spdntrxi

the fact that your are asking… all signs point to yes.

The advice to take the road is good though.. I cross a short bridge with no shoulder.. so I either take the road or time it and let as many cars in front of me..before I own the lane.

Ghost Ryder

I know how it feels! I was out just over a year.
Last year I suffered a work related injury, luckily I traded my 29er for my truck, but my medical bills used up most of my new bike fund for this year. I ended up picking up a used Allez triple to help as my recovery bike since it was a knee injury.

I bought a bunch of new tools too, to build up that Allez, & work on my other bikes. I have enough to keep me busy.
When the videos ran out, I found other things to do, thinking about cycling made me a little depressed. I had to find other hobbies to take my mind off of cycling. Didn't want to go "stir crazy".

I'm stuck on the trainer while my hand heals, sliced it up pretty good @ work last week, just shy of bone/ligaments. Its almost healed up now. Needed stitches, but I went to the ER after work. Doc said I shouldn't have waited. Glue didn't work so it had to heal on its own. Minor setback, but I'll do whatever to get back in the saddle.

Looks like 2014 will be the year for me.
Knocking on wood that I don't get injured again.

Keep your head up!
You'll get there bro!

SirHustlerEsq

Zombie arm eats your brain:

Ghost Ryder

Right on time, as I eat my lunch!
That's a doozy!

RIRview

Sept 15, 2012 crashed and had a concussion, fractured clavicle, fractured and bruised ribs and pneumothorax. While recovering, I would see cyclists on the road, and get emails from my bike club, and I couldn't wait to get back on the bike. By Thanksgiving that year I was riding again--very tentative and hesitant at first, but after those first few rides I quickly regained my form. I have a feeling that the OP will be back, too.



I felt about as good as I looked in this pic:

Bakerb24

I've been lucky enough not to go down on my road bike after almost 5 years of riding off and on. Other than not being able to clip out in the driveway when I first started, that is. However, I went down on my motorcycle in front of about 60 riders in a poker run. I was way too under-experienced to be riding on the ride any way. I only rode it about 3 more times before selling it. I honestly don't think that I would ever own another. However, I enjoy riding my road bike a hell of a lot more than I did my motorcycle.

Gearhead65

I hope your healing is going well (I only read your original post). I'd say YES, you will get back out there. The first few rides may have quite a bit of trepidation but you'll get past that feeling eventually. (Broke a scapula/ribs/concussion last year, then collarbone/ribs/concussion this year and got back out as soon as I could stand it.)

That's a nasty X-ray. Get well. Don't give it up.

SirHustlerEsq

Thanks. I'm so afraid to get back out there and go through this all-over again. I can't believe this arm still hurts so bad, all the time. When does it end?

Pibber

hoo bud! i just got back from a broken clavicle. my first couple of ventures back on the bike were painful. it takes time to build those muscles back up and regain your legs. after your break i'd imagine physther will be extensive. good thing you had surgery, just resetting that and letting it heal would add months to recovery.

don't even get out on the road until you're near full strength again. ride MUPs, parking lots, parks or find a track at a school(luckily there is a track directly across the street from my apartment; nice, smooth, level surface to pedal around) that you can ride after work or whenever there's nobody on it.

read several of the first page of comments, just want to reiterate that taking the lane is completely in your best interest. it's simply the safest thing to do. if you're not used to it, it will be a little weird at first, but you'll get used to it quickly.

you'll be back on the bike soon enough. cheers!

edit: read more. you have a strong legal case. if you haven't, and i'm sure you have, look up some cycling lawyers in your area. if you were hit from behind, you might have a new house coming to you!

that said, i was hit from the left, right hooked, approaching an intersection with no light or stop sign, just straight through. i too was doing 30, but in the bike lane. i'll never ride in the bike lane again. officer actually said i had to yield right of way to the car on my left and the accident was my fault even though he didn't cite me for the damage to the car....cops......

speedwobbles

Damn! Good luck with the recovery. Personally, I broke my radius and ulna playing hockey and was itching to get back on the ice (I had a decent shot even with the cast on ). You'll probably be a bit anxious the first few times back out on the bike but I can't see why you can't get back into it.

SirHustlerEsq

Do I need to give more consideration to the vulnerabilities in cycling stemming from a crash like mine, or was it a fluke deal? I only did this hobby for ~6 months and the crash physically and financially devastated me. Do I really need to do this again? Is it time to get fat, sell the cycling gear for a recliner, and start watching NFL?

Germany_chris

Yup, I'll be that hurt like a mother f***er.

Germany_chris

Giving in is always the honorable thing to do.

Ghost Ryder

Don't lose hope...
The NFL season is almost over...
There's always NHL, & NBA.

You'll get back there when its time, everyone puts a bit of weight on in the winter. It can motivate you to push harder when you get back in the saddle.
Stay positive!

SirHustlerEsq

It surprisingly hurt more after the surgery than when it broke. Its been four weeks and I still have pain, but significantly reduced.

Germany_chris

It takes a few hours to for the pain to set in.

zymphad

This thread is scaring me, I'm reading over bike and road rules for my state. And I'm upset that when I learned to drive and tested for my license, none of these bike laws and rules were mentioned or taught when I got my license. NONE of them were mentioned by any instructor... So makes me even more nervous knowing that majority of drivers are clueless about the rights of bikers on the road.

SirHustlerEsq

Surgeon just said I can expect to pedal again in February. I have two months to figure out if I want to pedal again or not.

surgeonstone

Thoughts are with you and I hope you do ride again. Perfectly normal to be skittish after an injury like that. I live in an area where I can ride and have little to no traffic. It may be worthwhile for you to find the same- it's a lot more fun when you don't have to be so fearful of traffic.

SirHustlerEsq

The car creeping in and pressing me (I leaned against the car) was the main factor, but a small portion of the fall is a product of catching a crack, so that's stuck in my head as well. Thanks for the well-wishes.

jerrycan42

Speaking as someone with 9 crashes in a 34 race season, including a broken collar bone in the last race of the season, I'd say you'll ride again.

Ghost Ryder

Like with everything we do in life, there's always a fear factor.
You can use it to drive you to ride again, or use it to drive it away from cycling.
Some people live for the thrill that fear factor brings.
I use it to be cautious/defensive on the road.
Like SS said, find an area with little to no traffic to get the "wheels turning" again, & slowly build your confidence back.

Astrozombie

Reminds me to practice my emergency stops. Good luck TC! Can't believe people honk at a cyclist doing 35, once I'm over 20mph i've never been honked at.

In the mean time pick up the "The Art of Cycling", sounds like the guy had it out for ya so maybe it's no big deal.....go watch Elliot Hulse on Youtube.

mLuMaN83

Oh Snap! No pun intended. Well maybe a little pun... I broke my wrist and collar bone racing Motocross, I could not wait to get back on the bike. I actually jumped on and made a few high speed runs to get my fix when I was healing. I also surf. I was accosted by 6 black tips, 1 hammerhead, and a bull shark took a beeline toward me and knocked me off my board. Thank goodness I have never been bit or killed. I still surf although nowadays, I am very aware of the ocean I am sharing with the men in the grey suits.

I was also younger but still. If you love it, keep going. The statistics show you will most likely die from something unrelated to your passions.

God Forbid.

Enjoy yourself, be safe, be healthy, and heal quickly.

Best wishes.

surgeonstone

I had a pretty nasty fall after being attacked by a pit bull a year ago. Never considered myself sheepish or fearful in life or cycling but this event changed me. I used to never give dogs a second thought but this crash resulted in a concussion, fractured rib and lots of skin and blood loss. A year later I still feel the fear when I hear a dog coming. On tonight's ride a large black lab/ shepherd mix chased me down for 1/2 a mile. I used to think this crap was fun but when you have been hurt, the natural response is caution and fear.