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Falling off on new road surface

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  • November 11, 2014 at 9:31 pm #22721
    dazzer1970

    Hi all, wanted to canvas opinion, fell off my bike in September on a flat, straight and new section of road (had been down a couple of months) leading up to a junction, I broke my ribs and have not been out since! I perceive this to be a worse hazard than pot holes and no longer have the confidence to go out in any sort of wet weather if the roads are so slippery in certain places, I am not a new cyclist and have frequently exercised caution especially going round corners, I unclip the relevant foot incase of slippage, hence on this occasion I was not unclipped because the road was straight and I was not expecting it, does anyone else have any experience of a similar occurence?

    I contacted a personal injury company because I feel the road repairers should be putting down anti slip and they are at fault, I also believe that perhaps they are using better materials in the tarmac to perhaps make it more hard wearing and hence, I believe, more slippery in the wet compared to previous road surfaces. A friend of mine rides horses along the same stretch of road and the horse a couple of weeks ago lost its footing and she fell off, luckily no injury, which she has also commented that such an event has not happened to her before in many years of horse riding. The personal injury company said that they did not have enough to make a case. Do anyone have any views on this please?

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  • November 26, 2014 at 9:41 pm #820679
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    dazzer1970

    Just to sum up, I think I
    Just to sum up, I think I have found most of what I wanted to know, if you crashed a car you’d want to know why and learn from it, not just get back in it right? I think change of surfaces means I have to change tyres, but I may just have been unlucky and hit some diesel (most likely), thanks so much for all your positive and constructive help.

    November 26, 2014 at 9:35 pm #820677
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    dazzer1970

    Thanks good comment, however
    Thanks good comment, however please see my reply to Bike Food.

    November 26, 2014 at 9:32 pm #820675
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    dazzer1970

    Thanks, I think you could be
    Thanks, I think you could be right here, good constructive comment.

    November 26, 2014 at 9:30 pm #820673
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    dazzer1970

    Thanks, this is very valid as
    Thanks, this is very valid as I was on Vittoria Rubino Pro’s, the slick version, I have been running them for the last 2 years without issue however. I also have the version with tread on that I used during last winter during all the wet conditions, again without issue. I was drawn to using them on account of a large amount of punctures I was suffering and have not had any since running these. I believe that in conjunction with road surface improvement and/or possible diesel spillage they are not suitable other than dry conditions. I am thinking to go back to the treaded version for winter and also to use normal pedals and flat shoes so as I can get my leg out if required, in order to build confidence back. I get your point about better tyres, but I am not convinced as there is still such a small contact patch, I also believe running lower pressures is good, but this will not save me if there is diesel on the road, in fact nothing will. The ultimate scenario will be in good time when most of the resurfacing/diesel spillage is complete perhaps. I hope this is valid to us all, as new risks are arising and we all should consider, thanks again.

    November 19, 2014 at 9:19 am #820671
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    rogermerriman

    Even with new surfaces, being
    Even with new surfaces, being greasy it’s difficult to see it other than rider error, hence the personal injury company’s response.

    Road bikes have fairly small footprint combined with tyres that tend to the harder compounds, makes for bikes where one needs to exersize some caution on some surfaces.

    November 18, 2014 at 2:22 pm #820669
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    Must be Mad

    New Asphalt can be oily.
    Plus
    New Asphalt can be oily.
    Plus this incident was in September – we had a long dry summer, and its always a bit hairy cycling in the rain for the first time in a few months – you forget how slippery it can be.

    November 18, 2014 at 1:58 pm #820667
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    le Bidon

    Bike Food makes a good point;
    Bike Food makes a good point; what tyres do you generally use?

    I swear by Conti GP4000s; they basically stick me to the road. Sure, they’re £60 a pair (minimum) and have to be replaced relatively frequently, but for peace of mind I’ll not deviate.

    November 18, 2014 at 1:43 pm #820665
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    dazzer1970

    I think it must be time for
    I think it must be time for you to change your tampon!

    November 14, 2014 at 2:18 pm #820663
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    MKultra

    New road bad!
    “I contacted a
    New road bad!

    “I contacted a personal injury company because I feel the road repairers should be putting down anti slip and they are at fault”

    If you are not wanting money then why say you are…

    November 14, 2014 at 2:04 pm #820661
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    mrmo

    you say new road, how much
    you say new road, how much rain had there been between laying and the day of the crash?

    I haven’t noticed it so much this year, but last winter things did get pretty dicey on some roads.

    New road, plus diesel allowed to build up for a few weeks then a light shower, just enough to lift the crap and hey presto ice rink.

    November 14, 2014 at 1:49 pm #820659
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    fenix

    Very odd. I’d ask around the
    Very odd. I’d ask around the local area and cycling clubs – have they come off on the same road ? Maybe even put a sign up at the area ?

    If nobody else has come off then it must be a freak incident ?

    If a few have come off – then you might have a case and there might be people willing to take this up with the council. Presumably they can test for slip rating ?
    Have you been back to check the road ?

    Your history of riding should tell you that falls like this are very rare.

    November 14, 2014 at 10:57 am #820657
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    dazzer1970

    This is not fictional, a
    This is not fictional, a genuine enquiry, I did actually fall off and injure myself and seek to understand why, am not seeking sympathy or attention, thanks a lot………..

    November 14, 2014 at 8:57 am #820655
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    MKultra

    I do so love interacting with
    I do so love interacting with the on line alter egos of attention seekers posting fictional tales of misfortune.

    I think this one has a pet ferret IIRC.

    November 14, 2014 at 8:14 am #820653
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    Anonymous

    I’ve had the back end step
    I’ve had the back end step out on a straight bit of road before, no idea how I managed to stay upright & it certainly made me nervous for a few weeks after.
    I put this down to a change of tyres however.
    I’ve been a lifelong Continental user e.g. GP4000s, 4 Seasons and sometimes Specialized Armadillos, I thought I’d try some Vittoria Rubino Pros, they were okay in the dry but in wet or damp conditions they were lethal. I think the compound is quite hard which may make the tyre durable but doesn’t inspire confidence in the wet, I took them off immediately.

    November 13, 2014 at 11:40 pm #820651
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    dazzer1970

    I too am confused how I fell
    I too am confused how I fell off, I do not perceive it to be normal under the circumstances, other people here have posted constructive reasons such as diesel contamination which is my favourite, I do not subscribe to sueing culture, however I consider this event very odd and your comments to be negative and patronising, new surfaces definitely better I agree, but more dangerous in the wet! I am not looking to blame or sue just to understand the difference, I appreciate that it is not the fault of the roads company but it could be if they spilt the diesel? From the sound of it I would say that you do not have a lot of new roads around you, look out if they start resurfacing and I hope you don’t fall off and break your ribs anytime soon!

    FYI Junctions/roundabouts are prone to oil/diesel contamination from standing traffic dropping such materials making these areas extra slippy, unclipping before a corner is fine, I dont do it in the middle!

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