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Anyone had a big spill off the bike...

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neil_p:
...and considered giving up cycling?

I came off the bike at speed on Saturday, and have been left with multiple skull fractures... massive black eyes... stitches, etc.

I'm feeling pretty good about things, considering what's happened.... but there is a nagging doubt that I should stop cycling (esp with a new baby on the way).

I keep reliving the incident (drifted off the tarmac at the edge of a country lane, too much of a lip in the tarmac to right it, greasy road meant the bike slipped out from under me).

I would love to hear from people who have had a crash... just to give me some encouragement really.

Oh, and yes, I was wearing a helmet... which now has a crack in the side (whjere I landed) and will be replaced. Thank god for that!

cake:
Wow Neil, that sounds like a bad one.  I'm glad you are relatively ok though.

I've never had a big off myself, only a couple of walking pace ice related spills.  I've had a few of the drifting off the tarmac onto the gravel / mud / grass and eventually back onto the road moments, due to being tired and losing concentration for a second.  They certainly get the adrenelin flowing!

The odd occasions i have had to consider giving up cycling have been down to motorists putting my life at risk and scaring me stupid when i think about the potential outcome.

But then i think that this could have happened if i was driving - i used to drive all sorts of vehicle for a living and stopped this mainly because i started to feel i was pushing my luck being on (fast) roads day after day with people becoming more and more reckless.

Nothing we do is risk free, so my feeling is that if you are a confident and sensible bike rider who does everything they can to be safe, and you know that your crash was down to a moment of inattentiveness then use it as a (very hard) lesson and put it down to experience.

I'm also going to be a dad (at the end of the year) and have had similar thoughts about curtailing my cycling (mainly when an arsehole overtakes way to fast and close to me), but then without regular cycling i think i would end up being committed to an asylum and would therefore be an absent father - and that wouldn't be good either!

Anyway, you'll know what is right for you eventually and that will be the correct decision.

All the best for a speedy recovery and a quick return to riding (it had to be said from a member of a cycling enthusiasts forum!).

Gary.

julk:
Neil,
Sorry to hear about your spill - good to hear that you are patched up and will mend. Round where I live some of the country roads have huge rain filled ruts in the grassy edges where tractors have run off the tarmac - I have managed to stay out of them so far.

I had a bad moment some years ago when my (pre Thorn bike) handlebars snapped whilst commuting home through winter evening Edinburgh traffic. I am more reluctant to commit to high speed now - that is a mental hangover as I was recovered physically in about 6 weeks.

I would say keep on cycling once you feel up to it. The stress reduction and health benefits of riding a bike far outweigh the risks.

Good luck with the family and include them in the cycling as soon as you can.

Did the bike sustain any damage?
Julian.

peddles:
Yes, I took a big spill almost 5 years ago and now have 3 pieces of titanium and 30 screws in my skull.  I wasn't wearing a helmet but that was the last time I went near a bike without one. My brain was damaged in the accident and perhaps that explains why, as soon as I was able, I bought a helmet and got back on board. 14 months ago I bought my Raven Tour and have now just passed 10,000 miles on it.  I hope you do make a full recovery and that your enthusiasm returns and like me, you get to enjoy many more miles in the saddle.

geocycle:
That sounds awful.  So sorry to hear of the accident. 

Overall, I am sure the benefits of cycling far outweigh the mercifully rare accidents.  Your family will appreciate the health it brings you.  Risk is everywhere but that involved in cycling is much lower than comparable interests.

Cycling with a family is not easy and requires juggling to find the time but the rewards can be high when they join you on rides.

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