Caveman down! (some road rash content)
 

And a broken collarbone. Oy veh. :(

JUST started commuting again the last couple weeks. Felt great, after 2 1/2 years of riding almost not at all, seriously probably less than 50 miles in that whole stretch, due to 70+ hour workweeks and getting to work before sunrise and getting home after sunset.

So, of course, I go splat on the way to work last Thursday. It was downhill, probably not going more than 20mph, which is plenty fast to hit the pavement, as you would know if you've ever done it. I bounced at least once, and slid quite a ways. My cochlear device fell off my head on impact and was about 30 feet from where my body stopped. About $9000 worth of luck that it was undamaged. Not so much luck on the collarbone, which snapped right where they usually do. So I'm off work for a minimum of three weeks, and can't ride.

Update: Moderators removed my gory closeup pix of the road rash details, so you know they were damned impressive! :lol:


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fd6d0273e.jpeg

Ouch! Sorry to hear (and see) this. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

So sorry to hear, I hit the deck at about 15 mph a few years ago so I understand. Get well brother!

Sorry to hear, mate. Sounds like you’re taking it in stride. Wishing you a fast recovery!

sorry to hear that :(,wishing you a quick recovery

No one wants to see that.
Jeez

Sorry to hear that, Tim. Been there, done that. It hurts. Good luck with your recovery!

BTW, how's the bike?

Been there - done that.
Hope you heal up quickly and completely.

My sympathies!
I've hit the pavement a handful of times, but was fortunate to fall on my side. Usually some road rash on a hip or forearm, but that was about it. Breaking a bone raises the severity another level!

If it's any consolation, it can be worse. A buddy in Des Moines was commuting on the local trail when he hit a muddy patch. I'm not sure what exactly happened, but he ended up breaking a femur... ouch!
He is now the owner of a titanium femur. Not sure what the rehab is like for that sort of thing.

Best wishes for the recovery.

Steve in Peoria (with a few scars, but no breaks)

Owie!

Heal quickly and completely.

A little bit of rash there, too. Both brake levers got pushed inward 20-30 degrees and a little scuffed up. Neat trick, doing both sides in one spill.


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ff94c24733.jpg

The good news is the frame's not bent, the wheels are both true and my most pristine Brooks Team Pro remains pristine. Usually you'll grind off a corner of your saddle in a crash like this, but ultimately, the bike ended up on top of me.

Collarbones. Very good bet this shoulder will sit lower and closer in when all is set. Solution - apply the same to the other side. ie keep riding. (I'm a little slow. I had to do both sides twice to get the symmetry back.

Yikes!

You're in good company, @northbend did it twice in one year, I believe. Me, I bypassed the collarbone and went straight for the Grade 4 AC separation.

Just an FYI: the moderators seem to prefer posters to refrain from posting graphic photos of body damage. At least, I believe I've seen a few threads in the past where such photos were removed by a mod. Me, I'd delete those photos.

Tim,
Such excellent reflexes to save the saddle, frame and wheels, at the cost of considerable body damage. Congratulations, in a weird way, that you saved your Cochlear device! One of my hearing aids popped out when I fell on your Hurricane Ridge ride years ago. Didn’t realize it was gone until much later. It’s up there on the shoulder somewhere.

That'll buff right out. Hang in there.

Gadzooks! Wishing you the best of and speedy on the recovery.

Ouch! Glad the brain bucket is OK. The bruise on the foot might be a little ankle sprain that maybe you’re not noticing so much in the other aches and pains.

Man that's a bummer for sure. Hope it all heals up quickly and you can get back out there. Best of luck!

To give the post value and actually be helpful, could you explain what transpired? Gravel, raccoon, user error?

So sorry to hear, Tim! I broke my elbow and fractured ribs at half that speed--I don't know how professional riders escape it half the time. I guess that's why we're working the jobs we are.. :lol:

Glad the Brooks is unscuffed. Scuffed saddle edges on an otherwise perfect saddle always bum me out a little.

Sorry to hear that, wishing you a speedy recovery. Could've been worse at that speed on pavement.

Bummer! Heal!

Rats!!! Double Rats!!!

Thanks for posting the pics. Most of us have been there for one reason or another but that does not make it any easier for ya. Remember that road rash almost always gets infected. Here is some things I have used to get a seedy recovery from road rash in my patients.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4dc628694d.png
Skintegrity Hydrocoloid

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6129475e0b.png
Telfa Non-adherant pads

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...70312546d7.png
3M Medipore H Soft Cloth Surgical Tape - 4 Wide by 10 yd Breathable

Cut a section of Telfa pad to the size of the skin injury. Cut a section of tape 5mm larger then the Telfa and then mount the Telfa to the center of the tape. Put a thin layer of Skintegrity over the Telfa pad then place the dressing over the injury. You can change the dressing out every other day by soaking it off in the shower. Be gentile with the new skin forming under the pad. I recommend using Shaving Cream to clean the wound before doing the dressing changes.

As for the collar bone... That's a time thing. Be careful, no stress, good nutrition, think good thoughts... AhhhUmmmm....

Bummer, hope you heal fast and get back on the bike

I understand work getting in the way of commuting (which is one of my favorite ways to add frequent rids)

now you can try gugies fax-leather handlebar tape