In 49 years of being on two wheels, this morning was only the fourth significant off that I can remember.  On my way to work, cycled on to a grass verge to go around two pedestrian and there was a hole hidden in the grass and that was me gone.  Buckled front wheel, think the forks might be dead, brakes don't feel right, handlebars damaged and wonky, gear shifter badly grazed 

 

Three hours in A&E.  Five x-rays later and they're happy I haven't broken anything in my hand/wrist, but I can't moved my thumb due to the badly bruised muscle in my palm at the base of my thumb.  Had to have a tetanus jab.  There was a query over the skin I've sheared off my palm, but they think it should heal without any further intervention.  Grazes on my elbow and shoulder are superficial, but I have a very sore shoulder.  Got off lightly all things considered.

 

Bike'll have to stay in the garage for a few days til I can get some movement back.  Wouldn't be so bad, but this is my left hand and I can't use my right hand, so I'm proper stuffed.

 

Grumpy Gaz

 

 

Oucha.....   

All the best with that, and sorry to hear and to see.

 

The other day i forgot to put on my mits and thought i would be OK then turned around and went back to get them on, glad i did, i have never ridden without mits for many years.

Man up Gaz, get over it, nowt but a scratch............

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only joking mate, wishing you a speedy recovery. If your left handed and can't do anything I'll lend you Mrs G for a week, no charge mate, I'll get some peace.......

 

 

Right, Mrs G is on the train, she'll be there by Lunchtime Tomorrow and I've booked you an appointment at Specsavers in the morning   

 

 

 

Edited 19 July, 20178 yr by Auric Goldfinger

ouch, rest up and get better.

Ouchy.  Get well soon and make sure you get your bike checked over by a reputable shop.

 

Make sure you give any areas of road/gravel rash a good clean, as in a scrub that will probably reduce you to tears.   I'd highly recommend some of these too:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Atrauman-AG-Silver-5cm-x10/dp/B00FX8DR2M

 

 

Has Mrs G arrived yet ?     

3 hours ago, Auric Goldfinger said:

Has Mrs G arrived yet ?     

Yes, which is worrying because I'm in the opposite direction to Eastbourne!

Cheers chaps - cheered me up no end 

 

It was all cleaned up at A&E.  Nurse said 'this is going to sting a bit' as he put an iodine gauze over it.  He was right, it did 

 

Just took the bandage off and it's looking much better:

 

And the bruising's coming out on my shoulder: 

 

Thumb's moving, but very stiff and sore.  Celebrated a small victory today in managing to get socks on - woo hoo!!

 

Gaz

Looking better Gary, speedy recovery mate

 

 

Edited 21 July, 20178 yr by Auric Goldfinger

21 hours ago, Auric Goldfinger said:

Has Mrs G arrived yet ?     

 

No, and I was getting worried - glad Ken's found her though.  Ken, no need to send Mrs G down here, you hang on to her.

 

Gaz

Just a bit of road rash. Hate to say it but the pain and stiffness is age related (I'm of a slightly younger vintage), you just don't bounce as well as you did when you were younger. 

Just now, CWARD said:

Just a bit of road rash. Hate to say it but the pain and stiffness is age related (I'm of a slightly younger vintage), you just don't bounce as well as you did when you were younger. 

Bouncing is good.  Crashes where you skid hurt much less than when you stop dead 

 

16 minutes ago, CWARD said:

Hate to say it but the pain and stiffness is age related (I'm of a slightly younger vintage), you just don't bounce as well as you did when you were younger. 

 

Quite so - I did far less damage falling 30' out of a conker tree when I was about 12.  Might make a trip to Lourdes, see if I can find a cure for this age malarkey - it's just not cricket.

 

Gaz 

On the up side, you got a new shirt for gardening

 

Bodies are amazing when we scrape and scratch them, the deeper impacts, bruises take a bit longer. Good excuse for some steak or other high protein treat  if Vegetarian/Vegan.

 

How is the bike then?

48 minutes ago, ColinD said:

How is the bike then?

 

I don't actually know Colin, as I can't unlock the garage door yet.  Twisting a key is excruciating and nigh on impossible.  The wheel still went round so can probably be straightened, but whatever's wrong or suspect will just be replaced.  I'll not be lifting it into the car anytime soon though as I've no grip, but I've been able to hold a pint mug of tea this afternoon so am on the mend, despite my advancing years 

 

Gaz

That can wait a bit then... few more mugs of tea, y'll be right.

 

I came of a french concrete toboggan run when I was a lad... I didn't know the french for brake and I didn't know how fast I could go... too fast. I stayed in the concrete the toboggan I was on, went on the grass. For some reason menolin patches were in the car, although I used them all, well mum did, who also discovered I could f n blind as she was watching my antics

 

From various climbing woes and pangs, as much as it knacks, the sooner you can get to drinking tea the better  

 

As a stranger said to me once as I stooped in pain; her name was Patti: Do whatever you want, listen to your body though... ended up climbing two new routes in morocco, walking into the crag hurt like hell.

Edited 21 July, 20178 yr by ColinD

On a slightly happier note, the handlebars are not bent. It was an optical illusion from them having rotated backwards and skewed off centre by about 30 degrees.  I put the original grips back on and straightened what I could back up.

My LBS has given a clean bill of health to everything (bar the obvious battle damage), and although the wheel does need truing up, it's safe to ride.  He's going to do the wheel in a weeks time.

My hand's well and truly on the mend:

 

 

So I went for a little ride, but I'm still experiencing too much discomfort to operate the thumb shifters.

My ride went as far as to where the offending hole was.  Doesn't look much, does it:

 

But it was enough.  Realistically it's also just as well I ended up on the footpath, as I could have just as easily ended up in the road:

 

So today, I'm feeling a bit more upbeat, and I've also managed to get some sleep, which is a bonus.

 

Bought some Altura Airstream cycling mitts, but at XL they look like kids gloves on me.  Fitted a mate at work so he can have them.  I think I need to try some on as I expect I might have a bit of difficulty with size.

 

Also got a Zefal Cyclop mirror.  I'll have to have odd grips though as the original grips are ergonomic contoured ones that have a screw rather than an open end.  Better to have a mirror than worry about looks!

 

Gaz

Pleased your on the mend Gary, your hand looks much improved....

 

 

To save further embarrassment you need to be looking at something like this.

Good you are healing.

 

Recently i bought 2 pairs of Specialized Mits that are being cleared most places for £9.99 instead of £24.99. 

XXL. & they are total poo IMO.  

So back to the ones i have loads of from B&M  £4.99, and there is towelling on them for wiping brow or snot.

They just go in the washing machine, wash well, last for ever & taking them off is easy with a velcro strap, no need for looking like a **** peeling them off.

(i have pairs of them kicking about in rucksacks and cars and various places so never without a pair.)

On 7/29/2017 at 16:41, Awayoffski said:

So back to the ones i have loads of from B&M  £4.99......

 

What are these George?  Go'rra linky?  I'm not having any joy at the moment 

 

Should get my front wheel back from the menders tomorrow, then I'm back on two wheels again.  Yay!! 

 

Gaz

Just last night i was checking their cycling stuff and the Mits are reduced to £2 a pair and so are the Cycle seats i have loads of. 

Never broken one yet.

http://bmstores.co.uk    search cycling

Track Pumps are OK for a fiver, lights OK & kind of disposable at the price.

 

I used to get there Cables and Padlocks from the lock section because they were good value and quality.

Edited 6 August, 20178 yr by Awayoffski

Blimey, I've a store 14 miles away - cheers George 

 

Edit:  Phooey, no mitts or lights in my local B&M 

 

Gaz

Edited 7 August, 20178 yr by V6TDI
update

Front wheel back from the menders and true 

Thumb's getting there, as is my shoulder. If the weather holds, I'm going to give riding to work a go tomorrow. Very very happy to be back on two wheels, fingers crossed   Haven't ridden for three weeks and really miss it.

No mitts yet but I'll pop out to a couple of bike shops over the next couple of days.

Gaz

Have fun and take it easy.

I stopped last night and forgot to drop the dropper post and fell off, usually i fall to the left, i am quite used to falling on my left

but for some reason i went right and have bruised my shoulder.

Starting to like the pain, because for some reason i keep moving my arm to see if it hurts and funnily it does.

 

I was in my local B&M today to get more mits but left it too late almost no cycling stuff left on the racks.

But i do have a £1 arm band phone holder that will likely get strapped on something to carry something sometime.

 

1 hour ago, Awayoffski said:

Starting to like the pain, because for some reason i keep moving my arm to see if it hurts and funnily it does.

 

I do that too - it's such an odd behaviour 

 

I've found the worst thing I can do is put my right elbow on the kitchen worktop, then reach down into the cupboard for a cereal bowl.  Feels, and sounds, like I'm pulling velcro apart inside the front of my shoulder, followed by a burning heat.

 

Hope your shoulder's okay.

 

Gaz