A "Historic" Fall From a Spin Bike
 

I posted this in the Clydesdale forum, but I thought you folks might find it interesting as well. Has anyone here ever been caught off guard by a rude question, as I describe at the end of this post? I thought I'd left such treatment behind when I lost weight.

********

Nearly 3000 miles logged in 2007 and my first accident in months takes place on a spinning bike. Here's how:

The weather in PA has been awful lately, and after logging a pathetic 20 mile week, I decided to go to the gym for my riding. I adjusted the spin bike as best as I could, donned my MS City to Shore VIP Cyclist kit and bike shoes, and waited for the class to start.

I'd adjusted the bike for saddle height, stem height, and distance between saddle and stem, but one change I couldn't make is extending the crank arms. If you look at the photo below, taken by "Bautieri" of Bike Forums at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art:

http://lh3.google.com/neil.thehistor...sresized-1.jpg

...you will notice the horrible knock in my right knee. (Yeah, you may also notice I'm bent like a crescent roll and my rack is bigger than my bike's, but stay with me, folks.) My own bike is set up with extenders, but I don't have a set to spare.

For a half hour of the class I was able to keep up with the group, and handled standing on the pedals with ease, if not grace, but about 30 minutes into it I tried to put my right foot down, slipped off the edge of the pedal, and down went 250 pounds of Clydesdale. I wound up hitting the floor on the right, my left foot still clipped into the left pedal, and my right calf punctured in four spots by the right pedal. Aside from bleeding and bruising and muscle fatigue, I'm OK. My pride isn't.

Incidentally this class started on the wrong foot as well as ending on it. At the beginning, a woman I'd never met or seen before felt bold enough to come up and ask me "What's wrong with your back?" I mumbled something polite in response, but she managed to ruin my mood for the day. It's comforting to know that even after losing 140 pounds some folks are going to look at me and only see that something is "wrong."

Mr. Historian, you are taking charge of your life and have already lost 140 lbs. -- I am impressed. As for falling off a stationary bicycle, that's sounds like the sort of thing I could accomplish, too. :)

Keep up the good work.

Dont feel too bad (not that it sounds like you are).

Some friends and I attended the Tour of Ca prologue last year and before the start happened upon Ivan Basso warming up for his ride on a trainer under their tent. We were marveling at the grace of his style when his rear wheel slipped out of the trainer and down he went, knocking over three other bikes and making a huge commotion. You're in good company.

As someone who also posts in Clye I understand your sensitivity. A number of years ago I had a treadmill "accident" which the whole gym heard and saw. Haven't been on a treadmill since!

First all, hope you are OK. Sounds like you got seriously hurt so take it easy. Second, that woman was interesting that she had the lack of tack to ask you about your back. I can only hope she was geniunely concerned and wanted to start a conversation with you (although tacky). And don't let your pride keep you returning to spin. I have often been the biggest person in class but I am far from the weakest (and am in fact one of the strongest) and like to show those young skinny things that being big doesn't mean you aren't physically fit. Get back in there and show them you can ride most of their skinny little lycra covered butts off!

take care...

She probably just thought it was sore or something, and expected a reply like, "yeah - moved a damn refridgerator yesterday and I'm still sore."

I could probably manage to fall off a stationary bike. In fact, having never ridden clipless, I probsably would. But losing 140 pounds - that's something to really be proud of.

You also have the advantage of starting the holiday season with a great story to amuse friends with -- "My Bike Accident."

Paul

I lost 140 pounds a while back, too. Had to give her spousal support for a while, but it was worth it. :D

Seriously, those kind of accidents are so embarrassing, and the woman who commented was a jerk. Keep on keeping on. P-K4.

Thanks for another excuse to post my best chess game. Notes are based on
those appearing in the March 2002 Pennswoodpusher.

Brennen,N (1573) - Amador,J (1944) [B30]
Chaturanga Chess League (4) (Hatboro, PA) , 14.02.2002
[Neil Brennen]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Na5?!
After the game Amador told me that this variation was chosen to
unbalance
the game against a weaker player.
4.Nc3 a6 5.Be2 e6 6.d4!?
I don't normally play open Sicilians, but the Knight on a5 is out of
place,
so I transpose into one.
.... cxd4 7.Nxd4 Qc7
"So Black has gained a move in the Taimanov Sicilian (Na5), but not a
particularly useful one." -ICCF IM Junior Tay.
8.0–0 b5 9.f4 Bb7 10.f5?!
[10.a3 was better. ]
10...Bd6 11.fxe6!? 11...Bxh2+?! 12.Kh1 dxe6 13.Bg5!?
Continuing in Shirov mode." -ICCF IM Junior Tay.
[13.Ncxb5 axb5 14.Bxb5+ Nc6 15.Nxc6 Bxc6 16.Bxc6+ Qxc6
17.Kxh2‰-Tay]
13...Be5
[13...b4 14.Ncb5 Qb8 (14...Qe5 15.Nf3 Qxe4 16.Kxh2 axb5 17.Bxb5+ Bc6
18.Re1
Qg4 19.Qd5 Ne7 20.Qd6 0–0 21.Bxe7 Bxb5 22.Qxb4= ) 15.Nxe6 fxe6
16.Bh5+ g6
17.Qf3 Kd7 18.Qf7+ Kc6 19.Qxe6++--Tay]
14.Nxe6!
Tally ho!
fxe6 15.Bh5+ g6 16.Bg4+- Bc8
17.Qf3
"Neil is going all guns ablazing!" -ICCF IM Junior Tay
[17.Bd8!? ± is also pretty good.]
17...Bg7
[17. ...Qg7 may hold the game. I was unable to find full compensation
for
the piece when analyzing the game recently.]
18.Rad1
[18.e5!?]
18...Nc6 19.e5!!+-
I like this move.
19...Ra7
I'm not sure there's a valid defense for Black any longer.
20.Qxc6+!
I'm a little annoyed it took me ten minutes to find this obvious shot.
Obviously I need to work on tactics if I choose to resume playing at
some
point.
20...Bd7 21.Qf3 Nh6 22.Bxh6
My opponent wondered why I thought for 15 minutes here. I reminded him
that
I, as a C player, was fully capable of losing this game, and if it
did, it
wouldn't be because of a hurried move.
...Rf8 23.Qh3
[The brilliancy was 23.Qxf8+!! The postmortem group had lots of fun
looking
at lines like ....Bxf8 24.Rxf8+ Ke7 25.Rdf1 A) 25...Be8 26.Nd5+!
(26.Bg5+
Kd7 27.Bxe6+ Kxe6 28.Rxe8+) ; B) 25...Qxe5 26.R1f7+ Kd6 27.Bf4 Qxf4
28.Rxf4]
However, I choose the simplest win.
Once the
e-pawn falls, so does the Black game.
23...Rxf1+ 24.Rxf1 Qxe5
Desperation.
25.Bxg7 Qxg7 26.Bxe6 Bxe6 27.Qxe6+ Kd8 28.Qd6+
The most accurate move.
...Ke8 and resigns.
1–0

The appropriate response to the rude question is to look surprised, start spinning around try to look at your back and shout with fear in your eyes, "Holy crap! There's something wrong with my back?" Then stop, look the person straight in the eye and ask, "What's wrong with your manners?"

BTW, you're not the only one to have trainer mishaps. One of my favorite threads: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=240434 While there weren't others around to witness it, falling off, even on a stationary ride, happens.

I don't have the presence of mind or the strong sense of self-worth that allows me to become offended so quickly. I need a little bit of time. :-)

You should get that self Worth. We are all the same even if some of us have a disability. There are many people out there that do nothing to help themselves get over an injury or disability. You know how much you have improved with exercise- and agreat deal of self will- and just remember- You will be improving with the effort you are putting in. They will always be ignorant baskets- offending not only you, but a lot of other people.

Edit- At 240 lbs- you should be coming out of the Clydesdale shortly

You've lost 140 pounds and don't have a sense of self worth? Are you sure your not looking in the wrong place for it? I think the sense of self worth is a big part of you doing something that most people only wish they had the strength of will and grit to accomplish.

In my spinning class last Thursday a young man came in with his wife, after dinking around for about 15 minutes of the class (rolling his eyes at the instructions) and taking up a bike that we could have used for a serious cyclist he finally just got up and left without even a shred of courtesy to the instructor or class. There is a guy who (even though he lacks the wit to know it) had an embarassing cycling class. You just had a bit of a fall and haven't a thing to be embarressed about.

+1

As the parent of a mentally handicapped adult I've had the pleasure of telling off quite a few people who have made rude remarks.

We were in a grocery checkout line one day and my daughter was fussing for a candy bar and acting like a typical child. A man behind me made the remark that some people needed to teach their children how to act in public. I politely said to him "She's mentally handicapped and has an excuse for the bad behaviour. What's your excuse, a**hole?".

The last two times I fell off my bike was when it was sitting still, and I
ride platform peddals! I hope your not too badly injured. It's frustrating
enough having foul weather without being sidelined for an injury.
We all fall, we all climb back on, and I continue to be inspired by your
and everyones else's victories.

Happy Trails

spin
 

HUGE congrats on the weight lost. re: the 'rude' question. I am 65 and a certified weight trainer and spin instructior and teach a couple of classes a week. i don't really see the question as rude from an instructors perspective. i believe an instructor has a duty to insure that everyone has a safe and comfortable ride and as such if i see someone in the class, especially if they are new, that looks like they might be having difficulty i will check it out with them. I also make sure that every new person has signed a PAR-Q that attests to their physical condition and ability to engage in high intensity exercise. Of course i make sure i have these discussions privately before class.

She wasn't the instructor. She'd never been to a spin class before. She'd never seen me before.

:DYou lost 140lbs! congrats dude! I found several of them.I need to ride more,eat less fries.I just made ten pds of venison sausage yum.I'll eat green leafy veggies too.but man ,,140 lbs.. you put more life on your slate.

spin
 

sorry for the misread but i hope the instructor checked things out for you before class. as for the unknown woman you're totally right she was/is and ass..... i'm not quite sure how your foot came off the pedal. were you using clips or clipless? what kind of spin bikes? some of them are terrible trying to sort out the tension particularly when standing which requires a lot of tension. (at least i like a moderate amount of tension to stand. not too much or it is too hard on the knees) i hope your leg is coming along ok. and yeah when you slip off one needs to hit the brake right away these bikes are quite like a fixed gear. did the instructor show you where the brake was?

I was 240. I'm back up to 260 at the moment. I've had a hard time scaling back my eating as my riding has decreased. However, that's changing. If I'm going to look like a crescent roll, I'd rather not be a plump one. :-)

And I seriously doubt I will ever weigh less than 200 pounds. I've got about 15-20 pounds of loose skin hanging around. I'm aiming for 220.

Sorry.....I awarded the Johnson trophy for December to the other stationary bike accident.....you I am saving for my hero of the year award.

I wish I could manage the kinds of things that you have accomplished in the last year.

I'm a 250-260 pound guy in lycra. I checked my pride at the changing room door. :)

Dude, when skinny people give you crap, just challenge them to a Greco-Roman wrestling match. That'll usually shut them up.

Historian,
You seem to have a lot going for you and a lot to be proud of. Not only do you have a lot of will power and energy, but you were able to survive what sounds like a very bad fall and be able to walk away.

And, you have a lot of people on this list pulling for you.

Spin bikes are torture devices and deserve to get knocked around. Too bad you came out worse than the bike.

By the way, don't give up on getting below 200, if that's your goal. I really don't believe the argument that we all have a pre-endowed weight (above a normal weight) that we cannot get below.

spin bike
 

it ain't about the bike!! the bike don't do the torturing!:)

Tell her it became crooked bearing up under the weight of idiotic people asking inane questions. Then casually mention your achievements in both pounds and mileage.

** A few years ago I fell over on a fork mount/rear axle mount trainer in my garage. I took the bike over with me....maybe so I'd have company in whatever Bikers' Valhalla I ended up in. Luckily my only witness was the cat. We should have a thread for goofy, bike-connected things that have happened to us all.