I had planned a rest from exercise today, just the usual cycling into and from work. Leaving work at 7pm and riding into a heavy and sustained downpour. As I cycled into Islington the rain picked up a gear and sheeted down like a displaced monsoon. Torrents of water flowed by the roadside, puddles deepened and spread across the streets. Familiar roads took new and treacherous characteristics.
I was going slower than usual, and crossed Upper Street onto Canonbury Lane. A sharp left around the park and suddenly I lose control of my bike. The front wheel slips to the right, I slump off to the left and my handle bars twist back to front. I am thrown onto the pavement, smashing my leg and shoulder and grazing skin off my elbow and hands. My bike is left in the road, wheel spinning listlessly until coming to a halt. A pedestrian helps me up, and I put my bike back in the right direction, and pause.
Fortunately there were no parked cars to my left, and mercifully no moving cars to the right. I am not sure how it happened - I wasn't going particularly fast and the corner wasn't particularly tight. Admittedly my thin road tires are not exactly made for excellent grip, but this was nothing out of the ordinary.
So I was left, dazed, shaken, soaking, bloody and pained, to make the final fifteen minutes home. The next morning my whole left side was aching, bruised or scraped and my clothes were still wet.
Worst. Cycle. Ever.
I was going slower than usual, and crossed Upper Street onto Canonbury Lane. A sharp left around the park and suddenly I lose control of my bike. The front wheel slips to the right, I slump off to the left and my handle bars twist back to front. I am thrown onto the pavement, smashing my leg and shoulder and grazing skin off my elbow and hands. My bike is left in the road, wheel spinning listlessly until coming to a halt. A pedestrian helps me up, and I put my bike back in the right direction, and pause.
Fortunately there were no parked cars to my left, and mercifully no moving cars to the right. I am not sure how it happened - I wasn't going particularly fast and the corner wasn't particularly tight. Admittedly my thin road tires are not exactly made for excellent grip, but this was nothing out of the ordinary.
So I was left, dazed, shaken, soaking, bloody and pained, to make the final fifteen minutes home. The next morning my whole left side was aching, bruised or scraped and my clothes were still wet.
Worst. Cycle. Ever.
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