knzn

Here I set bleeding and sypmathizing little more for those who relate their crash experiences here. I took off from the house this morning after a three week lay off. Some on here have related as to how the first ride after a lay off period has them feeling suprisingly strong, and that how I felt.

I am cursed with a bit of a competitive spirit and I like to best previous rides. Not everytime of coarse, but I do tend to push a little if I sense a personal best. Somtimes I do a 22 mile loop from my house and that is what I did today. The last half mile to my house is an open road, no houses or side streets.

As usual in Kansas at least half your ride is with a wind and half against it. Today the first half was with the wind and I had to push a pretty good breeze on the return loop. But like I said, I felt suprisingly strong. I was crushing that last half mile.

Evidently my front tire was leaking and I had not felt it yet. My driveway has an asphalt approach and the last peek at my speedometer before I leaned into the turn showed 16 mph. Funny what flashes through your mind in the middle of a crash. I used to race moto-cross for a number of years and had my share of ungraceful dismounts. Seems like all of them had vividly clear weird thoughts as they were happening.

Anyway after a 22 mile ride as I leaned into the last turn into the driveway I felt the front end wash out. Down I went hard on my right side and felt myself bounce. I think pain does hurt more than it used to. I sat there stunned for a minute trying to determine just what did hurt and what didn't. For some reason my left pinky finger and left thumb are shredded. My right calf has a deluxe road rash. My right shoulder is sore. I don't look forward to tomorrow. The first thing I thought of was to check the front tire and confirm what I suspected, that it gone down. It had.

Ok, confession time. I believe in, and wear helmets. I didn't today. I did feel my head contact the asphalt approach during impact. It was a very gentle bump. It doesn't hurt now and the cap I was wearing doesn't even have a dirty spot. But if my head hit as hard as my shoulder did things may have been worse. It only take one ride with out---------enough said.

So now I wonder two thing. Do chicks still dig scars? And should I go buy myself a better set of tires.

Thanks for letting me bleed.

Retro Grouch 

1. It's good you didn't check yourself into the ER. You would have gotten more advice re: wearing a helmet than you probably want to listen to.

2. Oh yeah, baby! Chicks definitely dig scars. The guys just laugh but the chicks all want to take turns feeding me.

3. Is Wichita in the goat head belt? I'm thinking that you had a slow leak that morphed into a fast leak. Probably a new inner tube is all that you need but I'd definitely check the inside of your tire for the offending thorn.

stapfam

several things on this forum- We like PIE and we like Pics.

BluesDawg

It almost seems worse to crash in your own driveway after safely completing a ride. Hope you turn out to be OK. How is the bike?

Yeah, chicks still dig scars. That's one reason I like to MTB.

Even the best tires can leak.

knzn

Yeah, we do have more than our share of goat heads. I have not gone out and dismounted the tire yet. Been real content to set in the lazy boy all after noon. Dang I am sore.

knzn

Yeah, I thought about pics, but there seems to be a lot on here. Seen one bloody road rash you seen them all. Mine just hurts more than everyone elses lol

knzn

Have not gone out and checked the bike over yet. Probably will later. I know there are some scrapes and the brake levers are tweaked in. You are right about all tires being able to spring a leak.

cyclinfool

I hate it when that happens!

Glad you are basically all right - soft tissue heels up pretty well.

kr32

I hope you heal soon and everything turns out okay but.......why are you pushing it till the bitter end? , ie driveway. No cool down? In a hurry to get the primo spot in the garage?

Reminds me of the opening scene of the Simpsons LOL.
Again I hope you are feeling better soon. As an ex MXer myself I know about the falls and pains.

Kurt Erlenbach

I've noticed attention drifting near the end of a ride, especially a longer one. It's a downhill turn onto my street, and it's easy to get up some speed for a left turn, and when you're tired at the end of a ride, things get dangerous. Another reason not to leave the driveway without a helmet.

BikeArkansas

My latest crash was at 14 MPH, a turn to the right and I hit on my shoulder. I was wearing my helmet, although it did not make contact with the asphalt. The reason for my comment is that the road rash hurt, but the thud on the hard surface seemed to jar me much more than a fall like that did years ago. Did you experience this also?
One other thing, evidently you did not keep your hands on the handle bar. I did. I have no idea why I did, but I think it helped me. Thoughts on that?

knzn

Like I said, pain seems to hurt more than it used to. Beats me about hanging on to the bars.

knzn

What can I say? In my own little fantacy land it was my finish line. Like I said, competitive spirit. I have "cool down" room at home.

Retro Grouch 

I do that sometimes.

Years ago I noticed that the last hill always seems to be the steepest and the last mile always seems to be the longest. That's got to be a psychological thing - right? My mind is thinking about drinking Gatorade at the finish while my body is still on the bike.

To counter that I always try to finish strong. Works for me.

The Weak Link

Kids do the craziest things sometimes.

stapfam

Don't worry- We don't mind seeing others suffering. And you obviously haven't had enough falls- Each lot of road rash is different- all the blues and purples that come out a day later can make for some interesting patterns.

Hope you are over the stinging and the only thing I can recommend is Surgical Spirit on the cuts- But then I am a masochist.

ntime60

Glad to know you are ok other than being, brushed up like stainless and sore. It could've been a lot worse.

They usually say the pride goeth before the fall, but where cycling is concerned, I think it should read pride goeth with the fall or shortly there after.

Pics are always good, if nothing more than a reminder to the rest of us to always be safety minded.