When I was a kid you were a nobody unless every pair of pants you owned had a chunk missing from a trip through the chain.Your stock in the biking community went up if you had a story about the wreck for every pair of pants.

Even better if you could show them the scars.

As long as last years pants fit mom didn't buy any new ones until school started and then you better wear your pant clips with the new ones. Schools out, games on.

My worst one was when I caught my pants and jammed the chain tight. I'm looking down to look at the damage and rode right up the guy wire shield of a telephone pole.
It was a short. sharp, trip downward from a 45 degree angle.
No leg out. No bracing myself. Just that star studded slam on the sidewalk every bike rider knows.

I was the town hero for the rest of the summer. Thats about how long it took me to heal.

Steve