G
An eventful trip to work today. Everything going nicely until the
pedestrian crossing at the bottom of the hill on Pentonville Road from
Kings Cross up towards Angel.
Stopped for the lights. Jumped off and adjusted the saddle because it
wasn't quite right. Lights changed. Set off. BANG! and I'm lying in
the road. This fall was much faster than anything I've ever had
before, even slipping on ice.
The folding pedal has snapped - the cage, not the bolt.
Embarrassingly, I'd got my foot tangled up with the bike (it had
folded up and my foot was trapped between the front wheel and the back
wheel) and I couldn't get up. Fortunately a couple of pedestrians came
to my aid and helped untangle my foot.
To add insult to injury then I had to battle the crowds on the Tube
which included trying to work out how to get into Kings Cross
underground when they've shut the brand new entrance outside KX and
not allowing anybody in. I've absolutely no idea why because when I
started walking down the Euston Road I realized you could get in via
St Pancras and it wasn't particularly crowded at all.
Cyclesurgery had a folding pedal in stock and fitted it for me - only
charged me for the pedal, not for the fitting. I'd expected I'd
probably have to pay a fiver for the fitting.
I'm slightly surprised that it was the left pedal as I always start
with my right foot and I think I favour my right leg slightly when
pushing hard. I suppose I'm also lucky it broke when it did as I can
often be pushing hard and doing 20mph up that hill - if it hadn't been
for the pedestrian crossing lights being red I'd probably have
suffered the same failure while moving at a respectable speed.
I've got a small graze on my knee (no damage to my trousers) and the
little finger of my left hand feels a bit uncomfortable if I
straighten it - nothing serious but I expect I'll struggle to play the
piano for a few days. My knee is also stiffening up a bit - going
downstairs is painful but fortunately, going up stairs (and therefore
I presume cycling) is fine.
I'd done around 5000 miles on that pedal.
I've got the old pedal so I'll post a pic soon.
Tim.
pedestrian crossing at the bottom of the hill on Pentonville Road from
Kings Cross up towards Angel.
Stopped for the lights. Jumped off and adjusted the saddle because it
wasn't quite right. Lights changed. Set off. BANG! and I'm lying in
the road. This fall was much faster than anything I've ever had
before, even slipping on ice.
The folding pedal has snapped - the cage, not the bolt.
Embarrassingly, I'd got my foot tangled up with the bike (it had
folded up and my foot was trapped between the front wheel and the back
wheel) and I couldn't get up. Fortunately a couple of pedestrians came
to my aid and helped untangle my foot.
To add insult to injury then I had to battle the crowds on the Tube
which included trying to work out how to get into Kings Cross
underground when they've shut the brand new entrance outside KX and
not allowing anybody in. I've absolutely no idea why because when I
started walking down the Euston Road I realized you could get in via
St Pancras and it wasn't particularly crowded at all.
Cyclesurgery had a folding pedal in stock and fitted it for me - only
charged me for the pedal, not for the fitting. I'd expected I'd
probably have to pay a fiver for the fitting.
I'm slightly surprised that it was the left pedal as I always start
with my right foot and I think I favour my right leg slightly when
pushing hard. I suppose I'm also lucky it broke when it did as I can
often be pushing hard and doing 20mph up that hill - if it hadn't been
for the pedestrian crossing lights being red I'd probably have
suffered the same failure while moving at a respectable speed.
I've got a small graze on my knee (no damage to my trousers) and the
little finger of my left hand feels a bit uncomfortable if I
straighten it - nothing serious but I expect I'll struggle to play the
piano for a few days. My knee is also stiffening up a bit - going
downstairs is painful but fortunately, going up stairs (and therefore
I presume cycling) is fine.
I'd done around 5000 miles on that pedal.
I've got the old pedal so I'll post a pic soon.
Tim.