Spokes of a sweet Yeti 575 1, Reesha 0

[Reesha]

So I went today and test rode a Yeti 575... with my new FAVORITE LBS. It's just one guy and he's so amazingly awesome a shop owner that he wanted to take me out for a 3-5 hour test ride on a really pricey bike that I'm thinking about building with him. Anyway, it pretty much ruled. The bike was *amazing* and I was taking corners faster than ever before, and generally having more fun. The full suspension ruled.

I did crash majorly once and my leg is all chewed up. Ugh it hurts. I was riding in some tall grass and hit a hole and my right hand flew off the handlebars and I lost control at high speed, pitching forward and riding out a dozen or so more feet with my right leg dragging against the spinning spokes. My knee caught the spokes above the hub and my lower calf got the spokes below. My ankle caught the tire itself. Owwww. Here's the visual rundown:



1. That red streak is not smeared blood. It's road rash where the spokes did the most damage.

2. Bruising all over my leg. My knee hit the spokes above the hub and my calf hit the spokes below it.

3. Road rash from the tire when I came to my final resting place.

Here's today's development:



Turns out one of the things I circled was actually just chain grease. Whoops!

While I think I'll have to keep clear of running for a while, I am fairly confident that I'll be able to road bike today after work. Battle scars! Yeah!

[divingbiker]

Ow ow ow ow ow

That bike looks really cool.

[Reesha]

It was awesome! It's his demo, so today he said we'd go out riding the next time I had a day off

Here's the model I rode although Mark had custom parts on it:

[Tri Girl]

Ouchie momma! Although I gotta admit that I'm always so proud of my mtn bike bruises and scars- something about being rough and tumble like a boy. I was too protected and girlie when I was little- kinda nice to get all dirty and bruised.

Is he mad that you wrecked his coolio bike?

[Reesha]

Actually the bike (and myself) landed in soft grass. The bike is doing just peachy, that's why the bike has a point and I don't. And no he wasn't mad. He was totally cool. I guess he wouldn't be much of a mountain biker if he got mad about one little crash. In fact he asked me if I wanted to come out again on my next day off!

... maybe he's asking me out on a date?


And yes yesterday I wore a skirt all day (mostly to keep the road rash from rubbing in jeans) but everyone at the restaurant I waited on wanted to know what happened. Hahaha. So much sympathy. I love the battle scars. I just don't like it when it keeps me from being active (like yesterday).

[mudgirl]

Reesha,

I see you're in Lake Placid--Do you ever go downhilling at Whiteface? I went to a Tara Llanes clinic up there last month and it was awesome! I can't wait to get back up there, although it probably won't be until next summer. That Yeti looks like a sweet bike! I'm glad you didn't get too hurt in your crash, but I know what you mean about loving the battle scars. I sprained my ankle last week mtn biking, and my friends think I'm crazy because I can hardly wait for it to stop hurting enough for me to get back out there. They can't believe I haven't decided to take up a new hobby by now.

Brenda

[DirtDiva]

I've got one of those bikes in my imaginary stable...

[Reesha]

Haha, no downhilling for me! While my LBS owner Mark is convinced that I'd be an amazing descender due to my body type, I'm just too much of a scurdy-cat.

While the bruise is still very well-developed, I've gone out on two 30+ mile road rides since then. The mechanics of the knee are fine, it's just tender to the touch really.

This is the mountain bike I really want:



The 575 is a lot cheaper, but this one is 3 lbs lighter and has a stiffer suspension which would be better for races when I start. It's also PINNKKKKK!!!

[Reesha]

Here's the update:

The developed bruise!


And the other leg which is covered in bruises from that crash and a variety of other things probably too and it seems to be healing pretty fast:




Haha note the gross chain grease from today's road ride. I haven't quite developed the "lean the bike *away* from the right leg" skills yet. :P

[alpinerabbit]

You are beautiful.

[Reesha]

why thank you!

i wish that were enough to make fickle can't make up his mind cute bike shop boy... make up his mind!!!!

[DirtDiva]

Those bruises are awesome! Glad the crash hasn't kept you off the bike.