Article: Fell off my bike and vowed never to get back on

[tzvia]

I brused ribs badly in a crash last month mountain biking on vacation in Fruita Co when I took a handlebar to the chest doing a superman. I could not take a deep breath and it hurt to lie down- heck it hurt to move, cough or sneeze. But I took Excedrin and covered my torso in Salon Pas patches and rode the rest of vacation. Wasn't going to let it ruin my plans; it was a challenge to find a way to keep going. I guess if I broke my ribs it would have just pissed me off more and made me want to get back on the bike as soon as possible. It still hurts when I touch the spot, but I can cough ok now.

I did stop riding in 2002, only to take it up again in '08, after a car accident left me in chronic pain. For the first few years it was impossible to cycle and frankly I did not bother to try. But by '08 I had a 'deal with it and get on with your life' moment and bought a new bike, and now even commute to work. Maybe some people don't ever face the fear or pain head-on and just keep that excuse around their neck, I know I did. I guess that's why I rode with the bruised ribs last month, pain's there all the time anyway, just in a new spot, suck it up and get back on the bike.

[zoom-zoom]

I sprained my ankle pretty badly during a trail relay back in June. I am back to running, but even the relatively smooth gravel shoulder is a bit uncomfortable for that ligament. And the likelihood of a repeat sprain within the first 2-3 years is in the neighborhood of 60-70%. It's that stat that keeps me from planning any trail races next year, not any real personal fear.

The injury, of course, was my fault (and partly the fault of the root I landed on badly). It never occurred to me to stop running entirely. Were I to become injured on the bike I would hope that I could get back up riding as soon as I were physically healed. I really hope I never crash so bad that it takes a toll on my confidence and love of cycling.

[Charlotte Berry]

I got hit head on by a car and was lucky that while my bike didn't fair so well, I came out mostly with bumps and bruises. I wasn't even wearing a helmet. Lucky, I think this used up all my luck or 9 lives that day. However, I didn't ride for over a year after that and not because I didn't have a bike or healthy body. It's very psychological , nerve racking, and can play with you head for quite a while. Today, I ride again, no problems and with a helmet.

[OakLeaf]

Obviously a traumatic injury is psychologically different from a chronic injury, but I know WAY more people who have given up running because of injury, than cycling.

It was strange to me how the writer glibly brushed off the idea that a runner is able to avoid chronic injury.

But it does make sense that those who take responsibility for their own safety are less likely to give up a sport after getting hurt.

[SheFly]

I read this article yesterday, and thought it was dumb. I know A LOT of cyclists who have suffered traumatic and chronic injuries - none of whom have sworn off riding.

Last fall when I broke my ankle racing, my first thought was to finish the race (I didn't know it was broken at the time). While healing, all I could think about was getting back on the bike so that I could finish out the remainder of the race season (I did).

And when I crash on my MTB (doesn't happen often, but when it does, it can be spectacular), my first thought is usually "Is my bike ok?" . I have never not gotten back on the bike after any kind of crash/injury.

And I know I'm not the only one - there are a LOT of TE members who have bemoaned being off the bike, and counting down the days until they could get back on!

SheFly

[Crankin]

I'm pretty risk averse and ride accordingly. I stopped mountain biking because of this (and the fact that I sucked at it). However, I have had a couple of crashes, while they didn't involve cars, they did involve moderate injuries. My first crash involved me passing a water bottle to my son as he rode by me on his cross bike (like in "hey Mom, give me a drink, I don't have a bottle"). When I went to take it back, I crashed, mostly because I had visions of crashing into a phone pole that was near. This was a few months after a well known woman racer had crashed into a pole and died in a race near here. I was a very new rider and that's all I could think of. While I finished my ride, I woke up a few days later with a knee the size of a balloon. It turned out to be just blood pooled up in there, I went through it being drained, MRI, and about 6 weeks of not being able to do anything except swimming. It hurt like hell. But, I never thought about quitting riding. Heck, I crashed down a ravine in Austria (no injuries) because of my klutziness, and I never thought of stopping.

[chicagogal]

The difference, I think, is that we all live and breath cycling. It is who we are, as much as it is what we do. However, there are lots of people out there who just like to ride their bikes sometimes. A lot of them (family members of mine and friends included) don't really understand the risks involved. When something happens, and they are forced to come to terms with those risks, they are not invested enough in the sport to be willing to do that, so they give up riding and do something safer instead.

That being said, I have been lucky enough to have only had one very minor crash despite the fact that I race (and have seen countless friends go down, often in dramatic fashion). Despite my person good fortune (yes, I am aware that I could be jinxing myself right now), every time I get on my bike, I am aware of the risk I am taking, and while I don't let it get to my head, I do make decisions about what rides to do based on how much risk I am willing to assume ("A" race coming up, and I'll avoid the big aggressive crash-prone group rides). Even now, with (indoor) winter training about to start, I find myself extra cautious about riding outside for fear of crashing out on ice and missing an important training block. So the pros/cons are constantly being weighed, but I still ride!!!

I guess my point is that for people who aren't as aware of the risks, are more surprised when a crash/injury happens and so the shock factor is much greater.

[jessmarimba]

I may be counting down the days til I can get back on the trails, but that doesn't mean that when I finally get to try I won't freeze up and have a panic attack. It's easy to want something that isn't allowed, and my head might think I'm ready to ride but my gut might disagree.

[Charlotte Berry]

I'm pretty risk averse and ride accordingly. I stopped mountain biking because of this (and the fact that I sucked at it). However, I have had a couple of crashes, while they didn't involve cars, they did involve moderate injuries. My first crash involved me passing a water bottle to my son as he rode by me on his cross bike (like in "hey Mom, give me a drink, I don't have a bottle"). When I went to take it back, I crashed, mostly because I had visions of crashing into a phone pole that was near. This was a few months after a well known woman racer had crashed into a pole and died in a race near here. I was a very new rider and that's all I could think of. While I finished my ride, I woke up a few days later with a knee the size of a balloon. It turned out to be just blood pooled up in there, I went through it being drained, MRI, and about 6 weeks of not being able to do anything except swimming. It hurt like hell. But, I never thought about quitting riding. Heck, I crashed down a ravine in Austria (no injuries) because of my klutziness, and I never thought of stopping.

I think you are talking about Nicole Reinhart. She is the only pro women road rider to be killed in a bike race in history I think. If I am wrong, correct me. What a tragedy indeed. The only man to be killed in a pro men's bike race I think was Fabio Casatelli. Tommy Simpson died from drugs, but not from a bike accident. I'm not sure though about the men totally, since I don't follow them, too manyh druggies in the sport for men, lost interest in it. lots of men died in bike racing while training or otherwise, but not during an actual pro bike race that I know of. Getting off track here, but the Reinhart accident sure was horrible because she was just yards away from winning the largest bike purse in women's cycling history.

However, my experience was different then others. I just didn't ride for a year. For me, it was a sign to give it a break and do something else. When I went back, all ok for me, time heals all things, sometimes!

[Crankin]

Yes, it was Nicole Reinhart. My crash happened about 3-4 months after her death. It seems like a really long time ago!