I was on a group ride out towards berryessa today and the group of riders I was with were all light years beyond my skill level. I was not trying to keep up or anything foolish like that, but I was riding very close to my own limit for thrills.

The trouble starts when the group is so far ahead of me that I cant see them anymore. I came to an intersection and made a left. It was the intersection of Hwy 128 and Pope Canyon rd. I proceeded down hwy 128 for about 5 miles or so and I noticed the road was getting noticeably worse and decided that I made a wrong turn and wanted to turn around and go the other way. I pull off the road onto a gravel turn out and attempt to stop by using the front brake and YEP YOU GUESSED IT. Down like a sack of potatoes.

It was a very low speed drop rather than a lowside, but I did realize many things.

1. Had I not been wearing any gear I would have been hurt. Not badly but scraped up good. When I got home I inspected my gear and there were scuffs on the palms of my gloves, and the toe of my left boot. I also felt the impact on my left knee and elbow, but both were protected with CE armor and abrasion resistant textile.

2.The damage to my bike was very minimal. Bent clutch lever and bent bolt from frame slider that is also a motor mount bolt. No biggie. However a faster bigger crash would be costly and it is just not a good time to be spending money fixing a bike.

3. The most important thing is what "my pace" really means... As you can imagine my ride home was slower than it normally would have been, but it made me feel great. The feeling of absolute smoothness and control was a welcome substitute for adrenaline from pushing it. I do not have a desire to ride fast on the street anymore. Its just not worth how hurt you can get. With smoothness comes speed and whatever speed I am at when I am smooth is good enough for me.

4. Oh ya.... DO NOT grab your front brake in gravel

So moving forward, nice smooth riding well below my limits and GEAR UP.

thanks.

 

That's the way I like to ride. Enough concentration to forget everything else but the bike and road. I like getting where I'm going with a clearer head than when I started. Sorry you took a spill, never fun.

 

I dont know how the harley guys with no sleeves and no skid-lid survive.
A bandana provides limited impact resistance.

 

It`s called Darwinism

 

glad your OK.

fwiw: on a group ride you have someone stop to wait for the slower riders AT ANY TURN. if you loose sight of the group... go straight. this should be covered in the pre-ride chat.

tim

 

gravel sucks that what got me 2yrs ago. Anyways, I don't understand why your "pace" has to suffer when it seems like stopping was the problem. Jk. Wear gear ride safe, and save crazy for the track right?

 

doesn't sound like a group I would ride with, we try to stick together. Glad you are ok.

 

Glad you're alright. I get a little stupid sometimes and go faster than I should, and I always berate myself for being an idgit. Whatever gain I got from going faster is completely negated by the risk of how bad I could have been hurt had the fan got stinky.

 

Agreed. In a group ride at least some of the better riders should be compromising their freedom for the greater good. If they're not willing, or you're not asking, then something's gotta change!

My group has a huge variety of people so it's generally not super fast. But I'll ride with the lead group on part of the ride to get my cheap thrills, and then typically will hang back later on with the newbies to just cruise and help guide them through the tricky parts. Plus I want to keep an eye on them and see who's being a dangerous jackass vs who's really interested in improving.

 

Fast or slow... we're all wise to pay attention to our comfort level. No matter who you are, if it feels too fast, it is too fast.

 

one of my few frustrations comes from the inner conflict of being safe, and riding responsibly vs. the fact the the hawk doesn't really feel good until at least 60mph. for me. that's where its starts feeling fun. not to mention 80,100, 120 and so on. I won't lie. I have a road specifically for cutting loose. but only when the conditions are as safe as I can make them. I'll accept that I can ride recklessly for the street. but I try to be responsible about it. lol

 

Smart of you not to try to keep up, it could have been worse. Glad you're okay. At any change in direction the group should stop to let slower riders catch up. Since they didn't follow that rule, I wouldn't ride with them again.

I know of a guy that died on the way to Laguna Seca years ago. His brother was in the group that took off and said "If you can't keep up, we'll see you at Laguna Seca". He went head on into a van while overshooting a corner.

 

Piloting a bike, especially on the street, is very much like climbing into a jet fighter or other hard to manage aircraft, your *** is in your own hands.
every flight is a dance with death.
Daydream and youre dead.
It can be as safe as the pilot, and no safer.
Glad you are able to read this man.

 

Could of been worse. Glad just a tip.

 

Our group riders are of different skill level as well and we always have a standing rule that you make sure the rider behind you sees the next turn even if you have to wait. Each rider rides their own pace.

I have done my stint of leading and following at the back and feel this is a good idea.

We do occasionally post a ride as "Quick Pace Ride" to alert newer or less experienced riders that this ride will be of a quick pace and some may not want to attend due to the pace.

 

Some of it is not riding beyond your means. Some is just luck!