Dudelsack 

For some reason “After the Gold Rush” keeps playing in my head.

cobolman

I rceived a mesage inquriring whether I was clipped in when I fell. I have always ridden with plain old pedals.

zjrog

At 48, I crashed really bad, breaking my back. Surgery installed some titanium rods and screws to keep me in one piece and upright. I never had any fear of anything really, till 9 months before my crash. I had my left knee replaced. And that fear was, I didn't want to crash and see that shiny metal knee... No, I didn't even scratch my knees in this crash. shoulder rash, concussion, cracked vertebra in my neck and more...

Took me 3 year to get on a bike outside. A couple more to ride more than my cul-de-sac. Traffic makes me nervous, riding real close to other riders too. But my fear is anything over 15MPH downhill. Yes, I crashed downhill, solo, 40mph plus... But I was beating a guy 10 years younger than me, until I wasn't...

I've worked on the fear. Taken big swings at it. Still there. But it lets me have a little fun once in a while before clamping me down again. I have to ride with an app open or now my cheapo computer. I HAVE to see how fast I'm going downhill. If I can't see it at all, I'm hard on the brakes the whole time. But if I can see the speed, I can let it roll a little bit. Conversely, on flat road, I can go just as fast as my new knees will let me ((39MPH on Strava, I can prove it...) with ZERO issues... The mind is a weird invention.

Oh, I can't do clipless. My mind has tried to accept them.

Ogsarg

The statistics on the outcome for older people that have broken hips is very sobering....shocking really. I think about it often and know that at some point the risk/reward calculation will change but at 65 I figure I have some good riding years left. Best of luck with the recovery and hope you are able to do whatever activities you pursue.

Iride01 

I was curious if when you fall you reach out with your arms. That's a something one shouldn't do IMO. Really increases the risk of a clavicle injury or break. And slow speed bike incidents maybe the worst for us wanting to catch our fall with outstretched arms.

Keeping my hands on the bars has been one of the things I credit to me not getting seriously injured in some pretty spectacular crashes that almost had the child in me saying "do it again". Though all were 20 mph or better. The only others were 0 mph when I forgot to clip out. Still my hands stayed on the bars.

While I've never tried a recumbent and they have never appealed to me, they have long been part of my plan for continuing to be able to ride outdoors as I age.

jppe

Which procedure did you have? Did they make the incision from the front or the side?

cobolman

It happened so fast that I landed before I knew what had happened. I scraped my elbow and knee. I had flat pedals. I could never ride clipped in.

cobolman

I was an x-ray tech in the 70's and worked for an orthopedic surgeon. The big concern is that older people don't move enough and develop pneumonia. That's why they get patients up the next day. I never smoked and was in decent health for my age given all the bike riding I did. In sptie of that I developed some minor breathing issues due to lying in the hospital bed..

cobolman

40 MPH Amazing.

terrymorse 

My hip joint broke into four pieces. The initial plan was to do a total replacement, but the surgeon said he could save the joint. I now have a compression screw with a 4-hole plate, installed from the side.

It looks like this:

reverborama

I second (third or fourth) the recumbent trike suggestion. At 63 I hope I have another decade on 2 wheels at least, but my plan is, when that gets difficult, to switch to a recumbent trike.

jppe

That’s really good they were able to to a “repair” in lieu of a “replace”. The ball broke off the femur neck and dislocated so a total replacement was done.

terrymorse 

How is the new hip working out for you? The surgeon said I may eventually need a replacement. But so far, so good. Not much discomfort, some reduced range of motion.

Carbonfiberboy 

Injury prevention is better than treatment.

76 y.o. I don't know what it is, but luckily I almost never fall. I had a solo crash maybe 20 years ago, but no biggie, just road rash, fixed itself. That's it. I'm one of the few riders I know without bumpy clavicles. I'm osteoporotic, particularly in the femur neck (boo), but as long as I don't fall, I'm good. I medicate for the bones, but that's just a few percent one way or the other. I'm told that what goes, what shuts down the riding, is balance issues, so I constantly work on that. I put on my clothes including shoes and socks while standing, brush my teeth standing on one leg, ski Alpine and XC, hike steep rocky mountain trails, anything I can do. I used to rock climb, but no more. I think gym work is a very big deal. I've been a gym member since '79. I think part of balance is neuromuscular. I think it's called proprioception.

I once had a cop stop me because I was a little late on a yellow. I had been drinking a little over many hours, so I smelled like it. The cop had me stand on one foot, put my arms straight out, bend back so I was looking at the sky, and touch my other toe to his toe. I passed. That's what I'm talking about. Practice every day. I've recovered our tandem from a multiple fishtail on a nasty bit of wet road as I avoided a bike accident in front of us. I bet singletrack MTB work would help, but I would have had to have started that in my youth. Oh - I've been riding rollers for 25 years, probably 1500 miles/year. I think that helps some. I can still ride the white line on my single, which might be a tell.

What else. I ride as hard as I still can. I pay total attention. I was once on my rollers when a good friend walked in the door. I said "Hi" and was on the floor, that quick. Total concentration. I never listen to music, never have my phone on, etc. Pro tip: don't fuss with your Garmin when you're rolling. Stop instead. I had a friend go right into a parked SUV doing that. Massive injuries. There's a whole litany of stupid stuff people do, pedal around tight corners, get cut off by a right-turning car, not looking 50' down the road, on and on. That's one of the big reasons I loved climbing: one stupid mistake can change your whole life. Be aware. Maybe it's a Zen thing and is also a reason I love riding, just being in a state of constant awareness.

Terex

I had a couple of low speed crashes and severe concussions about 10 years ago and I really backed off cycling. I'm 70 now. I've got a nice gym setup and among other things have been riding using a smart trainer (Wahoo Kickr) and Zwift for most of this year. I still ride bike paths around Denver when I visit the kids and do some easy mountain biking but pretty much quit riding on the road where I live in northern NM. I also hike, ski and snowshoe. I've got an urge to get into gravel riding so may start doing that a bit more but not the thousands of miles a year I was doing on the road in my late 50's. It was REALLY difficult to give it up, but getting a brain replacement wasn't an option.

jppe

It’s doing okay. I’m still doing everything I would have done otherwise. It took about a year before it was “normal” but like you was back at all my daily activities very quickly. My surgeon held me back initially as he knew I’d over do it. But he allowed me to play golf, ride a trainer etc. pretty quickly. The crash was in August. The subsequent year I rode 5 different week long bike tours. I also shot my lowest round of golf.

But my bike speeds and power dropped some. Some of it was loss of strength but most of it was lost cardio where I just didn’t want to make the effort to regain……doing intervals and riding with A groups just wasn’t a goal anymore. But I still enjoy longer rides but at a more moderate pace.

The only place I notice the hip is when I lift really heavy loads.

Dudelsack 

That’s one of the few times I’ve seen a negative Throckmorton’s sign.

Kabuki12

I have only had a few crashes since the early seventies. None as serious as some of you folks. I did have one that scared me in 2018. I hit face first after going over the handlebars. Luckily I was wearing a helmet.I spent the day in the hospital with a few scans and X-rays . I had broken my ocular bone and cheek bone in four places. Basically just pieces of bone left floating on the left side of my face. I also broke my left hand and had a lot of abrasion on my face, shoulder, legs, etc. I think if it were more serious or was caused by diminished capacity I would consider another form of exercise . I wish you the best .

cobolman

What happens to some of the bike clothing and accessories when you stop riding? The balaclava, claw mittens, thermal socks and underwear were great when riding during the winter when the temperature dropped. but it doesn;t get that cold here in Oregon. I will have no use for them. I never was into lycra so the shirts were bought on sale at Target. My wife bought me a beautiful new bright colored biking jacket as a present for Father;s Day. It came in the mail just before me accident. I will wear it. This way she will never lose me when I wander off in the department store..

alloo

I would say I'm sorry for your fall. It's your choice to stop riding bicycles. Remember if you don't use it you lose it. I see a pattern of giving up things when you get hurt. I am concerned. If you trip and get hurt will you stop walking or running? I wish that you would get back on a bike injuries happen when we're comfortable. When we don't pay attention. I'm sure that you're not a hazard to yourself, but I haven't reached your age. You know what is best for yourself. I would prefer if you got back on the bike and mitigated your risk and got over your fear, but I understand and it's your decision. Good luck

cobolman

We just purchased a Schwinn IC4 stationary bike and our son-in-law assembled it for us. It's not like riding on the street but it gives me a good way to exercise. I go for my first ride in a an hour.

rydabent

Dont give up cycling. If you set you rust. I am a very blessed person physically, since at 83 I can ride anything I want to. I prefer recumbents, and have a recumbent bike and trike. If you fear falling, of course go to a trike. I mainly ride mine in town because of the convenience. There is no clipping in and out at every stop. With a trike you get comfort, convenience, a great view, and they are a hoot to ride.

BlazingPedals

N2Deep and Rydabent both said it, and I'll repeat. If you really want to keep pedaling, then a recumbent trike is the way to go. I'm still setting mine up to be suitably 'blazingpedals-esque."

DiabloScott

I wonder about dropping large on a new bike at some point also. Will I really get my money's worth?
What if I can't ride the new bike after a couple years because of health or something?
What if I DON'T buy it and miss out on that NBD experience?
I don't know. I do know a bunch of people that have dealt with such issues differently and some of them are pretty impressive.
I don't know who this guy is, but he's a regular on Mt. Diablo. Hand trike with E-wheel on the front. Huzzah.

70sSanO

I’ve decided that I’ll keep what I have and keep getting the gearing right as I age with the anticipation of getting a lightweight e-road bike, mostly likely an e-trike, when the time comes.

True PB’s, even with a new high tech bike right now, are not going to happen, so when the time comes, Lord willing, I’ll get the lightest top of the line offering out there that will take me along for as long as I can move my legs… even if only slightly.

John