Road biking fails/falls

[Plai]

So, I was minding my own business, entering the long flat section that's the last third of a 30+ miler yesterday and .... my front wheel locks up, skidding. The handle bars twist to the right. I engage all the core muscles, stay upright, and straighten out the handle bars, and the front wheel starts to revolve again. It was the longest scary 1.5-2 secs. A self-check as I'm riding reveals that the saddle is no longer straight, the front tire isn't flat, and quick glance back doesn't reveal any "large" debris. I'm able to straighten out saddle as I ride.

After the ride, there's no apparent damage to the front tire. I'll check again today and tomorrow just in case there's a slow leak introduced by yesterday's scare.

A couple of years ago, on this same section, I was brought down by, all things, a lone large (~4"x8") pine cone.

So... a few things come to mind as I look to improve:
1. Things to do to be more alert throughout the ride:
a. hydrate more/earlier
b. replenish carbs more/earlier
2. after large debris is identified, avoid it/them.

Open questions in my mind:
1. Where should I look during the ride?
Right now, I'm staring about 25-50 yards ahead. I don't think I should be worried about little debris, but these two experiences are teaching me something different. How far out (ahead) do you look?
2. The fall from the pine cone I get. But, how can a wheel can get wedged by a piece of debris for a 15-20 ft and stop rotation?
The physics of this doesn't make sense to me.

Thanks in advance.

 

[cantunamunch]

something different. How far out (ahead) do you look?
2. The fall from the pine cone I get. But, how can a wheel can get wedged by a piece of debris for a 15-20 ft and stop rotation?
The physics of this doesn't make sense to me.
.

In between tire and brake?

 

[Plai]

In between tire and brake?

Oooo, Thanks! I hadn't thought of that... I don't remember touching the brakes during this experience, and didn't start pedaling until the front wheel was able to rotate again.

Hmmm... that's a lot of travel and wheels usually "throw things off". Something would have to be "sticky" and "large" (3-4 mm). Will look at both front tire and brake pad.

Thanks again.

 

[Doug Briggs]

It sounds like your bars are a bit loose or am I misunderstanding 'The handle bars twist to the right'. Did the bar stem twist on the steer tube or did your bars and forks 'twist to the right' together?

 

[Plai]

your bars and forks 'twist to the right' together?

My bars and forks twisted together to the right. I'm starting to think some debris got wedged between the front right brake pad and wheel -- as if the brake pads were uneven when braking.

 

[François Pugh]

I think something got stuck between one of your brake pads and the wheel to stop the wheel from rotating. As to the twisting, that's going to happen when you suddenly stop a spinning wheel from rotating.