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I had a doctors appointment, woke up late, and had a voicemail from my mom telling me she took my car to work and I would have to walk eight blocks (in the cold) to get it.. well, number one, it was eight blocks in the cold, and number two- I wouldn't make it to my appointment on time if I walked all the way there to get the damn car. So what did I do, you ask? I took my bike- 35 degrees Fahrenheit, had been sitting in the garage for a few days since the small snow ad rain storm we had gotten a few days earlier was clearing up.. I layered up and prepared for antarctica, and I have to admit it was a pain in the ass getting a pair of leather gloves over my riding gloves and a bionic aplinestars suit under my clothes, plus a thick baklava under my helmet, but I managed. I let her warm up for ten minutes and took off. I was careful, VERY careful. I kept it under twenty miles an hour. I got to this one specific turn that was a bitch even in the nicest of weather- sharper than a goddamn 90 degree angle turn, thats how bad I am talking. The light turned green, I kept it in first, upshifted to second right around fifteen miles per hour about ten feet before the turn, circled out about six feet to give myself clearance as i always do, and took the turn. Fine. Nothing happened.. until a patch of black ice seeping from the corner of the sidewalk and storage drain nipped the inside end of my back tire.. I felt that gliding, floating feeling- I knew what was next. Down I went, and hard too considering the speed I took the turn at. Slid about seven feet into a trucks wheels that was waiting at the red light. Tore my (non-riding) leather jacket I had over my bionic suit top to the right shoulderpads and elbowpads- which stood up fine to the blow. My helmet got a little scratched, I barely skidded it along the pavement.. I was very aware of what was happening and even hit the kill switch right before my bike pulled ahead from me while we were sliding together. Fun eh? I have frame sliders on my bike, and the right one took quite a beating. No fairing damage at all. I also have spool sliders, so my pipe got only a little nick in it and my swingarm was fine. Only other damage was a nick to my crash-bar ends, and annoyingly enough, a good nick on my newish pazzo shorty brake lever.. grr.
As far as me, a little sore and banged up- I had some thermal chaps under some thick fleece-lined jeans, but it still tore to the skin on my outer-kneecap and heel (didn't have my boots on.. dumb me for sure.. don't rub it in) and also left a nice, softball size bump that is bruising over on my outer thigh.. my upper body protected completely by high quality gear, hands as well, and head/neck most importantly. My bionic top also has a spine protector which did its job and my back feels fine.
I am hoping that my shogun frame sliders have replaceable ends- because the right one is chewed to hell now. I will look that up shortly after this post. I would estimate the total damage at around 100-150$ with a little TLC.. frame sliders saved it from being a much bigger catastrophe.. and gear saved it from being a sad, sad day in new haven.
I am happy I had the sense to fit 90% of my gear on even though it was so cold and tough to get under all my layers, very uncomfortable- but worth it. ALL GEAR, ALL THE TIME. You know what that means? I failed. 90% doesn't cut it. I should have had my riding boots and draggin' jeans on, if I did the kneepad and thigh protectors would have left me without a scratch- instead I am limping around with ice on one part, bandages, and a heating pad- lucky, too.
Once again- ALL GEAR, ALL THE TIME! And don't be stupid like me and take a bike out even if the roads are clear when it is below freezing- all it takes is a tiny patch of ice from numerous sources to ruin your day like I did mine. Thing that sucked the most is I still made it to my appointment today.. i hate the doctors
be safe out there!
As far as me, a little sore and banged up- I had some thermal chaps under some thick fleece-lined jeans, but it still tore to the skin on my outer-kneecap and heel (didn't have my boots on.. dumb me for sure.. don't rub it in) and also left a nice, softball size bump that is bruising over on my outer thigh.. my upper body protected completely by high quality gear, hands as well, and head/neck most importantly. My bionic top also has a spine protector which did its job and my back feels fine.
I am hoping that my shogun frame sliders have replaceable ends- because the right one is chewed to hell now. I will look that up shortly after this post. I would estimate the total damage at around 100-150$ with a little TLC.. frame sliders saved it from being a much bigger catastrophe.. and gear saved it from being a sad, sad day in new haven.
I am happy I had the sense to fit 90% of my gear on even though it was so cold and tough to get under all my layers, very uncomfortable- but worth it. ALL GEAR, ALL THE TIME. You know what that means? I failed. 90% doesn't cut it. I should have had my riding boots and draggin' jeans on, if I did the kneepad and thigh protectors would have left me without a scratch- instead I am limping around with ice on one part, bandages, and a heating pad- lucky, too.
Once again- ALL GEAR, ALL THE TIME! And don't be stupid like me and take a bike out even if the roads are clear when it is below freezing- all it takes is a tiny patch of ice from numerous sources to ruin your day like I did mine. Thing that sucked the most is I still made it to my appointment today.. i hate the doctors
be safe out there!
