From: glp7584@tamuts.tamu.edu (Gordon Lee Powell Jr)
Subject: rough road + procrastination = road rash
Summary: poor maintenance leads to crash
Keywords: handlebar, crash, damn oil trucks
Organization: ~/lib/organization
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 23:50:33 GMT

Hello rec.bikers,

Well, I have another incident to report.  However, the fault for
this one rests with no one but myself.  Some here may recall
another crash which I reported here that resulted in the
replacement of my frame.  Thankfully, this one was not so costly.

Incidently, the set of wind chimes that I made from the salvaged
frame tubes has worked out quite nicely.  The railroad company
did finally pay for my damaged frame, but oddly enough did not
repair the crossing until just recently--I wonder just how many
accidents it took them to decide to do the half-assed repair job.

Let me get to the point of this post.  I suffered some minor skin
abrasions as the result of a slight mishap this past Saturday. 
In the course of checking the road conditions of some of the
local rides in preparation for this semester's club rides, I
chose to ride the route through Silver Hills, west of
Bryan/College Station.  This ride, 22 miles in length, has always
been a favorite beginning ride with the club due to its relative
level of scenery and low traffic.  

Silver Hills has fallen prey to the relentless passage of the oil
field equipment and trucks.  There are some sections in really
poor condition as a result of this traffic.  A temporary way to
"fix" the problem seems to be to regrade the surface and dump a
few loads of gravel on it.

In true Jobst fashion, I rarely am deterred from continuing a ride
at the appearance of a couple of miles of non-paved road. 
Unfortunately, I was riding at a more characteristic on-road
speed when I encountered a particularly nasty bunch of wash board
ruts.  I continued to pedal through the rough stuff, but suddenly
felt my bike start to disappear below and behind me.  It felt as
if my front wheel had suddenly collapsed and catapulted me off
the bike.  

I got up to inspect the damage (to me, that is).  Not too bad, a
bit of ground in gravel in the right elbow down to the mid
forearm and a nicely skinned left knee.  For those interested in
shaving, I could detect no hair in the wound.  I don't know
whether it was ripped out or just cut off, but no hair was in the
wound.  Nearly a week later, and no infection, and the scabs are falling
off already.  I think I'll keep my leg hairs the way they are.  They 
(my legs) seem to get lots of ingrown hairs when I have shaved.

Miraculously, I did not seem to have created any holes in
the favorite bike shorts.  Later, I found the scrapes on my right,
lower back and on my right shoulder.  No obvious major damage to
the helmet.  I think I will be replacing it anyway, because I
know that I have struck my head several times in slight
accidents.   

Now:  bike damage.  I was not surprised to find the cause of my
accident.  The right side of the handle bar had snapped off right
at the stem.  I had been planning to replace it, because I
suspected it was starting to crack.  But that is another story. 
I will say, though, that if you start hearing a creaking noise
from your handlebar/stem area, have it checked out.  The time to
be concerned is if you have not had any noises previously, and
then start hearing weird noises from that area.  I was in disbelief
that the wheels were still true, round, and in one piece.  Sure
the handlebar tape was messed up, but it was ugly anyway.  I think
I'll try the adhesive cotton stuff once.

My Cateye Vectra is now wireless.  This may be the most costly item
of all.  Any success out there splicing the leads for this?

Thank you if you waded through all this mess.  I hope I save someone
some grief.

Gordon L. Powell, Jr. '89            glp7584@zeus.tamu.edu (VMS on VAX 9000)
Aero Engr  Texas A&M Univ.           gordon@aero.tamu.edu (D. U. on S. C.)
Oh well, some people can flame in a nitrogen environment.--Les Earnest

Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.soc