Originally Posted by jbhowat
I can understand you being nervous about damaging your hip. However, I would say that you'll be able to maintain 20mph if you can get on a wheel. Maybe you won't be with the main pack, but early on a bunch of people will come sailing out of the back. Talk to them and work in a small group if possible. riding in a paceline is nowhere near as bad as riding in a pack. Make sure you don't overlap wheels.
Let me guess, your left hip is the Ti one? If so that sucks - apparently cyclists are much more likely to fall to their left side than to their right side. Have you ever fallen off of a bike at speed. It helps to know what its like, you can protect yourself.
Actually, it is my right hip, and YES....I have crashed twice.
Once, my first one, was an endo that was a nasty crash. I planted my mouth on the pavement, kocking out a front tooth, breaking my right wrist and road rashing myself just about everywhere.
The next year I crashed onto the hip side and thought I was done. The thing swelled up huge...ugly black, blue and green....went to get an X-ray and the surgeon said I dodged a bullet....that the replacement looked good as new and the damage was all muscular and would heal.
I know what it feels like to go down, and I made it all 3,200 miles last year with both wheels on the ground all season.
I know about riding in pacelines and would love to find someone--or a few people--riding at about my speed to work with.