What's your most embarrassing moment on the bike?

We've all had them, see if you can top this one

Published: June 2, 2017 at 2:00 pm

If you’ve spent any amount of time on your bike, you’ve probably done something silly that will make you blush. You know, one of those things your riding buddies so kindly love to remind you about any chance they get.

I’m no stranger to looking dopey on the bike, and I’ve done plenty of boneheaded things that have kept my ego well in check, covering everything from tipping over while clipped in at a stoplight because I can’t track stand, to an unfortunate Tom Dumoulin-esk XC race nature break caused by the combination of a bad gel and a coffee too close to the start of the race.

Above all of that, my most embarrassing moment took place when I was in college racing for Colorado State University (GO RAMS!), and it wasn't even my fault.

I was warming up with the team for the Air Force Academy criterium in Colorado Springs, and it was a miserable rainy day. There were quite a few of us lined up spinning on trainers, and all was going well until I started an effort and heard a loud clunk.

It was not my best moment and looking back it’s actually pretty funny

Just as I stood up to apply some pressure, the piece on my trainer that grabs the rear skewer broke and I tipped over, and in turn also tipped over everyone warming up next to me like a line of dominoes.

Worse, I tipped over on the driveside, shredding the cable housing that went into my rear derailleur and bending my derailleur hanger. I also managed to put a hole in my bibs and smack my elbow on the pavement; it looked like I'd crashed but I wasn't actually moving.

All of this happened about five minutes before it was time to race, so not only did I make a fool of myself during warm-up, I was the guy with the noisy bike at the race.

It was not my best moment and looking back I can now laugh, but I digress.

How about you? What's your funniest moment on the bike? Have you earned a nickname for something silly you’ve done? Have you tipped over at a stoplight or had an unfortunate bathroom emergency? Let us know in the comments!