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Well it happened: First crash

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Well it happened: First crash

Old 09-03-22, 11:02 AM
  #26  
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A year off the bike? Are you sure you weren’t hallucinating when you heard that? 😉

I know you’re not Egan Bernal, who broke 21 bones and was back on his bike in a few months.

There’s no way you will be off your bike, though, for as long as one spin around the sun.

Originally Posted by Symox
Was going downhill on a road I wasn’t familiar with along with a friend. Took the first turn fine but it hid the second that came fast. I feathered the brakes to reduce speed and was surprised the rear wheel skidded. I released the brakes to gain traction. At that point it was too late and I ran into the curb. my friend behind me also skidded but he was coming to a stop when he turned the corner and saw me crash. Grateful he was going slower and didn’t crash. I Went over the bars and landed on my left shoulder. Strava said I was going 38mph.


I’ve been in the hospital since the accident Sunday afternoon (I’m writing this Wed night).

broken clavicle, dislocation, three ribs broken, and punctured lung. Some minor injury to one of the spine bones and road rash.

im doing better but this really sucks. I know it could have been worse and I’m grateful. I also know this was my fault. I am REALLY glad it happened when riding with a friend.

One doc said it will be a year before I can bike. All others are more optimistic. I’m actually healing quite well they are saying. There is no way I’m giving up on biking.

my friend took my bike home. Not sure of the damage. Nothing obvious but a bent rear rack (looks like the bike went over with me and landed on the rack then in the bushes. other than that , I don’t really want to look at it 😀

I’m looking for experience from others to know what to expect. I told The therapists that I will do anything you want me to do even if it’s painful as long as it doesn’t injure me -I think they kind of like working with me.
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Old 09-06-22, 09:05 PM
  #27  
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healing quite nice

Pain is way down. Can move arm above head with assist from other hand.

I'm driven to get back on the bike. Hopefully in 3-4 weeks?
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Old 09-08-22, 07:33 AM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by Symox

The bike now has a bent rear wheel (aluminum rim). It is not a dramatic bend (maybe 1/2 inch). Is this repairable by bending or can I just re true it?
if it’s just out of true, it can be retried. If the aluminum rim is actually bent, it’s toast, and you need to either rebuild the wheel with a new rim, or get a new wheel.
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Old 09-08-22, 07:43 AM
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I know your thread is about recovery, and I wish you a speedy one.

your description of your accident also leads to a teachable moment on bike handling and descending.

You were surprised by the second turn. Two ways to prevent that from happening again. First, you need to keep your focus as far down the road as possible. Just like skiing gates, or high performance driving on the track, if your focus is on the turn you’re in now, you’re already late for the next turn.

Second, work the turn backwards. By that I mean see your exit point, and figure your apex and entry to deliver you to the exit point.

if you can’t see the exit point, particularly on an open road, you need to slow your entry. Lots of bad things can be waiting, such as a dramatically descending radius, traffic, pedestrians, dogs, or in your case, a quickly approaching tight turn.

If I can see the exit of a turn, I rail it with confidence that I can complete,the turn without the need to brake in the wrong place. If I can’t see the exit I enter slower, which actually may not end up making you slower overall. (Slow in fast out is always going to be faster, and safer, than too fast in.)

None of this is meant as criticism, but hopefully some thoughts you might want to apply when you can get back on the bike.
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Old 09-08-22, 08:09 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by merlinextraligh;[url=tel:22640212
22640212[/url]]if it’s just out of true, it can be retried. If the aluminum rim is actually bent, it’s toast, and you need to either rebuild the wheel with a new rim, or get a new wheel.
yeah it was bent. I tried to retrue it but it was too hard and had wild differences in spoke tension. I ordered a new rim and will rebuild
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Old 09-08-22, 09:12 AM
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Originally Posted by Symox
Can move arm above head with assist from other hand. (will) get back on the bike. in 3-4 weeks?
hmmm ... good luck with that!
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Old 09-08-22, 07:39 PM
  #32  
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
hmmm ... good luck with that!
are you implying that’s unrealistic?
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Old 09-09-22, 04:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Symox
are you implying that’s unrealistic?
just wishing you luck, as someone who has been injured myself
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Old 09-09-22, 06:15 AM
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I was bummed to read this, but am hopeful for your recovery. Be super safe on your first excursions. I hope you heal well and quickly.
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Old 09-09-22, 01:48 PM
  #35  
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Update

Recovering ok. Disappointed pain has come back a bit. Was hoping healing would be linear improvement, guess not.
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Old 09-09-22, 09:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Symox
Recovering ok. Disappointed pain has come back a bit. Was hoping healing would be linear improvement, guess not.
You must take your time. This summer I rode bike once in July and once in August due to consecutive, relatively minor (i.e., not from crash) injuries to each foot. You will get better sooner by not rushing the recovery.
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Old 09-10-22, 04:47 AM
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Originally Posted by SoSmellyAir
You will get better sooner by not rushing the recovery.
used to work w/ an older guy like myself & we had a kind of private joke, but not a joke, where if one of us tweaked something, the other would say: "give it 6 months". meaning don't push it, let it heal. I tweaked my shoulder's AC joint last February & it's still cranky if I sleep on that side
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Old 09-22-22, 07:08 PM
  #38  
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Great followup with doctor after accident

Said I'm doing great, no followups unless I want. Range of motion and healing excellent. Said as long as I don't crash and pain isn't too bad that I can ride. Will be at risk of rebreaking for several more months if I crash.

Woohoo. Went on an easy ride today and I LOVED it

Thanks everyone for the words of wisdom and support
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Old 09-22-22, 07:11 PM
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3.5 weeks today

and got back on the bike for an easy ride.

So happy that the initial assessment by the ER doc of not riding for a YEAR was grossly incorrect.
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Old 09-22-22, 07:50 PM
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Originally Posted by Symox
and got back on the bike for an easy ride.

So happy that the initial assessment by the ER doc of not riding for a YEAR was grossly incorrect.
Great to hear that you're back to riding. I've been forced off my bike a few times for medical issues (not cycling related), so I don't have to imagine how much you wanted to get back in the saddle.
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Old 10-07-22, 11:51 PM
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had another nice ride today. after 4 weeks off i'm definitely low on stamina, but it sure does feel great to ride again

Especially since I gave the bike some TLC to fix stuff damaged in the crash and some other stuff (new skewer, brake cables, fork, rims and helmet)

Life is good
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