MikeR

I posted this in the Commuter forum too but I know that some people who know me are not commuters.

Well it looks like I wont be able ride for a while I had quite a spill last Sunday and received a 3rd degree concussion. I was going out for my Sunday joy ride. About 4 miles out I was making a right turn. I normally cost around this turn with my inside pedal up. I was going slower than normal and so I was pedaling. A few things worked against me.

1 I had recently changed my pedals. I now have the kind that are SPD on one side and platforms on the other. I was clipped in – platforms facing sown.

2 I recently added pedal extenders to increase the Q. This makes the pedals stick out about ˝ inch more.

Well I was pedaling and leaning too far into the turn. When my inside pedal was at 5 o’clock it hit the road. The teeth of the platform bit into the pavement and I remember bouncing into the air. That’s all I remember. Apparently the bike raised up and when it came back down the back wheel tacoed. I went over so fast that I never left go of the handlebars (I have bruised knuckles to prove it). Besides my knuckles, the only other thing that hit was my head – and it hit hard. The helmet is all smashed.

After the pedal biting into the road, the next thing I remember is trying to talk to the guy who found me laying in the road. I tried to say my name but at first all I could say was “Mmmmaaaa” . That finally cleared up a bit I could tell him (with some effort) my name and home phone number.

When the EMT got me to stand I started puking. So they took me to the hospital where I spent three really bad days with headache, nausea, and extremely high blood pressure.

I’m home and getting better but I will not be able to ride a bike until we are sure that the concussion is completely healed.

I miss riding already.

ablang

Good lord. Sorry to hear that.

Thank goodness for the helmet.

More reason for the rest of us to keep wearing one.