Lost confidence after crash - options??

Dalton

I had a nasty fall on my way to work a couple of weeks back and broke my right hand.

This crash has knocked my confidence and while I have been at home recovering, I have been weighing up my options for my return to work.

Shoud I...??

1: Stick with my Langster but increase tyre width from existing 700x23c to maximum of 700x25c. (Currently running Gatorskins)

2: Sell Langster and purchase Cyclocross bike which allows me to have even wider tyres.

3: Go for a hybrid style bike, which will be more stable on cycle lanes when needed.

I should explain, the cause of my accident was the front wheel slipping out from underneath me, whilst riding over a wet curb on a cycle path.

I can't afford to have anymore time of work, as it will be unpaid - used my paid sick up with this accident!

Has anyone else been in my position who can offer any advise?

I am seriously worried about commuting over the winter months (7 miles each way), as I have to leave very early in the morning (5:45am) and will have to ride home at after 10pm one night per week.

davis

You can rebuild your confidence. It takes time. One thing that I found helped was riding over the (repaired) pothole that caused my off. Get back on the bike, and get riding. Your head will play tricks on you, but you can do it.

Riding in winter would be a completely different kettle of fish. I've now got some Marathon Winters which will be going on as soon as it gets frosty (if On-One ever manage to build my bike!). For that, I'd say a wide-tyred cyclocross will fit the bill.

I wouldn't ever recommend a hybrid as "it's more stable"- cyclocross is fairly demanding and they manage with drops!

[Edit]: Oh, and you can't sell a bike. Them's the rules.

FoldingJoe

Dalton,

I had an off towards the back end of June. Fractured arm and ribs. Both are not fully healed yet but I started riding again, firstly at home on my road bike, then back at work on the Airnimal.

The way I got over it was by telling myself it wasn't something I did which caused the accident. I am slightly more cautious now, but luckily it hasn't affected me too much, and I think that mindset has helped.

Anybody can go down on wet roads; we've all done it or come close, im sure.

I did pick up a Kona Honky Tonk yesterday to ride during the winter hoping that the bigger wheels will give me more stability.

Keep at it and im confident after a few 'issue free' rides you'll be fine and wondering what all the fuss was about.

Cheers,
FJ

FoldingJoe

+1 for the Cyclocross option BTW.

Cleat Eastwood

Stop mulling over it. You could drive yourself mad trying figure out what went wrong and what to do next.

The accident wasnt caused by your bad bike handling skills it was caused by our rubbish weather, so what bike is best suited to it.

Since the weather can changeable over the next few months I'd go for option 3. remember theres going to be leaves and wet roads/pavements from october right through to march. I'd play it safe, and 6 good months of bike use in rubbish weather and still have a steed that will be best for spring as well.

Oh and here's to a speedy recovery too.

Wrath Rob

When I got off'd a couple of months ago it really shook me. I was back up and riding the next day but it took a good month to get my usual speed and confidence back. I'm still more circumspect when passing the junction where it happened, but I don't think that's a bad thing.

It takes a little time, but the only way to do it is get back out there and ride.

rick_chasey

Get back on the bike, and if necessary, take it a little gingerly when turning.

Dalton

Thanks, for replies so far!

Will have to get back on bike, have no car at the moment, so no option there really.

My concern is whether to try and continue with my current set-up. I don't feel at all confident riding with 700x23c tyres over the coming winter months.

So would a Cyclocross (currently looking at Tricross) be a lot better to ride (ie. safer)? Or would the safest bet be a Hybrid or even a Mountain bike.

I spent the summer months tracking miles covered and average speed etc, but to be honest am now more worried about my safety and getting to work without incident.

Wrath Rob

OK, ask yourself this. Have you ridden over that patch of road/pavement before? If so, why was it different this time? Had it rained for the first time in a while? Was there some muck on the surface? Answer "yes" to these and the real solution is to improve your riding a little, i.e. take into account the conditions, slow down or change your route slightly.

On the other hand, if it was the first time you'd ridden over that patch, then think about whether that was a good choice. For example if you'd ridden over a wet manhole cover and come off, you probably wouldn't be thinking about changing tyres or bikes, you'd be thinking about avoiding manhole covers in the wet. Does this apply to the wet piece of paving? I've come off on some wet paving before. In front of a large queue of people waiting for the bus. Not good for the ego but it taught me not to make extreme swerves in the wet.

In short, unless there was something really wrong with your tyres or bike, the problem was most likely you being caught out by the conditions. Rather than spending money on new kit (which probably won't make a massive difference if the cause was the conditions), learn from the accident, slow down and be a little more circumspect. As you say yourself, its first about getting to work/home safely, everything else comes second.

BTW, I've been riding on 23mm tyres for 4 years and only had the one problem with grip (above) which was totally operator error. The only time I've wanted something different was in the snow and ice, where a MTB with studded tyres would make a suitable replacement.

jds_1981

Did you unweight/lift your wheel as you went over the kerb - (up/down?)?
It's possible to be caught out even on mtb tyres if you don't handle the bike correctly.

I'm yet to push my 23 tyres hard enough to have them go from under me, even when cycling in snow. Still managed to come off my bike three times in the last year though

medoramas

About 2 months ago I had nearly identical fall off - front wheel slipped on 2mm high curb, the bike went left, I went right, it hurt as hell (and nobody even asked if I needed any help, there was few people around). Since then every time I ride in the rain I unclip both feet before sharp bends, curbs, manholes, etc - my shoes allow me to stand on the pedals comfortably without slipping off. That helps me.
Everyday I go through the section I had the accident - still slower and unclipped, but with more confidence every time.
Time will heal your fear.

edit: I found some picture of me after that crash...

Dalton

Thanks for further replies!

I have ridden on this cycle path many times. On the morning of the accident, I was crossing a road and a cyclist was on the cycle path coming in the opposite direction, so I slowed right down to let him pass. As I mounted the (flat) curb to rejoin the cycle path, I did so with the front wheel at a slight angle and that was it, bike went left - I went down to the right - hand first!

Is the view - that a 'winter' bike set-up - ie CX bike, with much wider tyres (with treads) - of no benefit in this situation, or riding in the wet in general?

davis

I think wider tyres will be slightly more forgiving of that "starting to slide" moment. I doubt tread will make a huge difference either way though.

In all honesty, I think you're doubting yourself more than the bike, and you'll continue to do so no matter what bike you get. You need to ride, and get your confidence back.

Having said that, I still haven't ridden my "crash bike".

snailracer

The OP's crash sounds like it was caused by the front wheel being deflected by an irregularity in the road. A mountain bike would have dealt with it better due to a combination of wider, softer tyres, wider bars, less rider weight over the front wheel and suspension fork which allows the front wheel to "climb" the bump quickly before it ends up being deflected sideways. Just changing the tyres on a road-oriented bike will have limited effect.

solidricecake

After my big 'off' I couldn't stop getting scared when riding on my crash bike. I struggled on for months and then I got a new one and felt better straight away. Not very rational, but I think I blamed the bike!

optimisticbiker

I'm sorry, I realise eveyone is different but I thnk you're over analysing the situation. I've had a few offs, done various bits of damage including breaking a collar-bone but was back on the bike as soon as I could be. My view was either "it was nothing I did wrong" or "it was something I did and to learn from the experience" - which means avoiding manhole covers and low curbs and looking ahead further and assessing road conditions (incidentally riding with a club has helped that a lot too). I consider myself 'risk aware' rather than 'risk averse' and I refuse to let it beat me, otherwise I am no better than others at work who "would never ride a bike, its too dangerous".

wombar

Agree with what others have said I think we've all come off at one point or another, and it's really a case of figuring out why it went wrong and learning from it.

I won't bore you with the details of one of my offs, but lets just say any time I'm transitioning between road/pavement (to get onto cycle paths etc) I make sure my wheel is at an angle that might take poor workmanship of the roads into account. The day you assume, is the day you ninja roll over the front of your handlebars

I've just built myself a Cotic X to run through the winter, mostly because I wanted a project rather than any real need. It's a lovely ride running 37mm CX tyres, but I don't think it would have helped me avoid any of my offs.

If you're going to be cycling when there could be black ice etc, I'd maybe look at running some studded tyres. Realistically, winter riding is mostly about anticipation, slowing down a bit and the odd brown trouser moment

optimisticbiker

wombar wrote:

... The day you assume, is the day you ninja roll over the front of your handlebars

Ah, there was the problem... the OP didn't ninja roll... he put his hand out!

Actually, the worst damage I've done to myself recently was running over the road to get a sarnie one lunch time and tripping over a kerb and bashing my elbow, still hurts a few weeks after... I should be afraid of walking across the road, very afraid... lol... in fact I think I'll go back to bed...its safer there

MichaelW

I know how nervous you can get after a wipe out. I've been in wipeouts with cars and on my own. I usually ride very gingerly for a couple of weeks then things settle down and I learn a lot from the incident.

In your crash, wider tyres may not have helped; crossing a bump at a slight angle will push a tyre out sideways. I note that this was done out of politeness to other road users. After lots of experience, I've come to the conclusion that the best form of politeness is not to crash, with anyone or anything. Hanging around to smile, say thankyou, wave , or any other nonsense takes your eyes off the road. As pilots like to say "fly the plane".

Should you switch to wider tyres? I think they are safer for commuters, esp in the dark, mainly because they absorb impact much better. At night you can hit potholes or whatever with no warning. They do suffer from the same sideways wipeout as your narrow tyres and I'm not aware of any test to see if they are better in this situation. For roadie style commuting, 28mm seems to be optimum, 32mm for use on rougher tracks.

You should also consider your crash technique. There is not a lot you can do once the crash starts but if you keep your hands on the bars, hunch your shoulders and keep your elbows and chin in, you can often take the impact on your upper arm, then roll onto your back and spread the bruising around.

davis

MichaelW wrote:

You should also consider your crash technique. There is not a lot you can do once the crash starts but if you keep your hands on the bars, hunch your shoulders and keep your elbows and chin in, you can often take the impact on your upper arm, then roll onto your back and spread the bruising around.

Dude, Worst. Advice. Ever.

Dalton

OptimisticBiker wrote:

wombar wrote:

... The day you assume, is the day you ninja roll over the front of your handlebars

Ah, there was the problem... the OP didn't ninja roll... he put his hand out!

Actually, the worst damage I've done to myself recently was running over the road to get a sarnie one lunch time and tripping over a kerb and bashing my elbow, still hurts a few weeks after... I should be afraid of walking across the road, very afraid... lol... in fact I think I'll go back to bed...its safer there

Oi - less of the sarcasm thanks!

Otherwise, thanks for your opinions, good to hear from someone who rides as much as you do. I note that you ride a hybrid style bike with wider tyres? How come you chose this over drops and skinny tyres?

Do yoiu ride this set-up all year round?

Dalton

davis wrote:

MichaelW wrote:

You should also consider your crash technique. There is not a lot you can do once the crash starts but if you keep your hands on the bars, hunch your shoulders and keep your elbows and chin in, you can often take the impact on your upper arm, then roll onto your back and spread the bruising around.

Dude, Worst. Advice. Ever.

Yes, I completely agree, sorry!!

Quite apart from the fact that it is a little difficult to stop your natural instinct to protect yourself - ie. putting your hand out to stop fall.

mudcow007

i know from past experience of coming off you need to get back on the bike asap. If you don't you will dwell on the reasons you came off an it will become even harder to get back on a bike

mountain bikes have way more control over a road bike an even a cx bike as they have much more wider handlebars. if you are a bit nervous about getting back out why dont you try an borrow a mountain bike off someone to build your nerve back up

vorsprung

Once you are healed and ready to ride again, just go out and ride.

Avoid situations like the slippy kerb. On a commute this is possible, just take a different route.
I have section of my commute where I could save a bit of time or at least keep on rolling by switching from the road to an adjacent cycle path. What puts me off is the number of sideroads and ramps and other "obstacle course" stuff. I am an experienced rider and can do all that stuff but it adds to the risk and stress. So I stay on the road, waiting for the traffic lights.

23mm Gatorskins aren't the grippiest tyres but TBH hit a kerb at a funny angle and whatever tyres you are running it isn't going to make much difference.

If you want to get a winter-ized bike then do, it's always good to have another bike

MichaelW's "advice" is best ignored. Sorry Michael.

medoramas

I've just had that thought: when we were kids we used to come off our bikes almost daily. No stress involved. Now, as old gits one crash and it stays with us for long...

roger_merriman

hitting even a shallow kerb at a angle was the issue, sounds like your over thinking it now.

clearly big tyres you can be less careful about that. I'm not sure that CX tyres are big enough to make much difference. the various hybrids with 28-38mm tyres have been about the same over that sort of stuff.

il_principe

Sorry to hear this, hope you heal up quickly.

I agree with vorsprung. Get back on the bike. I was off for months after my crash and surgery and was itching to get back on - and that's after getting hit by a car. Best thing you can do is get back on ASAP. The more you procrastinate the harder it will be to ride again.

Don't change the bike.

Can I ask why you're using cycle paths? DO you have to, or is it easier/faster/nicer? If not, maybe look at using the road - less obstacles like kerbs etc to negotiate.

hmbadger

I'd say most important thing is to stop worrying about distances, times, etc, and just get yourself to work - as slowly as you like.

I know a lot of the SCR and strava.com stuff is banter, but it really honestly isn;t a race.

tiny_pens

Not sure what to recommend. I'd probably stick with the langster though. I have a cyclocross bike with 32mm tyres and the wheels still slide plenty on the cycle paths on my commute. In my case I am able to identify the risky bits and just slow down a bit / change my line.

I know what you mean though about the confidence. I got a buttock clenching rear wheel drift on the way home in the rain the other day. Was tip toeing through the next couple of times until I worked out where the slippy spots were.

Can you take an alternative route (quieter but longer) until your confidence comes back?

Good luck.

jonnyboy77

For what its worth, I was riding my mountain bike with Schwalbe Big Apple 26x2.4 tyres ... wet/slippy corner @ ~15mph and lost front and rear grip, my shoulder hit the ground first (on my right side, right handed corner) I was out for 3 months with a broken collar bone (4 breaks).

I couldn't have ridden with more rubber, but when tyres lose their grip gravity and momentum take over. I think I was unlucky with my injury, I don't think I could have done anything different.

I was keen to get back on the bike ASAP, and I did as soon as I was fit enough I rode the same route and while I have never ridden as quickly round that same corner since (regardless of conditions!) I am over it, confidence was restored inside of a few weeks.

You have to be confident in your bike, whether it's your current bike, current bike with new tyres or an entirely new bike. Get back on two wheels though, take it as steady as you can and rebuild that confidence over a period of time.

- Jon

fossyant

Don't change anything, just get back on the bike. I was back on my bike the next day after my car v bike incident, then within two weeks after the resulting shoulder decompression - it's even in my medical records that I was itching to get back on the bike - quote "I presume it's a static mounted bike" - yeh rode the turbo once, then sneeked off on the road bike - was told to ride the MTB because of road shock - did that once and thought bugger it - road bike.

It will knock your confidence, but get back on - accidents do happen.