How afaid of getting hurt are you?

[207 cm]

Seems like every turn today is opted with "safety" choices.

How afraid of getting hurt are you?

[SEABREEZE]

Let me put it to you this way, on one of the stages I watched Lance at the last TDF ALL OUT pedaling down the other side of a big climb, to the point he commented later, how bad the burn he had going on in his legs.
Perhaps others also remember that.

You have to have a big set of Cojone's, maybe when I was younger, yes, but
now, no thank you. One mistake or error, and they are picking up pices of you.

Any competitor willing to do that, has my respect.

[ChuckK]

.....

[dekindy]

I have been riding again for 3 years now. Slowly but surely my riding buddies are having accidents that involve being off the bike for several weeks. Broken bones and concussions have been suffered from recreational riding accidents. I try to stay alert and in control as much as possible. I still draft in training rides and so far have had no accidents other that the occasional clipping out mishap.

[nicrump]

worrying about bad stuff is like praying for it to happen. keep your energy on the + side of life.

[John M]

As I get older, I get a bit more cautious. Almost two years ago, I went down hard on some wet pavement and suffered a scapula fracture and shoulder separation. Just 3 months later, I was hit by a car while commuting and separated the other shoulder. Admittedly one was completely out of my control, but with two younger children, I am bit freaked and worry about something worse happening. I still ride just as often, but a bit more tepidly.

[csm]

few yrs ago I managed to hit my shoulder HARD while skiing. didn't think too much of it until I did it again and again the following season. went and had it looked at, was offered options of basically surgery or physical therapy. the pt wasn't guaranteed to do much but I thought it was worth a shot. It seemed to work out well; I could swing a golf club if I was careful to stretch a bit beforehand.
last week.... hit it again, same shoulder, same basic kind of fall.
at least I was wearing a helmet.
I used to not worry about these sort of things. thinking maybe I ought to start.

[Ray]

I rarely think about it. Its in the subconscious though. I'm a reasonable descender, but I've ridden with a lot of folks who go downhill a LOT faster than I do. A lot of that is just a certain level of risk aversion. I know when I'm comfortable and when I feel uncomfortable with the level of risk that I feel beyond a certain speed on a curvy downhill. I know that part of the thrill can be hanging at the edge between control and loss of control, but I don't have any appetite for that anymore. I'll go as fast as I can feeling in total control and back off if I start feeling sketchy about controlling the bike. Which doesn't mean I never have mishaps when I'm in control, but the odds are a LOT better. I guess that's where I draw the line. I don't think about getting hurt, but I have some basic level of caution to move the odds in my favor. To the extent of giving up riding? No way, not until I'm so old I literally can't balance on a bike anymore.

-Ray

[jpw]

If thinking about it inhibits your confidence on the bike you will have an accident. One must ride with confidence and 'authority' with traffic around and about. Drivers need to positively understand what a cyclist intends to do.

[chuckroast]

I had two crashes in 2008. One was minor (slid down on some loose gravel in a turn) and the other was major (faceplant on a mountain bike and trip to the emergency room for multiple stiches inside my mouth and outside on my lips and eye). I have noticed that in 2009 I have been a much more careful rider and less willing to be aggresive. I like to think I'm more mature but I think it's just because the pain is still fresh in my memory. I'm likely to stay this way but we'll see this time next year.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . what I feel are foolish risks. There are always risks that simply cannot be foreseen. You could literally be run down by a bus before you realize what's going on. I just try to think ahead more than I used to.

Take today for instance. I'm going out this afternoon for a ride and I'm taking a look at the streets. It rained last night and most of the snow has melted off. But not quite all. So I will definitely take the cross bike with knobbies. All it would take is--literally --several square inches of leftover ice hit at just the right time, place and angle to take me down. Why risk it? I have too many other things going on right now. I also take into account I'm 50, not 20, and recovery time would be longer.

There are also some roads around here that I used to ride on that I just prefer to stay off of now. Especially the last 5 years after David Ryan got run down here. I keep my eyes open a LOT more while riding than I used to and look behind me a LOT more.

BBD

[mgm777]

few yrs ago I managed to hit my shoulder HARD while skiing. didn't think too much of it until I did it again and again the following season. went and had it looked at, was offered options of basically surgery or physical therapy. the pt wasn't guaranteed to do much but I thought it was worth a shot. It seemed to work out well; I could swing a golf club if I was careful to stretch a bit beforehand.
last week.... hit it again, same shoulder, same basic kind of fall.
at least I was wearing a helmet.
I used to not worry about these sort of things. thinking maybe I ought to start.

Similar story...about 10 years ago (I was 35 then) I experienced a bad fall while skiing in Canada. My right shoulder was sore for few days, but I didn't think much of it, and never had it checked out. Earlier this year, I started experiencing what I thought was idiopathic constant chronic shoulder pain. After a couple of visits to the Orthopaedic Surgeon and validated by the associated imaging products, it was determined that surgery was necessary. Four weeks ago I had my shoulder partially reconstructed....torn labrum, cysts removed from my glenoid, and a resurfacing of my humeral head and the insertion of a metal cap on the humeral head itself. Until recently, I have been unable to ride, run, ski (I live in CO), sleep, or eat normally. For the first time in my life, I have been impeded by my own health. Not fun. I know that I will get through this period and that many folks are far worse off than I am. What this time has shown me, though, is an immense appreciation for my own health. As the saying goes, we always take it for granted until we don't have it. So true. Going forward, yes, I will be more cautious in my approach to my cycling and skiing. My new approach is that it is better to take it a bit easy so that I can live another day to ride again. I am married with two small kids AND I don't get paid to ride my bike. I need to be able to play catch with my son and hold my daughter's hand at the skate rink. Now, to me, those activities and the ability to do them are more important than being able to bomb down Left Hand Canyon at close to 50 mph. In my life, I now have others that depend on my health. I guess it all depends on where you are in your life. This injury has been a big wake-up call for me. Just my two cents.

[rwsaunders]

I wear my safety gear, ride with a rear light and I keep the bikes in good shape....no bald tires, decent brake pads, etc., and I avoid ice like the plague.

I've lost two good friends over the past four years to non-cycling, freak accidents involving the ocean. You can hasten your trip to the hinterland on your own of course, but I subscribe to the theory that when your time is up, there's nothing that you can do about it.

Enjoy the day.

[Ahneida Ride]

BBD pretty much sums it up for me too ...

I also dis - mount at major intersections and walk.

The DiNotte light in the rear certainty helps.
I run it in the daytime.

When I must, I take full command of the road and do by best
to look at drivers (make eye contact and smile) ....

I try to wave and thank them for allowing me the real estate.

Normally, I try to minimize hindering drivers and above all be
visible and predictable.

[MattTuck]

perhaps this graphic might help some. i have way too much time on my hands today.

[ti_boi]

I'm Skeered.

[Satellite]

I only worry about getting hurt on my Mountain Bike, I have taken one to many headers over the bars.

[sloji]

Never think much about crashing, ride aggresively in town to avoid car doors and take the lane to avoid confusion. A lot of riding in town is about helping the driver by making the decision for him. I rarely think about a crashing and when solo don't wear a helmet, but then I ride at 6am in the countryside with few cars. On group rides I am vigilant and always wear a helmet. Not much for going over 50 on a bike and recently have been told my fork is out of alignment, it had a few scrapes near the dropouts after being shipped UPS but I didn't notice any major tracking issues because i've only owned a couple of bikes and simply thought it's me not the bike until a guy noticed it after riding the bike. Now i'm concerned about safety.

[Sandy]

Fear of getting hurt is inversely related to bike handling ability.

Fear of getting hurt is inversely related to amount of risks one takes.

Fear of getting hurt is inversely related to age.


Sandy

[PaulE]

For most of us, as we get older the pucker factor kicks in sooner and more often. I'm somewhere between only worrying about the big ones and taking every precaution. 6-1/2 years ago I hit the trifecta and broke my collarbone, scapula and 3 ribs in a crash. I hope to never spend time in the hospital again.

I avoid busy, narrow roads, always wear my helmet, don't ride with crazy groups I don't know or paceline with strangers. On the other hand, I'm working on improving my descending and cornering skills, and participate in paceline, drafting and various sprint drills with a disciplined group that I ride with regularly.

But if I really took every precaution possible, I wouldn't do a lot of the things I do, maybe I wouldn't ride a bike at all.

[Karin Kirk]

few yrs ago I managed to hit my shoulder HARD while skiing. didn't think too much of it until I did it again and again the following season. went and had it looked at, was offered options of basically surgery or physical therapy. the pt wasn't guaranteed to do much but I thought it was worth a shot. It seemed to work out well; I could swing a golf club if I was careful to stretch a bit beforehand.
last week.... hit it again, same shoulder, same basic kind of fall.
at least I was wearing a helmet.
I used to not worry about these sort of things. thinking maybe I ought to start.

As a ski instructor, this is raising a red flag. I'm wondering if there is an underlying reason why you have had this same fall 3 times. Have you ever had a high-end private lesson? I'd be on the lookout for asymmetry that is contributing to this.

That said - good for you for wearing a helmet and I hope that PT proves effective for you!

[csm]

As a ski instructor, this is raising a red flag. I'm wondering if there is an underlying reason why you have had this same fall 3 times. Have you ever had a high-end private lesson? I'd be on the lookout for asymmetry that is contributing to this.

That said - good for you for wearing a helmet and I hope that PT proves effective for you!

first times were running gates. but the mechanics of the fall are pretty simple and similar; going sort of fast and either digging the shovel of the ski into a gate or a bump and going over the bars so to speak.
one time was actually into a poorly marked hole.
so it's actually been more than 3 times total.... some are more memorable than others.
our local high-end instructor is or was (not 100% sure this season) Diane Roffe. she worked with some of the kids on the local race team that my son was skiing on at one time.

[Charles M]

worrying about bad stuff is like praying for it to happen. keep your energy on the + side of life.


:beer:

I used to be a lot more worried when prototype stuff didnt get the advanced work it does now.

Try strapping on new bars forks and cranks a few times and not much bothers you after a while.

I can't remember the last time I was worried for my safety in any other than doing something that I was positive was stupid in the first place...

[rickbb]

I find the poll options don't work in the sense that I take every precaution I can with the things I have control over but then don't worry much about it. It's very much like rock climbing; if you aren't almost obsessive with equipment, knots, belays, etc., something bad will happen but if you worry about the rest, you won't enjoy it.

[rustychain]

My plan is that at age 100 I will be going down a technical fast descent at 60+mph and miss the turn and fly off into the great beyond with a smile on my face

better then dying of diabetes and congestive heart failure (what everyone else in my family dies from). Being a couch potato is more dangerous IMO then riding a bike

[Charles M]

LOL,

I've executed your plan well ahead of your schedule.

All except the smile part.

[cmg]

about 4 weeks ago i rode into the rear cassette of the guy in front of me. Blew out my front tire. he went down hard, i did too. He broke his collar bone. It was my fault, too close in the draft no escape route, on the wrong side. Since then i stay more than a foot back of the guy in front of me, alway have a escape route and the moment the pace goes over 21mph i drop out and go to the back or fall out of the line up all together. Crashing while riding solo doesn't bother me, but riding in a group does. But yea i weigh the possibility of crashing with almost every move i make while riding with a group.

[Lifelover]

Life is about risk management not risk elimanation.

On city rides I try to ride somewhat defensively. Only go in front of cars if going behind them is not an option and only after some level of eye contact confirmation. Means more slowing and stopping than most roadies like. I just see it as adding to the amount of work I get on the ride.

On group rides I find my self leading slower paced rides instead of hanging on to the back of faster rides. Often just as much if not more work, but much safer (for me anyway).

I have never been a risk taker on decents.

Beyond that, i don't give it much thought.

[Karin Kirk]

first times were running gates. but the mechanics of the fall are pretty simple and similar; going sort of fast and either digging the shovel of the ski into a gate or a bump and going over the bars so to speak.
one time was actually into a poorly marked hole.
so it's actually been more than 3 times total.... some are more memorable than others.
our local high-end instructor is or was (not 100% sure this season) Diane Roffe. she worked with some of the kids on the local race team that my son was skiing on at one time.

Cool! Lucky you to have that kind of talent around. I'd say spring for a private lesson with her and be prepared to have a great time. If not her, I'd bet there are some other highly qualified folks around. Personally, if I kept having a similar fall I would be very keen on figuring out why.

[207 cm]

I believe it was easier to stay in the middle of a ski back when you would have been on a 207 cm. [no pun intended]....... Not a ton of fore/aft forgiveness in a 170cm, just watch any World Cup slalom.

None the less, it's fun to speculate:

Hip angle closed a bit too much?

[Karin Kirk]

I believe it was easier to stay in the middle of a ski back when you would have been on a 207 cm. [no pun intended]....... Not a ton of fore/aft forgiveness in a 170cm, just watch any World Cup slalom.

None the less, it's fun to speculate:

Hip angle closed a bit too much?

Sure, one can find a lot more real estate to balance on a longer ski, but I'll take today's skis any day over the long straight ones. But I do enjoy watching World Cup slalom and the amazing recovery moves and the occasional front somersaults. Not to mention the brilliant skiing too.

As for speculating, I need more info. Can't go there just yet.

207 cm, I have to say, that is an awesome forum handle! :)

[207 cm]

My slalom skies were 215cm........ :eek:

Oh come on...it's the Internet, it thrives on spectulation. ;)

[Karin Kirk]

My slalom skies were 215cm........ :eek:

Oh come on...it's the Internet, it thrives on spectulation. ;)

215, good Lord! Have you make the switch to short shapely skis yet? Are you going to change your handle to 174 cm?

Nowadays the bragging rights lie in waist width. 90mm, 100... how's about 115 underfoot?

I have a high-end student who's had shoulder trouble (and surgery) and it's easy to see why. She tends to shape her turns by throwing her shoulder into the inside of the turn. She's really good at it and she can rip. But on the occasion that the skis don't hold, she tends to land on her shoulder or side. So if I were to speculate, it'd be something along the lines of getting too far to the inside of the turn.

[207 cm]

I walked away from the business 17 years ago and never looked back after being born into it with a 10th Mt. Division father.

[gforce]

Try 130mm in the waist for floating in the steep and deep. I have making stupid mistakes in the back of my mind to avoid injury but without some risk there is no reward.

[SEABREEZE]

UMM KARIN, from various posts you lived on the Jersy shore, like gardening,
biking, skiing, Sounds just like me, but you need to add speedskating and basketball.

Could never decide what I liked more, the shore during summer, or the MTS and skinng in the winter.

Whats sking like up there in Montana, whats base elevation.
I can remember skiking in the northeast, mostly icey condidtions, & bone chilling cold, unlike sking out west, although I hear it quite cold there up in Montana,

Learning how to ski in the northeast makes you a pretty good skier, because of all the ice. I can remeber many of the novices, who snowplow down some of the steeper slopes, pushing off to the sides of the slope, snow where your edges would hold, So thats where I lived in the northeast , the edges of the slope, unlike skiing out west, where you have snow on the entire slope.

You get spoiled, and only want to ski in the west, except for maybe some spring skiing in the northeast.

Having a Organic farm, I have a customer during the summer months, who was a Swiss olympian skier, who presently is a sports announcer in Europe during the winter months, she also tavels frequently to the US to cover races.
I asked her, of all places you have bee covering the skinng scene, what is your favorite, her answer was Banff up in Canada. I found that very interesting.

It has been my wifes and I dseire one day, to travel the rails through the Canadian rockies to Vancover. I understand its spectacular.

[Karin Kirk]

Hi Seabreeze,

I would love to try speedskating, it seems like a very cool sport.

I grew up on the shore, but it never resonated with me the way that mountains do. I've always felt a profound tug toward alpine environments. Growing up in NJ was tough when I really wanted to live next door to a ski area. We're fortunate that we've managed to end up here and basically live the dream life that I imagined as a little kid.

You are so right that we western skiers are spoiled. You should hear the cries of anguish when the snow makes a tiny little scratchy sound. People start to freak out if we go 5 or more days without a nice powder day. All I can do is remember night skiing at West Mountain in Glens Falls (during Dave's Serotta years) when the place was so icy it literally glistened under the lights. You could hear the desperate sounds of skis scraping across the icy runs from the farthest reach of the employee parking lot. Indeed, growing up with terrible conditions makes one a good technical skier and somehow it makes you love the sport despite itself.

Our ski area is Bridger Bowl, the base elev is around 6,000 feet and the top is 8,800. The skiing here is unusual for ski resorts in this day and age. We have slow lifts, non-fancy lodges, no slopeslide village, cheap lift tickets, amazingly challenging skiing and a rock solid community of die-hard skiers.

http://www.bridgerbowl.com/

Where is your organic farm? What do you grow?

Gforce - 130 mm underfoot is a serious niche ski. I can't imagine how silly fun that would be on the deep days.

207 cm - Amazing how the 10th Mountain Division folks basically invented the US ski industry. I've had the pleasure of meeting some of these legendary men and listening to some great stories. Impressive stuff.

Sorry that I've managed to hijack this thread and make it all about skiing. :p Maybe we should just start a skiing thread - not too OT because it counts as cross training, right?

[Blue Jays]

My plan is to take reasonable precautions yet not let concerns rule the day.
We had a ride recently where conditions were very cold and dry, yet a warm weather front with rain was moving towards us with MUCH greater speed than realized.
Needless to say, rain feel in the middle of our ride, contacted the asphalt and froze INSTANTLY.
The vast majority of the riding group crashed simultaneously. Even before we could pull to the side of the road. The impossibly slick black ice formed that quickly. That's life in the fast lane. Try to be aware.

Another concern is equipment failure. This is typically avoidable. Bolts need to be periodically replaced, especially lightweight ones. Consider heavier and stronger steel bolts when possible. Replace pedals, stems, handlebars, saddles, cranks, and seatposts that have stacks and stacks of mileage on them. Err on the side of caution. Don't wear tires down to the threads. Get new brakepads. Schedule your bike for a complete mechanical overhaul, cleaning, and detailing or do it yourself. Don't be pennywise and pound foolish with spare parts. Replace, replace, replace!

[Ken Robb]

My observation:
!-When you have never been hurt or seen anyone seriously hurt you know that it's a theoretical possibility but "know" you're too good for it to happen to you.

2- You see a big pile-up in a group ride. Bones are at new funny angles and blood is on the pavement. You now know stuff does happen in your area and the pain is real. Maybe there is a "bad-luck" factor to some crashes that no amount of skill can help you avoid.

3- It's your turn! Crap, won't this road rash ever heal? When will my broken (fill in the blank) heal so I can get active again? I'll be extra careful from now on so this doesn't happen to ME again.

4- It's your turn AGAIN!! It takes longer to heal this time because you're not as young as you used to be. You now know that even if you are a very good and careful rider stuff can still happen to you. You either quit riding or get very conservative when you do ride. No more 45mph descents for you because when you get to 30mph you remember how much you hurt after your 25mph crash last year. All my hobbies have some risk and my willingness to expose myself to risk has lessened a lot. Heck I even obey the speed limit on my Ducati-------most of the time. :)