MinnMan

half a mile from my house, after a very enjoyable 55 mile ride, I hit a big pothole just as I was turning around to check traffic, in preparation for a left turn. It's a road I ride all the time, but somehow I found a pothole that I didn't know.

Down I went (going maybe 18 mph). No major injuries to the body - bruises on my right shoulder, elbow, hip, and thigh. I hit my head on the right side also. I don't think I have a concussion, but it's always hard to tell at first. My other experience with a concussion, I felt a big blow to the head - like a bomb had gone off - on impact, but the symptoms (headaches, and then later other symptoms that lasted months) didn't show up for a few days. This didn't feel like a big blow at all. Maybe my nice Giro Synthe MIPS helmet (now in need of replacement) saved my bacon.

Oh, and the top tube of my Felt is cracked pretty badly.

I think I escaped without major bodily consequences, but I feel out of sorts. Time will tell.

Biker395 

Damn ... I’m sorry to hear that. It sounds like your bike took the brunt of it, and that’s good.

My last crash involved somethin similar ... hitting something I apparently didn’t see. I didn’t come out nearly as well. Complete lapse of memory of about 1/2 hour, and spotty after that. I’m sure I had a TBI, but it was minor.

Last weekend a dear friend was riding down a steep narrow road, and somehow crashed. She was boarded and taken away in an ambulance. I was scared as hell for her, because she had difficulty with the strength and balance in one of her legs. 😧

She was kept in a hospital for a few days ... thankfully, she is better now.

Another friend has such a serious TBI, he no longer cycles at all ... he’s lucky he can now drive.

TBIs can be so tragic and life changing. Glad you’re ok!

tigat

Sorry to hear it. Crashing on a bike sucks - no other way to describe it

I know from personal experience that a blow to the helmet enough to dent it, even a MIPS, usually results in a recommended visit to the ER. Most big city hospitals have a crash protocol they follow. The downside: it will exhaust your deductible instantly.

Always up to you, but may want to see what your doc says.

Hope you are fine and back in the saddle soon. Fortunately, it looks like you may have another bike or two at your disposal

Lemond1985

Sounds like you tucked and rolled, and didn't break a collarbone by throwing your arm out. And stayed out of "expensive care" at the ER. That's A+ crashing in my book.

I guess it's N+1 time now.

MinnMan

Yeah, I've seen you post about your crash before. That truly sucks. The concussion I had about a dozen years ago (not from a bike crash) wasn't so bad that I lost consciousness or memory of the event, but I suffered with symptoms for months - sleeplessness, headaches, and extreme aggravation at certain sounds. The sound of two drinking glasses clinking together became torture for a very long time.

I hit with my body first, and then my head grazed the pavement. I got up right away, got out of traffic's way, and moved to the sidewalk. Another cyclist stopped and asked if I was OK. My first answer was, "I don't know", but I walked around to see if anything really hurt, and a moment later told her that I was OK and that I lived nearby.

I rode the bike home, slowly, and didn't notice the big obvious crack in the frame until I got to my garage and dismounted.

GlennR

First off.. .glad you're not hurt.

I had my Synthe MIPS for 2 weeks when I took a turn too fast on damp pavement on MTB tires that were over inflated and went down and rung my bell. The helmet was cracked and when i checked my Garmin, i was doing 16mph.

Went back to the LBS and Giro has a crash replacement program and I got 30% off and the LBS gave me another 20%.

I told my friend that I cracked a $250 helmet and it was the best $250 i ever spent.

Ask your LBS about Giro's program.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


https://www.giro.com/frequently-asked-questions.html

"Does Giro offer crash replacement for helmets?
If your Giro helmet has been involved in an accident, you may be eligible for a discount on a new Giro replacement helmet. To learn if your helmet qualifies, please email us at giro-consumersupport@giro.com with the below information:• Picture(s) of the damaged Giro helmet
• Giro helmet model and serial number
• Giro helmet size and color
• Giro helmet manufacture date
• Your full name
• Your phone number
• Your shipping address

This Crash Replacement Program is available to US customers only. Customers in the U.S. should please call us at (800) 456-2355 or e-mail us at giro-consumersupport@giro.com regarding helmets that have been involved in a crash or require spare parts. If you live outside of outside of North America Please see www.giro.com/Contact-Us for contact details for more information. Thank you!"

MinnMan

MinnMan

Thanks, I'll look into it. Not sure how I'd know the manufacture date unless I kept the original box, which I didn't. It seems they should be able to figure that out from the serial number, though.

GlennR

There should be a label on the inside and i think the date is there.

This is my 6th season with it and i'm thinking of replacing it next Spring.

MinnMan

The only label inside where the ink isn't bleached away is the serial number. I can't even tell the size. I think it's a medium, but I'm thinking that the LBS might know from the sales record.

It was convenient for you that you crashed when the helmet was new and all the labels readable.

GlennR

I'm so lucky

Just be glad you're not laying in a hospital bed.

I ride the same route once a week and you get complacent. Today on a 2 mile downhill I road through some broken glass that wasn't there a few days ago. Luckily I did not get a flat. And it's acorn season and they can be like marbles on a turn.

Eyes forward all the time.

big john

Sorry to hear you went down. I fell off my mtb 2 weeks ago, first fall in years. I felt stupid and even a little guilty. Hope you feel better fast.

10 Wheels

Take care and Heal quickly
Mine end up costing $93,000

davester

Don't feel bad. It happens to all of us. After years of no crashes I had two this year, both while mountain biking. In one of them a stick was thrown up from another bike ahead of me into my front wheel. The stick jammed between the spokes and fork, locking up the front wheel so that I went straight over the handlebars head first. Totally destroyed my helmet but I surprisingly escaped without a scratch or a concussion. The other was more serious, I came off a single track bumpy ride and turned onto a skinny wood bridge but in a moment of inattention I allowed the end of my handlebar to clip the bridge railing. I went down fast and hard onto my face, and came up bleeding profusely. An ambulance ride and ER visit with many sutures in my lip ensued. The first crash I couldn't have predicted. The second was one of those "I'm an idiot" crashes.

diphthong

MinnMan, sounds like you're lucky to be posting about this vs the alternative(s). hope there are no deleterious, long-term (or short-term) effects.
sorry to hear about both you and the bike. take it as easy as you can for a week. may be against your usual tendencies or desires but will give you
time to accurately discern any potential issues without the "i can still ride my bike-i'm fine" mentality many of us have in toughing things out. best wishes.

jppe

Geez.....that could happen to any of us. Glad it's no worse but that's a shame about the bike. I've seen where folks have their carbon frames repaired but I don't know of anyone personally who has sent them to be repaired. I've read online where there are at least 2-3 very good folks out there but not sure if that's a route you'd be interested in. Helmets do their job as you experienced. I've hit the asphalt several times and the helmet has saved me every time. I distinctly remember when I crashed and broke my hip thinking I could hold my head up and keep it from hitting the road. The bike flew completely off the road and up in the air and I landed on my side (the hip took the brunt of the fall) and was trying to keep my head stable but it's just to heavy. The helmet did a good job of keeping me from having any brain issues....that I know of!

Good to hear that you don't have any broken ribs, wrist, collarbone etc.

curbtender

Glad you are ok, bikes and helmets can be replaced.

MinnMan

That's good advice. I'm resolved to stick to the trainer for a while.

Lemond1985

Absolutely.

Iride01 

If there isn't any damage to the helmet I wouldn't suspect any concussion. But what do I know? YMMV.

I've had three wrecks in about 8 years time. The last two about 14 months apart. The one that cracked my skull last year I was up and going the next day, but because I seemed to be in more fog than ever, I didn't ride for over six full months. It took five months for me to feel that I'd recovered and no more fog. Scrambled thinking was norm before the concussion and it seems just my normal scrambled thinking with no fog now. <grin>

But even the other two crashes from essentially the back tire wanting to take the lead from the front tire left me with sore hips and shoulder for several weeks. Not so much that I didn't ride, but it took some effort initially. The older I get the more the joint soreness seems to take awhile to go away. The crash 8 years ago was much harder a blow to my hip, but I only limped for a week.

I'm hoping crashes come in threes and I've had my last one for a while.

berner

I'm glad you are well enough to post. I wage a constant effort to keep my mind on the road and avoid any distractions. It is easy to be distracted this day in age.

Lemond1985

Not sure how old the OP is, but there is an age of around 55 when people's eyes change, and it becomes much harder to see detail in shady areas of the road especially on bright sunny days, and ESPECIALLY when wearing sunglasses. I have started looking over mine on shady descents so I don't miss anything.

That has worked OK so far, but one thing I did hit unexpectedly was a fairly large dip from a gopher or squirrel hole. With no edge to stand out, those can be very hard to see in shady areas of the road.

Mojo31

Sorry to hear about this. Hope you recover quickly.

OldsCOOL

Glad you will survive the fall, a hard one at that. Sorry to hear about that cracked top tube!

trailangel

wow...it's been my experience that I crash when I'm close to home. I guess I let my guard down at that point. usually slow speed crashes... but I have gone down at 20mph, and had to ride the 5 miles back home.
Hey... couldn't you wrap that top tube with Gorilla tape....? Is it really toast?
Just trying to cheer you up. Time for a new bike, or at least a frame.