OVER THE HANDLEBARS

[lorry driver]

Riding along a gravelly track minding my own business, not going too fast!!, when I found myself sailing over the handlebars heading for the ground with my arms outstretched and my head ready for landing. No serious injury, thank the Lord.

Bike on ground, front wheel free and revolving, no sign of any material locked up in mudguard, mudguards undamaged, brakes free and working.

All bits checked out later especially front disc brake (Shimano Deore) but can find no apparent cause.

Any ideas/opinions?

[syklist]

I used to "zone out" on routes I cycled frequently and would often "wake up" a couple of miles down the route having navigated several junctions without remembering anything of that part of the journey. Maybe you hit a particularly soft bit of gravel or obstruction hidden by gravel whilst in such a state?

Looking at medical possibilities maybe a TIA or some other type of black out? Something my granny used to call "a funny turn".

[Vantage]

Maybe the P-fairy got her aim wrong and sent the harpoon towards the disk instead of the tyre.

[Bez]

Probably rode over a squirrel trampoline without noticing.

[DaveP]

I imagine you would have either noticed or (at least) remember hitting an obstruction such as a big rock.
Maybe your front wheel rolled into an unseen hole or soft spot?

[lorry driver]

Thanks for the advice chaps (ladies?) but none of your replies rings the bell.

By the way the 'p' fairy no longer bothers me since I invested, heavily, in some very expensive CO2 cartridge inflators!!

Keep you on a'troshin'.

[Phil Fouracre]

Sounds interesting! If you didn't see anything I would agree with DaveP, found a few of these on one of our local canal paths

[pwa]

Could something have caught the brake lever, pulling it back? A flooky length of bramble or something?

[Mick F]

If you went over the 'bars, the front wheel must have locked.
You say it spins ok.
Therefore the locking was temporary.
You said you were on a gravelly track.
I reckon you had a stone stuck up in the mudguard(?) or under the fork crown.
After your header, the bike would have fallen over ............. and the stone fell out.

[whoof]

If you went over the 'bars, the front wheel must have locked.
You say it spins ok.
Therefore the locking was temporary.
You said you were on a gravelly track.
I reckon you had a stone stuck up in the mudguard(?) or under the fork crown.
After your header, the bike would have fallen over ............. and the stone fell out.

Or possibly the same but a small bit of gravel in your disc brake.

[rmurphy195]

I id this once, when I was about 13 years old (only a few years ago ).

I was standing on the pedals at the time, going uphill, when suddenly I was over the bars and on the ground in a tangle of legs and bike - pretty well as you describe.

The cause? At the time I could only think that the 3-speed rear hub jumped out of gear under the strain, the rest was just like doing a hand flip!

[Paulatic]

I've no experience or knowledge about disc brakes. Is it really possible that a stone can get in and lock the wheel?
If it is possible then why are they so popular on mtb surely every forestry road will be huge risk.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
I had it happen when I was twenty something, brand new road I had clear view summers day.
There was nothing in view and after I fell off I looked for anything but there was nothing in the road.
If it was a brick or something then it flew along way.
I don't remember back that far nearly 40 years whether there was a bang or just fell off.
But it was a front wheel lock or hit something big, what makes you fall off on a new road with no other users about and you cant find the offending object.
Bike was fine and to this day never happened again.

[lorry driver]

Thanks to everybody for their thoughts. I think that it may have been unusual wear of the caliper which allowed the brake pad to be caught up between the rotor and the body of the caliper but that should have, permanently, locked the wheel up.

Anyway --- this morning a new caliper should arrive in the post and it will be fitted. The trouble is that I shall feel nervous about riding the bike for a few days, weeks, months now.

I'm too old to be taking flyers now!!!!

Thanks again to all

[reohn2]

If the disc brake locked up due to something being stuck in it enough to cause such a sudden and violent stop/crash,they'd surely be evidence on either the disc pads,caliper or rotor and the rotor would most likely be out of true.
Its a strange occurrence,made worse if there's no evidence.
When the new caliper arrives I'd check the old one carefully for any signs,which would be on the leading edge where something would enter IMO.

I've no experience or knowledge about disc brakes. Is it really possible that a stone can get in and lock the wheel?
If it is possible then why are they so popular on mtb surely every forestry road will be huge risk.

I agree,if it was something trapped in the caliper it's an extremely rare and freak occurrence.