johnnyboy1

This morning, I looked out the window and saw wet streets and the temp was listed as 34. Perfect for my 5.3 mile commute. I turn left out of my driveway and, rats, that wasn't wet, it was ice! Went over real fast! Got up, gave a furtive look to see if the neighbors saw that awkward dismount, bike OK, but wait- what's that pain? Ah, sprained ankle. I toyed with the idea of taking the bus but a biking addiction is hard to stop.

Needless to say, it was a long day. Especially the ride home- high 20s temp and wind in the 20's mph with gusts to 40. But I did it. Even stopped at the store to pick up an Ace bandage. Got home, wrapped the ankle, popped some more Advil, prop up the leg and check out the BF.

Next commute isn't until Friday night, so I have a little time to rest.

Boothe85

Been there! I had to finish out the last 4 miles of my commute in florida (14 mile one way) with a gauze wrap around my shin. Why gauze wrap on my shin? Well, Hurricane Irene was bearing down on south florida and I had been commuting for about a month at the time. Co-workers asked if I was going to drive my truck to work, and I told them it was only a little rain. Ended up riding through some rain bands and some winds, but it missed florida. Long story short, the shoulder of the road was flooded so I moved to high ground aka the sidewalk. Ran over some rubble on the sidewalk and thought my rear tire flattened on me, so I took a quick peak down to see what the deal was *BAM* clipped an empty bus bench. Went over the handlebars, broke my speedometer mount, and my headlight mounts. Put a nice puncture in my leg. A nice guy riding a bike going the other way asked if I was ok, and that it was the craziest stuff he had ever seen. Walked into the walmart behind the bus stop, bought some cleaning alcohol, gauze wrap, couple bandaids. Patched myself up and finished out the rides after a 5 minute recovery. Still got a scar, but sometimes you have no choice but to ride on injured. Bike only had a small scuff on the fork. No bent rims, broken spokes, very lucky.

no1mad 

Your story is one of the reasons why my bike stays in the insidie when it's wet and below 35.

btw, I fixed the title for ya- had to read the OP to figure out if you meant 'injured' or 'insured'.

Boothe85

It was definitely a lesson well learned. I never really used the sidewalks but due to all the water, I chose to take the chance. Needless to say, I mounted some fenders ( I think they were like SKS) i got from Dicks Sporting Goods, and continued to ride rain or shine. Currently living in NC now but looking to replace that bike (Cannondale H400) as I sold it in south florida before I moved, and now regret it badly

1242Vintage

I've commuted a few times injured. First time i was on my way home and I ran off the road taking a curve way too fast and not paying enough attention. Took a pretty hard hit to the head (i was wearing a helmet) when i went down and knocked my front wheel way out of true. Limped on over to my favorite LBS and mechanics fixed my wheel up. Made it home but probably should have called it quits and dialed up the team car ( also known as the wife in the minivan) for a ride home cause my head was pounding. I'm thinking it probably was a modest concussion.

Last fall I took a spill on a Sunday cyclocross race and landed hard on my shoulder. Was really sore on Mondays commute and worse on Tuesday morning. Couldn't take it so cycled on over to urgent care on my way home Tuesday night. Nothing broken or torn, just swollen. Good meds fixed me up and kept me on the road. Funny thing was I had a hard time holding the handlebars with my left hand for a week or so after and my commuting buddies gave me crap about riding with an injury.

Did I mention I ride my bike and commute to improve my health.

Hope you heal up quickly.

Stealthammer

I've commuted with various injuries over the years and I know that it is certainly no fun. Sprained wrists, knees and ankles, and even broken ribs are bad enough, but they are no problem at all compared to riding with a broken collar bone. Count your blessings that you only sustained a sprained ankle.

Question though, I noticed that you live in NY and wonder if you are using studded tires? I know that they add a bit of drag compared to normal tires, but they are well worth their cost and the extra effort needed when you balance that against risking injury. Also, I highly suggest adding a series (6-8) of #7 x ½" slotted hex-head sheet metal screws to the soles of whatever shoes you are riding with (whether platform or clipless) because they will grab the ice as if it was dry pavement and often allow you to avoid the instant body slam that these types of falls generally end with.

squegeeboo

I've biked with ankle/hamstring/quad/knee injuries. Just take it slower than usual, and don't push it. My biggest issue was when one of my ankle injuries was on the foot i normally unclipped at stop lights, so I had to remember to unclip the other foot instead because my ankle did not like turning to pop my foot out of the SPD.

Also biked with a cast on one hand, that was interesting.

groovestew

A couple years ago, I wiped out on some ice during a commute, and wrenched my knee in the process. Nothing too serious, but enough to make me limp for a couple days. What was remarkable about that particular injury is that I only had pain when walking - after a couple minutes pedaling, and the pain was gone, but came back with a vengeance as soon as I got off the bike again.

RubeRad

Here's my story. Cycling to high school, one morning I was riding hands-free in a residential neighborhood (both my hands were busy unwrapping a piece of candy). Clipped a side mirror on a parked van, wiped out bad, but I was across the street from a bunch of kids waiting at a bus stop, so no way could I stick around, too embarassing! I learn later my right wrist was broke from that crash, but I just go to school and suck it up.

On the ride home, coming down a hill probably a little too fast, have to brake hard at a 4-way stop sign because a car is already going across (my bad), but my right hand is non-functional, so I grab hard with my left hand (I'll give you two guesses which brake that is!) BAM over the bars big time, broke my left collarbone.

The lady in the car was nice enough to stop and drive me home with my bike hanging halfway out of her open truck (even though she had done nothing wrong).

johnnyboy1

I haven't because there is so little ice on my commute. This incident was actually the first day this winter with ice. And I could have made it this time if I had just paid attention. The only ice was on my home street.

The roads tend to clear because of traffic and the bike paths/MUPs I use get salted.