[Sisophous]

It's warm here in NY so I thought it would be nice to go for a short ride. It started off badly when I went to put air in my tire, the valve snapped, all the air rushes out and I ruined the tube. Installed a new tube and managed to do the same thing. Put in a second, new tube and I managed to snap the Presta valve again. I thought what is going on here and I found out the floor pump needed some lubricant because it was not screwing securely to the Presta valves. So I wrecked three tubes. An ominous start.

Then what really happened was a first time ever for me and is a heads up to everyone. I like to take fast turns and cut it close to parked vehicles, yet always wary of car doors opening at the wrong time. I went to make a right hand turn at speed and when I applied both brakes my front brakes would not work. I somehow managed to get my two fingers, the ring finger and the pinky finger on my left hand trapped between the brake handle and the handle bar which prevented me from applying the brake. A parked car was dead ahead so I veered to the left of it and went onto someone's front lawn before coming to a stop. When we apply our brakes we take for granted they will always work but this thing that happened to me today is a nightmare if you have a vehicle approaching you or have no clearance. It happened so fast.

 

[Theoo]

It's warm here in NY so I thought it would be nice to go for a short ride. It started off badly when I went to put air in my tire, the valve snapped, all the air rushes out and I ruined the tube. Installed a new tube and managed to do the same thing. Put in a second, new tube and I managed to snap the Presta valve again. I thought what is going on here and I found out the floor pump needed some lubricant because it was not screwing securely to the Presta valves. So I wrecked three tubes. An ominous start.

Then what really happened was a first time ever for me and is a heads up to everyone. I like to take fast turns and cut it close to parked vehicles, yet always wary of car doors opening at the wrong time. I went to make a right hand turn at speed and when I applied both brakes my front brakes would not work. I somehow managed to get my two fingers, the ring finger and the pinky finger on my left hand trapped between the brake handle and the handle bar which prevented me from applying the brake. A parked car was dead ahead so I veered to the left of it and went onto someone's front lawn before coming to a stop. When we apply our brakes we take for granted they will always work but this thing that happened to me today is a nightmare if you have a vehicle approaching you or have no clearance. It happened so fast.

Sure glad your okay and thank you for sharing that!

 

[Jwiffle]

Glad you are ok. Did you forget to close the wheel release lever on the brake caliper after reinstalling the wheel? If not, you will want to get your brakes adjusted...they should engage before the lever reaches your fingers.

 

[JCavilia]

You didn't have the reflexes to get your fingers out of the way and onto the lever when it bottomed out? You need to work on that.

And you wrecked 3 tubes making the same mistake?

I'm glad you weren't hurt, but these were all your own goofs. Just sayin'

By the way, I don't take for granted that my brakes will work. I check them when I get on the bike. If they're not right I adjust them.

 

[RJP Diver]

You didn't have the reflexes to get your fingers out of the way and onto the lever when it bottomed out? You need to work on that.

And you wrecked 3 tubes making the same mistake?

I'm glad you weren't hurt, but these were all your own goofs. Just sayin'

 

[tihsepa]

Sounds like you need to practice riding your bike before you go racing around like that.
You put yourself in that situation.

 

[mikerp]

I like to take fast turns and cut it close to parked vehicles, yet always wary of car doors opening at the wrong time.

I'm glad you and the bike are ok, but this is a bad practice.

 

[RJP Diver]

I like to take fast turns and cut it close to parked vehicles...

Not sure I would characterize the situation you describe as "a freak accident" to be quite honest. Frankly, the only surprising thing here is the fact that you've survived long enough to have the accident yesterday.

 

[Akirasho]

 

[Tspeters]

I'm glad you are OK but hopefully you learn from these responses that you put yourself in a bad situation through poor choices. Damaging more than 1 tube before figuring out there was a problem means working on your problem solving skills. Racing fast on the street cutting close to parks cars is down right dangerous. Unable to,apply your brakes with a couple of fingers under the levers is not thinking ahead for your next move and not having your equipment in proper adjustment. (My brakes engage before that much travel.) You need to work on situational awareness or you are doomed to reactionary responses which seldom save your a**.

 

[D&MsDad]

Your forum name would appear to be well chosen (though misspelled).








(Just kidding.)






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[Sixjours]

Your avatar says it all.... check your brakes man! 3 tubes? really.

 

[Sisophous]

Been riding all my life, since 93' as an adult and never had a mishap so I figured it was a freak thing. If my fingers got caught between the brake handle and bar I bet it has happened or will happen to others. Some posters here must have had a similar thing.

I wrecked the tubes but it has been a very long time since I replaced a tube. I've added air to tubes all the time with no issue. I never heard of having to add lubricant to a Lezyne floor pump, it seemed to be fastening ok to the Presta Valve. Others with floor pumps may want to take notice.

 

[Sisophous]

You mean that Greek figure that had to push the boulder up the hill.

 

[Theoo]

Man some of you guys are rough. As though none of you who made fun of the OP have never over looked some other detail and made the same mistake a few times. many people also assume that the OP is unsafe, slow reflexes, needs practice, based on him coming here to make a post so others can be aware and not make the same mistake.

I am new here but I wont be sticking around if this is the general attitude people on this forum take against other members.

OP, thanks again for the humility it took to share some of your mistakes so others can be aware and not make the same mistakes. Glad your okay.

/ready to be flamed

 

[JCavilia]

Give it a little more time, Theoo, and you'll pick up the tone here a little better. Maybe you'll stay, maybe you won't, but nobody is "against" anybody here.

What I and some others who responded were trying to do was make the discussion useful, by actually pointing out the mistakes, rather than blaming the incident on some sort of freak occurrences.

I still don't see how one can reasonably describe the situation as having your fingers "caught" between the brake lever and the bar. They were only "caught" because the other fingers were pulling on the lever. The perfectly natural reflex is to relax the grip for a moment, free the "caught" fingers and resume braking. Oh, and it's a good idea to give your brakes a quick pull before you start, to be sure no adjustment is needed.

Anyway, welcome to the board. Hope you stick around. It's not a bad place, generally.

 

[Sisophous]

I still don't see how one can reasonably describe the situation as having your fingers "caught" between the brake lever and the bar. They were only "caught" because the other fingers were pulling on the lever.

There is a first time for everything. I used to say it is impossible for me to get sea sick and then one day while on a dive boat I got so sea sick I could not move. Using the brakes is not something you give any thought to, it is a reflex. While pressing the left brake lever I simultaneously had two fingers between the brake lever and handle bar and they got trapped as I pressed on the brake. Awareness that it could happen to you may prevent a crash.

 

[den bakker]

There is a first time for everything. I used to say it is impossible for me to get sea sick and then one day while on a dive boat I got so sea sick I could not move. Using the brakes is not something you give any thought to, it is a reflex. While pressing the left brake lever I simultaneously had two fingers between the brake lever and handle bar and they got trapped as I pressed on the brake. Awareness that it could happen to you may prevent a crash.

do you have any insights concerning putting my foot into the front wheel?

 

[velodog]

There is a first time for everything. I used to say it is impossible for me to get sea sick and then one day while on a dive boat I got so sea sick I could not move. Using the brakes is not something you give any thought to, it is a reflex. While pressing the left brake lever I simultaneously had two fingers between the brake lever and handle bar and they got trapped as I pressed on the brake. Awareness that it could happen to you may prevent a crash.

How about awareness of where your hands are in relatiion to your brake levers?

 

[mikerp]

While pressing the left brake lever I simultaneously had two fingers between the brake lever and handle bar and they got trapped as I pressed on the brake.

What kind of brakes are these? On any of my bikes I'd have to be running with the brakes wide open to bottom out.