Hospitals are boring

[g-boaf]

Not in hospital (yet), but being home and incapacitated is pretty boring too

Saturday before last I was riding down Killala Rd into Apollo Bay (a delightful road to ride), after crossing the Otways and coming down the delightful Old Bay Road. I was riding with two friends. I had had just stopped an taken a few photos, then caught up to them when they waited for a mob of sheep, and I went on ahead a bit. I came over a short rise, then was rolling downhill at about 25-30 kmh. I saw a roadside apple tree and began to brake to see whether the apples were ripe........................................

That's about all I recall, apart from a feeling of gravel on my arm and side.

I was roused by my friends, and stood up quick, but the shoulder felt sore when I grabbed the bike. They made me sit down again as I'd been out cold for 1-2 minutes. They rounded a corner to find me spread-eagled across the road. It seems that my front tyre must have slid sideways on some loose gravel as I was braking to slow. It truly puzzles me as the road was a good gravel surface and I did not do anything too radical. I went down very quick and hard - knocked out, busted helmet.

A helpful local drove me and the bike to Apollo Bay hospital.

Up-shot of it all - I have a broken collar-bone, and I suspect a cracked rib as well. The collar-bone is an overlapped break with 3cms of fore-shortening, so it seems an orthopedic surgeon's advice is needed. I see one on Friday, then it may be surgery. In the meantime I am surviving on a steady diet of paracetamol and ibuprofen

Ouch! Hope the pain subsides and everything will proceed relatively smoothly without complications.

You are a braver man than me... I tore a quad in a bike accident - but I dont know how excited I'd be to climb straight back on if I'd had an injury as horrific as this. I read this thread when it started and it still makes my eyes water now.

That's the thing about cycling, it's an awesome sport, it's totally addictive and you'd never easily give it up. What's not to love about it? It's dead easy to do and it's fun. And when other people start noticing that you've become really fit - that's awesome too. That's why when you are forced off the bike, it's pretty hard to see other people out riding - you miss it. For me, it's like when ever I have a couple of hours spare time, I'll just go out and ride the bike because it's fun. It's better than sitting on the couch watching TV or something like that.

[il padrone]

Ouch! Hope the pain subsides and everything will proceed relatively smoothly without complications.

Thanks.

The big issue for me - my wife and I are supposed to fly out on 9th April to Italy for 3 months of travelling on our bikes. This throws a huge question mark onto or plans

[Howzat]

Cripers Il Padrone! Get well soon!

Loose gravel can be a nasty hazard when braking or turning. It's what I hate most about riding the bike paths here in Canberra after rain. Your front axle only has to move a few centimetres left or right from under you, and it's dirt for lunch, a two-minute nap, and six weeks off the bike.

[g-boaf]

Cripers Il Padrone! Get well soon!

Loose gravel can be a nasty hazard when braking or turning. It's what I hate most about riding the bike paths here in Canberra after rain. Your front axle only has to move a few centimetres left or right from under you, and it's dirt for lunch, a two-minute nap, and six weeks off the bike.

Oooh - yuck. Where I ride often, if you go off the path - you are going to be eating dirt and grass. The MTB riders have no problem, but the road-bike riders have no chance.

This throws a huge question mark onto or plans

You might be able to make it. The doctors these days can work miracles. Fingers crossed.

[Howzat]

The big issue for me - my wife and I are supposed to fly out on 9th April to Italy for 3 months of travelling on our bikes.

Sorted.

[william]

I really, really cringe at reading posts like this but cannot help myself. I need to know that things will eventually heal, mend and all will be happy again.
In reading about the detail also gives warning that even the experienced riders can come unstuck without warning.
Time to give my bike (s) a thorough checkover.
Could have been worse...
Could have not been reading this...


Safety first. Fun second.

[Nobody]

Not in hospital (yet), but being home and incapacitated is pretty boring too

Saturday before last I was riding down Killala Rd into Apollo Bay (a delightful road to ride), after crossing the Otways and coming down the delightful Old Bay Road. I was riding with two friends. I had had just stopped an taken a few photos, then caught up to them when they waited for a mob of sheep, and I went on ahead a bit. I came over a short rise, then was rolling downhill at about 25-30 kmh. I saw a roadside apple tree and began to brake to see whether the apples were ripe........................................

Sorry to hear you've broken something again Pete. Like most I hope you heal well and soon. But as usual, I now want to ask some questions so the rest of us might be able to learn something from it.

What bike were you on?
What tyres were you on?
Tyre pressures?
Was it a straight piece of road?
Was the road banked on the bit you were on?
Was it completely dry?
Any debris?
Were you only braking with the front brake?
Was the bike heavily loaded?

Thanks.

[il padrone]

But as usual, I now want to ask some questions so the rest of us might be able to learn something from it.

What bike were you on?
What tyres were you on?
Tyre pressures?
Was it a straight piece of road?
Was the road banked on the bit you were on?
Was it completely dry?
Any debris?
Were you only braking with the front brake?
Was the bike heavily loaded?

Thanks.

Thorn Nomad 26" tourer
Vittoria Randonneur Cross 26x1.75
60psi
Straight road section, gentle descent (~4-5%) and I was riding straight
No noticeable banking of the road
Completely dry
No debris about
Braking with both brakes
Lightly loaded - light rear panniers and handlebar bag - staying overnight at YHA

I'm flummoxed but I reckon a combination of 1 or more of four factors - gravel surface with a bit of a fine pea gravel nature, braking (but not harshly IIRC), tyres are not new but still fair tread, 60 psi may be a bit high for me on these tyres.

In future on gravel I may be braking a good bit more with the rear anchor

[RonK]

All sympathy to ip, but there seems to be a huge overreaction by some to a broken collarbone (the most common cycling injury) and a possible cracked rib.

I had overlapping break ip, but the doctors are reluctant to operate on collarbones these days. The ends knitted after a couple of weeks and I was back to normal activities after a month, so you have a good chance of being ok for your trip I think.

[Nobody]

Thanks for the reply.

Thorn Nomad 26" tourer

Oh, the good bike. I hope it is OK.

I'm flummoxed but I reckon a combination of 1 or more of four factors - gravel surface with a bit of a fine pea gravel nature, braking (but not harshly IIRC), tyres are not new but still fair tread, 60 psi may be a bit high for me on these tyres.

In future on gravel I may be braking a good bit more with the rear anchor

I've got Marathons 26 X 2.0" which measure 46 front (1.8") and 48 rear (1.9"). Currently running 35psi front and 45psi rear (for road/path use). I'm 82Kg with about a 12Kg bike. So I'd say you've got a bit of wiggle room to try a bit lower.

Like you, I've got to consider more rear brake on anything that isn't good asphalt.

[il padrone]

All sympathy to ip, but there seems to be a huge overreaction by some to a broken collarbone (the most common cycling injury) and a possible cracked rib.

Yes, it's certainly not life-threatening nor as debilitating a skull's nasty incident. Just a lengthy period of pain, manageable by the drugs. As a teacher, with the right arm in a sling, there's not too much practical I can do at work.

I had overlapping break ip, but the doctors are reluctant to operate on collarbones these days. The ends knitted after a couple of weeks and I was back to normal activities after a month, so you have a good chance of being ok for your trip I think.

I certainly don't look forward to any surgery, and the collarbone should knit normally. However my shoulder is noticeably shorter Implications

[RonK]

All sympathy to ip, but there seems to be a huge overreaction by some to a broken collarbone (the most common cycling injury) and a possible cracked rib.

Yes, it's certainly not life-threatening nor as debilitating a skull's nasty incident. Just a lengthy period of pain, manageable by the drugs. As a teacher, with the right arm in a sling, there's not too much practical I can do at work.

I certainly don't look forward to any surgery, and the collarbone should knit normally. However my shoulder is noticeably shorter Implications

My shoulder is a little shorter, but I've noticed no adverse effects from it. I had a quite prominent lump on my shoulder, but that has smoothed over and is not so noticeable now.

[Howzat]

I certainly don't look forward to any surgery, and the collarbone should knit normally. However my shoulder is noticeably shorter Implications

Get good advice. This post came to mind... viewtopic.php?t=34008&p=490075#p490088" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[chucknitro]

I just had an accident resulting in multiple injuries including a broken collarbone. Was advised in the public system that it was "50-50" whether to have an operation or just let it knit.

Went for private review. My orthopaedic surgeon advised to get it operated on. During a cycling crash at speed, there is quite a lot of energy going through the collar bone which potentially reduces the chance of knitting due to the debris and damage to the bone.

I now have a long plate and 8 screws. Also of interest, there was a gap between the bones when the plate was in place. YMMV.

[Nobody]

Probably not what you want to hear at the moment Pete, but a tadpole trike may have avoided the same kind of crash. Of course like you showed before, they can roll if too, but on average they may be safer on the more slippery roads. I've heard some people in the USA use them with success during the snowy winter months.

[il padrone]

Oh yes, I have thought of this. My brother rides a Rotovelo and has several other recumbents.

BUT



and then there is the cost to justify to the wife..... and one or two other practical problems. I've decided that I'll go for a Mango when I get 'too old to ride'. How old is that ?????

[Nobody]

I've decided that I'll go for a Mango when I get 'too old to ride'. How old is that ?????

That's easy. When you've accumulated too many injuries to ride an upright/DF/wedgie comfortably.

As for the video, I'm sure there's no shortage of videos of people crashing their MTBs around corners on the trails.

[skull]

oh wow,

I have gotten better and started doing some riding again and we now have a couple additions to the accident clan.

Heal well and heal fast. It sucks being forced of the bike.

[wombatK]

This throws a huge question mark onto or plans

You might be able to make it. The doctors these days can work miracles. Fingers crossed.

Apallingly bad luck Pete. Don't want to make light of your predicament, but...

Leave nothing to chance. Go see Dr Danks and your local bikie gangsters.

If I had 3 months of bicycle touring in Europe at stake, I'd be injectin'' gallons of calf blood, sprayin' deer antler spray all over, and swallowing/shootin' up every other peptide in the evil doctors cabinet.

Hope this helps you to a swift recovery.

[LugNut]

All sympathy to ip, but there seems to be a huge overreaction by some to a broken collarbone (the most common cycling injury) and a possible cracked rib.

Yes, it's certainly not life-threatening nor as debilitating a skull's nasty incident. Just a lengthy period of pain, manageable by the drugs. As a teacher, with the right arm in a sling, there's not too much practical I can do at work.

I had overlapping break ip, but the doctors are reluctant to operate on collarbones these days. The ends knitted after a couple of weeks and I was back to normal activities after a month, so you have a good chance of being ok for your trip I think.

I certainly don't look forward to any surgery, and the collarbone should knit normally. However my shoulder is noticeably shorter Implications

All sympathy to ip, but there seems to be a huge overreaction by some to a broken collarbone (the most common cycling injury) and a possible cracked rib.

Yes, it's certainly not life-threatening nor as debilitating a skull's nasty incident. Just a lengthy period of pain, manageable by the drugs. As a teacher, with the right arm in a sling, there's not too much practical I can do at work.

I had overlapping break ip, but the doctors are reluctant to operate on collarbones these days. The ends knitted after a couple of weeks and I was back to normal activities after a month, so you have a good chance of being ok for your trip I think.

I certainly don't look forward to any surgery, and the collarbone should knit normally. However my shoulder is noticeably shorter Implications

I also broke my collarbone three days ago, and was told that collarbone surgery is much better nowadays and is advised. More commonly now they join the two halves with a screw instead of a plate.
Terribly embarrassing how it happened, but I may as well own up - grabbed a fistful of brake, slid off the front of my seat and was bucked off by the fixed gear. It all happened so fast, all I remember is hitting the ground hard and instantly knowing that I wasn't going to be riding away from this one. My commuter and the fixed gear are being parted up for eBay and the Abbotsford swapmeet next week, and I'll be building something a little more relaxed to commute on, perhaps even 650B.

Here's my upgraded titanium shoulder, your Lynskey's got nothing on this.