General Cycling Discussion - Friend is in hospital.

It was one of my friends. that bit it badly. Met up with him today for a ride. Anyways, he has a 2003 Cannondale Gemini 2000. He went to do a 20 foot drop, and things went wrong big time. His approach was completely wrong, he tried bailing, but it was too late though, he went off of the drop bike and all, him before the bike. He lands in a bush, the bike missed the bush, but hit front wheel first on frozen ground. He is lucky that he only recieved a bruised back, and a shattered right hip bone along with ligament damage. Surgery is needed. Status report on his bike, totaled.

Sorry to hear about your friend. That shattered hip thing sounds pretty bad. Legs are one thing, hips and knees are another whole ball game, or so I'm told.

When I hear about things like this it makes me glad that I'm an old enough fart that riding bicycles off cliffs wasn't cool (or even imagined) when I was young enough to be rash enough that I'd have tried it! :D

By the time I started hearing about people taking old coaster bikes and riding them down "suicide hill" (forerunner of the mountain bikes of today) I'd already taken enough spills on the street on my bicycles and in the dirt on motorcycles to know that it hurt and if I ever rode my bike off a drop it sure as heck wasn't going to be on purpose!

I hope your friend gets better soon!

John

[i]. He is lucky that he only recieved a bruised back, and a shattered right hip bone along with ligament damage. Surgery is needed. Status report on his bike, totaled. [/B]
hope your friend got insurance on himself and his bike, that would really be very costly.... hope his fine....

I truly hope that your friend comes out of this ok. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Here's my rant:

That being said, did your friend know what could happen if he didn't land that drop? I think many are thinking this, but I'll come out and say it. He is an idiot. I'm not sure if that bike or any bike is made to take 20 foot drops. If I'm wrong let me know.
He might have landed that 100 times perfectly, but it takes just one mistake for it to all go wrong.


People can ride any way they want to ride. Hey, live on the edge, be extreme, feel the rush, just do it! Use any marketing angle you'd like. Just remember the consequenses of your actions.

I've broken some bikes and some bones riding and crashing my bike. In fact, I posted a few weeks ago about breaking a new frame in a crash. Well, I'm just SOL. Things like that are part of the gig. You have fun out on the trails, I have fun dodging cars, trucks and buses. I could be killed any day by a guy using his cell phone while driving his SUV. I get called an idiot all the time while riding.

I'm still convinced that we will see the death of Steve Irwin, the crocodile hunter, on TV. The ratings will be huge.


P.S. My wife makes sure that my life insurance payments are never late.

After going for a ride I realized that I shouldn't have called your friend an idiot.

I wish your friend well.

My tone was not typical of this forum or myself. I sincerely apologize.

Russ

That sucks about the friend, but it's all part of the risk, I guess. As long as he's not crippled for life, then it's not all bad.

I recently corresponded with a guy by email who also had a horrible accident, sometime in October. He was hit by a car and broke his hip, ankle and pelvis- as well as bruises, road rash, etc. His bike totaled and everything he was wearing-kaput. They had to cut his Sidis off because they couldn't figure out how to open the fasteners, and his prescription sunglasses which cost a fortune got smashed. However, last I heard he's doing better and plans to be back riding this spring. I am sure your friend will be fine.

Well I think I look at this differently since 20 ft is huge but a relatively common height for a number of riders I know.

Congrats to your buddy for pushing the limit. Too bad about the injury but I hope he is going to be back out there pushing himself to be a better rider :)

Although seriously. Canondale is not made for that abuse (They may claim it but in reality can't hold up for long). When he gets out tell him to get a Banshee or something of similar toughness as a reward for trying and then tell him to go at it again someday :D

Originally posted by Maelstrom
Canondale is not made for that abuse (They may claim it but in reality can't hold up for long).


Cannondale does suck, but the gemini would hold up to 20 footers easily I would think........it depends on the rider. Smooth and experienced rider = smoother drop.....unexperienced rider with balls in some cases = O shyt, he crashed!

He has done 20 footers before, but never this one. He does have insurance. He already said that he's never buy another Cannondale, he is already saving up for the replacement.

OUCH! :( Sorry to hear about that!

i am guessing you guys watch a lot of Kranked videos :)
but sorry about your friend.. makes me re-think doing some jumping this spring(total newbie to freeriding) but hey.. got to learn somehow.
is this a drop you have done before? not a great ending to a ride.. but as they say it could have been worse..Dcheif has a club member who crashed during their ride yesterday.. he is in a coma.. its 50/50.
glad your friend will come out of this ok.. by spring he will be jumping again... hopefully.;)

Sounds like sheer pain!!! bad enough trying to ride a bike on the flat and off roadie for me!!!! shattered hip must be real bad I can't even to begin to imagine that!!! Whats too bad bout Cannondale never had anything else but Giants u see!!!

I'm still convinced that we will see the death of Steve Irwin, the crocodile hunter, on TV. The ratings will be huge.
:p

No way hes too good at winding them up remember the Komodo Dragon with the lethal saliva chased him and missed biting his ankle by less than an inch!!!! ;)