# Most embarrassing/funny moments on a bike ride



## Varaxis (Mar 16, 2010)

What are some of the most embarrassing/funny moments or wild coincidences you have experienced while out on a bike ride?

For me, the most embarrassing moment I ever had, that I clearly remember to this day is my very first group ride. I was about 13 years old and joined a group ride with a local bike shop, Bikeway in NY. I rode 5 miles to the bike shop, and they gave me lift over to the trail, which I think was Minnewaska. It rained a little during the ride, and an elite group broke off, led by an elite class racer. The owner/manager of the bike shop was cool enough to keep me company in the slower paced group. I did a loop, managing to keep up without crashing (it wasn't an easy trail). The others went off to do another lap; I thought I wasn't gonna survive another loop, especially watching that elite racer fly up the hill in the distance, so I played around the parking lot. I rode by a huge puddle a few times and noticed a few guys messing around it, trying to ride through, albeit unsuccessfully. I've ridden deeper water than that, when the Cronomer Park area flooded from heavy rain, so I felt confident that I could take up that challenge. I was warned that it wasn't as easy as it looked, but I disregarded that warning and pedaled up to full speed and tried to use momentum to get myself through. It didn't work out so well... the moment I hit the deeper part of the water, my momentum was gone in an instant (I probably weighed like 90 lbs then), and I did a beautiful endo, balancing vertically for what seemed for a few seconds, before I splashed down, flat as a board into the water, head/hands/chest first. :eekster: I was already kind of soaked from the rain, but taking a dip in the muddle puddle in such a fashion was demoralizing. The owner of the Bikeway store was really cool, giving me a towel, cheering me up, and giving me a ride home in his truck.

I still have great respect for that shop and am glad to see that they're still open. I wonder if that moment was funny or memorable enough for them that they still remember me.


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## vitale232 (Jun 13, 2007)

St. Patrick's Day, 2009. I had a field trip to a wind farm for a class (extra credit, baby!), so I didn't end up partying all day with the usual suspects. Instead, I met a couple cool dudes on the field trip and decided to go play around town on the mountain bikes.

After a long day of hopping on an off picnic tables, hucking stairs, etc., we started to make our way home. This took us through the heart of the college party district. I had to get up on the sidewalk to avoid some debauchery, so I casually bunny hopped the curb.

There was a frat party "poppin'" off, and some of the young ladies encouraged me to repeat the previous exercise. I'm sure a beautiful smirk creeped onto my face as I picked up a bit of speed for a balls-to-the-wall bunny hop - we're talking hop of the century.

Of course, with the extra effort on take off my form suffered. I came down waaaay front heavy and slowly but surely did the same face first endo onto the sidewalk. As if that wasn't bad enough, the frat totally erupted. I'm pretty sure someone threw a rib at me.

It's all good tho. The next block over somone called the "biker dudes over". They offered me a 2 story funnel of Keystone Light. What college kid can say no to that?


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## Lawson Raider (Jul 24, 2006)

My most embarassing moment was crashing into the back of my friend. We had a camera mounted to a tree and he stopped to turn off the camera and I somehow thought we were going to do one more lap and he stopped but I was hauling...smacked into the rear of his bike and rolled off the trail on the right.


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## abeckstead (Feb 29, 2012)

Ok, this post may be more embarrasing than the event... but what the hell! I found this picture (yes it was taken with one of them film cameras) a while back and scanned it 

Grandma's Schwinn - check
Coors box mask - check
Chainsaw - check
Evil Knievel helmet in basket - check
Drunk ******* on bicycle - check

Story goes: Working on trucks at my friends shop, just around the corner from a popular bar we frequented. We used to race the schwinn's around the shop and for some reason (alcohol induced, obviously) I found myself in the condition photographed. Well from there the idea came to be I should go ride past the bar for laughs. Cause riding down the street at night with a chainsaw sounds like a good idea right? :thumbsup:

So I set out into the night, just as pictured... dead serious here. As I round the corner to the bar, the Poleese got someone pulled over right in front of the bar! Yes at this particular moment I realized a coors box on my head and chainsaw in my hand wasn't the greatest idea. Obviously I got the officers attention, I can't remember if he even yelled at me... was probably completely dumb founded though!

I booked the fawk outta there and had a full block to ride around to get back to the shop. Two corners later, some thugs were hangin' out on the street... they yelled at me and started chasing after me! :eekster: My heart was already about to jump out of my chest, cause well... you just don't know how hard it is to exert yourself and breath with a coors box on your head untill you do it!!!! Somehow, I made it back to the shop unscathed to tell this tale to my friends!


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## burbskate (May 23, 2012)

My stomach/intestines have never liked high temps. Anything over 80 degrees and the likelihood of a blow out is very high. 

I just started mountainbiking in May with a new friend I met thru my wife. We had been riding together for about 2 months at this time. Usually I try to wait for at least 6 months before letting anything embarrassing happen!

We decided to ride on a 100 degree day. 12 miles total of single track. About half way through, my stomach started cramping. This wasn't good. Every bump felt like I was going to blow out.

Finally at about mile 10, I said I needed to stop. Made my way out to a secluded place in the woods. 

So there I am, 100 degree heat, covered in sweat, DRIPPING in sweat, surrounded by mosquitoes and horseflies, trying to get rid of the demon in my innards. Completely blowing out. It was miserable.

When I finally finished, I went to pull everything back up and found that I was having a "Ross with the Leather pants on "Friends" moment". I was so covered in sweat nothing wanted to go up. With much effort, I finally got my shorts back on.

Walk of shame back to the bike to complete the last 2 miles of the ride.


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## B1KER (Jul 19, 2006)

When I was first riding clipless I finished a long ride that had plenty of technical sections without a hitch. I even had a few quick dabs that happened without thinking about it. I was feeling pretty damn confident about my new shoes/pedals and my ability to use them like a seasoned vetran. What were all those stories about horrible accidents and mishaps about? Apparently I was a much better rider than "those" people. 

I finished the ride and was coming out into the parking lot when I saw the ranger's truck. I remember scanning the parking lot to see what he was up to. To my suprise, and I mean still to this day, I am suprised. It was not a he, but a she...and she was uncannily hot compared to any of the granola looking rangers I've seen in the past or to this day. Seriously, this might as well have been a photo shoot for Playboy that I just stumbled onto. 

So I come rolling into the parking lot like some kind of badass. Stop my bike and thinking about how I'm going to start some sort of conversation with this beautiful woman. Apparently while I was planning out my strategy there was another plan in place. Murphy's Law decided that a cool ass mountain biker like myself should probably be humbled by forgetting that his feet are locked into his pedals. 

I remember slowly leaning to the left, then attempting to take my foot off the pedal, then panick set in, and I knew what was about to happen. Surely with those awesome skills I just demonstrated, I could recover in this situation. About that time I was laying on the ground still stuck in my pedals and the ranger now asking if I was ok because that looked like it hurt. Let's just say I did get to have a conversation with her but my ego was so bruised I just high tailed it back to my truck with my head held in shame and my tail tucked between my legs.


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## RIVER29 (Mar 12, 2012)

I thought I'd be slick and ride a wheelie past a bunch of roadies in a parking lot. Instead I wrecked right in front of them and skinned myself all up. I'll never live that down in my own mind.


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## Jisch (Jan 12, 2004)

At one time I was close to mastering the wheelie (well further back in history when I was a teen I DID have the wheelie mastered). Anwyay, this spot I'm riding has a piece of abandoned concrete highway in the woods, slightly up hill - perfect wheelie territory. 

As I approach I notice four quads sitting off to the side taking a break, perfect wheelie territory AND an audience? Nice. 

I pull up into a wheelie and its like someone suddenly turned off gravity, I'm balanced perfectly and pedaling, the front wheel doesn't wander or fall at all - perfect wheelie bliss. Just at that point where I'm thinking "I finally have this NAILED, I finally got it BACK!" I lost concentration and/or balance and went over sideways. 

I had no time to do anything, I landed full force on my left elbow with all the quad guys watching. I jumped up and got right back on my bike my left arm hanging lifeless at my side, all the time pretending it was no big deal. I had to wait for another rider to get to the parking lot so I could get my bike into the car. 

Luckily, no damage done, other than to my pride. To this day I haven't pulled up into a wheelie like that, and probably never will. 

John


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## Sandrenseren (Dec 29, 2011)

Bike related, but not mtb related, I was on my old ten speed balancing a bag of groceries on the top tube, one hand on the steering, one on the bag. I saw my friend Pete driving towards me in his car and I decided to wave hello. One hand on the bag, one hand in the air, no hands on the steering, no biggie until I landed the front wheel in a drain and went flying for a tuck'n'roll, groceries all over the place and what not, rolling quickly to my feet trying to make it look like it was some sort of planned stunt.. Then I realized that Pete's car didn't have wheels like that and the lady in the car looking remarkably, but not quite identical to Pete's car was having a laugh..


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## Sandrenseren (Dec 29, 2011)

abeckstead said:


> Cause riding down the street at night with a chainsaw sounds like a good idea right? :thumbsup:


Yup! Probably the same reason a friend and I were running timed laps in his parents garden at 2 a.m. wearing a gas mask..

Excellent photo!


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## codyh12345 (Sep 15, 2011)

Hmmm.... A solution for having to carry the chainsaw in one hand?

http://auburn.craigslist.org/bik/3161575602.html

Oh and it drives the front wheel so climbs are a cinch.

Don't lowball this guy though, he knows the value of that sweet ride.


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## zebrahum (Jun 29, 2005)

Went riding at Diablo for the first time and was having a great time. Starting to feel the flow, starting to make it to the landing on some of the hits on Dominion (I'm a hack when it comes to catching air so that's a big deal for me), and just generally having a really good time. So during one of our runs, we pull off halfway down the trail where it pulls out onto a cat track road; being courteous riders, we pull well off the trail into some shin high grass where a couple of other riders had stopped. My buddy and I catch our breath, make a decision on what trail to ride, and off we go...

Or that was the theory. What happened in reality was that I jumped up enthuhsastically, mashed the pedals, and before a quarter pedal stroke was completed I nosed the front wheel of the bike into a large rock hidden in the tall grass. This, of course, sent me crumpling over the bars and rolling onto the ground due to my weight being way far forward from still being standing up. As I look back, my friend and the two other riders bust out laughing as my friend yells something to the effect of "what the f*%k are you doing?".

Well, what do you do? I picked myself and the bike up, did a little bow to my audience and rode off hard determined to regain as much of my shattered pride as I could muster in the 50' of visibility those people I've never met would have of me. My friend still won't let me live that down, and probably shouldn't.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

my sense of humor is pretty simple.

i rode with some guys last night, and one of them was giving me directions to somewhere. I said "and if i cant find parking, then what do i do?"

then a rider creeps up behind me and cracks a big fart, and says "thats what I'D do".


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

During college, I was riding down the sidewalk and noticed three hot girls waiting to cross the road. They saw me coming their way so I smiled, popped a wheelie and attempted to ride it off the curb. Everything was going fine until my rear tire hit the slime in the gutter. Next thing I knew I was wadded up in the street. They asked if I was OK and I replied that I only bruised my ego.


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## codyh12345 (Sep 15, 2011)

Ok, ill play. So I was riding some good flowy singles with a few pals and since I am fat and slow they had put some distance between me and them. They stop to let me catch up and I see them so I start mashing the pedals to get some speed. I decide that I am going to fly in and do a sweet rear wheel slide into the group. When I come in I grab the brakes and attempt the slide but the grass and my nobby nic's did not allow this. Instead I go OTB and so gracefully taco my front wheel ending my day. Needless to say I am still the butt of many jokes over this incident.


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## icecreamjay (Apr 13, 2004)

We were filming little video clips of riding a teeter. I was cocky, decided I would ride a sweet wheelie right off the end of the teeter, how badass would that look....


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## RIVER29 (Mar 12, 2012)

icecreamjay said:


> We were filming little video clips of riding a teeter. I was cocky, decided I would ride a sweet wheelie right off the end of the teeter, how badass would that look....


I've done that too. It knocked the wind out of me real bad and some girl who saw it started calling 911 and I was making all these hand gestures to let her know I was ok , just couldn't breath.


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## debaucherous (Jul 2, 2004)

About a decade ago I was on a long hill climb - thought I was doing pretty well.
Then, a one legged dude on a MTB passed me.
'nuff said. 



Though, it was pretty awesome to see a one-leg MTB rider.


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## Jamon (Aug 22, 2012)

This is more just plain stupid than a goof. I was 9 years old and i had a crappy little black batman bike that i got from who knows where. The front wheel was not screwed in and would let the front fork rest on either side of the wheels pegs as long as it stayed planted to the ground. My cousin decided that if i did a wheelie while going down the hill on my street the wheel would continue traveling at the same rate of speed as myself and i would land back on the pegs and continue riding. At the time his logic seemed flawless to me and decided to give it a whirl. Unfortunately the scenario did not play out the same way in reality as it did in our heads and with a quick pop of the wheel it dethatched. A few seconds later, unable to hold the wheelie, my bare front fork came crashing down to the pavement and sent me launching like a medieval catapult. Needless to say the ER was involved and i didnt get back on a bike for 8 years.


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## icecreamjay (Apr 13, 2004)

RIVER29 said:


> I've done that too. It knocked the wind out of me real bad and some girl who saw it started calling 911 and I was making all these hand gestures to let her know I was ok , just couldn't breath.


Glad to know I'm not the only one. That one didn't hurt at all, helmet and pack took the brunt. Just bruised my ego, to be forever captured and relived on youtube, thanks Dan :madman:. Actually my favorite part of that vid is my bud's reaction, that "AWWW" at the end, pretty much sums up most peoples reaction to seeing it.

OP, great thread idea!:thumbsup:


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## Varaxis (Mar 16, 2010)

Sandrenseren's lost groceries reminded me of another embarrassing moment I had.

I rode to the local McDonald's, knowing a friend from school was working there, and got some food with a bit of extras thrown in (lots of fries). I didn't eat there, cause I was on to riding to my best friend's house. The bottom of the paper bag carrying the grub ripped, which I had simply twisted the top and held between my palm and my bike's grip, letting it dangle. The contents were flung out onto the road. I stopped and pitied the loss of my fries and BigMac...

The next day at school, my Spanish teacher said she saw me riding my bike yesterday and made a gesture of holding a burger to eat. I was so red and broke out in a cold sweat from her teasing...


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## scottcan (Sep 12, 2011)

The year was 1990. I was at a bike shop that I frequented picking up my pugeot orient express. You know the one with sun tour components and biopace chainrings. I still miss that bike. Anyhow I went to said bike shop because the owners daughter who worked there was smoking hot. I spent a small fortune at that damn place! Back to the story, I was trying out the bike to make sure the friction shifting was working like it should and showing off for the girl who was outside watching me. Across the stree there was a huge pile of gravel that a road construction company was stockpiling. I figured that I would rocket to the top of it in a dazzling display of quadricep strength.........for those who haven't tried going up a gravel hill the size of everest or there a bouts .....you can't!. The front tire planted into it and the bike stopped. From 30 to zero in an instant! I kept going though. Shattered a new type of sunglasses called oakley blades (the chartreuse ones). The girl didn't rush over to be by my side either, as a matter of fact, she laughed so hard I'm sure she peed a little.


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## Guerdonian (Sep 4, 2008)

Story 1: On my road bike, still adjusting to clipless. Role up to one of the busiest intersections in town. Stop for the light, can't unclip, do the elvis dance, fall over HARD right onto the curb. Hard enough for a driver to ask if i was ok. Probably 40+ people saw that one.

Story 2: Working really hard to keep up with some buddies. Ate some crappy hotel doughnuts pre-ride. Hit my redline, role to the top of the hill and puke projectile doughnut all over the desert. Look up and notice about 4 college girls witnessing the whole thing. I still giggle about that one.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

i was once considering whether to ride down a sketchy rocky hill, and then heard 3 guys come up behind me (strangers) so i was like "ok, not gonna wuss out in front of these guys" so i rode it...and a little too fast too. i didnt want to hold them up. one of the guys got rather close behind me and said "hey, you're picking good lines" and sure enough, i got ejected over the bars right after he said that, and landed in pile-driver position on my head/side of face. Stood up all shaky and flustered, with the three guys just staring bug-eyed at me.


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## RIVER29 (Mar 12, 2012)

Funny: I took a buddy of mine out for his first ride in a couple of seasons. We decided to do a really steep climb up a fire road and he was really hurting bad about half way up. Then this guy, who was amazing strong, comes pedaling past us pulling a trailer with a 4 or 5 year old girl in it. The girl is reading a magazine and just looked up at us and smiled. I still have a hard time riding up that trail with just my gear.


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## NicoleB (Jul 21, 2011)

that reminds me. went out riding on the road and got passed by an old man on a comfort hybrid. 
also been passed by person towing a trailer (person looked very spandexy and fit though)
also two older people on a tandem.


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## Jisch (Jan 12, 2004)

icecreamjay said:


> We were filming little video clips of riding a teeter. I was cocky, decided I would ride a sweet wheelie right off the end of the teeter, how badass would that look....


I have seen that move attempted so many times. It feels like it should work as you cross the fulcrum, but every time it ends the same.


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## sxotty (Nov 4, 2005)

First time I ever road clipless pedals I apparently did not screw the cleat in all the way. One screw fell completely out, but I wasn't aware. I couldn't unclip for crap and fell about a million times in a million ways. Anyway it was humorous. The riders with me thought I was just really confused about unclipping until we checked the shoe finally.


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## cmweldon (Feb 5, 2004)

*where to begin*

1 - Made it up a big huge climb, beat a local female endurance legend (i'm a dude). turns out she has a 20# weight in her camelbak for training and she was only like a minute behind me. Short lived glory.

2 - Organized a group ride via MTBR, kinda an open invite. All these super strong local guys end up riding and i think i fell sideways on a twig and finished last. Humbling and informative.

3 - Passed some dude that I just passed and completely endo'd w/face plant. Passed me reminding me of some dipshit thing I said to him earlier.

I am sure there are more, first moments on clipless, pushing up roads, impressing girls. The list goes on as does my endless hubris and subsequent defeat.


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## RockyRider (Nov 21, 2004)

*Clipless*

While waiting for a couple riders to show up for a group ride I was riding wheelies in the parking lot clipped in. I went off the back in front of 20-30 people still locked in the pedals and ended up on my back with my bike over me with both wheels spinning. Everyone was clapping and cheering and I tore the leather on my favorite saddle.

Another time while on a group ride I was following the guy in front of me too close on a tight twisty section of singletrack and didn't see the people in front of me swerving around the fresh horse steamer in the trail in front of it. I hit is dead on at a good clip and got steamer flung all over me.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

through a simple, yet difficult to describe chain of events, i went OTB. lying there in the dust, I was checking to see what was broken, bent, or bruised, and thinking about the choices i have made in my life. which, really, is not embarrassing, so i wasn't in too much of a hurry to get up. except that in the distance, i heard the sound of someone coming and, not wanting to be runned over, ended up yelling something like, "look out, please don't run over me!" several times. by this time, I know I'm fine, and have sat up, but i'm still covered with dust. of course, MTBrs are nice people, so he asked, "are you okay?" and i gave the usual "ya ya i'm fine thanks for checking" to which i expect he thought, "then why are you sitting there covered in dust?" 

Okay, it's not that great, but it's all I've got.


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## DoctorJD (Jan 15, 2004)

My most embarrassing moment would have to be a road bike incident at a charity ride. It was particularly embarrassing since there were several (about 200) people that witnessed it. Long story short:

I went to the start, forgot that I'd left something in my truck so I flew back down to the parking area to retrieve the item. We were parked in this big grass field which was wet from the morning dew. I walked through the wet grass to get to my truck, then walked back through a bare section of Georgia red clay before I remounted the bike. Not sure if you've ever gotten road bike cleats dirty (LOOK style), but they don't like grit very well. 

In my haste to get back to the start, I did notice that it took a little more effort to get clipped in, but brushed it off, as starting with the group was my top priority at this point. I roll up to the starting area, coast to a stop, and realize that I can't get unclipped. I balanced like a Wallenda for about 30 seconds while I struggled to eject. No dice. The people next to me watched helplessly as I slammed to the asphalt. After some doing, I finally get unclipped and look around, hoping nobody noticed. 

I think its safe to say that most of the riders saw me fall. Some, out of compassion, simply looked away as they'd not seen anything. Others (like my friends) jumped on me like a pack of wolves on a helpless fawn. I guess I deserved it. Just three days earlier, a friend of mine fell over in the parking lot after our weekly club ride. I laughed my a** off at him. Karma is a b*tch.


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## GS833 (Sep 3, 2008)

At an XC race about a month ago: I beat a guy on the final sprint just to eat **** five feet away from the finish line...


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## A-Ray (Oct 18, 2009)

We were on a very technical section of trail one day at a state park about ten years ago where there were also a lot of scouting activities going on. We were riding at a pretty good clip downa nasty rocky hill, and came upon a group of about 25 cub scouts and their troop leaders, all hiking the other way. As soon as they saw us, they all moved to the side and a bunch of them were clapping and yelling like we were celebrities. It was pretty cool that we were being looked at as extreme athletes, so of course we had to show them something impressive. My friend Jim really wanted the spotlight so he thought that by passing me in the nasty rocky downhill section, that would just blow everyones mind.....
Well, about 10 feet after he went by me, I saw him look to the right and smile at a bunch of the scouts, and that quick, he went over the bars like a ragdoll. It was hilarious for about 5 seconds. When I stopped, I realized that his left foot was facing in the opposite direction, stikll attached to his pedal. Funny and embarrassing at first, but turned very ugly in an instant. There were Cub Scouts everywhere, a couple of them were even crying. The troop leaders were doing what they could to perform 1st Aid until the ambulance showed up. He ended up with a severely broken ankle...
To this day, every time we ride by people on the trail that seem to be in awe of what we are doing, I think about that day...


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## Dropped68 (Feb 11, 2011)

First ride on my fist disc brake-equipped bike. The ride has many narrow bridges that cross creeks -- each is maybe a foot wide.

On the very first bridge I tapped by brakes (stupidly). Wheels locked up. Over I went into the creek.


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## boostin (Apr 21, 2008)

Some friends and I were about half way down Porcupine Rim in Moab when my buddies rear derailleur **** the bed. We were in process of turning into a single speed to finish the trail when I heard some bicycles approaching. 

I turned around to see two beautiful young women in spandex. The fact that they were riding porc rim was sexy enough but they were hot anyways! They asked if we needed any help and then talked with us for a few minutes. 

All the sudden one of them plugs a nostril and sends a perfect snot rocket down towards the ground. It hit on a flat rock, splattering all over it in a most amazing way. I would rate it a 10/10 on the awesome snot rocket scale. 

Between the awesome trails, trail side bike repair, beautiful ladies, and perfect snot rocket, before I could catch myself, I looked in her eyes and said "That is the sexiest thing I have ever seen." I meant it and was deeply embarrassed by my free flowing tongue. 

Needless to say that was a conversation killer and they rode off down the trail, probably more than a little creeped out. oops!


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## Stopbreakindown (Jun 27, 2011)

Get to the top of this steep logging road, look over at my buddies bike (1st ride w/ this guy) look down and say "looks like you have a broken spoke", he's like "yeah, its been like that for a while" Upon closer inspection, dude has 8 broken spokes. He just laughed and continued to bomb down the trail.


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## AntiPavement (Mar 23, 2012)

My budy and I were riding Slickrock and I felt a grumper coming on fast. No trees or anything in sight and had no choice but to quickly find a good spot hidden from the trail. I found the spot, at least I thought it was hidden. In the middle of be laying a big pile and trying to take my sock off for a good wipe (forgot the paper) a huge Hummer rolls by within about 15 feet from be carrying about 12 tourist, they all got a good luck right up my arse and nice steamy pile. For some reason I was not as embarrassed as I should have been, I think I was more relieved than anything.


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## Jman0000 (Oct 7, 2011)

debaucherous said:


> Though, it was pretty awesome to see a one-leg MTB rider.


awesome!


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## Jman0000 (Oct 7, 2011)

boostin said:


> Between the awesome trails, trail side bike repair, beautiful ladies, and perfect snot rocket, before I could catch myself, I looked in her eyes and said "That is the sexiest thing I have ever seen." I meant it and was deeply embarrassed by my free flowing tongue.
> 
> Needless to say that was a conversation killer and they rode off down the trail, probably more than a little creeped out. oops!


Well, if you never fail, you ain't tryin' are ya?


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

I just layed my bike over in the middle of the street the other night. When I come to a stop I always unclip my left foot first. I did that and lost my balance to the right and wasn't able to get my right foot out in time. I stuck my knee and elbow out, so I wouldn't damage the bike. It worked, not a scratch on the bike, but somehow I smashed the inside of my left knee on the top tube. It gave me the ugliest bruise iv'e ever had. Really embarrassing, the first thing I did was look around and make sure no one saw. I was good there. Then I looked at the bike, good there also. What's weird is my knee didn't start to hurt till the next day.


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## Combatcm (Nov 15, 2005)

At the end of the endurorama course i was going down the last section in beast mode while the finish line was coming up. I was going too fast so i slammed my brakes and the bike slid out from under and i slammed my junk straight into a sign post within sight of at least 40 people. No bruised ego it was awesome.


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## freighttrainuphill (Feb 3, 2012)

Funny: Riding on the rocks down by the river with clipless pedals about 20 years ago. Ended up on my back with the bike upside down in the air. If only they had GoPros back then! 

Embarassing: MTB XC race in 1993. Was descending some singletrack and thought I was about to make a wrong turn, so I slammed on my brakes. Two guys crashed into me. To this day I still feel bad about that one!  Luckily no one was hurt.


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## stnewt (Feb 13, 2010)

1. My first year of riding clipless (2009) on one of my first clipless solo rides I come to the trailhead and go into the woods for the start of the loop there. Right at the beginning as I went into the woods some good riders were coming up the hill and so I yielded to them on the right as they came up on the left. Well I stopped but couldn't unclip on the right and of course started leaning to the right... I fell right over and slid down the embankment about 5 feet still clipped in and was laying there looking up at them as they rode by. "Are you ok" one of them said, which I replied with "yeah thanks". But I was not. I was so embarrassed that I didn't even feel like doing the ride after that, and I can still picture those Cat1 riders riding on the trail above me looking down at me perfectly to this day.


2. This was a few weeks ago. Was at my local stomping ground and passed a family, which was 1 older mom or grandmother, 4 kids, and a big hairy dog. The dog decides to lay down in the middle of the trail instead of getting out of the way, but he gets out of the way in time and I pass them super slow on the right and go about my way. I did a different loop thing that was out of the way then head back to the main loop, and unfortunately I come up upon them all again, because by this point they had caught up to where I left the trail earlier. They all get out of the way and we say hi again and I apologize again, but as before the dog lays in the middle of the dang trail but is all muddy this time like he's been out in the creek/mud or something. I pass the dog super slow on the right and say "Oh your dog is all muddy this time!". As soon as I say that I hit some stupid stick poking out from the brush and do an ultimate slow endo otb right on my face. Bike goes straight up in the air and pivots, then lands slowly down on the dog. Dog runs away. One of the kids is laughing hysterically but trying to cover his mouth. Older lady says "Are you ok!?". I say "Yes is your dog ok?" She says "Yes". I get up and reply with "Word". She didn't understand my new school lingo so she asked me what I said and all I could think of was "have a nice day, sorry again!", and rode off as fast as possible. I don't think Ive ever been as embarrassed on a bike before in all my life. As soon as I got around the corner I started cracking up and laughed the rest of the ride.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

stnewt said:


> As soon as I got around the corner I started cracking up and laughed the rest of the ride.


As my Mom always said, "if you can't laugh at yourself, it hurts a lot more when other people do." Or something.


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## D45yth (Jan 30, 2009)

stnewt said:


> I get up and reply with "Word". She didn't understand my new school lingo


She was just stunned because she hadn't heard anyone say that since 1988! :lol:


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## STT GUY (May 19, 2009)

Went snorkeling on Goosberry........


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## RIVER29 (Mar 12, 2012)

STT GUY said:


> Went snorkeling on Goosberry........


Do tell how you ended up in the drink?


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## wARmachine15 (Jul 14, 2012)

I had spent a great day riding Keystone Mountain, no wipeouts, no problems. I was hanging out at the gondola at the end of the day and thought I would pedal over to the water hose about 20 feet away and wash off my bike. I pedaled over, hit the brake and it clamped shut hard and didnt release - it threw me onto the pavement.

In a nutshell I wiped out on pavement going about 3mph, in front of about 30 other riders. I got up with bloody palms because my gloves were off.


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## deke505 (Jul 29, 2012)

As a kid I rode bmx bikes and was bunny hoping railways rail. Well hopped one rail but the front tire got stuck and I went face first into the other railway rail. :madman:


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## Cormac (Aug 6, 2011)

I tend to crash more during group rides. Probably because I push myself harder. Anyway it's always a little embarrassing, but funny at the same time. Which is good. If I can't laugh at myself laying on the ground in a crumpled up heap then something is wrong...


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## jasmorg1075 (Jan 30, 2012)

A couple of years ago I got back from a ride (I live really close to a local trail system) and my wife was outside working on the front yard. I thought I was going to be cool and show off for her. I did a few wheelies, bunny hops over the curbs, and an nice endo. I figured that was enough showing off and then I proceeded to "try" and unclip from my pedals. 

I ended up toppling over and failing on my side. The worst part was that my large chain ring decided to take a huge bite out of my calf. It was a pretty gnarly crash, but my wife laughed at me and and said "I can't believe you just crashed standing still in the middle of the driveway!" Ego = totally bruised.

Take a look at what the chain ring did to me. I have a pretty awesome scar, but I just tell people I got bit by a shark.....makes out for a much better non-embarrasing story.


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## Reign2Rider (Jan 28, 2010)

Lets see the scar then..


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## deke505 (Jul 29, 2012)

STT GUY said:


> Went snorkeling on Goosberry........


I would have jumped in there on purpose.


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## jasmorg1075 (Jan 30, 2012)

Reign2Rider said:


> Lets see the scar then..


Reign2Rider....since you are calling me out....here is a pic of the scar.

BTW...I don't just tell people that a shark bit me. I really do tell them what happened and it makes for great laughs.


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## Katz (Jan 29, 2012)

Right around when those of you teenagers were born, I was riding around the campus of Central Washington University after classes, doing trails/urban-ish stuff inspired by VHS videos of Hans Rey.

One day, I was doing something similar to the move shown in the following youtube clip, except I had the front wheel on the ledge. As I kicked the pedal and leapt forward, the chain broke, and I had an intimate encounter with the stem.

If I recall, it was a weekend afternoon and I was hoping there was no witness, but I heard a couple of dudes bursting into laughter.


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## mb_ (Jun 5, 2006)

I used to road race in my younger days. Because riding on the road is boring, and I could ride a decent wheelie, AND riding that wheelie on a road bike is a little more challenging, I of course did. Uphill was best since you can stay just below the balance point without gaining too much speed.

Of course the inevitable happened. Busy traffic day, up a little hill, wheelie for a while...oh s*#$! Wham! Bent seat rails, bruised arse, confession of shame and humility as some shop tools were needed to straighten things out.


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## Reign2Rider (Jan 28, 2010)

jasmorg1075 said:


> Reign2Rider....since you are calling me out....here is a pic of the scar.
> 
> BTW...I don't just tell people that a shark bit me. I really do tell them what happened and it makes for great laughs.


:thumbsup:


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## STT GUY (May 19, 2009)

RIVER29 said:


> Do tell how you ended up in the drink?


Two years ago in Fedurary (we had a super wet winter here in SW Utah in winter of 10/11. It was clear dark blue sky and water was mirror like, my friend Fixie Dave says "Hey ride over there and I will get on of those kick ass reflection pics".....Suuuuuuuuuure I said, what could possibly go wrong.

So I ride over to where Dave suggested, went really slow and started to lean to the right and obviously someone JB welded my shoe to my pedal...because try as i might that sucker wasn't coming out....so over I went pretty much head first into the 30" or so deep water. I went ALL the way under and Dave got it all...click...click...click.. . There were five of us and it took about fifteen minutes until we all gained our composure enough to ride again. I left a drip trail over about a third of Gooseberry.


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## Mojo Maestro (Nov 3, 2005)

Learning to ride clipless in the local park. Cactus, yucca and some technical sandstone are the order of the day. Trying to climb a short techy section, I fall over on my hip into some cacti. I'm trying to pull the spines out and realize, if I pull my lycra down, it's easier to see and remove the spines. Bent over and lookin' at my hip, I had failed to notice the family coming my way.


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## Tone's (Nov 12, 2011)

No bike one but heres a skateboarding one, when i was about 15 i was razzing around on my Tony Hawk up at the shops and there were 3 girls watching me across the road, as you do i was pulling a few cool moves so they would think i was the skating king of the suburb (which i wasnt) so i headed in their direction on my steed and thought id pull of an ollie up the gutter to show them my skills, well this didnt turn out to be a good move because i made it up the gutter but went face first into a big red post box and knocked myself out and broke my nose, i think i was only out for a few seconds but when i came to i had a bleeding nose and i noticed the girls where walking away laughing, moral to the story, dont try and impress teenage girls whilst on a skateboard it can end in disaster in an instant :thumbsup:


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## golfduke (Mar 20, 2007)

I can't be the only one to have done this, but...-

I was in the midst of a ride and nature was calling in a violent and quite urgent way. Being solo, I figure no big deal. I park the bike off the trail and run (waddle) into the woods. I am far enough off trail to where I cannot see my bike or any of the trail I was on, so I hurriedly shed layers and proceed with taking care of some unfortunately timed business.

Normally, this wouldn't be an issue, I keep baggies and wet naps with me for that reason. Today was a different story, however. You see, in my haste to find a spot, I overlooked the fact that the trail looped back on itself and wound up the ridge, maybe 10' from where I chose to do my business. It took a group ride of about 6 people riding past to quickly realize that. 

I'm sure it was not a good look.


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## alphajaguars (Jan 12, 2004)

STT GUY said:


> Two years ago in Fedurary (we had a super wet winter here in SW Utah in winter of 10/11. It was clear dark blue sky and water was mirror like, my friend Fixie Dave says "Hey ride over there and I will get on of those kick ass reflection pics".....Suuuuuuuuuure I said, what could possibly go wrong.
> 
> So I ride over to where Dave suggested, went really slow and started to lean to the right and obviously someone JB welded my shoe to my pedal...because try as i might that sucker wasn't coming out....so over I went pretty much head first into the 30" or so deep water. I went ALL the way under and Dave got it all...click...click...click.. . There were five of us and it took about fifteen minutes until we all gained our composure enough to ride again. I left a drip trail over about a third of Gooseberry.


And the rest of the pics are where?


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## TobyGadd (Sep 9, 2009)

Back in the early '90s, I was pretty good at climbing a local test piece--a short and very steep hill called Widowmaker. 

One beautiful fall day, there were were about 20 riders lined up taking turns, and I headed up to "show them how it was done." About 3/4 of the way from the top, I missed my line, hit a rock, and my front wheel lifted up. Instead of just bringing it back down and stopping, I decided that it would be really groovy to pirouette 180 degrees, and simply ride back down. I mean, what would be cooler than that? Instead of falling over and sliding back down the hill, it would look like an intentional move!

The first part of the trick went well. The wheel came up, I turned 180 degrees to face downhill, and then I started to bring the wheel back down. Yeah, I was the man! And then the saddle hit me in the butt, like a mule kicking Wile E. Coyote. Over the bars, and into space.

I still have a scar on my arm, 20 years later.


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## skullcap (Nov 4, 2010)

Mine happened about a year ago, I think. After a really nice ride I was headed back to the parking lot on a connector trail which I had ridden literally hundreds of times before because it tied together four different trails that I ride frequently. I was rolling really slowly and getting chatty with the person I was riding with, and not paying a bit of attention to the trail, when *wham*, my bike stopped dead. I had hit a small stump smack in the middle of it, we're talking six to eight inches high and six inches in diameter max, that's in the middle of a very wide trail. I doubt if I could ever have had aim that good if I had been trying. It caught me so by surprise that I just stood in a trackstand for a few seconds, said "Oh!", and tipped over. I landed on my left arm and leg, still on the bike in riding position. The best part? I don't ride clipless.

I had trouble getting up because I was weak and out of breath from laughter. The person I was riding with never saw a thing.


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## Immadis (Aug 28, 2012)

My embarrassing situation happened when i did my first ride on clipless pedals.
Very first ride, was feeling comfortable, clipped in and out many times at home, went to take a ride around my house, in front of a school was lots of people hanging out, i thought it would be a good idea to stop, just when i was about to stop and realized i couldnt get my feet out of pedals i had a mini heartattck and screamed "Aagh" loudly and just fell over to my side. Like that was bad, i was struggling on the ground like a bug, i couldnt still get my feet out of pedals. And when i did, i quickly pedaled out of there, too scared even to look back at the people, but i could feel them all staring at me


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## Dion (Oct 22, 2009)

Relearning Hang-5's, as a man in his mid-30's, on a BMX bike, and going over the bars over and over and over and over again.

This kid is doing a hang-5, if you're not familiar. So you can imagine a 215lb. grown man falling over and over again trying to relearn them after 20 years.


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## heyheyitselliej (Mar 28, 2010)

I've got two "decent" ones:

Story #1: A few years ago a buddy and I were checking out a bike shop in his hometown. They had a nice Kona Jake the Snake that I was casually checking out. One of the guys at the shop was like "dude you gotta ride this, its awesome," so we went across the street to a park. Rode around for a couple of minutes and as I was heading back up a very short very steep bank to cross the street there was a hole in the grass I didn't see. I wrecked so fast I didn't even have time to throw my hands out. I knocked the levers sideways, dirtied the bike up a bit, and covered it with blood from my temple that was running down and dripping off my chin. Needless to say, he was not happy when I told him I wasn't going to buy the bike. The mechanic on duty was super cool about everything though.

Story #2: Earlier this summer I was riding with some friends at Tsali and managed to taco my front wheel on a bank cut. We tried various methods of straightening it enough to get it to roll, but all failed. So I had to walk a couple of miles back to the car. We got to the parking lot and it was packed, and here I come walking through the parking lot with my bike on its back wheel, shirtless, and bleeding in a few different places. I felt like the whole parking lot just stopped what they were doing to stare in silence. I mean, how do you taco a front wheel at Tsali?


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## oldbroad (Mar 19, 2004)

After saving all the money from my jewelry for a year, I finally bought my first new bike in 9 years. A beautiful Yeti ASR5. 
I took it home and put it in my living room. 
The next day, all excited to go for my first ride on it, I took it out the front door, hopped on, rolled across the front lawn, and started to ride down these three little terraced landscaping steps (which I have ridden down countless times) miscalculated something, and bam! OTB on to the driveway. Scraped up my left elbow and rattled my brain, but worse than that, the right side shifter casing was all scratched up and one of the levers was bent back. Less than 30 seconds on the bike and I broke it. 
The real embarrassing part was having to take it back to the shop the next day and tell them that I broke it. 





.


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## markch (Jul 12, 2012)

The one-legged mountain biker story earlier reminded me of one time I was riding my road bike down the local river bike path and a guy blew by me at a speed that seemed twice as fast as me. When I looked closer he was a one-legged guy, and he was hauling it. I rode hard the rest of the summer, really logging the hard miles, always keeping an eye out for this guy. Finally, a few months later I saw him up in front of me, cranked up to top speed and blew by him like he was standing still. I get home with a smug little smile on my face and my wife says, "So what are you looking so pleased about?" I bragged, "I just blew the one-legged guys [email protected]# away!" She just walked away, shaking her head and saying something about living with me being like an episode of Seinfeld.


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## portalhell (Aug 29, 2012)

im a guy, had a flat tire. had take my sisters bike, candy pink!! and just when i was getting out of home, my girl friend walks in and says "oh i thought you work out i did not know you were pink". well now im single.


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## MooseyFate30 (Jul 24, 2012)

Use to be a police officer & rode bike patrol a few years. They made us use the old school cage pedals. I got use to them, or so I thought..... Im just taking a breather at a main intersection in the middle of downtown. straddling the bike, right foot on the sidewalk, left foot still in the cage pedal. I look over my left shoulder at a few girls in a car that started talking to me. Very slowly I felt my balance going & went to dab w/ my left foot. Patrol shoes had velcro over the laces....the velcro strap got stuck in the cage & down I went! The girls drove around the corner, half snickering they asked if I was ok & they were more surprised I didn't ride off w/ my tail between my legs.


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## bizworldusa (Aug 10, 2012)

My most embarassing moment was crashing into the back of my friend. We had a camera mounted to a tree and he stopped to turn off the camera and I somehow thought we were going to do one more lap and he stopped but I was hauling...smacked into the rear of his bike and rolled off the trail on the right.....

Thank you
Bizworldusa


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## Deko (Jan 19, 2006)

*#3*

So, last week, I am visiting Half Moon Bay, CA and have done tons of research on the best places to ride in the area. I brought my bike with me and am so psyched to experience the Santa Cruz Mountains for the first time.

My wife and I flew in on Thursday and do a little hiking that afternoon at Purisima. It's absolutely beautiful - a little intermittent fog and 57 degrees. Coming from the blast furnace that is Austin, TX in August, this climate and scenery is simply amazing. Friday morning, I planned to meet up with some locals at Soquel Demo Forest (Demo) for a ride. I needed to get there by 10am to join the ride. I wake up and journey to Raman's coffee shop base don my wife's desire for Chai. I won't sugarcoat this...the guy was a straight-up dick. I know that he is supposed to be some enlightened poet and all, but never again. Oh, and the coffee blew.

Anyway, I head back to our place and gear up for the ride --------> EXCITED!

It takes me longer than expected to get to Demo; during the drive I am stressing a little about missing my hookup for the ride, but let it go. I figure I can find my way around. When I get to Santa Cruz, I stop at Another Bike Shop and pick up some knee pads. Demo has quite a bit of fun downhill runs and I needed some new pads anyhow.

From there, I make my way up to and out Highland Road. I was a little concerned about finding the parking area, but I had gotten directions through the Norcal forum and they were spot on.

I am 25 minutes late and thus miss my ride hookup. I pull up to park and immediately have to relieve myself #1 style, so I make my way down an embankment below Highland. Well, something was amiss in my bowels because at the end of my relief was a #3 surprise in my shorts. I am mortified&#8230;all of this preparation and anticipation seemingly undone at the cruel hands of Mother Nature. What the f%*k do I do??? I just drove 1.5 hours from an unfamiliar place to an even more unfamiliar, and very remote, location for what was supposed to be a highlight of my mountain biking experiences. Do I call it a day?? Do I try to waddle back to the car to minimize the damage and see if there are some napkins or something in the rental (I know that there aren't any)??

All of this processing was going on a breakneck speed while at the same time my bowels are signaling that this #3 episode has not yet run its course. If I move...it's all over.

*This* is the moment of truth. After 22 years of mountain biking, this is my rite of passage to becoming a real mtb'r. I am nothing if not resourceful. I assess the options, scan the environment (including what I'm wearing). The hoodie has to go. The deck is stacked against me. But instead of backing down from circumstances, I jump headfirst into the situation - I pull down my pants, squat and finish the job. I then sacrifice the hoody to sanitize my backside and make my way back to the car to scan the area for witnesses and clear the remnants from my shorts with a napkin (found in my osprey) and some water.

After that all is well. I ride up to the Upper Bacon, then Ridge trail over to Braille, then back up Sulphur Springs to Braille again. What an awesome ride!!! Perseverance pays off. So does being late sometimes. I can't even imagine the compounded embarrassment of having witnesses to this incident.

Never give up!


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## thundervega (Aug 31, 2012)

When someone shouted at me that my rear tire is flat..

I stopped and tried to look at it...

But it was just a joke and they are just laughing at me.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

bizworldusa said:


> My most embarassing moment was crashing into the back of my friend. We had a camera mounted to a tree and he stopped to turn off the camera and I somehow thought we were going to do one more lap and he stopped but I was hauling...smacked into the rear of his bike and rolled off the trail on the right.....
> 
> Thank you
> Bizworldusa


I smell Spam cooking!


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## brownfinger (Sep 6, 2009)

Mojo Maestro said:


> Learning to ride clipless in the local park. Cactus, yucca and some technical sandstone are the order of the day. Trying to climb a short techy section, I fall over on my hip into some cacti. I'm trying to pull the spines out and realize, if I pull my lycra down, it's easier to see and remove the spines. Bent over and lookin' at my hip, I had failed to notice the family coming my way.


People are used to seeing creepy stuff at Palmer Park, you probably didn't stand out much. What was this, 10 years ago?


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## mkirby258 (Feb 27, 2008)

This is an image from a video (sry about poor quality). Overshot a landing ramp and hit flat from about 12' drop.










Using my buttcheeks as brake pads was not my best idea ever!


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## Mazda Guy (Jul 12, 2012)

Biking around a group of people on a bridge with a corner, that is usually wide enough if everyone gives each other room. While biking in absolute granny gear, so I was barely putting along(But not wanting to stop since I was the front bike in a small group), the group of people proceeded to stay two wide. Well, trying be polite and give them plenty of room around the corner myself, I hit the handrail with my handlebars, which with my side grips, caught the bike and stopped it. Didn't fall or anything, but man was that embarrassing.


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## footballboi12 (Sep 3, 2012)

i was with a friend one day and we decided just a quick ride and he hit a jump and canned himself


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## PixieChik (Jul 10, 2010)

I was arriving in my new neighborhood from my first ever trail ride. As I pedaled down the hill on the loose gravel road, I spotted the cute neighbor dude (whom I had never met) working on his lawn.

Being a friendly neighbor, I lifted my right hand to wave as I braked for my driveway with my left hand and leaned left for the turn. 

Gravel, meet face.:blush:


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## Ridnparadise (Dec 14, 2007)

2.30 AM doing a big ring, full-trail, giant slalom down a beachside road (yep, MTB, no lights and perhaps a few sherbets under the belt) and the cops pull out of the next side street. I'm with my sister who was visiting from Amsterdam. Not much point trying any excuses really, so I just stop and wait for them. Guy roles down his window and and he's trying to look really serious. The lady cop next to him looks like she's going to wet herself.

"Don't you think you're too old for this? Go home - now!"


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## Josh_SL2 (Mar 30, 2012)

Two weeks ago I was riding at Bear Brook State Park which has a campground as well as a great network of trails. Just a short way down the trail from one of the camping areas I came up to a bridge at the same time that another rider was coming to it from the other direction. I stopped and yielded the trail, but the other rider insisted that I come across. 

I noticed as I approached that he was riding with a young boy. The guy said "this is a little more than we bargained for", apparently a camper and not prepared for the rocky, rooty nature of New England trails, and they were heading back to the campground. The boy appeared impressed that I seemed to be navigating this terrain with relative ease. I commented about the challenge and mentioned to him that it gets worse the further in you go, at which point I went over the bars hard. 

The guy and his kid were standing there looking at me with a blend of shock and confusion as I got up and checked myself and the bike. Surveying the trail I could not find any reason that this would have happened - it was smooth, root and rock-free for 10' before and after the point of impact. I'd just gone OTB for, apparently, no reason at all. In front of people.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

PixieChik said:


> I was arriving in my new neighborhood from my first ever trail ride. As I pedaled down the hill on the loose gravel road, I spotted the cute neighbor dude (whom I had never met) working on his lawn.
> 
> Being a friendly neighbor, I lifted my right hand to wave as I braked for my driveway with my left hand and leaned left for the turn.
> 
> Gravel, meet face.:blush:


That's a good way to meet someone. Did he come to your rescue?


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## tangaroo (Jul 17, 2012)

Took a couple friends out (who have never mountain biked). As we got our bikes unloaded from the car, I hop on mine and try to be all cool by riding a wheelie around the parking lot. Well, forgetting that I had just put on a new pair of SPDs the night before and didn't adjust the tension, I pedaled a little too hard and landed straight back on my back (bike still attached in the air). They got quite a laugh out of it... Once the pain from the road rash on my back went away, so did I.


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## Icey101 (Jan 15, 2012)

Growing up there was a foot tall or so concrete pad behind our house we used to ride around on. I had mastered jumping off of it. I had also mastered jumping off the steel car ramps in the grass (if you have used them at all you know where this is going). Why not combine the ramp on the concrete pad to make an ultimate jump...still have flash backs of the ramp sliding off the pad and going OTB. Atleast the landing was grass was soft on my face.


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## PixieChik (Jul 10, 2010)

Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> That's a good way to meet someone. Did he come to your rescue?


Why, I have always depended on the kindness of strangers! (said in my best Southern belle accent).

Actually, I have become good friends with his wife.


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## Mazda Guy (Jul 12, 2012)

^Aw, that about sounds like my luck!

This thread makes me feel a bit better, haha. It's kind of nice to help you not feel like a total loser to hear that other people have mishaps too.


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## Dan K. Farmer (May 13, 2012)

mkirby258 said:


> This is an image from a video (sry about poor quality). Overshot a landing ramp and hit flat from about 12' drop.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hahah sorry to laugh but I pictured the sound something like when I used to clothespin crappy baseball cards to my tire....did it sound like you were on a motorbike?

Really enjoyed this thread, thanks for sharing....I might be able to come up with some video of some embarrasment


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## toyotatacomaTRD (Apr 4, 2012)

This actually happened a few weeks ago. I was riding down a trail and noticed a woman standing in the middle of the trail (obviously a hiker), She yelled something in the other direction and stepped aside.... Next thing I noticed a woman was obviously "taking care of business" and shuffling to get everything zipped up, it didn't happen in time and I was given a show. I chuckled as I rode down the trail, I am sure the two women had an equally good laugh.


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

Kinda nasty, but I laugh every time I think about it. 
A couple of weeks ago, I was going for a ride just before dusk. I was heading up the trail in a pretty tight section. A couple was walking up ahead and heard me coming. I did not see them yet. They got off the trail and were standing behind a tree. I still haven't seen them. I stand up on my pedals and blow a giant, loud fart. As I curve left, I see them... The guy is doubled over laughing and the girl had a horrified look on her face. 
Made the ride for me.


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## VegardSkorp (Jun 11, 2012)

Was riding with some good guys, and i was doing well. 
Had no problems following them. Altough, they where clearly thinking they was alot better than me because they had all the stash.. 
So after a long hill, using last gear. We stopped to talk about the next section of trail with alot of cruxes. Okay, so i could go first. I put all my force on the pedals, but nothing happens, and i fall over the bars.. I didnt have enough force to do anything when the bike was in last gear! 

Another trip, with some guys i didn't know that well, they stoped up in front of me to talk, and im just riding slow, so i can stop easily with them. But my front tyre hits some stick, and it rolls. Making me fall on top of one of the guys.


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## 2000Z3M (Aug 14, 2006)

Here is a road bike one.

I'm doing a Tri, hop off the bike going a little too fast, feet go out from under me. I eat it bad. Land on my arm, dislocate my shoulder, dent my helment on the bike, bike whips around and hits me in the ribs, I bruse some of them. I get up, pick up my bike and finish the tri, my trans time was 1:10.


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## bloodninja (Jul 11, 2012)

One time I decided to ride the Olympic XC course after 3 IPAs on a Friday, and I nearly broke a sweat. It was mortifying!


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## neonstz (May 22, 2007)

When I was a kid there was some curbs nearby I used to jump. One day I wondered if I could make it with my feet on the handlebar. I couldn't.

I also had a hilarious crash on the same bike when I was going up a small hill and the right handlebar grip went loose just as I was pulling.


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## Varaxis (Mar 16, 2010)

That uphill crash reminded me of my latest crash. 

I was riding with a buddy, who was one that showed me the ropes of mtn biking, who said they took a long break from riding. I was expecting him to take it easy, but he was really going at it hard. Seeing how he was wanting to go fast, I signaled him go first on a fast twisty section. I've been practicing my cornering and wanted to put it to use here, trying to chase him down, and see if I can "beat him" in his handicapped state. He was absolutely hauling ass and I wasn't really making up the distance. I decide to go all out in my cornering, all or nothing, pushing it beyond comfortable limits and hoping it stays together. I swear, I was like Danny Hart for 15 seconds, tires scratching fiercely at the ground, me swinging the bike underneath me and sprinting out of corners, until... in one of the flat right-hand corner, my right grip comes off the bar with a hollow pop. My reflex was to let go of the bike and put my hand down on the ground, to prevent my right shoulder and hip from digging into the ground--my bike flew ahead of me and I wound up doing a 3-4 ft slide, on the tips of my shoes and hands, while my entire body rotated 180 like a helicopter blade, my arms and legs straight and spread out. I lucked out of that crash without a single scratch.

I catch up to my friend at the top of the next hill and tell him the story. I then demonstrate how my grip popped out by putting a massive instantaneous wrenching force on it, twisting and pulling it out with my hand--I thought it was secure, since it didn't twist while I rode it--it offered a bit of resistance at first, but came off with surprising ease and the grip flew out of my hand, landing halfway down the hill in the thick brush. I stand there, contemplating whether I should go retrieve it or not, all the while my friend is laughing and joking about it and encouraging me go through the thick summer desert brush to get it. I did get it, but I replaced them shortly after (Ergon GA1, replaced with with ODI Rogue Lock-on grips, if you were curious).


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## damon_2 (Sep 7, 2012)

RIVER29 said:


> Funny: I took a buddy of mine out for his first ride in a couple of seasons. We decided to do a really steep climb up a fire road and he was really hurting bad about half way up. Then this guy, who was amazing strong, comes pedaling past us pulling a trailer with a 4 or 5 year old girl in it. The girl is reading a magazine and just looked up at us and smiled. I still have a hard time riding up that trail with just my gear.


ahahaha.. :thumbsup:


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## BeanMan (Jul 6, 2006)

Ran into a dumpster square on once while ogling a pretty girl.


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## cbhiii (Sep 3, 2012)

It was a Friday night and I was racing against sunset. I'd hit all sections of the trail with fast times and was on the last one. All of a sudden, as I approached the big sandy ruts around a corner: bam! I was on the ground - over the top and face down - and in shock and wondering if what just happened, really happened. After a mental systems check, I couldn't help but feel like a donut dropped into a vat of powered sugar (read: sweat coated man dipped in pile of sand).

I texted a buddy to share the news soon afterward - his reply was exactly the same as mine initially: "Is the bike okay?"


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## Suffikins (Jun 6, 2012)

A few weeks after I had upgraded my bike, I was really getting confident on my new rig. You know, had the feel of it, handling the jumps really nicely. Finally found the sweet bonding moment with my new bike. Well the jump line starts off in an area where all the others do and all the people amass, waiting turns to go or mostly just observing others. I notice people are a little apprehensive to hit this huge step up that really launches you at a really fast and steep rate so after having done it a few times and feeling pretty good I get rolling, go off the first drop, down the hill, really hauling, everyone is watching me, hit the ramp, launch really hard. Oh no something isn't right. Look down and I haven't gone forward at all, concrete reinforced ramp still below me. Come back down on it hard front wheel first and my ribs meet the handlebars. A guy and his kids ride over and they pass me, asks if I'm okay. All I can manage is a feeble "Yeah, good times." and get out of the bike park before anyone retells the story. 2 Broken ribs and bent bars. I won't hit that jump any more.


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## cbhiii (Sep 3, 2012)

Ouch!! I'm hoping I don't get that confident myself in the future. My goal is to enjoy riding and to stay humble and within my skill set.


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## Jwiffle (Jan 26, 2004)

Jisch said:


> I have seen that move attempted so many times. It feels like it should work as you cross the fulcrum, but every time it ends the same.


It can be done, I've done it many times.


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## Map204 (May 29, 2012)

Tuesday I was riding along a narrow trail on the side of steep hill. The ground was higher on the right than the left, but the trail was still climbing. Anyway, I ran out of steam and had to dismount. However, when I tried to put my foot down, the ground was lower than I anticipated, so I mashed my nuts into the top tube. So I'm out of breath, clinging to a tree with one hand so I don't fall down the very steep hill, with the other hand I'm clutching myself in pain, and my knees are keeping the bike from tumbling over the edge. I couldn't curse because I was breathing too hard. 
Right at that moment a women's only group comes over the hill. Evidently there's a race that they're practicing for within the next week. They were very nice and each offered their help as they slowly rode by, but I just really wanted them to be on their way so that I could deal with my embarrassment.


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## AlwaysInjured (Mar 12, 2012)

One time while riding along the side of a VERY busy road with some friends we came across a turtle. We stopped and put it in the grass. I was new to clipless (I'm also the only serious biker in the goup, one guy had a NEXT and the other two had old beater bikes that barely worked), and promptly fell over. I managed to fall onto my friend's bike (the NEXT) and bent the front chainring. All this happened while probably at least 50 or 100 people were driving on the road within a few hundred yards. We had to call his mom to come and pick him up, and the guy whose bike wouldn't shift. The other two of us finished the ride out with a nice, long, 40mph road descent. This was all road.


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## camekanix (Sep 1, 2012)

Had mine just today. Just getting back into riding after a 25 year hiatus but am still somehow known as "crash". Nearing the end of a longish (for me anyway) loop and my buds were waiting for me atop a small hill which followed a long steep descent.Feeling younger than my age (damn near puberty I guess) I thought I would come in hot and brake hard coming up this small hill. Did I mention I was new to disc brakes? As I cruise past said onlookers my rear wheel was off the ground for a fair distance. This would have been rather heroic, in my opinion, had my nuts not been firmly pressed onto my stem. I did not go over the bars at least. The only fall we had was my friend tripping over his bike because of the tears in his eyes from laughing at me.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

disk brakes are awesome, aren't they?


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## Map204 (May 29, 2012)

Psahhhht yeah


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## Map204 (May 29, 2012)

*SAID WITH ATTitude


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## redfox1939 (Sep 16, 2012)

Chatting with a lady after we helped an elderly woman. I was sitting on the bike, clipped in with the right foot on the ground. Leaned too far left and s-l-o-w-l-y went down. Nothing I could do to stop it....so embarrassing...


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## PixieChik (Jul 10, 2010)

camekanix said:


> Had mine just today. Just getting back into riding after a 25 year hiatus but am still somehow known as "crash". Nearing the end of a longish (for me anyway) loop and my buds were waiting for me atop a small hill which followed a long steep descent.Feeling younger than my age (damn near puberty I guess) I thought I would come in hot and brake hard coming up this small hill. Did I mention I was new to disc brakes? As I cruise past said onlookers my rear wheel was off the ground for a fair distance. This would have been rather heroic, in my opinion, had my nuts not been firmly pressed onto my stem. I did not go over the bars at least. The only fall we had was my friend tripping over his bike because of the tears in his eyes from laughing at me.


Nice! Now there is beer all over my computer monitor. And my nose stings.


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

OK, after seeing the Gooseberry swimming photo I don't feel so bad about posting this one. Me, bike camp in Rossland, making several attempts at a teeter between two trees, bailing at the last minute. I did succeed after this, but not before word of the episode made it back to town ahead of our group. Oh, and my buddy got the whole sequence on camera.
Please do not repost this photo without my permission.


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## camekanix (Sep 1, 2012)

[Nice! Now there is beer all over my computer monitor. And my nose stings.]

Hahahaha, thanks for the compliment!!


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## nemebean (Feb 20, 2012)

Last weekend I was at a new-to-me trail (Holzinger Lodge in Winona, MN for those in the area) and having made the climb up the bluffs pretty well I was feeling good about myself. My train of thought went something like this:

Man, I'm getting good at this.

[I hear someone coming up behind me and pull off to the side, nearly falling over in the process because I put my foot down on the low side of a hill. Turns out someone is a cute girl who proceeds to drop me like a bad habit.]

New plan: Ride faster! 

I didn't try to follow her (which probably would have been a little creepy), but in the process of exploring the trails I did end up running into her going the opposite direction not long after. Since that involved me turning around because I realized I had already ridden the trail I was on, she probably wondered what the hell I was doing.

On the other hand, I might be giving myself too much credit and she didn't spare me a second though. Either way, I had a bit of a laugh at my own expense.


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## Gypsymage (Sep 10, 2012)

A looooong time ago, I was 13 I think, I was riding through a neighborhood, cute girl said "Hi" I crashed into a parked car. I should mention it was an epic crash, front wheel catching the bumper and ground, endo'ing, and me faceplanting the hood.


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## ja001son (Feb 27, 2011)

getting use to being clipless, figured I had clipping in and out down pretty well, ride bike to mailbox, stop at mailbox, forget how to clip out, fall against and slowly, over the course of what seems like several minutes slide down the side of the mailbox, bike still attached.

Neighbor came out, saw the whole thing, said it looked like I got shot.


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## Anonymous (Mar 3, 2005)

For me, it was when my girlfriend caught me dressed like Tinkerbell, with a roman candle stuck in my butt. I had a pack of Fig Newtons, and five kittens on my person at the time. I hate when that happens!


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## the kraken (Jan 13, 2012)

I just came from riding trails and was cutting across a parking lot to get back to my car. I pulled a nice manual across the parking lot and was feeling pretty damn loose. There was a patch of sand in my path, I kicked out the rear wheel a bit, well, maybe a bit too much. I slammed to the ground hard and yelled out the first thing that came to my mind.. Balls. Yea I yelled balls so what? Well of course there was a bunch of old people, parents, kids, dogs etc all staring in horror as I scrambled to get away from the embarrassment as fast as I could. This happened yesterday and I still feel like a tool.


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## car_nut (Apr 5, 2010)

formica said:


> Me, bike camp in Rossland, making several attempts at a teeter between two trees, bailing at the last minute.


You're taking that whole "Mountain bikers are tree huggers" thing a little too far


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## formica (Jul 4, 2004)

car_nut said:


> You're taking that whole "Mountain bikers are tree huggers" thing a little too far


that was my signature for a long time.:thumbsup:


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

the kraken said:


> I just came from riding trails and was cutting across a parking lot to get back to my car. I pulled a nice manual across the parking lot and was feeling pretty damn loose. There was a patch of sand in my path, I kicked out the rear wheel a bit, well, maybe a bit too much. I slammed to the ground hard and yelled out the first thing that came to my mind.. Balls. Yea I yelled balls so what? Well of course there was a bunch of old people, parents, kids, dogs etc all staring in horror as I scrambled to get away from the embarrassment as fast as I could. This happened yesterday and I still feel like a tool.


Haha! Balls.


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## Lenny7 (Sep 1, 2008)

Most embarrassing would have to be when I almost didn't break 9 hours at Leadville.

Now a real one. My first ride down my street in clipless pedals. I rolled up to a street corner, came to a stop and calmly fell over like someone shot me dead. I'm laying there on the ground still clipped in both pedals.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

Lenny7 said:


> I'm laying there on the ground still clipped in both pedals.


must make it hard to type.


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## deke505 (Jul 29, 2012)

formica said:


> OK, after seeing the Gooseberry swimming photo I don't feel so bad about posting this one. Me, bike camp in Rossland, making several attempts at a teeter between two trees, bailing at the last minute. I did succeed after this, but not before word of the episode made it back to town ahead of our group. Oh, and my buddy got the whole sequence on camera.
> Please do not repost this photo without my permission.


aahh the tree just got some lovin' how nice.:thumbsup:


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