Share your battle scars

[a.twiddler]

Beware of ‘survivorship bias’. The cyclists who dies cannot tell you of their injuries- the only reports you’ll get are from those that have survived.

The corollary to that is that those who cycle and have not suffered injuries from over doing things, who are likely to be in the majority, will be less likely to participate in the survey thus skewing the results even further than the miniscule number of cyclists who can't participate because they are dead. Thus the result of the survey might suggest that cycle sport is much more hazardous to your health than it actually is, whereas the health benefits far outweigh the drawbacks for the majority. Speaking as a non competitive cyclist looking in, of course.

 

[fossyant]

Am I doing it wrong?

There is a ying and yang to this - Some of us take the 'hits'.

The lads I ride with, we've all broken ourselves quite a bit and I'm not talking any mad stuff. Going too fast off road, getting hit by cars commuting, coming off on road crap, hitting pot holes. If you off road a bit, you are coming off - usually a few times a ride - most are slow enough to get bruises and a few laughs.

My broken spine, from a relatively low speed hit from a car made me re-evaluate a lot - i.e. slow down. It doesn't worry me if I crash again though.

 

[fossyant]

The corollary to that is that those who cycle and have not suffered injuries from over doing things, who are likely to be in the majority

are boring buggers !

 

[fossyant]

However there's nothing that might tell a pathologist on inspecting my wrinkly old carcass on his slab that here lies a cyclist.

So, skinny wrists and ankles, but big thighs and calves ? Scars heal...

 

[All uphill]

There are old cyclists and bold cyclists....

 

[fossyant]

Commuted urban and rural, all westhers, all year round, for most of my career. Rode professionally at work and was involved in many UDT and tactical dismount type incidents, then taught it for a few years, and still riding now, not a scratch.

You weren't trying - you'll all overheat in your vests in about two minutes to catch anyone. Might catch a granny.

 

[a.twiddler]

There are old cyclists and bold cyclists....

I was going to quote that myself! Might have it engraved on my tombstone ...eventually. Though it originally applied to trainee pilots. If endlessly crashing is part of some riders' lifestyle , then it might not exactly be through choice, but some part of it might benefit from a bit of introspection. I imagine I must be one of the boring ones, but at least I'm still around and unbroken enough to still be able to enjoy it. Catching grannies? Well I am a grandad, so that might be a bonus.

I've survived an awful lot of years of motorbiking, too, so I'll wear my "Born to be Mild" T shirt with pride.