Well, I had my first crash on my Vendetta, not that it's really the V's fault (well, maybe partly).
I'm still pretty new to learning how to ride it, but am making progress. I decided to take the V out into the country to the steepest hill near me -- not sure of the % grade, but the only recumbent I've ever been able to climb it with is my RANS Stratus XP at about 4.5 mph -- to test if my 34/32 gearing would be enough to get me up it.
I was almost to the hill when "some bug" landed on my shorts. Still new to riding, I have a hard time taking my eyes off the road, but I managed to glance down and see that it was big hornet, like this one (for non-US persons): http://www.haleypestcontrol.com/images/wasps.jpg
I'm not allergic to their sting, I just tend to panic.
Without thinking about riding, I instinctively reached down to swat it away, because I thought the next place it's going to get blown to is my face! (I was going about 20mph at the time). So I swatted once, and it moved to the right about 5 inches (right on top of my privates!), I swatted again and it moved another 5 inches to my right hip. By then I figured I better get this thing off me, it's gotta be pissed-off by now, and with the last swat it was off me.
But then a second later my front end veered to the left and made a nice J-hook skid in the middle of the highway (no cars luckily), and at some point my front wheel turned enough that the force of the momentum taco'd the wheel, the bike spun around and layed on its side and I was left standing on two feet without a scratch on my person!
Absolutely no injuries.
The bike is fine, except for that front wheel which is not salvagable.
It was all a bit comical. Although it has me wondering about the inherent stability, or my ability to keep the bike stable in an emergency situation. I've decided for now to keep at learning how to ride it.
Pray for me! ;-)
I'm still pretty new to learning how to ride it, but am making progress. I decided to take the V out into the country to the steepest hill near me -- not sure of the % grade, but the only recumbent I've ever been able to climb it with is my RANS Stratus XP at about 4.5 mph -- to test if my 34/32 gearing would be enough to get me up it.
I was almost to the hill when "some bug" landed on my shorts. Still new to riding, I have a hard time taking my eyes off the road, but I managed to glance down and see that it was big hornet, like this one (for non-US persons): http://www.haleypestcontrol.com/images/wasps.jpg
I'm not allergic to their sting, I just tend to panic.
Without thinking about riding, I instinctively reached down to swat it away, because I thought the next place it's going to get blown to is my face! (I was going about 20mph at the time). So I swatted once, and it moved to the right about 5 inches (right on top of my privates!), I swatted again and it moved another 5 inches to my right hip. By then I figured I better get this thing off me, it's gotta be pissed-off by now, and with the last swat it was off me.
But then a second later my front end veered to the left and made a nice J-hook skid in the middle of the highway (no cars luckily), and at some point my front wheel turned enough that the force of the momentum taco'd the wheel, the bike spun around and layed on its side and I was left standing on two feet without a scratch on my person!
Absolutely no injuries.
The bike is fine, except for that front wheel which is not salvagable.
It was all a bit comical. Although it has me wondering about the inherent stability, or my ability to keep the bike stable in an emergency situation. I've decided for now to keep at learning how to ride it.
Pray for me! ;-)