[Closed] solo ride disasters

Take it easy - let someone know where you are and when due back. Don't worry.

What Jeremy said, I whack the ipod on and it tends to make me ride a bit less carfully though 😆

I almost always ride alone so I'm just used to it. But I am a very risk averse rider so you could probably say I take it easy!

In 2007 while riding the West Highland Way I fell and broke my hand, and was lucky that a walker was just a few minutes behind or I would've struggled to get my bike back.

Not had any real nightmares compared to some I've read on here, and I ride on my own all the time. The worst things are unusual mechanicals that can't be fixed. I've done things like shearing a pedal off the spindle, completely siezing a rear hub etc but it's only meant a walk of a couple of miles.

There was a guy on here recently talking about getting a flat in Torridon (v remote area in Scotland) and finding his pump was broke! Walked something like 15 miles back carrying the bike - It might have been before the site broke so I'm not sure if the thread is here anymore. Anyway, walking 1 mile in cycling shoes with the bike on the shoulder is a chore - 15 is heroic.

Same here, always ridden solo so never given it a thought. No accidents so far. Having said that I always leave a route unless I'm doing my local loop (not that that's any safer...).

For me being out on my own is part of the fun, I'll probably regret it one day though..

Even go night riding solo although I stick to bridleways and haven't picked up the courage to try the moors yet....

I went out on my own last year, crashed and did this:
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I thought you had your fingers crossed for luck 😉

worst i've heard of was sharki.

saw him heading out late one summer sunday night on the quantocks as we were packing up.

next time i heard from him was when he sent me a picture of his chest drain...

had binned it in frog combe, seperated his shoulder, broken ribs and collapsed a lung. to make it worse, had to drag himself back up the hill to get enough signal to phone for an ambulance and try and explain where he was.

I almost always ride alone because I can get out in the week when my mates can't.This also means i often can't get out at weekends when they're out. So I am aware I am a little more careful on my own. It's better to bottle something potentially nasty than end up in Intensive Care, an institution I spent far much time in due to a Motorbike accident.

i'm always riding out on my own... i wouldnt say i generally take things that easy (i.e. a fast rocky downhill is taken fast!), but i wouldn't do stuff i'm not massively confident at... like going jumping. general xc riding though, i'm really not too concerned. always take a phone out with me.

I did fall in a stream this morning and had friggin cold feet the rest of the ride... i was swearing at myself for not putting the waterproof socks on this morning!

I did the big Nan Bield Pass ride in the Lakes on my nigel once. I stacked half way down the big decent to the Haweswater Resevoir and had to walk the entire way back on a badly bruised leg.

And don't forget that you could do yourself a lot of damage in the middle of a city and 95% of people would just walk by hoping someone else will deal with it. At least on the trails anyone coming across you is likely to help. The most important thing is that someone knows where your going and what time you expect to be back. And at this time of year some spare warm clothing isn't a bad idea along with a basic first aid kit. And most important avoid any "I wonder what would happen if" moments. I still to this day remember having that thought before stepping on the garden rake as a kid.

i mostly ride alone and now take it easy solo as a couple of years ago i stacked badly, knocking myself out. i was in the middle of a wood that no one walks in or rides. i now have a map at home with all my potential local routes on so if dont come back my wife can a least have an idea where i might be(i tell her roughly which route im taking). also i always carried my phone in my backpack but not much use there if injured so now have a pouch on the shoulder strap.

I ride in the peaks alone since my mate went to Bali, i just dont push myself on anything but all this talk of accidents always puts doubts into your head. maybe all us billy no mates should get together, super fit racy types need not apply 🙂

I do a lot of solo riding nd it never really crossed my mind that it might be a bad idea until I was up in the Highlands in the summer and was riding across a mountain pass all on me tod. After riding for three or four hours I got to the highest point of the pass and was well and truly on my own. Suddenly the weather turned, cloud came down and the wind and rain picked up. Never felt so alone! Took it very easy on the descent and almost hugged the first person I saw once back in civilisation. Well, Glenelg. About as civilised as it gets up there. I do try and always make sure people know where I'm going and always carry my phone.

Though in the days before mobiles it was always a very long, and sometimes painful, walk to get help.

How did we manage back then?

I've never ridden my bike off road on my own, I'm a big wuss. I'll happily go out on my road bike alone, but haven't done on the mtb.

I used to ride on my own a lot, still do but less now. I am aware of the consequences of a bad crash on my own so I used to avoid crashing. Still rode downhill courses and dodgy "exloratory" trails though just with a lot more focus.

I went out for a ride on my own a few years back. Perfect summer's day, was feeling fit, all round feel good factor. Got to a favourite descent in Ashover and thought 'just take it easy' being on my own. Unfortunately the feel good factor increased with speed and I was motoring along before I knew it. Then hit a hidden rock going round a bumpy corner c.20 - 25mph, straight over the bars at pace, took a heavy fall and was thrown some way down the trail. I knew immediately I'd broken my collarbone (again) and was well dazed.

Luckily a mate was playing cricket in the next village and by chance he was one of two people who would have known where I was so he came a scooped me up off to hospital. If he hadn't been around, there was no one else around who could have helped and I'd have been utterly screwed.

Have since ridden on my own plenty, but take it well easy... Most of the time....

TJ speaks sense, just tell people where you're going, when you're likely to be back and enjoy yourself. In this country very few places are remote enough for you to be properly without hope - usually there are walkers on most trails, but take a phone and in the odd case where you're knocked out properly and dont come round your telling your home-time to a mate will do the rest. You cant negate all risk, but its stupid to let it rule your rides.

Can I have that framed coffeking? TJ makes sense shock horror!

until the last few years I always went out on my own. Never even gave it a thought.

I couldn;t motivate myself to ride solo.

Running on my own is bad enough.

but do you wear a helmet when out alone tj?
that would make more sense...

and i don't really ride any different.

don't ride alone too much, but did things like glentress black (in the middle of the week... its dead!) blasting round it, and playing on some back tracks there/local riding just like a normally would with friends...

I've had to ride alone a lot recently, both at night and during the day. I just make sure I don't go beyond my own limits, carry a phone with me, and let others know where I'll be.

Night riding alone can be a bit scary, though, but only due to an overactive imagination!

I havent had any BAD experiences. Just experiences.

I always let my wife know where i am riding and when i should approx finish, this includes solo nightrides in the lakes. Only prob i ever had was riding helvelyn last year on a glorious summers day. On the descent back down to grizedale tarn i somehow took the walkers path down to the right (Havent got the name). I only realised i went wrong about 3/4 of the way down. It was the same great big steps as the correct path. Anyhow i worked out i could traverse across for 2mls to save me the hike back up. I must have been halucinating because that 2 mile included a 900ft drop into a cravass and then a 900ft hike back up in long grass. It took me over 2hrs to walk them 2 mls, then i had to complete the ride. I had given a pal my estimated finish time. I had to blast back to the car, then drive for a further 30mins to get phone coverage to call him. I was over 1hr past the time he should have been calling mountain rescue. I called him and asked if he had reported me. His reply was that he had forgotten about me, whoops!

His reply was that he had forgotten about me, whoops!

Not quite so funny when it does go wrong and you dont come back, trust me!

On the few occasions I have ridden alone, I haven't fallen off - I usually fall of when I am not on my own. I must be more cautious. Domino - sitting with a bruised knee from landing on the ice today.

Generally go alone and don't (often) think about accidents, but I do ride without taking too many risks. Then again I don't do DH and am more of a XC whippet.

I nearly always ride on my own (in the Highlands). This had made me a conservative rider - I'll walk technical stuff that I know I can ride, and take care on downhills. Also I dress for the mountain rather than the bike.

Garry_Lager -
There was a guy on here recently talking about getting a flat in Torridon (v remote area in Scotland) and finding his pump was broke! Walked something like 15 miles back carrying the bike - It might have been before the site broke so I'm not sure if the thread is here anymore. Anyway, walking 1 mile in cycling shoes with the bike on the shoulder is a chore - 15 is heroic.

The Beard - Member
I do a lot of solo riding nd it never really crossed my mind that it might be a bad idea until I was up in the Highlands in the summer and was riding across a mountain pass all on me tod. After riding for three or four hours I got to the highest point of the pass and was well and truly on my own. Suddenly the weather turned, cloud came down and the wind and rain picked up. Never felt so alone! Took it very easy on the descent and almost hugged the first person I saw once back in civilisation.

I think most people who regularly ride solo tend to be conservative. If you usually ride in established trail centres or close to civilisation, then it's important to remember that the mountain can and will kill you, especially if you take risks.

I always ride in lightweight walking boots in case I have to walk out and carry sufficient gear so I can survive exposure for at least 24 hours.

As for those who say you shouldn't go alone - there is nothing to beat the feeling of being on your own in a remote mountain pass, just treat the mountain with respect, and you should survive.

I ride on my own a bit as well. Always tell someone where you are going and when you reckon you'll be back. I always have my (fully charged) phone with me, and a GPS.
Certainly take it a bit easier when its just me.
I have to confess I was out round Hayfield today and how I kept it rubber side down I'll never know. I cut the ride a bit short because I just had a feeling I was pushing my luck a bit!

I do ride a fair bit on my own. Bust a rib about 25 miles from home, once, and had to ride back. that was quite tough. But only in epping, so there's always help not far away.

Thought I was going to get stuck out in the cold and dark today. Had a superb South Downs Way ride in the ice, but got a little carried away and turned round with minimal time to get back to the car before dark - no lights, no map, made all the usual schoolboy errors. Didn't fancy being stuck up there in the dark and for a while didn't see any habitation. And does the sun go down quickly! Just made it, but I think that's smartened me up a bit.

I'm hoping to do some solo highland rides soon, really looking forward to it. I just need to find/plan some routes!

Even on local rides I quite often find myself in places where getting knocked out cold could easily result in lying there for a very long time. Just last week I was exploring (aka lost) in some boggy parts of Lennox Forest far off the proper paths where I don't expect many people go.

ally - any chance I can join you sometime if youre talking about the forrest near lennoxtown?

Been riding quite a bit of solo since my riding buddy gave it up and sold his ride. The brother in law comes out now and again, but still ride a lot on my own. I quite like it, but what I do miss is the comaradery (sp)having a laugh and a great day out with a like minded person and knowing that if you push a little to much there is someone who'll scoop you up and sort things out.

Not had a solo disaster yet (touches wood)and don't want one, so Yes I too take things a little easier when on my own.

@ - MartynS and stonemonkey

If you ever fancy a bit of company let me know, cpupton@aol.com

Carl

Nearly always ride on my own. Have had a few minor challenges I wasnt expecting and one major disaster. Coming down the Blea Tarn road into Little Langdale hit a car head on at the bottom cattle grid, bike snapped in half and I snapped in several places. Helicoptered out. Really lucky, no lasting damage. Now a much more cautious rider.

ally - any chance I can join you sometime if youre talking about the forrest near lennoxtown?

I remember planning to come out for the STW Glasgow ride a few months back but went back to bed instead of getting up for the early start, still regretting that now!

I've only been up to Lennox Forest a couple of times and only went last week since part of the West Highland Way is a closed for logging. And guess what - they're doing the same at Lennox Forest so I couldn't even get through to the Lennoxtown side!

I often go out on the mountain bike by myself and have done so ever since I got into it 5 years ago - strangely enough, falling off and injuring myself somewhere "out there" has never even occurred to me!

Might sound strange, but the only things that sometimes worry me are that there could be some "weirdo" out there who attacks me (I know, I know, I read too much scary fiction) or having to ride through/right past remote farm houses that might have free running guard dogs (I'm absolutely petrified of dogs)...

I was up at lennox forest at the weekend, spotted all the logging and they've clearly purposefully destroyed some of the trails/features despite not actually logging at those points, but I did find some other scary looking stuff hidden in there (I went on foot as a trail finding mission!). Some serious looking boardwalk with BIG gaps. Wish I had the balls to ride it!

Only had one incident which scared me, though it was also quite a comedy moment too. Riding what used to be my local loop up the Dee, out of Aberdeen.

Managed to come off very narrow singletrack, fall through a gorse bush and ended up hanging upside down over a 30 foot drop into the Dee. I'd somehow managed to tangle my legs up through the frame too, which was good as the bike was the only thing stopping a headfirst descent, stuck as it was, in the bush. Barely dared to breath, let alone move.

Hung there for what seemed like ages (prolly 10 mins or so) and then swallowed my pride and started yelling. Eventually some kids showed up and they fetched their big bros to come have a laugh before hauling me back up to the path.

Got away with bruised legs, and sad to say, I'm no more cautious now!

I broke my hip on a solo ride.

It was really quite uncomfortable.

whipped my phone out to call for help.

flat battery, pooh.

I am a bit more careful when on my own now.

Nearly always ride alone - it's what it's all about for me.

That said, I am more cautious when out in the wilds and don't take risks I probably would when in a group. All my disasters so far have been mechanical, including a snapped steerer tube which was a little bit of a pain!

Probably the worst was ripping a tyre and breaking my pump = 9 mile walk.

Wwaswas, how did you get back?

I almost always ride on my own (no mates, are you surprised?) and if it's cold or dark I tend to ride where I know people will be. I do consider where I am - I make sure I have my mobile (and it's charged), and I am less worried down here in South Wales since you're never far from a road or town, and due to the topography you almost always have mobile reception.

If it's going to be cold I tend to be conservative or just come home, because if I crash and get stuck I don't want to get hypothermia and die.

Yeah I have to agree with TJ 🙁

I use to night ride on my own in LW without even a phone until my best friend blackmailed me to force me to take a phone, mind you once I almost died on WCA woodwork. But I never was bothered to ride alone, even in the alps, just take our phone and let someone know where you going. Plus as said there is usually always someone on the trail

I nearly always ride alone. In fact all the injuries I've had, 2 * broken wrist, broken fingers and broken leg have all happened when I was with other people - never thought about that before

waited for someone to come along molgrips - I was at shoreham bmx track so it was only about 20 minutes.

first chap along didn't speak any English which presented a problem.

Fortunately there was a st Johns with a 4x4 nearby so they got me out.

Still it did enable me to lie ein the back of an ambulance and borrow someones mobile and say to my wife;

"Don't worry, I'll just get my breath back and then I'll come home"

the paramedic gave me a very strange look.

I fell off on an evening ride on the Quantocks a couple of years ago, broke my ankle, I had to hop for a short distance before I could get a signal to phone for help. I was lucky it was summer as by the time help arrived shock was already beginning to set in, the same accident in the winter could have been pretty nasty.
I don't know how bad the break was, but its the only time I've been to casualty and not had to wait 🙂

Does it count if we were on the tandem?
Had a "near miss" that really shook both of us up. Out in the hills between Glenfeshie and Glen Tromie Blasting down a downhill - miles from the road and no one about - front wheel went into a bog and we had a big stack - about as close to breaking bones as you can without actually breaking them ( on the tandem you don't go over the bars you go in to them)
I realised that we did not have enough kit with us t survive overnight and if it had been just a bit worse we could have been in real trouble - about 4 miles to the nearest house.

It made me think again about the kit we carry and be a bit more cautious - it was a "user error" crash as well 🙁

I ride at Swinley and local rides solo but I don't think I would venture in to the great unknown solo. I had a mate who went out fell running one morning on Ben Nevis solo and never came back. It has kind of stuck in my mind...

Several years ago I woke up in Borders General, Galasheils, bruised and cut and wearing torn bloodied lycra. I had no money and at first couldn't remember where my car and camping gear was. When they let me out I had to hitchhike to Dunbar wearing old clothes far too big for me that I'd begged off the hospital.
(thanks to NHS, police and my helmet)

There used to be three of us riding every Saturday. The the other two became fixated with getting home, washed and showered (bikes and riders) and into the pub for the lunchtime footy on SKY. I carried on riding by myself. I just think a little bit more on techy stuff. Wifey always knows where I'm going. Only downside is that most of us improve our riding if with others; I now tend to take the chicken runs "just in case". But what the heck? I enjoy myself.

6 months ago I was too scared even to contemplate the party quarry descent in our woods. Then I got the Nomad. I did it one dry summer eve with the club and I felt like a god. Not many people are brave enough. I rode it twice after in good dry conditions. Last monday on a dreamy night ride in the snow I went down it with my pal, both on hardtails. It felt awesome to do such a tricky ride in such tricky conditions on a HT. Bouyed by this and the fact that there was another 3" of virgin snow on it I decided to make it my descent out of the woods again on a solo ride on wed eve. I negotiated it all, including the 4ft drop off which throws you toward a 30ft cliff and the 45 degree gulley with curling stone sized rocks. On the run out, for no reason I can explain, I found my self eating dirt and snow at about 30kmh. A handle bar end in the gut, knackered knee, gashed elbow and worst of all a hole in my lovely icebreaker merino was the result. It took me 10 mins or so to get my self together and another 10 with the multi tool to get everything in the right position again. It suddenly dawned on me that no one knew where I was cos I'd gone off my usual routes and it would probably be a couple of days before anyone went that way. I went out again on sat after telling the missus where I was going this time. I was greeted with slush and sheet ice with water on top, you know the stuff. I went past the entrance to the party quarry and there was fresh snow/slush on it. No tracks. The temptation was overwhelming until the pain in my abs reminded me to be sensible.
My trouble is that I hate giving myself an excuse NOT to do something. The dark, being alone, being on a hardtail, and the snow are all perfectly good reasons not to attempt a run like that. It's just that there is a wee devil on my shoulder telling me that none of them are good enough excuses not to do it. The buzz when you succeed is great. The pain when you fail isn't. Have I learned my lesson? I doubt it although I'll try and leave a route before I leave. The trouble is, I don't know where I'm going to go most of the time.

1st time I rode with a mobile I shoved it in my back pocket. I crashed of course, landed on said mobile and gave myself a lovely mobile shaped bruised. Wouldn't touch one for years later.

I almost always ride solo, night as well. In the last few years I've had broken ribs, concussion, whiplash, smashed helmet, broken thumb, the normal roadrash. I still feel safer offroad than on, to the extent that I sold my road bikes after the kids were born. I'm lucky though that my local trails ( a 600ft hill with xc and dh style trails) is approx 3 mins ride away. Although if I crashed badly in the evening I wouldn't be found until the next day probably.....

I usually ride alone (miserable git with no mates) and despite two big crashes and several smaller one continue to do so - in a way it heightens the ‘out there’ experience – I leave details of the ride with Mrs BNS – have map compass & GPS unless riding locally then it’s a rough plan and fairly precise time to be back (in practice this is a panic by time). Recently I have bought some dog tags with emergency contact info – also have ICE info in the phone

Although ridding within my limits this usually means taking stuff steadily – and using good low speed skills – such as track stands to check lines – anything not too happy about I’ll get off and check the line or just walk it

I ride on my own 99% of the time. Probably ride faster on my own than when I'm with poeple. Don't ever think about crashing, have a few close ones now and again but nothing that scares me into slowing down. Had a big over the bars a couple of years ago, came away without so much as a scratch. Had a spindle snap in a rear hub 12 years ago when I was about 12miles from home on 30mile loop. I buried the bike in undergrowth and ran home. Came back later in the car to collect it.

I've used nokia sportstracker - there's not many dead spots for mobile near me and it's reasonably accurate.

and mrsww can check I'm not in the pub too 😉

The trouble is, I don't know where I'm going to go most of the time.

That is a major issue I struggle with too. Whats this nokia sports tracker of which you speak...off to google

I ride on my own most of the time too but all the accidents I've had (fractured pelvis and cracked ribs a couple of times) have been with other people. The closest I came to a bad solo one was riding in the Lakes years ago, was on the track from Blencathra round to Skiddaw House YH on a gravel/rocky doubletrack, nothing technical. Got air off a small rock outcrop, ballsed up the landing and went over the bars into the heather on the uphill side. It occurred to me then that had I gone onto the downhill side it was a good 300ft drop to the valley bottom. I took it a bit more carefully after that.

I have ridden some fairly big mountains in some fairly out of the way places (Alps, Pyrenees, Italy, Slovenia, etc) on my own.

You have to adjust your attitude, from "ride as fast as you can" to " ride smoothly and safely".

Oh and that thing you heard was probably not a bear. Hopefully.

Nearly always ride alone. Wasn't a problem in Blighty, nothing too serious around where I lived.
Now I'm in Aus, and some of the terrain is a bit mad to say the least (I've crashed more here than anywhere).
Anyway, have done a full over the bars at speed thanks to a stick + small drop-off moment. T'was the first time I stayed down. Got up, felt OK. Carried on, managed to ride into (not through) a barbed wire fence across a track, much blood. Then decided it was time to head home, managed another over bar moment as I poped over a log and found grassed over 4x4 rut...
Put it all down to a bad ride.
Anyway, within 3 hours I couldn't cough or laugh. Nothing broken (according to the x-ray) but I did discover that panamax plus neurofen+ make an ace combination!

A bit more sensible now, two kids, and a realisation that if I stuff myself I'm likely to be trapped with snakes etc in a very hot country (not Vic thankfully, bless them).

AndyC

Always ride alone myself. day and night. No-one ever knows where i'm going or when i'm going to be back. It's Britain, not Alaska. Someone will find you sooner or later if you fall off and really, it has to be something pretty bad so you can't drag yourself back.

For me, I think the most unpleasant was my freehub dying 13 miles from home, long push back that one. The one that could have been the riskiest was doing a jump, hitting a tree in the air and spinning round and round like a record until I landed on my head in a ditch. early evening so no-one would have come along till next morning. I'd have spent a cold night in a ditch, hardly going to kill me. But after ten minutes I cleared my head and rode home. Couple of broken ribs, plenty of bruising on my houlder, permanent scar.

Beer fixed it.