Encouragement needed, hit the deck.

[tmarcus1076]

Hi All,
The last time i crashed, except for a few times I fell over when I couldn't unclip, was back in first grade. I broke my arm. Fast forward to a 66 year old. I knew odds were extremely high against me and reading all the mishaps on this forum, my accident is minor. I was tooling along at a good pace, for me. When all of a sudden out of nowhere my front tire blew out. I lost control of the bike and hit the road pretty hard. Had a huge lump on my hip which is still the size of a baseball and black and blue. A few scrapes and a lost kit. The bike got off pretty good, scraped up shifter hoods and saddle.
My problem is that my daily ride is a sort of meditation and a release of the daily stresses. I'm now a little hesitant to get on the bike. I know my chances are slimmer now that it has happened. Sort of like when an airplane hits a house in the world according to garp, and garp says I'll take that one.
I suppose I'm just looking for some support. Tony

[GonaSovereign]

Garp knew what he was doing.
Get back on. You'll heal faster.

[Ken Robb]

Well, if you used to ride without a helmet and gloves you probably won't any more. :-) Did you find the reason for the blowout? Since you're not racing maybe choosing tires and tubes known to be very sturdy would help put your mind at ease? Are tubeless systems highly resistant to blowouts?

[OtayBW]

...My problem is that my daily ride is a sort of meditation... You might see if you can find that in some other activity. You might be surprised - even ordinary things if you hold your mind right....
GL

[ultraman6970]

Go around the block even if it hurts this weekend or you will have good chances of not riding a bike as often as before. My take to it...

Get better asap.

[jumphigher]

I've had two nasty crashes over the last 2 years or so, had mostly some bad temporary pain, scrapes, and a fractured right hand the last time. Like the others have said, just have to get back on the saddle and ride. Crashes happen sometimes, all part of riding.

[tmarcus1076]

Well, if you used to ride without a helmet and gloves you probably won't any more. :-) Did you find the reason for the blowout? Since you're not racing maybe choosing tires and tubes known to be very sturdy would help put your mind at ease? Are tubeless systems highly resistant to blowouts?

I had flatted two days earlier and put a new tube in. Thought I might have caught it under the bead but I rode the day after the flat, maybe 35 miles, no problem. I use Vittoria latex tubes and have never had a problem. I always wear a helmet and gloves and am glad I do as I did strike my head on the pavement. Tony

[merckx]

I am not enamored with latex tubes from any manufacturer. They tend to tear easily at the base of the valve stem despite gentle application of the air chuck. Schwalbe makes good, lightweight butyl tubes that will be more robust without significant ride degradation. Tubs are best to prevent front tire mishaps, but most don't want the extra steps to mount them. Get a good bottle of beer, peruse some pictures of attractive bicycles on the net, and you will be back on your machine tomorrow. Good luck!

[Pastashop]

Time heals.... glad you’re in one piece!

I broke collarbone in November, off bike for 3 months, then started riding slowly again. Interestingly, now prefer more upright riding (in contrast to race-like fit), even changed bars to swept-back on commuter — toodling along in regular clothes and shoes, at least I’m riding!

[FlashUNC]

Take it at your own pace. And there's no shame in adjusting riding to meet your new comfort level. So take it slow and let it come back to you with time.

Heck, I know after my elbow injury I don't hit downhills near as hard as I used to. If that means being gapped, so be it. If its about meditation and personal enjoyment, might as well make sure it maximizes the enjoyment part, no?

[pobrien]

I would get back on for at least a short ride, a relaxed short ride. The next ride will be easier and I expect you will be back to your normal routines.

I banged up my Suzuki GS1100 way back when it was king and was off for the balance of the year. I was keen to get back on in the spring and I did and I was fine. I rode it that summer and was okay stopping on good terms. for now!

[Burnette]

Hi All,
The last time i crashed, except for a few times I fell over when I couldn't unclip, was back in first grade. I broke my arm. Fast forward to a 66 year old. I knew odds were extremely high against me and reading all the mishaps on this forum, my accident is minor. I was tooling along at a good pace, for me. When all of a sudden out of nowhere my front tire blew out. I lost control of the bike and hit the road pretty hard. Had a huge lump on my hip which is still the size of a baseball and black and blue. A few scrapes and a lost kit. The bike got off pretty good, scraped up shifter hoods and saddle.
My problem is that my daily ride is a sort of meditation and a release of the daily stresses. I'm now a little hesitant to get on the bike. I know my chances are slimmer now that it has happened. Sort of like when an airplane hits a house in the world according to garp, and garp says I'll take that one.
I suppose I'm just looking for some support. Tony

Wow, sorry to hear about this.

I read some good advice about this type of thing a year or so ago. It was just go for a ride in the neighborhood or in a parking lot, do figure eights, have fun, get some air and relax. Go have fun on a bike, no demands.

As you get comfortable and enjoy it you will eventually gain confidence and the fire will burn again and you will go out.

But I will say it's even OK if you don't now. Only do what you feel comfortable doing when you feel you're ready. Don't rush it. if you get the itch though just get out and tool around and remember why just riding is fun.

[rccardr]

Been there. Had two blowouts at about twenty five mph on the front wheel in August and September two years ago, just before big out of town rides. Bled a bunch, but figured I should get back on and ride as quickly as possible.

That worked. Took a while to get completely comfortable again, but eventually got there.

Must say, however, I shiver a bit when I go thru those corners. Even today.

[Louis]

Once you've healed the simplest thing it to get right back on the horse. At first you'll be a little gun-shy (to continue with the animal metaphors) but after a few rides all will be fine.

Years ago I was hit by a horse trailer being pulled by a truck and went down. The only real issue was some road rash. During my next ride or two I was especially leery of big vehicles as they passed me, but the feeling soon passed.

Good Luck

[RFC]

I've been riding road bikes since I was 17 and now I'm 63. I've had more crashes than I can remember or count, but I have the scars. I consider them marks of a life well lived. Like motorcyles, if you ride you will go down. Get back on the bike and ride and rejoice that you are still riding. Oh, and learn to tuck and roll. :cool:

[oldpotatoe]

Hi All,
The last time i crashed, except for a few times I fell over when I couldn't unclip, was back in first grade. I broke my arm. Fast forward to a 66 year old. I knew odds were extremely high against me and reading all the mishaps on this forum, my accident is minor. I was tooling along at a good pace, for me. When all of a sudden out of nowhere my front tire blew out. I lost control of the bike and hit the road pretty hard. Had a huge lump on my hip which is still the size of a baseball and black and blue. A few scrapes and a lost kit. The bike got off pretty good, scraped up shifter hoods and saddle.
My problem is that my daily ride is a sort of meditation and a release of the daily stresses. I'm now a little hesitant to get on the bike. I know my chances are slimmer now that it has happened. Sort of like when an airplane hits a house in the world according to garp, and garp says I'll take that one.
I suppose I'm just looking for some support. Tony

Did the tire come off the rim?
Tubulars sir...:)

[dddd]

To the OP, get that hematoma drained before it becomes a permanent fleshy lump, ask me how I know (MC accident back in 1981).

I almost hit the deck yesterday after installing a pair of 25mm tires that had been off of the bike for a little over a year. The surface had aged and become slippery. I hit a 10mm chunk of gravel making my first right-hand turn and the front tire skidded sideways gently over a 1-2 foot rolling distance, but luckily corrected itself! I could see that one going differently.
I was put on the ground once around 1995 after descending my driveway and turning right on a new front tire that had that whitish coating from manufacturing and storage, and my elbow hit the ground so hard I thought I'd broken my arm.

[biker72]

My 100 year crash involved a hip hematoma along with a few more scrapes. (100 year crash is the crash you have only once every 100 years) Front wheel got caught in a pavement crack.

I wasn't feeling well for the rest of the day. I finally had to get the hematoma drained.

The very next day I got back on my bike and rode through the crash site. I repeated this every day till I felt well enough to get my mileage back up.

[CMiller]

So sorry to hear this. Any chance you have an upright commuter bike? Flat pedals? Take the next few rides on this kind of ride, maybe even drive to a park then ride around. Be easy, be fun, be slow.

Best of luck!!

[tmarcus1076]

Thanks of all the replies and support. It is a glorious day here on Long Island, mid 70's, blue skies and low humidity. The kind of day you take off on a ride in the morning and keep going. I ventured out and did a 20 mile easy ride. It's going to take a little while for the uneasiness to leave. It's in my head that the front wheel is a ticking time bomb. I'm sure that will leave after a few more rides. Thanks for the advice about draining the hematoma. I was trying to avoid the hospital. My job was outsourced and am waiting for cobra to kick in but i think i need to bite the bullet and go, Tony

[Gern]

I am empathetic. I crashed hard two years ago and fractured my C-1 vertebra during an event. I had a very brief LOC, broken helmet, lots of abrasions and a large hip contusion. I was worried about my head, and was transported to the ER. The cervical fracture was not recognized until my head scan several hours after the crash. I was in a hard collar and off the bike for 12 weeks. I tried riding the trainer with the collar, but it was quite uncomfortable, so I waited until the collar came off. I did two months of PT after coming out of the collar, and I have recovered all my mobility. I do have some "crunchiness" with rotation, but flexion is not an issue. I am over 50, and I notice some stiffness if I do not work out 3x a week (stretching, weights).

Unlike you, I am amnestic to the event and have no idea why I went down (nobody close, flattish road, rolling at 20+ mph -- I was told I hit a pothole, which I suppose is possible). I am playing the percentages. Cycling, at its core, is a very safe activity. Statistically, the drive to the event was more dangerous than riding the event. I am back on the bike, and I don't worry about the risk.

All that said, I stayed on the trainer (Zwift) for a few months, as I didn't feel at all comfortable on the road secondary to concern about my neck mobility. When I did go back, I felt OK, other than feeling very funky about riding in a paceline (still do, to a small degree, it's in my head, I know)


In other words, "back on the horse." There are so many other risks to health -- cancer, industrial accidents, car accidents, heart disease, diabetes, etc, that I just don't worry about the bike any more. Modify the risks that you can -- mechanical integrity of your ride, daytime lights, etc. If you still like to ride, then you should. I am very happy to be back on the bike. I hope you will be too.

[makoti]

Crashed with help (cars) twice. Both times, off the bike for a few months. The first couple of rides back were iffy, but soon the feeling that it might happen again dwindled. You just have to make yourself do it. Wait until you feel strong enough & even then go easy & short. Just get out. And yes, medical attention to all your bumps & bruises.

[Hellgate]

Get back on that horse.

I can't even count how many times I've crashed over the years. Life long bicycle racer and motorcycle racer. I've found the best thing is to dust yourself off and get back at it.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

[SlackMan]

I felt like you feel after I broke my back in a cycling accident. At first, I was very skittish getting back on the bike. But, as others mention above, time heals. I would definitely get back out there and ride, maybe short ones at first, but definitely ride.