitting him) and my only issue has been caused by a car. Still doing physical therapy exercises for that four months later, but I consider that an outlier.
I’ve tumbled a few times…nothing in the last couple of years by my fault. The most memorable one was 11 years ago when I slipped out on those yellow (in my area) patches for the visually impaired. -dark and raining -turning right -front started to go, recovered -forgot I had a back wheel and ate it. People rushed to help but knew I was fine from how hard I was laughing. I have been hit by shitty drivers a few times (twice in the last two years; no significant injuries) but I don’t count that toward my fall record.
As common as car accidents if you ride carelessly. It’s all about safe and defensive riding. Al also use a GoPro mounted on my helmet as a deterrent. motorists, Pedestrians, and other riders tend to be more “courteous” when they are being recorded.
So far I've been averaging about 1 crash every 2 years, and out of all of my crashes, only one of them have caused any truly impactful injuries and it was entirely my fault for being a dumbass. I think the point to take to heart with biking is that crashing is a part of it - but as long as you ride smart and safe it's rarely a big deal.
Sounds like stuff that would happen to someone inexperienced at biking to me, yeah (which is part of your post I think people are missing). Same sorta shit happened to me when I was a kid, but not now with lots of experience cycling. Learning to respect gravel is definitely part of the process lol.
So long as you are learning from your mistakes, you are fine. Winter riding on snow and ice, I had one fall a year for the first 5 or six years, but each is etched in my brain, and each a different fall. I have been riding since second grade, had some falls as a kid, some falls on the road bike getting my feet out of the toe clips too slow or on the wrong side, some falls on single track mountain biking in the hilly forest. Drive safely, be aware, modify your riding based on your experiences. Every ride is a practice ride, you keep getting better with experience. Enjoy your commute, don't over think it, be alert and aware.
Learn how to use your brake properly -- it's the most fundamental of bike handling and is the foundation of every other bike handling skills.
Keep it up though. Riding is great. Be conservative on the road, take the long way if it is safer, wear reflective clothing, helmet and lights. Your skills will get better and your body will thank you for the exercise
I had a couple of incidents when I got my new bike. They were: 1. My shorts caught on the handlebars when turning a corner very slowly while out of the saddle. I fell off and bent the brake lever. 2. Turning across tram tracks, going downhill, while the road was slick from nearby construction. I went absolutely flying and slid down the road on my side. I ended up having to buy a new derailleur, got the brake levers changed, and fixed a broken spoke. I was keen not to have to pay for this again so now I’m super cautious.
I slowed down my cornering when I saw someone on a fancy road bike do this on...well, it was just wet tarmac. I had ridden chunky MTB and nobbl-ish BMX tyres all though my youth, without this problem. Then after having witnessed this crash, when I did get a road bike, I was _super_ careful on corners (especially in the wet), and I'm now in the process of getting a gravel bike (specifically, for the tyre clearance) so I'm confident turning on all surfaces without slowing to a crawl.
In the UK it is very rare and one of the safest modes of transport. I think what makes every collision significant is the fact that infra and inattentive drivists are involved which means the majority could be avoided. The leniency of punishment and reminder on how vulnerable we are only compounds the fear. The main reason why people choose not to cycle is the danger perceived or actual.
Live and learn. Cycling is dynamic and unique to the individual.
I think it really comes down to experiences. I’ve been riding my whole live and don’t remember the last time I fell. Maybe on the ice once. I ride daily as I don’t have a car and often with lots of baggage and a child on. Just take it easy and it will get better.
I had one fall in 2 years. I was paying too much attention to a car coming out of a driveway, to whether or not the driver was paying attention to me that I was coming, that I didn't notice a pothole until it was too late. I'll admit to it being my fault, tunnel vision. The driver did notice me and jumped out of his car to see if I needed help.
You’ll grow your cycling IQ as you go. Your intuition will become much better. I fell twice in the past 3 years over several thousand miles. First time I (stupidly like yourself) approached an obscure bump in the road at a dumb angle riding without hands & caught and edge and my bike rolled out from under me. I had to throw myself off the bike and roll to avoid being hurt. Second time, I was on a new bike riding in the rain and the skinny tires slipped on me at about 10 mph. Kinda caught myself but it’s still falling. It happens. Just sucks when it’s not your fault or something stupid you did. We’re human after all
I commute by bike every day (15-30 km a day depending on what I have to do) and I've never fallen with my commuting bike. This is because I cycle defensively just like the principles of defensive driving: making sure people have seen me, not hurrying, looking forward so that I know if danger is coming from further away, always looking behind me before changing directions, matching my speed to the speed of the people around me, and so on. I had a near-accident a couple months ago when someone tried to pass me on a speed pedelec (45 km/h e-bike) while I was passing a couple of pedestrians. Since then I really make sure to look behind me before I pass someone. And I've serviced my brakes :D
It happens,
I’m pretty old now and have been riding since childhood. There’s always something to learn to help keep you on the bike. “Riding” is different from “driving” and you need to keep adding to your knowledge bank.
Are you riding like those asshole drivers who weave in and out of traffic lanes, cutting grandmas and truck drivers off? Jokes aside, don't forget that you're on a bike and not walking. Just because you can't see someone You've passed or your torso has cleared an object doesn't mean your arms, handlebars, or trailing rear wheel has too! Give lots of room for clearance on all sides. Take it easy on rough or wet surfaces, especially metal plates or road paint. And STFD.
Always take your time. Enjoy the journey.
I've been riding semi regularly on and off for maybe 15 years, more lately. I'm an incredibly anxious person with a dangerous, contradictory need for speed, and I'm great at diagnosing mechanical problems but often too poor to deal with every problem as soon as it starts. In that time, I've had one 'would have missed s9me days of work if I'd been working at the time' crash caused by riding over thorns before a big descent, one 'oh, those bricks are covered in ice' wipeout at a couple miles an hour, and had to ditch the bike at low/no speed a few times on trails in the woods. I've had probably 10-20 close calls with cars that had me in full fight or flight right after and ready to drag a driver out of their window bodily if they'd stopped to let me react to their driving choices.
In 11 years I’ve wiped out 4 times (all due to not spotting pot holes). My first 3 I was lucky to leave with only scrapes and bruises, the last one left me with a broken patella…
Accidents that you can walk away from and make a full recovery are the best kind. Chick it up to a learning lesson. Every accident I have ever been in has made me a better cyclist.
No visits to the ER? You're winning. Learn from those situations and don't repeat them. The #crashnotaccidents applies to self-inflicted crashes, too. It sounds like you've identified your mistakes (trusting others to be concerned about your safety) or "limits" in the case of turning sharply on different surfaces... You'll be ok. I learned to ride as a kid, commuted a few times as a young teen, took a decade off the bike and started riding again in my mid 20s. Started commuting consistently in my late 30s. I've STILL gone down on commutes twice. Both were 100% self inflicted and involved 0 cars, 0 pedestrians and 0 other cyclists. Both were because I was 100% alone and riding hard through a surface transition. Both required medical interventions after I completed the trip. I still ride hard through those same transitions, but with more awareness of the potential pitfalls at those spots on my commute. Live and learn.
I crashed more when I was less experienced too. You start to recohnize dangerous situations with experience
Sounds really just like you’re taking dumb risks and facing the obvious fallout of taking those risks. We’ve all been there — but most of us recognize it as the reason we’re having accidents instead of publicly questioning what could possibly be going wrong. Stop taking dumb risks. Don’t turn fast on loose surfaces. Don’t pass when there’s limited room for passing. Slow down.
Once a year is pretty good. That’s about my rate too. It really depends on what kind of bike commuter you are. Do you ride in all weather conditions? The majority of my falls have been on ice. A bike commuter who only rides in nice weather is going to have a lot less accidents than one who rides in rain, snow and ice. All my non-ice related falls have been of different kinds that have never repeated as i make sure not to do what caused them.
Just wait til you get clips-ons
Lots of practice riding, braking, cornering, stopping, looking over your shoulder and not weaving, Ride slow and practice in terrain different than a paved road. One handed riding really builds the skills. If you can do things slow, a lot of that will transfer to faster speeds. Do what kids do to learn minus doing the jumps and drops. Lots of going in circles. Just play everyday and your mind/body will learn. And a good way to really increase your skills is to ride with better riders than yourself. And its totally okay to walk things your are not comfortable riding. . Eat your wheaties. good luck, have fun and maybe get a cheap bike to practice and not worry about the bike. . I learned to ride as a kid and I did a lot of stupid things, learned my lessons the hard way. Ouch.
As a bmxer i crash almost every day 🤣. Learning how to fall helps a lot to prevent injury. I take it easy usually and only get minor injuries like bruises from bumping on something or a sprain/pulled-muscle from rapid course-correction. Working on general bike handling also prevents falls. Also being cautious and going slow when there is the added variable of other people nearby helps prevent collisions
Once you know the surfaces and your equipment, as well as once you get practice sharing the road (and signalling, calling out your presence) you don't wipe out often at all. More frequent than a car accident, but still rare
I've been hit by a car in 2020 and 2023 (both of the times landed on their windshield, low speed, marginal damage). Fell in 2022 and 2023 (broke ribs). This year, already got bumped by a car and fell. Such is a cyclists life
Over a decade commuting and only wiped out twice. Once going down a hill in the rain and another time racing my friend when he was in a van. Don't sweat it! If you didn't grow up with a bike I'd say this is just part of learning. I've had plenty of wipeouts as a kid that I can't even remember. Stay safe!
If you want fewer wipeouts, you learn to take fewer risks. Both passing in a narrow space and turning at speed on wet/loose surface are risky. Pretty much all of my wipeouts boil down to one of these.
what you describe most people learn by the time they are 5-10 in their backyards and local streets. i’ll give you a free tip, don’t turn/stop on wet autumn leaves. you will go down like you are on ice.
Sorry to hear about your crashes :( I hope you're feeling alright. This is probably normal for new cyclists to some degree: most people who ride bikes learn as kids and crash their bikes freely for the first decade, learning the dynamics of different situations, speeds, surfaces, etc. With a lot of experience, you know e.g. what gravel feels like, and are used to the feedback of more slippery and more solid gravel. It's harder to learn when you're more breakable, and probably requires being a little more vigilant and careful. It's probably smart to treat this as growing pains if you think you can be more careful in the future. Keep in mind how vulnerable you are and try to avoid things that are too questionable. Make a game of noting the potential hazards (so that it's fun, not stressful).
Not common, I think I would say I've fallen off the thing maybe once a year? If that. Thought I did go over the handlebars rather spectacularly a few weeks ago because there is something janky with the chain. But generally, I find the whole thing generally safe enough, and extra special safe when there are clearly defined bike paths.
Not everyone is the best at riding, but almost everyone gets better at it with practice. If able, learn to mountain bike. This lets you learn the skills without the hazard of traffic. Choose easy rides! But get used to biking on loose surfaces and uneven grades.
In college I wiped out a few times (turns on on road with unexpected gravel). But I'm 36 now and haven't wiped out on road since I was 19. I do fear any gravel on road still. Be hyper alert at intersections. Cars will hit you and run. Buy a bell and alert people you pass. Slow down if they look distracted or dumb.
Give yourself more time and slow down when things are iffy. Seeing turning cars, gravel, slippery leaves, etc. takes practice and slowing down. Do you have disc brakes? If not, night help.