Oy--first big fall :(

**teawoman** · 10-03-2007, 06:23 PM

Well, over the weekend I had my first big fall. Have been getting some longer rides in, and am glad this happened at the end of the season and not at the beginning, 'cause it's gonna take a bit to heal.

Long story short, was on a club ride, took a steep hill braking from the hoods and basically ran out of room (was going too fast) for stopping at the bottom. There was just no room...there was either a super sharp left turn that I was afraid to make, or go forward and into a bunch of people who were clustered around the bike path at the bottom where the road narrowed. If I'd been going slower and had better control, I could have got onto the narrow path ahead, but no deal. I managed to veer and avoid some obstacles (including ppl) and then hit something (not sure what) and flew off my bike sideways and onto my left arm/side/ribs. Didn't hit my head at all, thankfully. Got the wind knocked out, tho.

Everybody said it was a "good" fall, but it doesn't feel that way atm.

Went to doctor, and everything seems ok except the ribs. No pain anywhere except for ribs (and a bit on the arm where I fell). Waiting for xray results, on toradol and *super* sore. Doctor thinks maybe one is fractured. Who knows when I will bike again...it gets cold here fast, so the weather probably won't be good enough in November or whenever I get better, so I'll have to put off going outside until the Spring.

I think I am gonna get better brakes on my bike. I did a search and there are a couple of complaints about it taking a long distance to stop when going fast with the bike and fishtailing, etc. Or it's probably me. I should have gone into the drops, or started in the drops, but I can never do that on the way down the hill.

Now I'm gonna be a really really big hill weenie.

**boy in a kilt** · 10-03-2007, 06:39 PM

I'm glad you're ok. I broke a couple of ribs in my last bike accident. Mere weeks after they'd just healed from a previous break playing Ultimate Frisbee. I'd never wish broke ribs on anyone.

Just a bit of technique advice. The hoods aren't a good place to be when descending, particularly long steep hills. It sounds like you have some good bike handling skills, but you might try descending in the drops. You have better control over your bike (center of gravity is a little lower) and you can generate more braking power. It's just a leverage thing.

**cycling_sarah** · 10-03-2007, 06:47 PM

I hope you heal quickly!!!

**teawoman** · 10-03-2007, 06:53 PM

Originally Posted by boy in a kilt

Just a bit of technique advice. The hoods aren't a good place to be when descending, particularly long steep hills. It sounds like you have some good bike handling skills, but you might try descending in the drops. You have better control over your bike (center of gravity is a little lower) and you can generate more braking power. It's just a leverage thing.

Yeah, I don't know what possessed me. I've been taking all the steep hills this summer in the drops and it's been fine--with this one exception

. I am trying not to hit myself over the head.

**Zen** · 10-03-2007, 07:03 PM

Don't beat yourself up, we're just glad your OK (and the bike too

)

If it happens again, holler in advance.
I can picture it now-
OUTTA THE WAY- I CAN'T STOP!!!! AIEEEEEEEEEEEE!

That's what I always do

**Pedal Wench** · 10-03-2007, 08:08 PM

I probably fractured a rib in a crash this summer (rider about 4 people ahead of me in a group went down, and I had no way to avoid going down.) It hurt to laugh, cough, sneeze, or breath too deeply. However, I was able to ride. Climbing out of the saddle hurt for a few weeks, but I was able to ride - well enough to take a weeklong tour in Colorado just three weeks after. I just had to take it a little easier than usual. You might be back in the saddle sooner than you think!

**silver** · 10-03-2007, 08:36 PM

So sorry to hear that you had a bad spill. True! broken ribs are one of the most painful injuries. Oh My! sneezing!

Don't despair...I was back on my bike less than 2 months after breaking 5 ribs and deflating my lung. I was pretty stiff but I was determined!

**elk** · 10-03-2007, 09:16 PM

ouch! now I'M scared!!!!
But you all just keep on...inspiring!

Heal quickly!

**teawoman** · 10-03-2007, 09:27 PM

Originally Posted by elk

ouch! now I'M scared!!!!
But you all just keep on...inspiring!

Heal quickly!

Awww...don't be. I've learned lots...and I'll just be wiser next time. And whimper a bit at the top of hills.

**Tri Girl** · 10-04-2007, 04:34 AM

Wow teawoman- so glad that you're "mostly" ok! Sounds like it could've been a lot worse had you not been so good at handling your machine flying down that hill. How scary!

Take care of yourself. Stay away from things that make you sneeze (or people that make you laugh a lot- sometimes that can hurt just as bad

).

Is your bike ok (sorry- had to ask about the bike, too)?

**PinkPilot** · 10-04-2007, 04:47 AM

Well, since this is in the New Riders category and I have no access to group rides at the moment to learn these things, I feel compelled to ask a very stoooopid newbie question: what are the hoods and the drops?

Heal quickly, teawoman!!

**Torrilin** · 10-04-2007, 05:00 AM

On a drop (or racing or road) handlebar, the different parts of the bar have names. The flat part near the stem and headset is the "flats". The gently sloping part on top of the curve is the "hoods". And the curvy bit where you can reach the brakes easily is the "drops". Most bikes are set up so you can brake some from the hoods, but it's harder.

(to go with drop bars, you'll also see people talking about shifters. Brifters are shift levers stacked with brake levers. Bar end shifters are stuck in the holes at the bottom ends of drop bars. And stem or downtube shifters are little shift levers that aren't on the bars at all.)

And Teawoman, I'm glad you're mostly ok. The idea of falling on a hill really scares me, since that's the one time it's easy for a bike to go fast.

**PinkPilot** · 10-04-2007, 05:28 AM

Thanks, Torrilin!! That helps a lot and gives me a better picture of what took place.

**SouthernBelle** · 10-04-2007, 05:39 AM

Totally understand about the broken ribs, they are painful. When I crunched mine, I was back on the bike in a little less than a month.

Get better soon.

**Jo-n-NY** · 10-04-2007, 06:11 AM

I am sorry to hear of your spill. Do not beat yourself over the head about it. These things happen to the best of us sometimes. I also took a major spill two years ago and fractured my shoulder. I was off the bike a couple of months.

Give yourself time to heal. When you feel up to it, many of us put our bikes on trainers indoors to keep our legs in some kind of cycling shape in the off season.

~ JoAnn

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