Crashes accidents and crashes

[DuctTapedGoat]

i had my rear motor mount stud strip the other day. but i continued to ride the bike anyhow. it gradually became quite loose and my engine was wobbeling. so i decided to stop riding it. i am in the process of fixing it now. but it got me thinking. do people often have accidents with their bikes such as the engine ripping off, or the chain coming off the sprocket, or a tire falling off, or a frame/forks breaking?

especially maybe about chains coming off. because that is what worries me the most. as i cant seem to get my rear sprocket aligned perfect. and about 1/3 of my chanin is kinda loose. and the rest of it is tight. and i notice a slight roughness and jerking while riding. and i think its because of the chain going tight, then loose. i want to get a pinneapple sprocket mount from spooky tooth but they arent taking orders... and also the tensioners i am having problems with too. i keep stripping the bolts! does anyone know where to get a better tensioner? or know the best way to make your own that will hold up well?

What I've found in my experience is that if your mounts aren't on solid, the engine will vibrate like nobodies business. I've never had the motor rip off, but the vibration will loosen everything, primarily the exhaust!

As far as the bolts are concerned - replace them all with steel stud bolts! The tensioner's carriage bolt that holds the pulley isn't a good one, they will strip quick if you don't do it right. You can always tighten it as much as you can and move the entire unit closer to the driven sprocket. Or, you can use washers and get off of the stripped threads.

Wheels... I have killed about 7 or 8 using the ragjoint setup. I found that using that setup, the spokes don't get their butts kicked so hard if you don't use the steel plate in the inside and use big washers so as to not rip the rubber. Use the steel plate on the outside, and it's easier to snug them up. (Replace them with steel bolts too) The best solution I have found is the dual threaded hub, so the sprocket isn't mounted to the spokes.

I have had the chain fall off on my first build, but that's because the sprocket wasn't centered perfectly enough. It's just not good for your sprocket or chain, aside from that it's just a terrifying sound! I as well have snapped chains - hurts when it whips ya in the backside! So, I always keep an extra master link. But, you need to get it centered right. Take a dead pair of forks, a 5 gallon bucket and some concrete. Put the forks in upside down - now you have a great tool to spin the back tire and watch the sprocket and see if it's centered or not. Steel bolts will also let you get it tighter - if slipping is the cause of issue. If your rubber pieces are getting chewed up against the spokes, flip em backwards - it makes a HUGE difference.


I hope some of this helps.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Simple Simon, did you harvest the deer? Deer jerky is some of the best cycling snack food ever.

I was not there at the time. My brother told me that when he found the deer, two of the local stray mutts were already tearing it up, so he left it.

 

[bluegoatwoods]

SimpleSimon, that's a great story.

Not many people hit deer with bicycles, I imagine. (I nearly hit one on a motorcycle once, but that's got to be more common.)

But to hit a deer on a bicycle and to kill it is something very unusual. And it sounds like your son was not hurt all that badly, either. That's good.

He'll be able to tell his children and grandchildren about the time he got a buck with a bike.

 

[CruisingDragon]

Yesterday I had a very close one, I was riding for a good 30 mins stop and go depending on lights and or traffic. I then get to a light, I go and some lady swerved about 10 to 15 feet in front of me so I brake (coaster brake not good alone) but felt the pedal kick back, which killed! then I had to swerve around this Buick or whatever it was. But then had to Flintstone it for a good 5 feet! Nearly rideing off into a small dryed out ditch. Lol this was in a flash but I rode it out. I checked first my tires, they were ok as like everything else on the bike. But I stripped the coaster brake and found out one of the bolts to my chain guard was gone. Its lame anyways and i was basically in the middle of nowhere someplace in otay CA. I had to coast and walk for about 20 mins. Worst is my ankle is a little bruised but its treated. My brakes are fixed and in the am I'm off to the bike shop for a front brake.

Lol that was to close!

 

[RdKryton]

Glad your okay. Front brakes are a must. Hopefully others will learn from your close call. Road rash sucks... and so do broken bones.

Jim

 

[5-7HEAVEN]

Most of my accidents were close but minor or ueventful.

Before I finally solved my chain jumping issues, the engine drive chain must've jumped off half a dozen times. The bike chain jumped off under acceleration about 24 times, breaking about 10 times. No whiplash, numerous jams between frame and chain ring and one fall.
The worst was when the MB's derailleur was out of adjustment. When I downshifted under power at 25mph going uphill the chain locked up the rear tire, causing a major skid and loss of control. I avoided the tree and hit the curb, which threw me rolling sideways off the bike. Luckily, there were no cars on the road, and I immediately carried my bike onto the sidewalk and assessed damages. I had a giant mouse on my forearm, which looked like a second elbow. There were no other damages to bike or self. No skin rash, torn clothing, not even dirt on my clothing. The bike's mirrors were still positioned correctly. However, the bike was so frightened that the engine wouldn't start, so I walked it home, a block away. Engine started with no problem the next day. I felt so fine that when I reached home, I jumped in my car and drove to my regular appointment at the Blood Bank of Hawaii to donate plasma. I didn't show the nurses my mouse or tell them what happened, lest they forbid me from donating.

Another accident of mine occurred on the opposite side of the two lane road, with my pedal bike. It had rained the day before, so I was riding maybe 5 mph and carefully. The front tire caught some loose wet gravel, just as I was turning the wheel. The bike slipped from under me. As I was falling, I lunged to grab the chain link fence, but my right knee hit the ground first. I had forgotten to use my kneepads that day, so my pants tore and I got a bloody strawberry rash. I was on my way to work, so I rode back to my house, treated the wound, changed clothes and drove to work.

 

[CruisingDragon]

Has anyone have had bruises on their thighs or sides of knees? I don't even feel my legs rubbing against the bike or tank, but I got crazy bruising lol. Been there before my near thrashing. I'm gonna see if I can get a pair of under armor type padded undershorts or something like it with thigh padding lol. My leg now is cool And about to ride in a few.

Be safe riders!

 

[sparky]

My buddy and I both have scars on our inner calves... from his damm GoPed Riot!! It's so natural to let it slide forward underneath you, but sometimes you forget that there's a hot exhaust passing thru your legs!!

As for back2theborstal's story... I had one similar with a regular pedal bike, but I wasn't going that fast!! I was going maybe 15, but I ended up skidding on my face due to me listening to some headphones and closing my eyes to miss out on what was right in front of me. Split second decision, I just gritted my teeth and prayed for the best.

Only reason I didn't lose my teeth was because I had a gap between them up until that point!!!

Got two scars on my face... upper lip, which had to be sewn, and my chin. The scars make me look pretty badass, but I could live without 'em. Think I might start using a baseball batter's helmet for SOMETHING, due to a risky rim that I'm running.

I don't have a gap in my teeth anymore, so I definitely need something else to take the fall from now on!!

 

[Kestrel Motors Inc.]

Just the other day I had my Kestrel (you can see it in my album). I rode it through a parade and at the end when I was at our van, I lifted the front end up and THE FRONT WHEEL FELL OFF! The nuts had shaken loose from so long running it...

 

[72square]

this happened to me today.http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.214820245212471.69966.100000534908436&type=3 I'm ok the road rash looks worse than it really is.