Have I bruised my brain by mountain biking?

[Globalti]

I mountain biked for 22 years until the road bug caught me 3 years ago. Since then I have hardly touched my poor neglected mountain bike but the recent warm sunny weather has put me in the mood for some dust, skylarks and the smell of moor grass so this week I decided to take it out for a bit of fun on the weekly Blackburn Bikers Wednesday night ride.

Well, having pumped the tyres, removed the light brackets and generally set myself up I was in no mood to cancel when I saw storm clouds heading over from the Fylde coast so off I went and met the lads. The very minute we set off, down came the rain.

Part of the ride goes down a superb section of singletrack in woods above Sabden (of Pendle witches fame - or infamy) and as I was swooping down, ducking wet branches and enjoying the long smooth descent, my front wheel hit a bump and jerked my shoulders and neck (rigid carbon forks) because my arms weren't relaxed enough. The jerk jerked my head and gave me a headache, it felt as if my brain nearly got shaken out of my skull and it still aches a bit this morning.

So my question is this: have I bruised my brain by mountain biking? Is this a new kind of injury to add to all the others like scraped knees, skinned hands, bramble-torn legs, nettle-stung bottoms, gashed elbows, etcetera? Will I die of a brain haemorrhage?

 

[ColinJ]

Possibly... that's why I'm keeping my suspension forks!

 

[suffolkcindy]

Ask a boxer...

 

[Cubist]

Whiplash.

The headache is a result of the muscles in your neck contracting hard and fast to stop you from spinal injury as your head jerked backwards and forwards. The muscles quite like contracting, and continue to do so despite the fact that your head is no longer being thrown about, so the headache you now have is a tension headache caused by the tubes of muscle either side of your neck pulling down on your head. I had it for a while after a 60mph m/cycle accident, and found that codeine based painkillers help the muscles to relax, as does warmth.

The Keepers of The Knowledge will now link to Australian research to show that had you been bare-headed this would never have happened, whereas the Protectionists will tell you that the Australian research is flawed, and as it doesn't support their argument you actually need to buy a louder iPod. Probably.

Anyway, serves you right, rigid forks bollox..........you've been spending too much time on STW. 160mm FTW

 

[Globalti]

Tee hee, great reply thanks! How do I claim for a whiplash injury?

But rigid forks are LIGHT and the bike absolutely flies along!

 

[VamP]

HA, I am now, somewhat belatedly, a huge convert to suspension forks. How much the weight difference between rigid and suspension? a pound? Pffffttt.
120mm FTW.... what the f... does FTW mean anyway...

Suspension is a game changer. No question.

 

[Globalti]

I bought a set of Rebas for my Global hardtail and they were OK but there was an oil weep from the top of the RH fork leg. I took them back to Merlin Cycles in Leyland and the beardy ginger git behind the counter snarled rudely at me "You're supposed to service then!" Service them? After three weeks, you dickhead? When I got them back they were just as bad so I rang the importer Fisher Outdoor Leisure, who couldn't have been more helpful. I sent them back and while waiting I bought some Exotic carbon forks for very little money. I found these so light, direct and smooth riding that when the Rebas came back I didn't fit them and a couple of weeks ago I sold them on Ebay with the warning that I didn't know if the weep was cured or not. The carbon forks combined with the titanium frame make for a really smooth ride, you really only miss suspension on big hits like steps, kerbs and brick-sized rocks, or rooty bumps on fast downhill trails that you don't spot in the gloom of the woods on a rainy evening......

 

[Cubist]

w

Tee hee, great reply thanks! How do I claim for a whiplash injury?

But rigid forks are LIGHT and the bike absolutely flies along!

www.snoutsinthetrough4u.com

 

[calibanzwei]

does FTW mean anyway...

For The Win
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=for the win

 

[Cubist]

Light is good, but light is not everything Grasshopper. Follow the Kestrel as she hunts the vole. Or something like that.

Isn't it time you got a rigid 29er fatbike anyway?

 

[Cubist]

In singlespeed.......

 

[Cubist]

quote="VamP, post: 1870957, member: 15271"]HA, I am now, somewhat belatedly, a huge convert to suspension forks. How much the weight difference between rigid and suspension? a pound? Pffffttt.
120mm FTW.... what the f... does FTW mean anyway...

Suspension is a game changer. No question.[/quote]
Aye

 

[Globalti]

Isn't it time you got a rigid 29er fatbike anyway?

I'll remind you that until a couple of years ago my forum name on here was Rigid Raider.

 

[Cubist]

Was your avatar just that.... a rigid raider? I do seem to remember that.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I once, in '95, rode the SDW in a day on rigid bike. I couldn't focus properly for several days afterwards and it took about a week before I could straighten all my fingers without screaming in pain. Secondhand Pace elastomer fork went on the next weekend, and apart from singlespeeding I've not ridden rigid off road since.

and in response to the OP; as the ever splendid Cubist said, it sounds like whiplash.