Out of action

Simon Mason

"Pete Biggs" <pwrinkledgrape{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in message
news:30pc4jF30kga8U1@uni-berlin.de...
> Hi friends at u.r.c,
>
> Just to explain why I've been quiet for the last few days and why I might
> not be posting much or at all on the group any more... well, for a while
> at least.......
>
> I had a road bike crash at 8pm on Monday and broke my hip. Annoying thing
> is, it was just a silly little incident that I wouldn't have thought would
> normally cause very much bother, but I was unlucky in how I fell or with
> the condition of my bones (for my age, which is about half that of those
> who have hip problems normally).
>

Sorry to hear this Pete. Speedy recovery to you. If you do go, many, many
thanks for your advice and wise words in the past and your self restraint
when I got something wrong ;-) Why do skilful riders like yourself end up
this way and the red light jumping prats seem to get away with it? It's not
fair :-(

All the best,
Simon

Simon Mason

"Pete Biggs" <pwrinkledgrape{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in message
>
> Still, it's going to be a long time before I can cycle again, if I want
> want to. My enthusiam for all things cycling is naturally dented after
> this realisation of just how vulnerable I am on a bike.
>
>

I know what you mean. A year ago I had my one and only crash on a greasy
roundabout just like the one Jan Ullrich had in the 03 TDF time trial. I was
turning into the roundabout sharper than normal and my front tyre just went
from under me.

See Jan crash here:
http://ww2.olntv.com/tdf03/03tdfvideo.html 26 JUL 03

My helmetless head took most of the impact (luckily) as well as my knee and
shoulder. My tights and jackets still have the holes in! My confidence was
shot and the next night I was petrified on my bike, so much so that I went
back to the spot where I came off and had to find the patch of diesel I'd
hit before I could rationalise the accident.

Until I told myself it was nothing I had done wrong then I could not ride
again. A year later I have learned from that and am very careful at
cornering in the wet. Your confidence will soon come back, I'm sure.

--
Simon M.

JLB

Simon Mason wrote:

[fell off when turning]
My confidence was
> shot and the next night I was petrified on my bike, so much so that I went
> back to the spot where I came off and had to find the patch of diesel I'd
> hit before I could rationalise the accident.
>
> Until I told myself it was nothing I had done wrong then I could not ride
> again. A year later I have learned from that and am very careful at
> cornering in the wet. Your confidence will soon come back, I'm sure.

Just shows how much people differ. I have the opposite reaction. If the
crash was due to something I did wrong, my confidence is fine. I know
that I can prevent it happening again by not making the same mistake.

The crash that scared me most of all was a front wheel skid on a 125cc
motorbike where I could identify nothing at all that I had done to bring
it about. Neither was there anything obviously wrong with the road
surface. This left me with the feeling that sometimes the bike suddenly
throws off the rider for no reason. That really bothered me. In the end,
with no evidence, I decided the front tyre must be crap, so I changed
it. It made me feel better. It also gave me something to put around my
dartboard.


--
Joe * If I cannot be free I'll be cheap

Simon Mason

"JLB" <JLB@bigbad.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:coa2ln$5s9$1$830fa7a5@news.demon.co.uk...
> Simon Mason wrote:
>
> [fell off when turning]
> My confidence was
>> shot and the next night I was petrified on my bike, so much so that I
>> went back to the spot where I came off and had to find the patch of
>> diesel I'd hit before I could rationalise the accident.
>>
>> Until I told myself it was nothing I had done wrong then I could not
>> ride again. A year later I have learned from that and am very careful at
>> cornering in the wet. Your confidence will soon come back, I'm sure.
>


> Just shows how much people differ. I have the opposite reaction. If the
> crash was due to something I did wrong, my confidence is fine. I know that
> I can prevent it happening again by not making the same mistake.

I was a bit of a strange sight, standing on a wet roundabout dragging my
shoe across the tarmac to see how slippery it was!

--

Pete Biggs

[Not Responding] wrote:
> Speaking from experience (unfortunately), injury seems to result in
> much greater usenet activity, rather than less. If you're laid up, off
> work and off the bike, the internet is wonderful.

Trouble is my desk isn't very bad-leg-friendly so I better not spend too
long online. I didn't want to get re-addicted to answering questions
again, but I've done one on lights already. Seriously, I should give it a
rest for a while.

cheers
~PB

the.Mark

Pete Biggs wrote:
> Well, I'm back again and it's only 5.05 am the next morning!
> (Not sleeping properly) So bang goes that idea of giving up
> on the group :-)
>
> Thank you very much to everyone who's replied. I might post
> some individual replies later this weekend/week.
>
> My postive feelings for cycling are bound to return. Maybe I
> will get a 'bent or a trike or a 'bent trike! (what a great
> excuse at last), it's just that I have the simple priority of
> becoming a fully able-bodied person again, cycling doesn't
> seem as important as it was, and the risks are scaring me.
> But I've got over those worries before. I'm not feeling
> terribly down, generally. It's more shock and awe :-)
> Everyone including me has been amazed with the progress I've
> made so far.
>
> cheers
> ~PB

I hope your recovery is quick. For what it's worth a guy I used to work with
got his pelvis smashed in a car crash and he did a marathon 6 months later.

I would recommend a trike if you do end up going to a recumbent.

--
Mark

1x1 wheel, 3x2 wheels & 1x3 wheels.

iarocu

"Pete Biggs" <pwrinkledgrape{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in message news:<30qgkpF335v35U1@uni-berlin.de>...
> Well, I'm back again and it's only 5.05 am the next morning! (Not
> sleeping properly) So bang goes that idea of giving up on the group :-)


Sorry to hear about your crash.Hope you recover fully.
For what its worth I agree with your comments about clipless
pedals. As a recent convert I'm still going to use them for on road
with due care to avoid drain covers, sharp turns etc. But for off
road I'm changing to either platform pedals or dual sided to give a
choice. The only bit of technical off rd I've done since fitting
clipless pedals on the MTB made me realise its impossible to get the
feet unclipped fast enough when the front wheel goes. Even at little
more than walkng speed.
Iain

Tony W

"Pete Biggs" <pwrinkledgrape{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote in message
news:30pc4jF30kga8U1@uni-berlin.de...
> Hi friends at u.r.c,


Get well soon.

T

Sara Kirk

In article <41a8884c$1_1@news.iprimus.com.au>, dave
<davidt@jeack.com.au> wrote:

> Sara Kirk wrote:
> > In article <41a7f91d_1@news.iprimus.com.au>, dave <davidt@jeack.com.au>
> > wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >>>
> >>Been there... done that..didnt enjoy it.
> >>
> >>I must say.. it was 6 weeks before they would let me put any weight on
> >>my leg at all.. They were so worried about the ball dying.. So at a
> >>guess yours wasnt that serious... they didnt consider it very likely...
> >>Not meaning to belittle your injury Myabe you are just tougher.
> >>
> >>
> >> I had a zimmer hip screw and a lot of titanium (yay) Oh and mine
> >>happened when I was doing 100 kph on a freeway on a motorcycle and the
> >>wanker behind was doing 105. He then hit me on the hip while I was
> >>tumbling down the road.. I still think we should have dropped
> >>Toyota's on Vietnam instead of bombs.. and let them kill themselfs.
> >>(bitter me? Never)
> >
> >
> > ah ha... thought I recognised that story. Hiya Dave!
> >
> >>My cycling is just fine tho
> >
> >
> > but the outfits...
> >
> >>Dave
> >
> >
> Hyya Sara.
>
Since I can't get hold of you by phone... Frankie died today, without
assistance, spent day with Lee crying on my shoulder and helped with
burial. Very depressed. Turn your phone on?

--
Sara

Dave Chadderton

Real bummer Pete, best wishes for a speedy and full recovery. As to giving
up riding a bike,no chance! Once a cyclist always a cyclist, it is in the
blood. I once stopped after a crash only for about three weeks, until I
managed to perfect a technique that enabled me to ride still with my left
leg in plaster, which was fine until I lost control and crashed into some
road works. Back to casualty, a lecture from the doctor and a new plaster
beyond my knee so that I could not bend the leg to pedal.

That was 38 years ago and I am still as eager as ever to go on tommorows
club run although I know I will suffer like a dog, struggle up the hills and
hang on desperatly on the end of the line playing catch up all day, but I
love it and I suspect you do also.

I have never met you Pete but I look on you as a real cycling Guru and a
Gentleman, get well soon.


Dave

Dave Kahn

On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 15:07:51 -0000, "Pete Biggs"
<pwrinkledgrape{remove_fruit}@biggs.tc> wrote:

>Trouble is my desk isn't very bad-leg-friendly so I better not spend too
>long online. I didn't want to get re-addicted to answering questions
>again, but I've done one on lights already. Seriously, I should give it a
>rest for a while.

Sort the desk out, man. You happen to be one of the most valuable
technical resources around here. You therefore have a duty to the rest
of us to find a way to get comfy at the terminal.

--
Dave...

Get a bicycle. You will not regret it. If you live. - Mark Twain

dave

Pete Biggs wrote:
> Hi friends at u.r.c,
>
> Just to explain why I've been quiet for the last few days and why I might
> not be posting much or at all on the group any more... well, for a while
> at least.......
>
> I had a road bike crash at 8pm on Monday and broke my hip. Annoying thing
> is, it was just a silly little incident that I wouldn't have thought would
> normally cause very much bother, but I was unlucky in how I fell or with
> the condition of my bones (for my age, which is about half that of those
> who have hip problems normally).
>
> I'm vague on what happened precisely, but I was front-braking or turning
> for a right turn into a side road from about 15 mph when the front wheel
> suddenly skidded and slipped, causing the bike and me to fall over to the
> right. My right hip and elbow absorbed the impact, preventing damage to
> the rest of me and the bike. Nothing else hit the road or me. Elbow is
> just grazed. Wheel might have skidded after I had already slowed to less
> than 10 mph but it's difficult to remember when a crash happens to quickly
> and the consequences become so much more important than the exact cause.
>
> Not sure if I started to turn before/while/after braking but the slip was
> totally unexpected as I think I've got away with that sort of thing and
> worse before many times. The tarmac may have been greasy, though there
> was no obvious sign of oil (nor gravel). The roads were dry and ice was
> not a possibilty that mild evening. It was a shaper turn than usual (and
> planned) as I was giving an exiting van extra room. Perhaps that was it
> except I still would have expected more grip. The road surface certainly
> could have been better.
>
> Anyway, the good news is that I'm recovered enough to be back at home
> typing this message already (Friday 5pm)! The badly broken hip was pinned
> the next morning. 24 hours later I was walking with a frame, with little
> pain; same with crutches after 24 more hours.
>
> There is a chance that the blood supply to the head (ball) of the joint
> won't be sufficient, meaning it would die and I would need a hip
> replacement (requiring further replacements in future as they don't last
> forever), but it's not a big chance as far as I know so far.
>
> Still, it's going to be a long time before I can cycle again, if I want
> want to. My enthusiam for all things cycling is naturally dented after
> this realisation of just how vulnerable I am on a bike.
>
> Cycling advice for you? The main stuff is basic so I'll be brief on each
> point:
>
> * Don't turn too sharply, don't lean too far.
> * Don't use the front brake alone unless you are sure within reason that
> the surface is good. (This is the trouble: you can never be sure). See
> www.sheldonbrown.com.
> * Don't brake and turn at the same time when you don't have to unless you
> are highly skilled and are prepared to take some extra risk. (See
> rec.bicycles.tech FAQ).
> * Don't brake much harder than you need to just because you can or just
> because it's fun, when approaching a turn, at least. (You might start to
> turn before braking without realising).
> * Don't overinflate tyres, especially the front. That doesn't necessarily
> have anything to do with what recommended pressure is written on them; see
> www.sheldonbrown.com).
> * Do choose Barnet Hospital when Paramedics give you a choice including
> it! Ok so this one may not be obvious :-) The treatment was excellent
> (once past the waiting stage in A & E) and the staff are incredibly nice.
>
> The less obvious point is on clipless pedals, and it's one I've made
> before. I'm quite sure they have made me fall more awkwardly on a number
> of occasions including this. Yes they may release (as you or bike
> naturally twists) but that might happen too late if you subconciously try
> to put a foot down or move your body to minimise injury.
>
> I'm not sure I will ever use clipless pedals again despite them being one
> of the very best cycling innovations for decades. They're great... until
> you NEED to fall off, instantly. "Ordinary" pedals and pedals with
> *loose* toe-straps are safer on balance, in my opinion, despite being less
> secure when pedalling. (BTW, loose straps are better than nothing: they
> still provide /some/ security and /some/ pulling-up).
>
> Take care!
>
> ~Pete
>
>
Been there... done that..didnt enjoy it.

I must say.. it was 6 weeks before they would let me put any weight on
my leg at all.. They were so worried about the ball dying.. So at a
guess yours wasnt that serious... they didnt consider it very likely...
Not meaning to belittle your injury Myabe you are just tougher.


I had a zimmer hip screw and a lot of titanium (yay) Oh and mine
happened when I was doing 100 kph on a freeway on a motorcycle and the
wanker behind was doing 105. He then hit me on the hip while I was
tumbling down the road.. I still think we should have dropped
Toyota's on Vietnam instead of bombs.. and let them kill themselfs.
(bitter me? Never)

My cycling is just fine tho

Dave

dave

Sara Kirk wrote:
> In article <41a7f91d_1@news.iprimus.com.au>, dave <davidt@jeack.com.au>
> wrote:
>
>
>
>>>
>>Been there... done that..didnt enjoy it.
>>
>>I must say.. it was 6 weeks before they would let me put any weight on
>>my leg at all.. They were so worried about the ball dying.. So at a
>>guess yours wasnt that serious... they didnt consider it very likely...
>>Not meaning to belittle your injury Myabe you are just tougher.
>>
>>
>> I had a zimmer hip screw and a lot of titanium (yay) Oh and mine
>>happened when I was doing 100 kph on a freeway on a motorcycle and the
>>wanker behind was doing 105. He then hit me on the hip while I was
>>tumbling down the road.. I still think we should have dropped
>>Toyota's on Vietnam instead of bombs.. and let them kill themselfs.
>>(bitter me? Never)
>
>
> ah ha... thought I recognised that story. Hiya Dave!
>
>>My cycling is just fine tho
>
>
> but the outfits...
>
>>Dave
>
>
Hyya Sara.

davek

Pete Biggs wrote:
> I had a road bike crash at 8pm on Monday and broke my hip.

Ouch! You have my deepest sympathy. Hope your recovery is swift and
complete - both physically and psychologically.

> I'm vague on what happened precisely, but I was front-braking or turning
> for a right turn into a side road from about 15 mph when the front wheel
> suddenly skidded and slipped, causing the bike and me to fall over to the
> right.

Hmm. I've had a couple of close calls like that recently, so I'll take
that as a hint to be more careful. I should say even more careful than I
am already - it happens so easily.

> Still, it's going to be a long time before I can cycle again, if I want
> want to. My enthusiam for all things cycling is naturally dented after
> this realisation of just how vulnerable I am on a bike.

About a year ago one of my clubmates broke his hip after coming off on
some black ice. He took a good six months to recover completely and it
has affected his confidence to some extent, but he did take part in a
100 mile ride alongside me during the summer - I think it was the
irresistible lure of the sunshine and the fresh air that got him out
again, and I can see how it's hard to imagine that at this time of the year.

Good luck to you.

d.