S
Scott
Guest
Just did one of my favorite rides with some bad results. My spankin' new TE (less than 200mi) and I
were headed down a huge, curving grade. Black bent, meet black ice. Arrrrgh. I must have slid for a
good twenty feet, maybe more. Thank goodness no traffic as I crossed to the other side of the road
completely, just grinding and sliding along. Is this ever going to stop!? My beautiful fairing looks
like it's been raked by a screaming tiger; the right support is bent; two wing nuts lost; dr. ground
down some; seat cover trashed; five articles of clothing damaged, a couple beyond reasonable repair.
And me? Mostly a bruised ego. It's a bit hard to sit, and my elbow/forearm is throbbing, but that's
it. I'm really lucky and thankful...and depressed at the damage to a beautiful bike. The wheels are
true, and she still shifts and brakes fine, i.e. all crucial systems undamaged and NO frame damage
at all. I think the fairing, my body, and a pannier I had on the rear protected the bike some--phew.
Everything can be replaced--though I'll wait a bit on the fairing. The scratches don't cause any
problems other than aethetic.
Well, I have to crash once on each bike. I hope this is as bad as it gets!
Ride safely one and all, and watch out for black ice! (I should have known/predicted, but I wasn't
thinking hard enough.)
Scott
were headed down a huge, curving grade. Black bent, meet black ice. Arrrrgh. I must have slid for a
good twenty feet, maybe more. Thank goodness no traffic as I crossed to the other side of the road
completely, just grinding and sliding along. Is this ever going to stop!? My beautiful fairing looks
like it's been raked by a screaming tiger; the right support is bent; two wing nuts lost; dr. ground
down some; seat cover trashed; five articles of clothing damaged, a couple beyond reasonable repair.
And me? Mostly a bruised ego. It's a bit hard to sit, and my elbow/forearm is throbbing, but that's
it. I'm really lucky and thankful...and depressed at the damage to a beautiful bike. The wheels are
true, and she still shifts and brakes fine, i.e. all crucial systems undamaged and NO frame damage
at all. I think the fairing, my body, and a pannier I had on the rear protected the bike some--phew.
Everything can be replaced--though I'll wait a bit on the fairing. The scratches don't cause any
problems other than aethetic.
Well, I have to crash once on each bike. I hope this is as bad as it gets!
Ride safely one and all, and watch out for black ice! (I should have known/predicted, but I wasn't
thinking hard enough.)
Scott