The Crash Thread

[Doomanic]

After today’s clusterfuck of a ride at Staunton I thought it’s time for a crash thread.

Post your pics, tell your tales, show how lucky we’ve been this time..,

This was actually the second of my crashes today...

I landed square on the hip I’d fucked earlier when I landed on a rock.
It didn’t stop me riding but I could barely walk by the time I got home.

 

[StuR]

One of my most memorable
It was pre Ebike
Chasing my mate down a gnarly trail in Les Arc. I should have known better he's a way better rider than me
One cracked and 5 compressed vertebre.

 

[Doomanic]

@Rob Hancill we need an ouch emoticon!

 

[Doomanic]

I am now self-medicating with Co-Codamol, Ibruprofen and copious amounts of Vitamin B(eer) and Vitamin K(ebab)...

I'm also grounded for the rest of the weekend...

 

[Gary]

Crashed today. just got spat off the side of wet roots on a corner, rear wheel kicked out 90deg and I kept heading forwards (like a full moto whip but still on the ground or a speedway bike but both feet up) sliding towards the stump from a felled tree just about the right width for the rear wheel to pass it on one side and the front (at 90deg to the frame pass the other side, unfortunately the top of the stump was at BB/crank height and stopped the bike dead. I on the other hand didn't and was spat off into the rocks behind. No real damage to me or the bike and just laughed it off, got back on and finished the ride.
I've crashed thousands of times over the years and like to think I'm actually rather good at getting away with it but your luck has to run out some day. Loads have hurt or left me injured for a while and I've suffered concussion many many times but surprisingly i've had very few broken bones.
This brings me to the worst crash I ever had. I was out in Les Gets (the main DH track on Mont Cherry side if anyone knows it). I was on a fast run and went over the top of a berm towards the last part of the track. Managed to ride it out but couldn't stop, heading down the piste straight towards the next berm I knew I was going too fast to make the turn so rather than smash into the berm and ruin myself with the impact I used it as a launch, layed the bike over 90deg hoping to side out on the grassy landing. Unfortunately the bike stopped dead (sideways) on landing and my inside took the whole froce through my left pedal. I lay there in shit loads of pain as my mates turned up. I waved them on saying I was Ok. (I'm just a bit like that) and when I tride to get up my foot wouldn't hold my weight I used the bike to help me up, and rode the rest of the track to the gondola to get to my mates one footed. They must have seen how fucked my foot was as they asked if I wanted medical help. I said no. and rode back to Morzine. (I told you I'm like that). got to the other end of the town and the bottom of the hill our appartment was up. I couldn't get up the hill so was hopping one legged while using the bike as crutches (more of a 2 wheeled zimmer). Luckily a French MILF in a 4X4 saw me and offeredd to help, chucked my bike in the back and took me to the appartment. Later I went to the little medical centre in the town for an X-Ray. Despite my foot being massively swolen the Dr told me he didn't think anything was broken. his X-Ray machine was so old the screen was covered in scratches and you couldn't really see anything. He sent me off telling me to take pain killers, anti-inflamatories, Ice and elevate it and if the swelling went down to return and he'd give me something to support it for "comfort"
I spent the next 2 days drinking beer in the sun with my foot raised and iced, The swelling did go down a bit so on day 3 I returned to the Dr. He put me in a cast "for comfort" and gave me some crutches to walk on.
I was bored out of my mind and went shopping. Went into a sports shop and asked to try on a size 14 trainer. (I was a size 9) amazingly the size 14 shoe fitted over the cast. Great!
guess what I did next?
Yes. I went back for my bike and rode every day for the rest of the week then drove home to the south of England.
When I arrived home I had a shift at work (Bar manager) so went straight there, to much piss taking from the staff and punters but managed my shift fine. Only the cast got soaked with beer. The next morning I headed to my own GP to ask him to cut off the cast. He just looked at me like WTF?? so I told him the story above. He couldn't believe any medical professional would put me in a cast for "comfort" refused to cut it off and sent me straight to hospital to have it examined.
A morning of X-rays and into the consultants office to be told "bad news"
I'd broken the corner off the last big bone in my foot and every small bone further down the foot had dislocated. I was kept in for Surgery that night and left 3 days later with metalwork from the front to rear and 2 bolts straight through the foot from the side. 8 months on a non-weight bearing cast followed by years of physio. Still gives me grief 16 years later if I walk uphill too far or run. I had to wear a brace to ride for the first few years after the op but can now ride pain free. Getting over the injury actually made me a smoother rider and learn to ride ambi-footed. (other than riding my bike I'm still massively right hand/foot biased).

Get well soon Dom.

 

[Doomanic]

That sounded epic!

Get well soon Dom.

Thanks.

 

[Gary]

Just realised none of the above had anything to do with E-bikes.

sorry @Stumpy

 

[Norange]

Broke about 3 inches off my radius, then used that to break 5 bones in my hand. Not enough morphine in the world for the moment they had to pull that straight!

 

[Stumpy]

For those that were on the group ride it will be no surprise but “Stumpy” is not any reference to a particular spesh bike - it’s actually my nickname as I ripped the bottom half of my right leg off in a (motor)bike crash - a (great) story for another day and for when I’m not having to type it on an iPhone!

 

[Gary]

I'd be well interested in hearing how you get on riding mtb now aswell @Stumpy.
When you have time obvz.

 

[Doomanic]

Just realised none of the above had anything to do with E-bikes.

Yeah, I had intended this to be more of a number of humerous anecdotes involving eBike crashes, but some of the tales here are good anyway.

For those that were on the group ride it will be no surprise but “Stumpy” is not any reference to a particular spesh bike - it’s actually my nickname as I ripped the bottom half of my right leg off in a (motor)bike crash - a (great) story for another day and for when I’m not having to type it on an iPhone!

So you're not 4 foot tall then?

 

[Stumpy]

Yeah, I had intended this to be more of a number of humerous anecdotes involving eBike crashes, but some of the tales here are good anyway.

So you're not 4 foot tall then?

Well, that as well but I was saving that one ?

 

[eFat]

Already posted but here is a soft crash.

 

[StuR]

Why do mates always get their cameras out when you've mullered your self long before offering any assistance ?
Couldn't be like it myself?

 

[Tmacca]

york otb small.mp4

• Tmacca
• Aug 26, 2018

heavy bike, soft flesh

who doesn't love an OTB, especially with a heavy ebike.
2 days ago, glad didn't bust ribs this time

 

[Doomanic]

Why do mates always get their cameras out when you've mullered your self long before offering any assistance ?
Couldn't be like it myself?

To be fair, I told him to get the pic while I was recovering enough to move.

 

[Doomanic]

I’ve got a bit of bruising...

 

[Tunny]

That's some serious bruising. Hope you feel better soon ??

I wouldn't want to move anywhere in that state

 

[Stumpy]

I’ve got a bit of bruising...
View attachment 4511

Ouch! Wish you better soon!

 

[Doomanic]

Another ride, another crash...

Lost the front at speed on hardpack and came down hard. Burped the tyre too, which may have been the cause.

I’m in trouble again...

 

[iXi]

So today lost control on a downhill section, went over the bars and the side my head went into a tree at full speed. Helmet probably saved my life. Cracked straight through. Didn't knock me out but had a bit of light headedness. Also partially winded.

Got a heap of gravel rash, whiplash to my neck and possibly a cracked ribbed. They did a CT scan on my head and no fractures, also my left shoulder was xrayed and no fractures.

Thank you POC for making such a great helmet. Glad I spent that little extra.

 

[Zimmerframe]

So you're not 4 foot tall then?

Only when he's lying down..

 

[steve_sordy]

@StuR That must have hurt when you did it, hurt when your mate came and tried to move the bike, hurt when the medics came for you and loaded you onto a stretcher, and hurt even more when you got to hospital, and again when the drugs wore off! And I'll bet its still bloody hurting! OUCH! you have my heartfelt sympathy. Look after your back, you have it for life and it doesn't heal like the rest of you - I'm sure it remembers and holds a grudge! Do what the physio tells you to do and keep doing the exercises long after the pain has stopped. And do them again when you get a twinge!

 

[steve_sordy]

I was just riding along with my mate following, taking the piss out of each other as usual. In front of me was a 4"-5" diameter log across the trail, one I had ridden over countless times. My mate's timing was just right with his last remark and it must have ruined my concentration (such as it was) and instead of lofting the front wheel, I braked with my front brake.

The fork compressed, I went OTB, the fork released and shot the bike backwards, leaving me free to fall flat onto the log. Both thighs landed on the log from above handlebar height. When I got my breath back, I dragged myself off the log. I was convinced that I had broken both thigh bones and dragged myself over to a tree and lay back against it while I wondered how much it was going to hurt more than it already was and imagining how the next six months would be. Meanwhile my mate had inspected the bike and said "Good new, your bike's fine!"

Anyway, not broken, not even a bruise that day to show for it. But the next day the bruises started to emerge at the back of the thighs. Eventually they spread from behind the knee to just under the underpants area, all at the back. I managed to ride back to the car and drive home, but that was me done for several days, even walking was difficult. The ladies at my Pilates class loved the bruises as it confirmed their view that mtb "at your age" was a sign of early dementia.

 

[118]

Pain is only weakness leaving the body, no?

 

[Doomanic]

Meanwhile my mate had inspected the bike and said "Good new, your bike's fine!"

 

[steve_sordy]

It didn't seem funny at the time. But I guess what else could he usefully do? One less thing to worry about I suppose.

 

[ottoshape]

No matter how many times it happens, I'm still amazed at how fast you can go from fully upright, on two wheels, to splayed out on the ground, flat as a pancake...

 

[maranjo]

Sorry for your pain but I really liked Pilates lady remark ( sounds like my wife ).

 

[Bean]

I've been dam lucky really, unfortunately my wife caught a pedal coming down off the Moors at Sutton Bank red route, pedal hit top of foot and ended up fractured toe.
Sod before our hol in Lake District recently but she is nearly back to normal.