worst moment on a bike?

il_principe

Brian B wrote:

What bike were you on jashburnham and was it alright? Thats a long way to go to get a bad experience. I have done the Tourmalet from that side and its a cracking climb if the weather is good(and was if you are feeling okay). Must be something daft about cyclists as I have seen many casualties in sportives and most people carry on regardless if they can.

I was on my Prince, and it wasn't alright. Bent the rear derailleur hanger (didn't realise at the time) a mavic mechanic reset my hoods for me, they'd practically been torn off. The mechanic at Simga has managed to coax the hanger back into position thank god, otherwise it would have been bye bye frame...

The Chingford Skinhead

Hornetto wrote:

A couple of years ago I did the London to Brighton with my wife on my MTB. As we were going at her speed the whole way it was a very easy 60 miles, thereby lulling me into a false sense of what my fitness was like. So the weekend after I went out on a hilly ride, mixing on and off road riding, for about 30 miles. I hadn't eaten anything that day and took no water on quite a warm day [idiot]. I went out fast thinking I was some super-fit machine, and about 5 miles from home I just lost all power in my legs. So much so that on the last 2 mile stretch on the (fairly flat) off road walking/cycle path that goes back to my house I found myself progressively shifting into lower and lower gears just to keep going and in real pain, but determined not to stop.

At the end of the cycle path there is a very slight hill - actually it is just an incline - and by this time I'm already in bottom gear and really struggling for each turn of the pedals (remember that this is a triple MTB!). Sweat pouring off me and my face contorted with pain. At that point, my absolute lowest ebb, I was overtaken by a 3 year old girl on her little bike with stabilisers who tinkled her bell at me as she went past. My brain registered what was going on and decided that the best course of action at this point was to shut down my legs completely, so I fell off without even having the strength to put my leg down on the floor (I wasn't even wearing SPDs, just trainers and flats). So I collapse in a heap and watch this little girl whizz off into the distance as her father approaches and asks if I'm alright. Also about 6/7 other people just happen to be walking nearby at the time and see the incident. About as embarrassed as I can get I struggle to my feet and push the bike the last 1/2 mile home, which was painful enough as my legs were still gone...

Definitely the worst experience I've ever had - pain, embarrassment, dehydration, hunger and a complete lack of control over my body... :oops: :oops:

Hornetto - that second paragraph is as good a bit of comedy story telling as I have seen in a very long time. I had tears in my eyes. A great tale. I haven't done it on a bike but I do inow what you mean. When I went back to the gym, for the first taime since whevenver I got on the rowing maching (after the running and cross trainers) and belted out a power 7 minutes. The rest periods weren't rests because there was someone next to me so i felt the need to beat them. When I finished I stood up, the room span violently and I staggered all of 5 yards but managed to collide with just about every bit of machinery in the gym and a five mile radius within those few steps. :roll:

The Chingford Skinhead

Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:

This one's easy.

11 April 2007:
http://alex-cycle.blogspot.com/2007/09/ ... pened.html

/quote]
From Hornetto's hilarious post to one that shocks you back to reality. Good luck with the recovery Alex. Stay strong and positive

Infamous

My worst moment happened today, a tractor was trying to get past me, so I went very wide on the left, must have slipped on some mud or the white line or something, and came crashing down, just as the tractor (with enormous cutting tools on the back) passed me. Very lucky not to go under the tractor... my head finished about a foot away from this huge metal thing on the back.

No harm done, some road rash and a bent gear/brake lever. Although, I ruined my tights and gloves...the only thing I don't have spares of.

Doesn't compare to alex simmons though, obviously. But in the long run, he will save money on bike shoes.

fuzzynavel

Infamous wrote:

Doesn't compare to alex simmons though, obviously. But in the long run, he will save money on bike shoes.

...


Dude....some things should stay in your head :twisted: That is why I had a repost after Alex's story as I asked a question then realised I was being a little to inquisitive!

Alex_Simmons/RST

fuzzynavel wrote:

Infamous wrote:

Doesn't compare to alex simmons though, obviously. But in the long run, he will save money on bike shoes.

...


Dude....some things should stay in your head :twisted: That is why I had a repost after Alex's story as I asked a question then realised I was being a little to inquisitive!

Don't worry, I'm not that sensitive

Shoes tend be sold in pairs anyway

If only I could buy just one shoe or be able to sell my left one - not much of a market I'm afraid for size 45 left foot bike shoes And I have a new pair in the cupboard unused at this stage. Wonder what I'd get on e-bay?

However there are custom bike shoe makers and I suppose it wouldn't cost as much to have one made rather than both.

Ask anything if inquisitive, I'm happy to answer.

Training is going OK. Week before last I knocked out 250+ watts for 20-min during a test on the ergobike and have a MAP* of 355 watts, so not too bad after a few months back on the bike.

* Maximal Aerobic Power

JF

worst moment on a bike was the 3 time i took y brand new road bike. I never traind on bikes before, exept for BMX. Anyways thinking that i am alot better than i really am, i arrive at a intersection wih i want to turn right on. i see a car coming from the left far away. so trying to avoid stopping in the middle of the training i speed up and it that curve. The thing is, in Canada the road are awful, the curve was full of small rocks. So oubviously going too fast i whipped out and giving a good amount of flesh to the road. It was a very painfull ride home.

I had a date with this girl i had just met right after my bike ride so i went to pick her up bloodied up and patched up. It didn't do a good impression since she never called back lol. Anyways i learn my lesson when it comes to unknown curves

Alex_Simmons/RST

JF wrote:

I had a date with this girl i had just met right after my bike ride so i went to pick her up bloodied up and patched up. It didn't do a good impression since she never called back lol. Anyways i learn my lesson when it comes to unknown curves

I suppose you had two sets of unknown curves after that

JF

Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:

I suppose you had two sets of unknown curves after that

I got better at handling both with pratice lol .

fuzzynavel

Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:

fuzzynavel wrote:

Infamous wrote:

Doesn't compare to alex simmons though, obviously. But in the long run, he will save money on bike shoes.

...


Ask anything if inquisitive, I'm happy to answer.

Training is going OK. Week before last I knocked out 250+ watts for 20-min during a test on the ergobike and have a MAP* of 355 watts, so not too bad after a few months back on the bike.

* Maximal Aerobic Power

Ok Alex...here goes...
Which hurts more...the loss of part of your leg...or the fact that you had earned your Green and Gold and had it so cruelly ripped away from you?
I presume with time you will be able to get near the standard of riding that were able to do with 2 legs, right? I suppose that as your fitness and power increases you will have to find a decent prosthesis to allow you to push out your 1000+ watts for the final sprint..

With your accident you are now at around the same level as me.....what sort of training are you doing to try and get back to where you were?
Are you concentrating on the velodrome or mostly just road rides to increase fitness to start with?

Infamous

With your accident you are now at around the same level as me

erm, no offense fuzz, but even missing part of his leg, he would still ride rings around you (and most of us).

Alex_Simmons/RST

fuzzynavel wrote:

Ok Alex...here goes...
Which hurts more...the loss of part of your leg...or the fact that you had earned your Green and Gold and had it so cruelly ripped away from you?

Well I was very disappointed at not being able to don the Aussie team skinsuit at world masters. All in perspective though, I would never have been talented enough to "earn" it at elite level. Not in any way disparaging the quality of racing at this level (it is very very good) but it's not Pro level racing.

But having these things happen simply opens up other opportunities. I will give paracycling a go and see how far I can take it. But those guys/gals are seriously good athletes and in no way is it a case of "all I need to do is rock up". e.g. the Aussie LC2 pursuit qualifying standard for Beijing is better than my PB, for instance. Still, I may be in a position to compete at National level again.

But in the end, losing part a leg ain't much fun and there was a whole lot of real pain associated with the experience that I would never wish on anyone.

fuzzynavel wrote:

I presume with time you will be able to get near the standard of riding that were able to do with 2 legs, right? I suppose that as your fitness and power increases you will have to find a decent prosthesis to allow you to push out your 1000+ watts for the final sprint.

I have no idea what I'll be capable of.

My ultimate training aim will be to produce more power than I attained last season, aerobically at least. I view that as a three year plan.

Anaerobically I would hope to reclaim a similar level.

Neuromuscular power is my guess at being the weaker point longer term but who really knows?. I have already peaked at >1100 watts on the track (previous peaks were typically 1400W, best ~ 1500W).

The prosthetic will be an interesting exercise. The track cycling community in Sydney are holding a benefit night for me to raise funds for the specific intent of helping me to get the best cycling leg. I already have plenty of ideas on it and have been in touch with other lower leg amputee cyclists, including Jody Cundy of Team GB. These are not "off the shelf" items, everything is custom designed.

fuzzynavel wrote:

With your accident you are now at around the same level as me.....what sort of training are you doing to try and get back to where you were?
Are you concentrating on the velodrome or mostly just road rides to increase fitness to start with?

I will be doing a combination of road, track and ergobike sessions. Road and ergo will dominate in terms of volume. Track for fun and motivation.

In training, condition is first and foremost, specificity is something you do much closer to race period. Hence most of my training will be on road and ergo.

So it will be a season spent on developing my basic condition to at least a level by which I can race in the lower grades. I am coming from a very low level and can sustain only light to moderate training loads. So far my longest ride has been ~ 90-min and just did my longest week of ~ 6 hours. Still, those longer 90-min rides are quality, done at ~80-85% of threshold power. Other rides are tempo efforts ~90% of threshold power and the ubiquitous 2x20-min efforts at/just under threshold power.

In terms of the specifics, I'll leave that up to coach (yep I have one of those) but it will involve mostly solid endurance, tempo and threshold development workouts for now and a sustainable increase in the workload my body and my stump is capable of. I'll throw some crit racing into the mix before too long for enjoyment and good training.

Alex_Simmons/RST

Infamous wrote:

With your accident you are now at around the same level as me

erm, no offense fuzz, but even missing part of his leg, he would still ride rings around you (and most of us).

I'm not so sure. Power is moderately OK but I lack stamina and I'm also carrying a lot more unproductive mass than before, which slows me down, especially on any sort of positive gradient.

Still, a focus on training to improve aerobic power generally sorts those two things out naturally.

One of the challenges is the stump-socket interface. When it's snug and dry, all is good. but it can rapidly go awry and require a stop to remove, dry and replace.

fuzzynavel

Infamous wrote:

With your accident you are now at around the same level as me

erm, no offense fuzz, but even missing part of his leg, he would still ride rings around you (and most of us).

You are probably right...Even with half the power there is a fair chance that an experienced cyclist will beat a novice into submission. The thing Alex has going for him is that he had a high level of fitness which should be easier to regain rather than me gaining the fitness for the first time.

I was trying to compare in terms of the wattages that he is putting out currently which show his fitness which compare to what I have recorded. His peak watts are way above mine though (nearly double)....even with a prosthesis!

fuzzynavel

Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:

Infamous wrote:

With your accident you are now at around the same level as me

erm, no offense fuzz, but even missing part of his leg, he would still ride rings around you (and most of us).

I'm not so sure. Power is moderately OK but I lack stamina and I'm also carrying a lot more unproductive mass than before, which slows me down, especially on any sort of positive gradient.

Still, a focus on training to improve aerobic power generally sorts those two things out naturally.

One of the challenges is the stump-socket interface. When it's snug and dry, all is good. but it can rapidly go awry and require a stop to remove, dry and replace.

I've seen your entry on the 2008 FTP on cycling forums and you are lighter than me by about 5 kg and the gap is only going to grow as I have a couple of fractured ribs due to my bike accident a couple of weeks back and can't really train at the moment.
Once you focus on your aerobic training the weight should take care of itself unless you are gorging through 15000 calories a day...