I registered for a running event. Winter sucks.

I don't know about the crashes. I have had both types be bad. The crash on my mountain bike that pretty much took me off the dirt was nearly life changing. Had been riding a decent amount. Was a nice Friday off in the early part of summer here in Michigan. Was riding a nice trail with my now ex wife, and I was leading as she hated to go first. We were moving along nicely, she was probably about 50 feet behind me or so, and we entered a super tame downward ascent that at the end, got a bit steeper and you rode down, and the trail curved to the right to go around some trees. Well, as I entered that last descent, it was all sand at the bottom. My speed was way too high for the sand, and I came in way too hot. Front tire immediately grabbed the sand, and I went over the bars ass over teakettle. Usually not a problem right? Well, not on this trail. The curve was lined with some logs and small downed trees. I landed on a huge log, right across my tailbone at an angle. The pain immediately shot up my back and down my leg. I guess I blacked out for a second because when I came around, this guy was standing over me with my ex and they said that I had been screaming. I thought I was paralyzed. He saw me crash apparently as he had passed my ex and was going to overtake me at some point. Said it was majestic and horrifying at the same time. We were about halfway done with the trail and were at the furthest part from the car. Didn't know how I was going to make it back. Hurt to walk, but hurt way less to ride, so back on the bike I hopped, and away we limped. Every bump hurt more than the last, and the muscle was starting to tighten up and cramp.

When we got back to the car, and the bikes were loaded and I had a bit of time to calm down and reflect, I started crying. The realization of how serious that crash was set in, and the thought of being that close to possible paralysis took over. I was really close. By Saturday, the horrible bruising had started. It was a beautiful shade of black, purple, green and yellow. It looked like someone took a Louisville Slugger across my lower back and left me for dead. Judging on where the pain was, and how the bruise set in, I would say that another inch or so, and that would have been my spine across that log. That stayed with me for a long time. Only been on the trails a handful of times after that, and my once shredding mountain bike skills took a back seat to fear and caution around every turn. It was no longer fun for me, so I decided to start riding road instead. Will try to find some pictures of the bruising.

High side crashes are usually worse.

Sliding out on the low side is usually scrapes and bruises. Going off the top of the bike for me has always been catastrophic.

I think most road bike crashes are high side.


-Tim-

live tweeted my commute to work. strava didn't like the constant stopping and switching between apps, so it just decided to **** off after 1.1 miles and didn't record my route.

Did someone say high side?

look how MUCH ENERGY was stored in the loaded suspension and how violently it releases. The bike becomes a self destroying missile.

the amount of times ive very literally almost been killed on a bike is uncountable.

that being said, its no more than anything else i do for fun, im not gonna stop. reminds you youre still alive

The "Woah, I just cheated death" moments are supreme highs. They can last for hour or even days.

today i went back to drops on the nature boy.

yes.

Moar yes.

Today I went out for 27 miles. It was one of those rides where no matter which way you're going it's somehow always a headwind.

[MENTION=112127]johnnytheboy[/MENTION] so much yes.

same here. wind was just swirling.

As an aside, they just broke ground on a new indoor velodrome in Detroit.
Detroit to get $4M velodrome, sports complex by fall

Some good discussion about the size from last summer...
https://www.bikeforums.net/track-cycl...odrome-us.html

That's awesome! Hoping for good things for Detroit in coming years.

I'm going back to MI in late June...guess I timed that poorly.

The people in Michigan have had their asses kicked. Hope they get a break.

They'd probably be content with just having clean water at this point.

Today I got an email from strava letting me know that someone bested my one and only KOM

nevermind.

They sure like to rub it in your face.

that's just motivation..!!

I'm at peace with the fact that I'll never have a KOM.

Now I am content to ride past stuff like this at my own pace.

People are spray painting Segment start/end lines???

Crazy!

call me old fashioned, but i still use city limit signs...