Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - you have crashed, now what?

last saturday my face ate pavement - i went back for my helmet on some notion and am glad that i did, but this is not about helmets.

i am pysically unable to ride a bike, and will be for a while, but i cannot wait until i can...my problem is that my wife can...she would prefer that i never ride a bike again..GASP! of course i will ride again, she knows to expect me to stay off of a bike is not realistic, and i do make my own decisions, but has anyone else been able to through this? any advice?

to make it worse, i was planning on building my own rims before the fall, collected all the goods, and now whenever i go near the gear, we end up in battle - rims building is perfect for downtime isn't it?

My wife has always had an issue with my riding, probably the style of which I ride. But she knows she will never stop me from riding because it is part of who I am. She does occasionally threaten to wrap me in bubble wrap before I leave the house but that has yet to happen.

I ride bikes and motorcycles, I swallow and breathe fire as a profession, and I spend days and days in the backcountry skiing, hiking, rock climbing, ice climbing, or whatever else. Not all of it pleases my girlfriend (or mother, for that matter), but they know that I wouldn't be happy caged... My father has spent most of his life as a mountaineer, he did the first ascents on many of the now classic rock climbs in Colorado, has been on most of the world's tallest mountains, and has carried sick and injured people on his back off of the highest peaks. Even now, at an age where most people begin contemplating a condo near a golf course, he's leading expeditions in South America. He's had good friends die, and others almost die, or be disabled, but he keeps going back. My mother spent a long time being bothered by that, but eventually had to accept that if she was going to love him, she had to accept his passion.

My dad and myself both take all practical precautions, and do everything we can to minimize the risks, but we can't be expected to just give it up, even in the face of danger.

I hope you recover soon, and I dearly hope that you can come to a comprimise with your wife. Maybe, "Always wear a helmet no matter what" or agree to install mirrors on all your bikes, no matter how dorky they look, or something. Its worth it to do what you can to help make her feel better about your activity, but just giving up cycling "because the wife said so" is a bad path to start down for your relationship, and will only cause resentment and anger... You'll resent her for controlling you, and she'll treat you differently because you will become 'that which is to be controlled', more like a child, and less like an equal. Not a good path at all...

peace,
sam

it's a pretty simple fact. if you ride every day, especially aggressively or fast, or in urban settings or other technical environments, you are probably going to eat ***** now and then.

overall, i consider the occasional injury a worthwhile tradeoff for being able to ride my bike everywhere. i can move around the city quickly, save $75 a month on public transportation, and keep my ass in shape. all good things. so to reduce the chances of crashes, i don't ride ilke a (total) idiot, learned how to deal with traffic on the road (and avoid traffic altogether), and i keep my bikes in good shape to reduce the chances of something critical crapping out on me at 30 mph.

on occasion, it still happens. got doored a few months back, and a few weeks ago, went down pretty hard when i hit some oily crap on an already wet street. no major injuries from either, but i continue to build my skills and mental lists of situations and how to handle them.

good stuff


well said, sam.

it's a pretty simple fact. if you ride every day, especially aggressively or fast, or in urban settings or other technical environments, you are probably going to eat ***** now and then.

I'm pretty much done with riding in busy downtown traffic. Although it is a big thrill.

sam you really a fire eater?

it's a pretty simple fact. if you ride every day, especially aggressively or fast, or in urban settings or other technical environments, you are probably going to eat ***** now and then.


I feel better seeing that after endoing on Thursday in a panic stop. I'd feel even better if I wasn't generally the author of my own demise by riding like an idiot. Now I have a sprained S/C joint and can't go kayaking this weekend
:mad:

sam you really a fire eater?

Yup. :)

http://www.flexistentialist.org/gallery_photos/august_pandorasmatchbox/jimfireeat2.sized.jpg

There are a million ways to die. You have to convince your wife of this. I have known people to die from a bad driver while standing at a bus stop.

Life is all about taking risks. to stop taking risks is to stop living. We all weigh the risks all the time. Do I get out of bed this morning or not.

When I showed my now wife pics of me skiing over a 30ft cornice and threading trees at Whistler she had to learn to accept what she was getting into. When I took up street racing motorcycles again in my 30s, nary a peep. She loved the thrill of riding pillion as I leaned the things over on curving mountain roads. I had explained that statistics stated that she was more at risk than I was and she exepted that risk.

edit I learned from feedback as to her limits of risk and adjusted my riding habits to with/without her levels. /edit

I did that last year- my face actually saved my helmet from cracking, since it hit first- but I had to ride 15 miles home afterwards, unaware how messed up my face was, aside from other people averting their gaze as I rode by.

What sort of injuries plague you and prevent you from riding...?

I had the worst bike accident of my life 3 years ago, in front of my husband! (He was
riding behind me.) He was totally freaked but never suggested I give of cycling.

in the past two months i've had two accidents, which in my view weren't that bad, but could have been much worse, so i'm happy with how they went all in all
my mom freaks out any time i go out on my bike now, and has actually threatened to buy a new lock to which i don't have the key so i can't ride anymore
we have reached an agreement though: if i get in an accident, i get myself to the hospital (she says that now, but i know she doesn't mean it)

Do you have kids?

keep at it - one day you'll have enough experience that you won't ever get yourself in an accident. nothing much you can do about stupid people getting you in an accident though.

The world is full of folks who take a fall and never get back on again. Tell your spouse that you don't intend to be one of them, and that it's not up for discussion.

Thanks for your comments. We do not have kids, yet, but if my growing up is any indication of how my children may push their limits, I will continue to be in and out of the hospital.

While I referred to Monique as my wife, we are actually to be married this September. As far as future cycling goes, I have promised not to ride until after the wedding. Reasonable - but I do get to build a new bike. The former is “cursed” according my buddy who gave it to me – he had serious injuries on it as well – starting with a clean slate I guess.

As for my helmet, it too was saved by my face - I have healed well though and have had all of my stitches removed – if anyone else ever finds themselves in this situation, I recommend a cosmetic surgeon to do the stitching up – they used stitch at the bottom of the inside of the cut and the outside (bottom of the V and top of the V in cross section). My knees are loosening up abit – the cuts, swelling and road rash in the area have kept me off the bike.

It was an odd fall – I do not really know how I fell - it happened so fast. A visit to the site revealed a lot of debris and large cracks in the pavement that I may have gotten caught in causing me to flip over the bars. I also do not think that I was 100% mentally into the ride – another life lesson learned.

fire eating!?! hell yeah!

Many years ago... About twenty actually, I knew a young woman who ate fire in the final act of her show. Her show involved her and her very good female friend wearing (or not) bat girl and cat girl costumes with lots of velcro. Life is so much more complacent now.

give up on something one loves because its risky? just shoot yourself now. there is no risk of injury if youre dead.