Road Cycling - a little apprehensive after an injury?

Got the OK from the doc to go back clipless and slowly get back to what I used to be on my running after 6 months of my injury.
I partially tore my achilles tendon , sprained my ankel and tore ligaments after a crash on my bike, it happend from the way I fell while still clipped in.

funny thing is a week before the incident I started having anxieties about not being able to unclip on time, don't ask why.. it never scared me before. i think the traffic had increase upon tourists season and I found myself being more awared of the possibilities of getting hurt.

I know this sounds silly but I remember coming to a full stop and off my bike and having anxieties about getting back on, looking around at the traffic and being scared really that Id get hit by not unclipping on time, silly but it was a feeling I couldnt fight only to find myself injured a few days later by these clipless pedals.
Ive had the ok to get back on my bike for months now but not clipless as the motion i was making with my feet to unclip was setting me back in my healing. Of course i hate strapped on pedals and I now have the OK to go back clipless.

I dont know why I find myself so hesitant again, it was a freak accident but it cost me 6 months of training and months of physical therapy.

Tell me Im not the only one who find it hard to get back on the horse after being hurt?

I cant seem the shake the feeling that something will happend to me again or I cant get pass what happend that day and how much pain I was in..

Probably should set your pedal's tension to it's lightest setting and make sure your cleats are in good shape.

Just take it easy for a while until you get used to the clipless again and regain confidence in your ability to unclip. For now, maybe loosen up the cleats and avoid climbing, spending a little time with just you and the pedals on nice, flat, low-traffic ground. Enjoy your second honeymoon with your pedals - this time around you ain't no virgin. ;)

Of course you're not the only one who has felt like this. Everyone has trouble getting back on after a bad crash and long time off the bike. It's totally natural.

Some people on my team have been helped through this process by using visualization techiques. I would suggest you check those out (your local library probably has books on it).

Good luck. It's a tough job. But you've got to do it.

It's perfectly normal to be a little nervous.

I had a very bad crash in a rainy criterium last year. The next time I raced in a rainy crit, I ended up getting dropped (and I'm strongest in crits) because I was so gun-shy.

Just take 'er easy, and you'll work your confidence back up.

It's natural to be a little gun shy getting back to clipless. I agree that lowering the release tension to start off with might be helpful. I also think you are using Shimano SPD's right? Perhaps looking into a pedal and cleat system that releases more smoothly....speedplay, SPD-SL etc... might be an option as well.

It's natural to be a little gun shy getting back to clipless. I agree that lowering the release tension to start off with might be helpful. I also think you are using Shimano SPD's right? Perhaps looking into a pedal and cleat system that releases more smoothly....speedplay, SPD-SL etc... might be an option as well.
I have SPD-SL and the tension is at it's lowest, somehow I always got trouble releasing the right foot or clipping in the right foot, it really shouldnt be this hard... I showed it to the LBS and basically they told me nothing is wrong but you. I even asked if there was something else I could buy that releases a bit better and they said no.But keep my mind I was in a cast when I went to see them, I think they thought I might say they were responsable for this cause they really dismissed me.
I kid you not when I tell you the guy had to hit the pedal at least 20 times to demonstrate that it clipped on easily:rolleyes:
They are so cluless that he told me I could ride with my shimano shoes as long as I took off the cleat to insert those in my strapped on pedals..huh? never heard such a thing,you cant..it's impossible, it would be way too slippery, you wouldnt have an once of a grip, the employee present and I looked at the owner like he had two heads.
Keep in mind that's the same LBS who told me "dont bother showing up at group rides to give it a try, they'll drop you"
So anyway, a trip to a new LBS is in order to find out if indeed something is wrong with my cleats or anything else and to be offered some other options.

I'm still a little gunshy in wet corners after my crash in october... You just have to ease back into it, ya know? Sounds like you're on the right track.

Just keep thinking about the zillions of problem-free miles you had before that. All will be well. :beer:

Probably should set your pedal's tension to it's lightest setting and make sure your cleats are in good shape.


yep.

I'm still a little gunshy in wet corners after my crash in october... You just have to ease back into it, ya know? Sounds like you're on the right track.

Just keep thinking about the zillions of problem-free miles you had before that. All will be well. :beer:
awww thanks doc, that works for me, concentrate on the good.. good advice :)

Tell me Im not the only one who find it hard to get back on the horse after being hurt?




No, you're not. My issue was mental more than physical. After 5 crashes my first season (one concussion, two hip bone bruises, road rash occupying my arms, shoulders and legs...) I was gun shy going into my second season. What helped me was "The Ultimate Cyclist" Mind Dynamics cd. It helped to calm me down in the pack.

I think the "just slowly ease back into cycling with cleats" would be my approach. Fortunately, I haven't crashed a bike....yet. Just have to get back on the horse, so to speak.

You might want to try some SPD's with "multi-release" cleats. I use these mountain biking, and my wife still uses them on the road. Allows your foot to pull out much easier and at more angles. Very good for beginners and people that are have more concerns about clipless.

I have SPD-SL and the tension is at it's lowest, somehow I always got trouble releasing the right foot or clipping in the right foot, it really shouldnt be this hard... I showed it to the LBS and basically they told me nothing is wrong but you. I even asked if there was something else I could buy that releases a bit better and they said no.But keep my mind I was in a cast when I went to see them, I think they thought I might say they were responsable for this cause they really dismissed me.
I kid you not when I tell you the guy had to hit the pedal at least 20 times to demonstrate that it clipped on easily:rolleyes:
They are so cluless that he told me I could ride with my shimano shoes as long as I took off the cleat to insert those in my strapped on pedals..huh? never heard such a thing,you cant..it's impossible, it would be way too slippery, you wouldnt have an once of a grip, the employee present and I looked at the owner like he had two heads.
Keep in mind that's the same LBS who told me "dont bother showing up at group rides to give it a try, they'll drop you"
So anyway, a trip to a new LBS is in order to find out if indeed something is wrong with my cleats or anything else and to be offered some other options.

O.k. I thought from a few of the pictures I saw that you had the regular SPD road/mtb type pedals with the small cleats not the SL type. My bad.;) Your local shop sounds pretty crappy.

After 5 crashes my first season (one concussion, two hip bone bruises, road rash occupying my arms, shoulders and legs...)
wow... guess if you went back on, what am I complaining about?:p

Tell me Im not the only one who find it hard to get back on the horse after being hurt?


Here's another voice telling you you're not alone in feeling this way. I had a bad mountain biking accident in December (fracture neckbone, shoulder injury). I am forever changed in my riding habits. I have given up on mountain biking. I gave one of my mtb bikes away and converted the other one into a recumbent. I am much more cautious on my road bike. I use to love bombing down hills and trying to go over 50mph - don't do that anymore.

I had two days in the ICU to think about what the definition of fun was. I decided that I could have lots of fun without taking as much risk as I had been. I decided I wanted to fully participate in my 3 year old son's life, and not watch it from a wheelchair.

Yeah, it changed me...

Here's another voice telling you you're not alone in feeling this way. I had a bad mountain biking accident in December (fracture neckbone, shoulder injury). I am forever changed in my riding habits. I have given up on mountain biking. I gave one of my mtb bikes away and converted the other one into a recumbent. I am much more cautious on my road bike. I use to love bombing down hills and trying to go over 50mph - don't do that anymore.

I had two days in the ICU to think about what the definition of fun was. I decided that I could have lots of fun without taking as much risk as I had been. I decided I wanted to fully participate in my 3 year old son's life, and not watch it from a wheelchair.

Yeah, it changed me...
yeah that's kind of what happend to me as well...
it was a dare.
I had a riding partner that didnt ride as fast as me, just happend that way, It wasnt an issue to me but was to him and he would bring on the dares over and over thinking that he would beat me, he could of but it never happend and I took on the dare like a fool, I guess he made such a deal of not accepting that I was faster that I started to want to protect my pride, story short, I didnt want to hear " I told you I was faster then you" stupid story when I look back..

I should of let it go, we took risks that saturday morning, we did hills we had no idea about, sharp turns ect... it was a situation I should of never put myself thru just to play some childish game, he won that day, I crashed and he spend his whole summer enjoying riding all while I sat on the couch withmy leg up.

Injuries change you, I will never act so foolish just to prove a point.

Injuries change you, I will never act so foolish just to prove a point.

+1. Especially when you have kids who depend on you....

There are times and places when I don't want to be clipped in. For 1 I live on a gravel/dirt roa, it's fine most of the time, but then it gets wet and muddy or VDOT puts too much fresh gravel down.

Anyway I have pedals with clips on one side and flat on the other.

Good luck
Joe

Tell me Im not the only one who find it hard to get back on the horse after being hurt?



You definitely are not alone in feeling that way. I had knee surgery in '03 from a running injury, and have only run 2 times since. My apprehension about running was what led me to buy a bike. My injury wasn't from an accident, it was a longterm issue. The doctor told me, "You can keep running, but I'll keep operating on your knees."

I used to be one of the greatest trick riders in the midwest...hand stands on the seat...flip dismounts over the handlebars etc until that fateful day. Seriously...most of us have been there with the clipped in thing....I have as well. Fortunately just bruised. Some lady road right into my path while not looking and I couldn't get my left foot out fast enough. Practice...practice and practice emergency clip outs until it becomes absolute instinct as instinct is what you rely on in an emergency...no time for a calculated dismount. Test your ability to gain confidence. I like my KEO pedal tension around the mid point so I can get out of them. As a result I have adequate retention at full power.
Best of luck getting back to full strength and sorry to hear about your crash. If you ride long enough no matter how careful you are, you will likely biff. Happened to me last summer on a bike path where some kids set up a jump right into my path. Glad I survived. Your love of the sport will trump you intial anxiety of getting back in the saddle.
George

How about a few hours on a triainer with the clipless first? Also, have you tried Look cleats? I can't compare the two styles, but I switched from toe clips this year and found the Looks really easy to adapt to with confidence.

...Tell me Im not the only one who find it hard to get back on the horse after being hurt?

I cant seem the shake the feeling that something will happend to me again or I cant get pass what happend that day and how much pain I was in..
Over 20 years ago, I wiped out while bombing down a hill at top speed -- front wheel popped off when I hit a hole (suspected sabotage). Got knocked out even with helmet, lost teeth, plenty of lacerations and bruises requiring many stitches. No broken bones, but one of them was clearly exposed. It was years before I could ride at high speeds without having flashbacks.

Don't try to force it -- you'll come to terms with it naturally. I always tell people that riding fast or in heavy traffic is like walking on a roof. It's no big deal if you stay relaxed, but you significantly increase your chances of problems if you're scared. Just do what feels right and don't worry about things you're not quite ready for.

Aside from setting the tension extra light, you might want to put some time on a trainer. Be aware not being able to unclip in traffic is not as dangerous as it sounds. By definition, you won't be moving nor will the vehicles around you. Falling over will make you look like a dork, but chances of injury are slim. Even if there isn't enough room and you fall into a car, you'll be OK. I once did this myself. It was my fault for positioning myself too close to the car, and the poor driver as well as some bystanders thought he hit me. Aside from me feeling really stupid, no harm was done.

How about a few hours on a triainer with the clipless first? Also, have you tried Look cleats? I can't compare the two styles, but I switched from toe clips this year and found the Looks really easy to adapt to with confidence.
I think I will try different cleats..
Thanks guys, it feels a bit better to know that most of you went through the same thing.
the key is nice and easy, I have been riding my bike for months now, heck I even rode it with an air cast, I was never scared to get back on, I was only scared of the clipless pedals but with time I can get over that too.
thanks for the words of confidence, it helps, really.:)

BDG, I had the same feeling when I got really bad road rash from a bike accident. I was off my road bike for a couple of weeks. I was really afraid to fall again I have bad scarring on my right leg from it still.

For me it was just getting back on and taking it slow. Doing some rides where I felt completely comfortable. I still am afraid of falling like that again cause it was painful not only to me but my pocket book as well. I did $400 damage to my road bike and completely broke my helmet which I paid $130 for. Luckly I have a GREAT boyfriend that paid all of that for me. :)

Take it easy girl and I'm soo sorry about your accident.

You just have to quit thinking about it and get back on the bike. First time will be tenative, second time better by the third time you will probably forget. I got hit by a car a few years ago and broke both arms, the first time back I stayed to the MUP for a week, then went back out into traffic, a couple of weeks later I forgot all about the accident. Stuff happens not matter how careful you are, don't let it slow ya down.

as all have said, you have to clip back in to get your confidence back.

i got knocked off the road by a semi-truck (his admitted fault) on my first ride last season, having just got back into biking after being away for a couple of years.

needless to say i was shaken up and quite nervous/tentative about getting back into biking. fortunately, that was my only accident of the season and have totally regained my self-assurance and confidence on a bike.

Ride the trainer, and practice making fast stops and clipping out.

Seriously, just stay on flats, and roads with less traffic 'til you get your confidence back, even if you have to drive out somewhere to find such a spot. Did a backbreakin' high-dive once that left me breathless and nearly unable to get out of the pool. It took me a week, but I climbed back up there and did a beautiful jackknife. It'll get easier over time.

Just remember it was a stupid dare that put you in that position, and you're not gonna be doing that again. Right? :)

No, you're not the only one who gets afraid after a major fall. When I started cycling, I was afraid of EVERYTHING!! The clipless pedals, especially, freaked me out. Riding in a pack. riding in traffic. potholes. curbs. everything. then, shortly after I started cycling, I had a bad car accident that put me in the hospital for a week, and a wheelchair for month. All the hard work I'd done overcoming that fear had to be done all over again.

Of course, then I started riding the track.

Man, that was major terror time for me. The embankment, the lack of brakes, the clipless pedals, riding in close quarters (less than half a meter from the wheel in front of you), people above me falling, people in front of me falling, people on the other side of the track falling. It took MONTHS to stop feeling sick everytime i got on the track.

Just as I was making good progress, I fell on GMR (hotdogging down hill and PRETENDING I was on the velodrome). going back to the track afterwards, I was having all those panic and anxiety attacks all over again. All those months of work undone.

Unfortunately, fear really doesn't respond to rationality that much. No matter much much you know in your head that you can safely unclip from your pedals, your fear center will always find another reason to be afraid.

The thing that has helped me the most is to "short circuit" the fear by focusing on something else. one of my racing teammates told me, "Think about where you want to be in the race, not about all the things that MIGHT happen to you." That helped a lot. Looking ahead and thinking, "I want to be THERE, right behind THAT person, at THAT point on the track, going THIS fast. And after that, I want to be THERE, so I'll have an opening to sprint." It really helped a LOT. And it transfered to the road. As I'm riding, I try to always be thinking, "I want to be THERE, a little more than one doorwidth from those cars. Intersection up ahead. Okay, I want to start slowing down THERE, and I want to stop THERE." Suddenly, I was outside of my body, alert and looking ahead for things, anticipating how to put myself exactly where I wanted to be, instead of obsessing about things that weren't even happening.

The other thing is that it takes practice. With practice, you'll notice that the level of anxiety will gradually diminish. After two months, I'm finally noticing that I'm having hardly any trouble any more with panic the last two or three times times I've been on the track. But it's like it takes practice, making your body relax, forcing yourself to breath calmly and normally, and focusing your mind on rational truths.

Be patient with yourself. It sounds like you got hurt pretty bad.

The Velodrome Phoenix

No, you're not the only one who gets afraid after a major fall. When I started cycling, I was afraid of EVERYTHING!! The clipless pedals, especially, freaked me out. Riding in a pack. riding in traffic. potholes. curbs. everything. then, shortly after I started cycling, I had a bad car accident that put me in the hospital for a week, and a wheelchair for month. All the hard work I'd done overcoming that fear had to be done all over again.

Of course, then I started riding the track.

Man, that was major terror time for me. The embankment, the lack of brakes, the clipless pedals, riding in close quarters (less than half a meter from the wheel in front of you), people above me falling, people in front of me falling, people on the other side of the track falling. It took MONTHS to stop feeling sick everytime i got on the track.

Just as I was making good progress, I fell on GMR (hotdogging down hill and PRETENDING I was on the velodrome). going back to the track afterwards, I was having all those panic and anxiety attacks all over again. All those months of work undone.

Unfortunately, fear really doesn't respond to rationality that much. No matter much much you know in your head that you can safely unclip from your pedals, your fear center will always find another reason to be afraid.

The thing that has helped me the most is to "short circuit" the fear by focusing on something else. one of my racing teammates told me, "Think about where you want to be in the race, not about all the things that MIGHT happen to you." That helped a lot. Looking ahead and thinking, "I want to be THERE, right behind THAT person, at THAT point on the track, going THIS fast. And after that, I want to be THERE, so I'll have an opening to sprint." It really helped a LOT. And it transfered to the road. As I'm riding, I try to always be thinking, "I want to be THERE, a little more than one doorwidth from those cars. Intersection up ahead. Okay, I want to start slowing down THERE, and I want to stop THERE." Suddenly, I was outside of my body, alert and looking ahead for things, anticipating how to put myself exactly where I wanted to be, instead of obsessing about things that weren't even happening.

The other thing is that it takes practice. With practice, you'll notice that the level of anxiety will gradually diminish. After two months, I'm finally noticing that I'm having hardly any trouble any more with panic the last two or three times times I've been on the track. But it's like it takes practice, making your body relax, forcing yourself to breath calmly and normally, and focusing your mind on rational truths.

Be patient with yourself. It sounds like you got hurt pretty bad.

The Velodrome Phoenix
wow, good insightful post, thank you..
funny thing is I was never afraid of going clipless, I was clipless for two years before this incident, I got a sudden fear of it days before the incident, it's like someone was telling me something, weird...
and now I have it again, but I cant say I feel as bad as before I talked about it with you guys, Ill get through it.

+1 to the "everyone feels this way" sentiment. I've had bad crashes off-road, and it can be problem getting back to the car if I really get rattled (even without injury).

Nothing wrong with pulling off the road a bit, and waiting for the main rush through the green light, then clipping in at your own pace. You could also get confidence through practice, as suggested above. Just go to an empty parking lot and clip in, pedal, ride a bit, clip out, and put your foot down. Do this until you are 100% confident in your skills and in your physical comfort (e.g. your tendon doesn't hurt).

Another encouraging thing to think about is how much more intensity you can get to the pedals with your clipless system back on! You can do 100% all-out sprints again ;)