Am I Cursed?

[rshall]

As the title says, am I? In the past ten months, every time I have gone out on my mountian bike more than 20 mile from home I have either injured myself enough to be off work or had some kind on mechanical.

October, pedal strike to calf, 8 stitches and two weeks of work and six weeks off the bike

February, bottom bracket fails round Thetford, long walk back to car

March, rear brake pads decide they want to be two parts

April, bottom bracket and crank work loose, managed a bodge to get back to car

May, hit wet, off camber, diagonal root, managed to do a barspin, land on hip, spent five minutes on floor fearing I had broken something, limped back to car park. Damage to bike, small scratch om top tube and computer cable severed. Damaged to me, bruised and sprained right hip, cuts and bruises to knee, calf, ankle on right side, small cut to right wrist, bruising to left shoulder (can't work that one out)

OK mechanicals I can cope with, and I should really get some training, but what have I done wrong? Which gods have I offended? Should I stick to tarmac?

 

[lazyfatgit]

Dont go more than 20miles from home?

Maybe modify ridng style appropriate to conditions?
most of my offs have been due to poor judgement on my part.

 

[marzjennings]

Sounds pretty normal to me, I manage to crash on most rides just trying to push it a bit harder every time.

I've had cuts like yours on my legs and one reason I stopped riding with platform pedals and switched to spds.

 

[lukesdad]

Par for the course Im afraid

 

[rshall]

I do ride with SPDs, part of the problem with the sprained hip!

It has highlighted to me that riding on my own, in the middle of nowhere at 'off peak' times might not be the best idea

 

[lukesdad]

How were the spd s part of the problem with the sprained hip?

 

[ChrisBD]

All sounds pretty normal to me too; not that I'd bother listing them.

The 8 stiches sounds a bit unlucky I have to admit.

My two thoughts;

1 - Get yourself some protection, nothing full-on DH stylie, but some 661 Veggies or similar and gloves...

2 - maybe get yourself booked on a technical skills course, this will ive you not only the skills to ride mre eficiently but also the confidence in your own ability.

Speaking as someone who has come back to MTB after a good few years off, the above has helped me get "back in the saddle", the skills training in particular helpe me get used to a new bike, the geomitry makes riding feel a lot diferent than my old bikes.

Result = fewer offs.....I when I do come off, and I do, a lot, it hurts less....

 

[lukesdad]

Sounds like some routine maitenance around your bottom bracket wouldn t go amiss either !

 

[rshall]

The SPD's were part of the problem because, halfway round, unknown to me at the time, one of the allen screws had fallen out of the cleat so it wouldn't release properly, and yes some bottom bracket maintenance was required (had to but new tools), just got to true the front wheel when I get home from work next week.

Have replaced the cleats on both my summer and winter shoes as a little worn. Just a bit fed up with my own stupidity, could have been a lot worse, just keep forgetting I'm not getting any younger and I don't bounce as well as I used to

 

[Steve H]

Rings a few bells with me also. Happy to pass on some advice that my 6-year old niece said to me...

Uncle Steven - you need stabilizers on your bike!!!

 

[rshall]

When I came back to work after doing my calf in, I got a fair bit of grief, the number of adverts for stabilisers that were 'left' for me was quite amazing. The scar did make a few of them wince though!!

 

[alci4]

Rings a few bells with me also. Happy to pass on some advice that my 6-year old niece said to me...

Uncle Steven - you need stabilizers on your bike!!!

roflmfao