We've all done something while cycling that we'd rather no-one saw - fail to unclip a pedal at a busy junction or wear a piece of clothing the wrong way around.
We recently asked Cycling Weekly readers what they're most embarrassing on-bike experience was, and this is what they said...
Have you done something embarrassing on your bike? Tell us in the comments section below. If you dare.
Wore my bib-shorts inside out on a long commute to work. Looked like an extra from a Cameo video.
Ian Brazier
I got caught by a local singing and dancing to ABBA while cycling on what I thought was an empty road. Note to self: don't get carried away with a good playlist while enjoying a good cycle.
Bethan Credicott
End of my first club run, coming into town I had dropped to the back after a long pull at the front. Got gapped slightly as we went round a bend and a pedestrian stepped out in front of me. Tried to avoid them, bike went from under me and slid through a crowd of pedestrians knocking over a policeman and coming to rest against a coffee shop window. As I stood up I realised that the slide had removed a lot of my shorts and all the Sunday shoppers in the coffee shop were given a free show of a semi-bare-arsed cyclist being spoken to by a copper!
Graham Ide
Forgetting I was on my mountain bike and reaching for the drops. You can imagine the rest.
Caroline Brown
Asked a man "All right? Do you need a hand?" as he'd stopped at the roadside. Got round the corner before I realised he'd stopped for a wee; just glad he didn't take me up on the offer.
Claire Rabbitt
Cycled passed a wake. Dressed in a Northwave skeleton top.
Matthew Cann
>>> Embarrassing cycling problems, and how to prevent them
Leaving a bike shop having just had SPDs fitted and new cycling shoes. I was so chuffed with the new kit that I didn't realise that my helmet was on back to front.
Laertes Godwin
Riding a canal towpath in the Midlands, I wanted to impress my mates with a ‘dismount while moving’. I hopped off my bike, missed the grass verge, and did a nice feet-first dive into the canal up to my waist, still holding the bike.
Christopher Clarke
I was caught taking a natural break by the police in the middle of nowhere!
Bri Murray
Triathlon.
John Friend
Spent 10 kilometres wondering why pedalling with my new chain was such hard work. I hadn't threaded it through the derailleur properly and it had been running over a metal guide.
David Williams
First time out with cleats, I couldn't unclip at traffic lights. Fell over onto my hand and the chain came off. Put the chain back on, set off again and did the same thing at the next lights onto the same hand. Broke the scaphoid bone in my wrist and just had the cast taken off after six weeks. Ready to go again!
Andy Stillings
Cycling along with a baseball cap on, head bowed against the rain. Kept looking up, very frequently I add, to check the road, saw a car quite a way in front. Next thing... bang! Had ridden straight into the back of said parked car and not only buckled my wheel, but managed to bend the frame too! Learned a vital lesson that day.
Anna Long
At the ripe age of 56 last summer my childhood kicked back in. I bought a GT road bike after not riding in years I did 10 miles, but unknown to me, my legs were like lead weights and I couldn't get off the bike... So I fell off on to the road by the bus stop where a crowd was waiting.
Carole Lawrence
Farted quite loudly - only to find I had a wheelsucker behind me. It was a windy day so didn't hear them until they got a mouth full of my gas. Poetic justice, really.
Chris Stephens
I was out training for a time trial in a skinsuit, aero over-boots, etc and bumped into an old friend on his way to the pub with his mates. Not sure if i was over-dressed or under-dressed.
Phil Northcott
Slipped and fell off of my bike into a ford. Half of me was dry, half was soaking wet!
Chris Lock
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