What happened???

[sparco05]

Do you remember when you were a kid, constantly getting scrapes, cuts and bruises... 10 minutes later, mum would have told you that it's not that bad and you'd be back out with your friends getting more cuts, scrapes and bruises!

Well, Saturday I went on my first bike ride in years (about six miles, I was very proud considering how overweight and unfit I am) and I really enjoyed it!

After the bike ride, perhaps walking home from a few "I can still ride a bike" celebratory drinks... I had a brief but painful encounter with the pavement, ripped some skin off my knees, and chewed up the palms of my hands!

Now the good news is, I can pretend to my friends that I came off the bike, as I left the pub a little bit before them, and they know I'd planned to go on a longer ride on Sunday.

The point of this post is, how come I'm still in agony??, there was a lot of blood.. but as a kid I'd have all but forgotten about this by now! Have I gone soft or is age catching up with me??

 

[User33236]

I guess it's the old adage "the bigger you are the harder you fall". I'm certainly a lot bigger than when I last had any significant skin damage.

 

[jarlrmai]

kids bounce, adults not so much.

take it easy.

 

[sparco05]

Haha fair points, I think it's the ego that stings most lol

 

[Shaun]

Yeah, I definitely don't bounce as well as I did when I was younger. Used to belt around on all manner of bodged-together bike-like contraptions (that would collapse at random moments) without worrying about coming off.

Best advice is to get yourself some cycling mits. Saves your palm skin when you (without even thinking about it) throw your hands out to stop yourself when you fall.

 

[sparco05]

I think that is the way to go, I spend most of my day shaking hands with people, I think people think I'm being rude today!!

Going to get myself a pair before I head out on the bike tomorrow evening

Shaun

 

[fossyant]

Do you remember when you were a kid, constantly getting scrapes, cuts and bruises... 10 minutes later, mum would have told you that it's not that bad and you'd be back out with your friends getting more cuts, scrapes and bruises!

Well, Saturday I went on my first bike ride in years (about six miles, I was very proud considering how overweight and unfit I am) and I really enjoyed it!

After the bike ride, perhaps walking home from a few "I can still ride a bike" celebratory drinks... I had a brief but painful encounter with the pavement, ripped some skin off my knees, and chewed up the palms of my hands!

Now the good news is, I can pretend to my friends that I came off the bike, as I left the pub a little bit before them, and they know I'd planned to go on a longer ride on Sunday.

The point of this post is, how come I'm still in agony??, there was a lot of blood.. but as a kid I'd have all but forgotten about this by now! Have I gone soft or is age catching up with me??

You are just soft and haven't been out on a bike for a bit. Wear your missing body parts with pride !!! We will man you up !!!

 

[fossyant]

I don't bounce as well as I did, but still bounce (ish). Road rash is a good look ! PS You'll most likely get more 'maintenance' injuries than road injuries. Those chain wheels have a nasty habit of attacking you ! Oh and don't get a fixed wheel bike and nearly get the end of your finger chopped off wiping the chain down

 

[MikeG]

...........The point of this post is, how come I'm still in agony??, there was a lot of blood.. but as a kid I'd have all but forgotten about this by now! Have I gone soft or is age catching up with me??

Rule 5

 

[sparco05]

I don't bounce as well as I did, but still bounce (ish). Road rash is a good look ! PS You'll most likely get more 'maintenance' injuries than road injuries. Those chain wheels have a nasty habit of attacking you ! Oh and don't get a fixed wheel bike and nearly get the end of your finger chopped off wiping the chain down

Ooh now that ddoesn't sound nice!

Rule 5

haha sound advice!!

 

[fossyant]

Ooh now that ddoesn't sound nice!


haha sound advice!!

It's the main advice given to anyone with a fixed. You can spin the chain quite fast on a geared bike with a rag in your hand. You could end up with a nasty injury, but there is no weight or 'motion' in the spinning. Not so on a fixed as the wheel is driving.

I'd been a good boy for over 4 years, but got a bit lax one day. My finger got picked up by the chain and just went under one of the rear sprocket teeth. I'd been spinning it slowly, but it was enough for a crush injury. It did sting for about a month. Any faster and it would take a finger end off.

 

[sparco05]

Yeah I can see how that could happen, don't think I'll be getting a fixed any time soon! I'm accident prone as it is haha!

I've been using a friends road bike this week, will be buying it off him as I am loving it so far!

 

[Gravity Aided]

I think once you build up some muscle density and tone, your falls won't feel as bad. About a year after I restarted cycling, I took a fall as bad as one that bruised a bone a year earlier, both by slipping on ice at home, but the second time, after cycling, I did bounce. There may be something to this fitness thing after all.

 

[slowmotion]

The reason it hurt is because you didn't have enough alcohol in your bloodstream when you hit the deck.

Please try harder.

 

[fossyant]

Yeah I can see how that could happen, don't think I'll be getting a fixed any time soon! I'm accident prone as it is haha!

I've been using a friends road bike this week, will be buying it off him as I am loving it so far!

I had a Chopper as a kid, then a Coventry Eagle Road bike for a few years. I got a job at 16, then bought a Raleigh Road Ace which was a 531Comp frame with Shimano 600 (Ultegra). It was like light and day from a 'racer' - very twitchy and light at first till I got used to it.