First Fall. Ouch!
Aaku
Posts: 20
It all happened so quickly. Cycled round a bend on a quiet country lane and saw a runner coming the opposite way up the hill. I think i moved further to the left, i was already on the left side, and went into a soggy patch full of leaves and other muck. I ended up losing control and fell over sideways at some speed downhill. It really knocked the wind out of me.
Fingers and palms are cut quite badly and have quite a few large grazes to my right side. Elbow and shoulder are aching too. Rode on for a mile but was a bit unsteady and ended up walking the 6 miles home.
The bike, surprisingly, seems fine. The tops of both gear levers are scratched quite badly but the frame doesn't seem to have any damage which i find strange. Could i have damaged something that i'm not able to see, like the derailleur? The wheels seem fine too. A bit gutted, but i guess i'm lucky that the injuries aren't very serious.
Can't believe i've had my first crash on my first road bike less than a month of getting it :? . How do you guys cope/pick yourselves back up again after a crash?
Fingers and palms are cut quite badly and have quite a few large grazes to my right side. Elbow and shoulder are aching too. Rode on for a mile but was a bit unsteady and ended up walking the 6 miles home.
The bike, surprisingly, seems fine. The tops of both gear levers are scratched quite badly but the frame doesn't seem to have any damage which i find strange. Could i have damaged something that i'm not able to see, like the derailleur? The wheels seem fine too. A bit gutted, but i guess i'm lucky that the injuries aren't very serious.
Can't believe i've had my first crash on my first road bike less than a month of getting it :? . How do you guys cope/pick yourselves back up again after a crash?
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Well the first time I sat at the side of the road to calm down while the driver of the lorry I'd fallen into the path of freaked out that he'd killed me.
The second time I repaired the front puncture and rode a further 70 miles then went to A&E for the diagnosis of 3 broken ribs and broken scapula.
The third time I rode a further 15 miles then spent the night in A&E before eventually having my shoulder repaired with a prosthetic sling.
Last time I spent 6 weeks unable to walk and I'm still recoveri g from the broken elbow.
3/4 of them were my fault. I got back on the bike as soon as I could, on the last occasion before I could walk.0 -
Gethinceri wrote:Well the first time I sat at the side of the road to calm down while the driver of the lorry I'd fallen into the path of freaked out that he'd killed me.
The second time I repaired the front puncture and rode a further 70 miles then went to A&E for the diagnosis of 3 broken ribs and broken scapula.
The third time I rode a further 15 miles then spent the night in A&E before eventually having my shoulder repaired with a prosthetic sling.
Last time I spent 6 weeks unable to walk and I'm still recoveri g from the broken elbow.
3/4 of them were my fault. I got back on the bike as soon as I could, on the last occasion before I could walk.
I'm feeling even luckier now that i got off so lightly. Having any of those accidents a month in would probably put me off cycling altogether. Those are some terrible injuries. Hope the elbow mends soon.0 -
Hard lesson to learn !
Did you really walk two hours home ?
Bikes are very sturdy rally. You probably took the brunt of the fall. Check that the bars aren't bent and the rear mech isnt pushed in . Heal well0 -
Glad to hear the bike is ok.
Red wine will solve your other ills.Postby team47b » Sun Jun 28, 2015 11:53 am
De Sisti wrote:
This is one of the silliest threads I've come across.
Recognition at last Matthew, well done!, a justified honoursmithy21 wrote:
He's right you know.0 -
Aaku wrote:How do you guys cope/pick yourselves back up again after a crash?
I broke my collarbone about 7 weeks ago. Hit the ground hard. I was very surprised how little damage the bike sustained, Only a scuff on a shifter! I had about 1 week doing nothing, then a week later I was sitting on the turbo then after just under 3 weeks I was back out on the bike. Your body has a remarkable ability to heal. Just chalk it down to experience and move on.0 -
Crashes i have had a few. Hours is not so bad. You'll heal but dont let it put you of riding. Ride as soon as you can.
Lots of off road crashes. The last one i hit a ridge wrong and got throw off cracked my head on the floor and was stunned for a short while and I just got up and carry on riding.
I got run over by a deer riding off road at around 20mph. The dear was faster and that hurt. Got up and rode home.
On the road bike i have hit a badger once at speed (25mph) coming out of bend and i tumbled throught the air landed in a heap all winded and bruised and grazed and rode home.
I have slid on diesel riding to a club mates funeral. I got bad road rash. That smarted. Got to the service and then roade home.
I had many slides on ice after each one i get up and carry on riding.
I got t boned this year at a junction. I finished the training ride.
I got brought down i a race this year at hivh speed and smashed mh collar bone and thumb. After 3.5 weks i felt i was heed well enough for 100 mile ride and i was. A couple of weeks later i did a 12hr tt.
Last year i slammed into the back of a 4x4 on the now broken tt bike and my glasses nearly sliced my nose of. Less than two weeks later i rode over 160 miles in winter just to find out if the circulation to my newly restored nose was good. It was.
Crashes happen often there is little you can do about them except not be there or happen to riding slower. Just pick your self up and carry on riding. Humans bounce pretty well. I may also fall well.
The only bike i have damaged in a crash is my tt bike. Head tube was shattered oddly though the carbon front wheel was not damaged.
I would prefer not to crash again but i am not scared of crashing either.
The fitter you are the quicker you heal i think thats right.http://www.thecycleclinic.co.uk -wheel building and other stuff.0 -
Remind me not to cycle close to your good self cycleclinic, doesn't look safe!!!0
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cougie wrote:Hard lesson to learn !
Did you really walk two hours home ?
Bikes are very sturdy rally. You probably took the brunt of the fall. Check that the bars aren't bent and the rear mech isnt pushed in . Heal well
Couldn't get a lift and was being too cheap to call a taxi so decided to walk, took me just under 2 hours to walk home.
Bars seem fine and the mech appears to be ok too, so i think you're right, i probably took the brunt of it. Thanks cougie.Matthewfalle wrote:Glad to hear the bike is ok.
Red wine will solve your other ills. Thanks Matthewfalle, glad the bikes relatively fine.Trivial poursuivant wrote:Aaku wrote:How do you guys cope/pick yourselves back up again after a crash?
I broke my collarbone about 7 weeks ago. Hit the ground hard. I was very surprised how little damage the bike sustained, Only a scuff on a shifter! I had about 1 week doing nothing, then a week later I was sitting on the turbo then after just under 3 weeks I was back out on the bike. Your body has a remarkable ability to heal. Just chalk it down to experience and move on.
Ouch, good to hear you're ok now, i'm surprised at how many of you have had falls, as a non cyclist a month ago i thought it was quite uncommon, probably because i hadn't seen anybody fall before. Thanks.thecycleclinic wrote:Crashes i have had a few. Hours is not so bad. You'll heal but dont let it put you of riding. Ride as soon as you can.
Lots of off road crashes. The last one i hit a ridge wrong and got throw off cracked my head on the floor and was stunned for a short while and I just got up and carry on riding.
I got run over by a deer riding off road at around 20mph. The dear was faster and that hurt. Got up and rode home.
On the road bike i have hit a badger once at speed (25mph) coming out of bend and i tumbled throught the air landed in a heap all winded and bruised and grazed and rode home.
I have slid on diesel riding to a club mates funeral. I got bad road rash. That smarted. Got to the service and then roade home.
I had many slides on ice after each one i get up and carry on riding.
I got t boned this year at a junction. I finished the training ride.
I got brought down i a race this year at hivh speed and smashed mh collar bone and thumb. After 3.5 weks i felt i was heed well enough for 100 mile ride and i was. A couple of weeks later i did a 12hr tt.
Last year i slammed into the back of a 4x4 on the now broken tt bike and my glasses nearly sliced my nose of. Less than two weeks later i rode over 160 miles in winter just to find out if the circulation to my newly restored nose was good. It was.
Crashes happen often there is little you can do about them except not be there or happen to riding slower. Just pick your self up and carry on riding. Humans bounce pretty well. I may also fall well.
The only bike i have damaged in a crash is my tt bike. Head tube was shattered oddly though the carbon front wheel was not damaged.
I would prefer not to crash again but i am not scared of crashing either.
The fitter you are the quicker you heal i think thats right.
Wow, that's a lot of crashes/falls. Happy to hear you're ok after all of that. Thanks for the advice, i hope to be on the bike again soon. 0 -
Aaku wrote:cougie wrote:Hard lesson to learn !
Did you really walk two hours home ?
Bikes are very sturdy rally. You probably took the brunt of the fall. Check that the bars aren't bent and the rear mech isnt pushed in . Heal well
Couldn't get a lift and was being too cheap to call a taxi so decided to walk, took me just under 2 hours to walk home.
Bars seem fine and the mech appears to be ok too, so i think you're right, i probably took the brunt of it. Thanks cougie.Matthewfalle wrote:Glad to hear the bike is ok.
Red wine will solve your other ills. Thanks Matthewfalle, glad the bikes relatively fine.Trivial poursuivant wrote:Aaku wrote:How do you guys cope/pick yourselves back up again after a crash?
I broke my collarbone about 7 weeks ago. Hit the ground hard. I was very surprised how little damage the bike sustained, Only a scuff on a shifter! I had about 1 week doing nothing, then a week later I was sitting on the turbo then after just under 3 weeks I was back out on the bike. Your body has a remarkable ability to heal. Just chalk it down to experience and move on.
Ouch, good to hear you're ok now, i'm surprised at how many of you have had falls, as a non cyclist a month ago i thought it was quite uncommon, probably because i hadn't seen anybody fall before. Thanks.thecycleclinic wrote:Crashes i have had a few. Hours is not so bad. You'll heal but dont let it put you of riding. Ride as soon as you can.
Lots of off road crashes. The last one i hit a ridge wrong and got throw off cracked my head on the floor and was stunned for a short while and I just got up and carry on riding.
I got run over by a deer riding off road at around 20mph. The dear was faster and that hurt. Got up and rode home.
On the road bike i have hit a badger once at speed (25mph) coming out of bend and i tumbled throught the air landed in a heap all winded and bruised and grazed and rode home.
I have slid on diesel riding to a club mates funeral. I got bad road rash. That smarted. Got to the service and then roade home.
I had many slides on ice after each one i get up and carry on riding.
I got t boned this year at a junction. I finished the training ride.
I got brought down i a race this year at hivh speed and smashed mh collar bone and thumb. After 3.5 weks i felt i was heed well enough for 100 mile ride and i was. A couple of weeks later i did a 12hr tt.
Last year i slammed into the back of a 4x4 on the now broken tt bike and my glasses nearly sliced my nose of. Less than two weeks later i rode over 160 miles in winter just to find out if the circulation to my newly restored nose was good. It was.
Crashes happen often there is little you can do about them except not be there or happen to riding slower. Just pick your self up and carry on riding. Humans bounce pretty well. I may also fall well.
The only bike i have damaged in a crash is my tt bike. Head tube was shattered oddly though the carbon front wheel was not damaged.
I would prefer not to crash again but i am not scared of crashing either.
The fitter you are the quicker you heal i think thats right.
Wow, that's a lot of crashes/falls. Happy to hear you're ok after all of that. Thanks for the advice, i hope to be on the bike again soon.
I'd be surprised if anyone who reads this has never had an off be it a failure to unclip - which is funny to watch others do, to slipping on ice or getting knocked off by a car and anything in between. It happens and you just have to accept it. Obviously you don't want to but it's not uncommon. In my case I've had slips on leaves going downhill, clipping wheels on a group ride, pedestrians stepping out into the road or just a puncture sending my flying. Only twice have I been hurt, mostly it's a bit of skin and dented pride. It's the damage to clothes and components that p!ss me off more.0 -
Trivial poursuivant wrote:
I'd be surprised if anyone who reads this has never had an off be it a failure to unclip - which is funny to watch others do, to slipping on ice or getting knocked off by a car and anything in between. It happens and you just have to accept it. Obviously you don't want to but it's not uncommon. In my case I've had slips on leaves going downhill, clipping wheels on a group ride, pedestrians stepping out into the road or just a puncture sending my flying. Only twice have I been hurt, mostly it's a bit of skin and dented pride. It's the damage to clothes and components that p!ss me off more.
Sh**, just noticed that my gilet has rips caused by the fall. less than 4 weeks old
. I can see why you get annoyed at damaged components/clothes. 0 -
Just stitch it together.Postby team47b » Sun Jun 28, 2015 11:53 am
De Sisti wrote:
This is one of the silliest threads I've come across.
Recognition at last Matthew, well done!, a justified honoursmithy21 wrote:
He's right you know.0 -
Nothing major like the others.
First was within 2 or 3 months of riding. I tried to hop a curb instead of take the sharp turn. Only going about a walking pace but down on my head and shoulder on left side with a little cut.
Second was within 6 months of riding. I was crossing a wet wooden bridge at maybe just 12 to 15mph. Stupid move I thought I could turn at the end before the pavement forgetting the wet wood. Out from under. Pedal tore up my left ankle, knee, and in trying to catch myself instead of roll probably messed up my left wrist.
I say probably because I still have problems with it sometimes, not been the same since.
On that second crash I was 8 miles into a metric century, I kept going to finish.0 -
burnthesheep wrote:Nothing major like the others.
First was within 2 or 3 months of riding. I tried to hop a curb instead of take the sharp turn. Only going about a walking pace but down on my head and shoulder on left side with a little cut.
Second was within 6 months of riding. I was crossing a wet wooden bridge at maybe just 12 to 15mph. Stupid move I thought I could turn at the end before the pavement forgetting the wet wood. Out from under. Pedal tore up my left ankle, knee, and in trying to catch myself instead of roll probably messed up my left wrist.
I say probably because I still have problems with it sometimes, not been the same since.
On that second crash I was 8 miles into a metric century, I kept going to finish.
Ouch, good work carrying on, isn't it a bit weird to be 8 imperial units into a ride being measured in metric though?0 -
Most of my falls have been slides onto the side, when the tyre has lost traction and my hip takes the impact.
Usually the rear hanger gets bent and the rear derailleur is really out of index. Occasionally the handlebars are no longer straight.
Theres nothing more annoying than buying a new pair of bib shorts and burning a hole straight through them. I still have a slight road rash scar on my hip from June.
Road rash is the most painful thing known to man."The Prince of Wales is now the King of France" - Calton Kirby0 -
Managed a fairly impressive off in the Eroica yesterday. Bit of rain, lot of speed, left hander, old bike, slide, splat. Hurt my foot, big bruise on my hip, separated rib, wrenched my shoulder. Got my breath back and waited for my hands to stop stinging (boy that hurt, even though there's almost no visible damage), replaced a tub for some muppet whose first enquiry wasn't "are you OK?" but "can I borrow your pump?" and who was trying to put a brand-new clean tub onto a rim with nothing but a bit of ancient dried-up glue on it (good thing I carry tape, eh?), finished the ride. Codeine and diazepam took the edge off last night. Bloody hurts now, though, but I'll still be cycling to work tomorrow (spent today driving across Italy to find a plane home - odd buggers, the Italians - can't fix a tyre, haven't the sense god gave a newt when it comes to road discipline in a group, but can go on strike at a moment's notice for no good reason).
Pro tip: toeclips, straps and cleats mean the bike stays attached when you fall over. This gives additional opportunities for damage to your soft tissue, and makes you look like a git when your club mate has to extract you from your bike.0 -
The most important thing is to think on behalf of others motorists! We are more and more cyclists on the road, so we hear more about accidents. 'Eyes around my head' saved me from many crashes.0
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Ive had loads.
Broken ankle, dislocated shoulder, cracked ribs, gravel rash, separated acl in shoulder... Cuts bruises and more cuts...
Last year in spain descending a mountain i binned it at over 30mph... Skin off and smashed ribs...
Went to bike park wales on the MTB on the 22nd of sept, had a big one on a jump, landed on my head somehow... Gravel rash all,down my left side, badly cut knee, smashed ribs, whiplash and not sure if i broke my thumb as it still bloody hurts.
Then sunday night i hit something in the road, in the dark on the road bike. Both hands came off the bars and i got into a right tank slapper, my left foot unclipped and while flailing around got wedged in the rear wheel causing me to skid accross the road, now, im not sure if I had my hands back on the bars but my foot was stuck, hit the verge and went down on the side that i trashed the other week.
My damn ribs are killing, landed on my knee and knocked the scabs off but luckily landed on the grass and just had mud/grass stains and a wet arse...
I have rode every day since... Its just like riding a bike, you fall off, you get back on and carry on...
Rule #5My winter bike is exactly the same as my summer bike,,, but dirty...0 -
The thumb thing could easily be a sprain - ligament damage. It happens a lot more often than a break. I partially tore my thumb ligament 6-7 years ago, never got it treated, and it STILL hurts sometimes.
My last crash was the front wheel washing out on a wet, leaf-covered manhole cover, sending me down on my hip. Left glove destroyed, deep road rash to the elbow (left a scar), and I felt winded. Until I tried to stand, and discovered that I'd broken my leg. Ten days in hospital and ten months off the bike, a long scar and a longer titanium rod in the leg. Oh well. I can still ride 100 miles plus, but climbing stairs now hurts a bit.
Lesson learned? Always wear gloves. My left palm would have been completely shredded if it hadn't been for the mitts. (Although the amount of morphine I was in that week, I might not have noticed if it had been)They use their cars as shopping baskets; they use their cars as overcoats.0 -
Eek, this thread shouldn’t be read by anyone thinking of taking up cycling.
I’ve been cycling in earnest for nearly 3 years now, I’m a nervous / cautious cyclist so try not to take risks on descents for example.
Excepting 2 clipped in 0 mph crashes, I’ve had 3 minor offs. 1 on my road bike at about 10mph, I was out the saddle up a hill and looked back to see where companion was - I’m guessing all weight on right side just as I hit some loose gravel and over I went. And the other 2 on a hardtail during last years lakeland monster miles but both had soft landings and no damage done.0 -
To be fair it is a thread about crashes. There's not a huge amount of replies so most people don't crash a lot.
I've never had a clip less fall and I've been using them for 30+ years. I did have one or two with straps though. They're worse.0 -
The Cyclist of Catan wrote:The thumb thing could easily be a sprain - ligament damage. It happens a lot more often than a break. I partially tore my thumb ligament 6-7 years ago, never got it treated, and it STILL hurts sometimes.
My last crash was the front wheel washing out on a wet, leaf-covered manhole cover, sending me down on my hip. Left glove destroyed, deep road rash to the elbow (left a scar), and I felt winded. Until I tried to stand, and discovered that I'd broken my leg. Ten days in hospital and ten months off the bike, a long scar and a longer titanium rod in the leg. Oh well. I can still ride 100 miles plus, but climbing stairs now hurts a bit.
Lesson learned? Always wear gloves. My left palm would have been completely shredded if it hadn't been for the mitts. (Although the amount of morphine I was in that week, I might not have noticed if it had been)
It probably is just a sprain, it still hurts like buggery tho.
Last year when i crashed at speed in spain i wasnt wearing gloves and took a little skin off the palms but not too bad.
I was lucky at bike park wales the other week when i was as the gravel tore me to shreds, the backs of my hands were pretty cut and also both thumbs, but if i didnt have gloves on it'd been much worse.
I dont always wear gloves on the road bike, infact when its warm i rarely do, but always do on the mtb.My winter bike is exactly the same as my summer bike,,, but dirty...0 -
Wow, some of you lot have an impressive record of crashes and injuries. I'm clearly not trying hard enough.
Round here all I've managed is a couple of clipped in comedy falls, one of which took a chunk out of my knee. It happened at the end of the drive, 5 seconds after setting off. I was so embarrassed I just jumped back on the bike and did the ride I'd planned, bleeding copiously as I went.
Oh, and I did once go @rse over tit on a hired MTB somewhere on Mt Teide which produced a deep gash, an even more impressive amount of blood and removed quite a lot of skin from one elbow. Abrasive stuff that volcanic rock...
Cool scar though 0 -
Go hard or go home.
Thinking about it i had a clip out fail in Spain in August.. Saturday afternoon, busiesest roundabout ever and i was going to undertake a truck but thought better of it... But just went over like a twat.
I immediately got up, waved, took a bow, then got back on the bike and promptly buggered off..
A coule of people in cars did stop to see if i was ok... At least i think that was what they asked haha. Only damage was a slight graze to knee and elbow and dented pride...My winter bike is exactly the same as my summer bike,,, but dirty...0 -
Angry Bird wrote:Ouch, good work carrying on, isn't it a bit weird to be 8 imperial units into a ride being measured in metric though?
Good catch.
Looking back on my first year riding, I can pinpoint two or three specific times that made me tougher and made it so that I kept going and getting better. Getting up and going from that little crash was one of them.
The other was going up a Cat 2 climb after only riding for 3 months. I had to stop twice on the way up. Another rider passed me and even asked if I was okay or not. :shock: I barely made it up on a triple chainring with an 11-28 or whatever that old 1990 Trek had. Literally was in the bottom 100 people on that effort out of maybe 1400 people. Now, a year later, I'm in the top 300 or so people.
I want to crack into the top 100 before I stop having to go out that way for work once every few months.
Keeping motivation from a crash, or a massive bonk, can transform your riding for years to come.0 -
From falling several times (nothing too bad), I always make sure to have cycling gloves because the hands go down first and if I know its going to be a tight group ride or one with steep descents I try to wear padded cycling shorts where the thighs have additional padding. If you google pictures of cycling accidents, you will usually find road rash in the same places. Side of the upper legs, elbows, knee and side of calf. Grazing the asphalt at 20+ mph will almost always result in the same painful type of road rash that can be lessened with the right protection. Just don't overdo it otherwise other cyclist will look at you funny, and it might impede your cycling (ie elbow and knee pads ) 0
