First Big Crash! Long time rider

[stinkyface]

I've been here for a while and have >5k miles on my 4208 XR. Mostly commute 15km each workday with a bunch of options on the route for variety.

This is not one of those "unknown board fault" stories. I know exactly what happened and fortunately, thanks to my helmet, I can remember it all. 🏂

Slight downhill, smooth concrete with a few edges at the joins where the concrete slabs have lifted or sunk. Probably 20 - 25kmh (15mph). Ran over some woody vines which had fallen across the path from where they were attached to wall next to the path.

The Vine had been across the path for a few weeks and I've crossed it many time with a satisfying crunch, proud of the way the XR can deal with rough terrain.

Then you find yourself on the ground.... I'm ok, just flesh wounds, so after checking myself out went back to the board and found it still on and sitting waiting for me. WTF happened there?

Closer inspection a 3/4" diameter oddly shaped bit of the woody vines has jambed the wheel solid. The wood was the same shape as those tank traps from WW2.

No doubt the little wheel was trying hard to defeat the wood but couldn't and I went flying. I limped a bit further on the path to a streetlight, was after 6pm and dark. Took of the fender and found more chunks of wood including a length about 5" long still dragging on the wheel. Found a park and made the call of shame to the good wife to come and collect my sorry arse...

Can't blame the board for this one. Will be back on it again on Monday! 🙂 Need a new jacket, might look for one with some soft armour. Stay safe

[blkwalnutgrwr]

@stinkyface -- I can see why you thought of my bumper hooking on roots or vines. Heal those wounds! Glad you have a good wife!

[NotSure]

@stinkyface said in First Big Crash! Long time rider:

The Vine had been across the path for a few weeks and I've crossed it many time with a satisfying crunch

lol i got this hoodie and I'm plenty happy with it. Haven't taken any serious spills with it but it's got the kevlar liner, 5 pads, thumb holes, loops, a reflective logo on the back and some extra pockets. Comes in gray and black. Only downside is no hanger loop on the neck. Gotta use the hood or tag.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z77CV5K/

CRUNCH!

[blkwalnutgrwr]

@stinkyface -- What type of fall? Shoulder slam? Rough tumble forward? Limbs akimbo? And which flesh mostly? Again, I feel for the shock and surprise of it, having had two falls myself this season.

[HanahsDax]

@stinkyface “Call of Shame” never heard that one before but it’s an instant classic. Hope for a quick recovery. A good reminder that no matter how many miles or how many days in a row a rider may have danger is always on the horizon riding a single wheeled, self-balancing electronically controlled device. I almost took a hard slam two days ago on a trail I’ve ridden hundreds of times. I was fortunate to hang on and ride it out, flailing like a mad man but it reinstalled the fear of crashing back into my mind.

[LidPhones]

@stinkyface
Glad you are good to go (mostly). I know the call of shame as well. That happened to me last Feb2020 when a puddle became a pothole and my stumble into a forward roll ended with a broken elbow.......

[stinkyface]

@blkwalnutgrwr said in First Big Crash! Long time rider:

@stinkyface -- What type of fall? Shoulder slam? Rough tumble forward? Limbs akimbo? And which flesh mostly? Again, I feel for the shock and surprise of it, having had two falls myself this season.

Shoulder slam and skid, no time to react when the wheel effectively locked up, helmet did contact the ground as a secondary impact, so I had a nice egg above my left temple. Skin off with a mix of what looks like friction burns on left elbow and knee as I slid to a stop. It's winter (if I can call it that) so at least I had long pants and a coat.

Thanks for the sympathy all. I was unlucky that the stick found a way to catch me out but lucky the injuries are not severe. My kid was in the car with friends when I made the call of shame, so they heard everything, apparently I'm a cool dad? Haha, Not expecting that to last long. 🤕😎?

[Sirgu]

In such case I start to wonder if something like this would have saved a day.

[Well this is DIY solution ... topic is HERE]

One of the aftermarket companies used to have (?) such item developed which never became popular I think and is probably discontinued by now. Or I might be wrong ... can`t seem to find it right now.

The idea is to loose a grip of "bigger" particles off of soft compound of slick tyre dragging up. As battery case shell and tyre create side-by-side heavy wall effect where flexible things like branches easily jam up ... there should be like springy, flexible extra layer before the most narrow spot of tyre`s full turn.
Get well soon!

[Sirgu]

@Sirgu said in First Big Crash! Long time rider:

... One of the aftermarket companies used to have (?) such item developed ...

Oh now I found it accidentally.
https://onewheelrider.eu/en_US/p/WHEEL-SCRAPER/151
(Make sure you check those two YouTube vids down there.)
Though it looks to suit Vega stock tire only.

I believe Land-Surf used to have such equivalent with black plastic and blue flexi strips - still can`t find this atm.

[Enterusername]

Me also. Four days ago it happened to me as well but, my front foot sensor started getting a little flaky and I ignored it. I have nearly as many miles divided on my my old Heavily modded V1 (with 2X) and my Pint. I was only moving about 8mph over very familiar terrain. This board on it's 4th wheel and seriously upgraded everything (except Fangs) has always been my bread and butter board and has always been stable. Slow small changes in performance (don't ignore like I did) can creep up on you. I bit it really hard. I tried to stumble out of it but at 65 yrs old 230lbs I'm just not that agile anymore. I hit on my left side so hard it shook me to the bone. I did put my wrist guarded hand/arm down to break the fall. Scuffed up my elbow a little and slightly slammed my helmet to the ground. I have the biggest ugliest bruise that starts at my waist and hip and covers my entire hip and thigh all around my calf and knee almost to my ankle. I lost a little skin at my knee because I decided to get complacent that day and not wear knee pads.
Sometime back I experimented with the Fang idea and made my own for this board. I tested them a lot and decided they worked but for some stupid reason I took them off when I did the Two X mod (game changer mod!).
This experience really shook to the bone however, lots of ice and some time off the boards made me think a lot. I still love the Onewheel ride and accessibility more than any other including water , snow, or land. I'm just an old guy messing around but no one loves these things more. So I fix it. I bought a new set of Fangs for my Pint and more pads. ALWAYS PADS for me now. This incident was my fault and I have to fix it. The Onewheel for me defines freedom sports. It makes me happy. I feel really lucky I lived to experience them. I've had far far worst accidents in other sports and you either suck it up and jump back on the horse or you don't .
Believe me, it was shaky ride home that day.
It's way more than any toy for me , it's my favorite thing ever ever.
Keep on charging!

[blkwalnutgrwr]

@Enterusername -- Sorry to hear of your injuries. At about your same age I, too, pad up all the time for my daily rides. We learn from our falls! ...And from the falls of others as well! Thanks for posting!

[stinkyface]

@Enterusername sorry to hear about your crash. Sounds nasty.

[Enterusername]

Thanks , I'm up going again, maybe a little slower, definitely less complacent, and USING more pads. Need to spend more time in water and the foil boarding thing and my unicycle anyway. This dang Onewheel is so excessible and fun. I hope I live long enough to see the next version. LOL