Hi all,I have recently found out that my ac seperation (grade 4) operation won't happen till earliest feb 2017,I have paid deposit for paris -roubaix sportif the day before the pro race taking in approx 104 miles(plenty of cobbled sections)I was wondering what would anyone in my position do ? Put operation off till after Roubaix and ride with seperation as it is(big bump on shoulder and still getting pain)how would this be on the ride ?(pain or stupidty) or cancel ride which is in april and go through with operation which will be before April and do the year after 2018 ?
All thoughts and replies gratefully appreciated.

Riding cobbles with a Grade 4 separation sounds like a miserable way to spend your time.

I did the metric version of d2r2, a mostly dirt/rock/gravel road randonee ride in MA with 7,000+' of climbing, two months after I suffered a collar bone fracture. It was painful.

I wouldn't try and ride with that degree of separation, and/or with pain being caused by the separation. If the ride administrators allow, I'd see if I could just sell my entry to someone wanting to ride this event, or if they would refund your entry fee (rare) ask for a refund, or an entry credit for 2018.

I agree with cb400bill, and from what Indyfabz said it would not be a good thing to pursue. Making it even worse by crashing is a big possibility, also. Not one to postpone a necessary operation either.

Bill

The road in front of my house has cobblestones, quite smooth ones and it's only 100 yards to a more modern street, but it's terrible. Cobblestones wreck bikes, loosens fillings and rattle bones, it hurts. Any surface is more suited to ride a bike on. 50 km's of cobblestones is torture, you could do it on an E-bike or moped with suspension and still end up completely knackered. Paris-Roubaix is about suffering, even if you're fully fit and in good health, going slower will only make the torture last longer. It doesn't seem like the kind of experience you'd want make harder for yourself by trying with any physical issue. That's like running a marathon with little sharp stones in your shoes.

I rode cobbles for just a few miles in Belgium with a pulled groin, and it was no fun. I can't imagine doing it with a separated shoulder.

IIRC, when I looked up the cost earlier this year, it wasn't expensive ($50 or so). I'd probably just eat the cost and not risk further damage.

More to a different point, why a 3 month wait to get a required surgery?

His residence is listed as the UK, NHS waiting list for non critical surgery probably.

Bill

yes that is the case NHS!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for reply try and defer it till year after.

Thanks for all replies ,much appreciated

it's not really worth it to actually make the injury worse in which it was a non critical surgery turned into an "urgent" one. that would really wreck you on the cobbles. There's always another ride coming up. and $50 is nothing compared to what we spend on our bikes. Give it away to a forumer as a game here

Even though NHS might classify your shoulder as a non-critical injury, I still would not try and ride the event nor would I put the surgery off. But, this is just an opinion, and you need to do what your feel is in your best interests.

Bill

thanks Bill

I'd consider buying, renting, borrowing or stealing a Cannondale Slate and riding it anyway. With a permanently damaged C2 neck injury the only way I could handle cobblestones would be with a suspension bike and the Slate looks interesting.

I'm a bit confused. Your operation is in Feb, and the ride is in April? Is the 2 month period not a long enough recovery time?