Just in time for Summer!

Off-topic
1

Howdy folks!

On monday night, cycling home from work, I came to one of the wee hills I use in the park to go really fast on. I shot down it and got 15.6mph on my 24" with 90mm cranks! Fast, eh?

I noticed a mate walking down the hill so I went past him, got my speed, then went back to speak to him.

He was heading home and lives round the corner from me so I got off the uni and walked home with him. I went into his flat and stayed for a bit.

Then his flatmate came home, he can uni&juggle but no real uni skills other than idling/juggling. He was amazed by my 24 and the wee-ness of the cranks and asked me to show him how fast it goes in the street. Gladly I showed him.

I was a bit keen and trying to go real fast on the level (I usually keep the high-speeds for hills) and I fell off. It was like I ran off the front of the uni. Of course, I couldn’t run that fast and down I went. I put my right arm out but it folded underneath me.

The end result?

I ripped nearly all the skin off my right knee (needed a tetanus),

gashed both of my elbows and my left hand,

broke my right collar-bone.

So I am due at the fracture clinic at 1pm to get it sorted. But I know that they’re gonna tell me to not unicycle until it’s better, and I also know that collar-bones go bad very easy if not rested so I really am gonna have to stay off the wheel. Boo.

Plus, it is really sore. And my knee hurts when I walk.

But, I just got broadband at home so can I ask everyone who reads this to try and make a uni video and post up the link to keep me entertained?

Also, me n pebbles just got a videocamera between us so we’re gonna make some videos of him. I aint workin while busted up, so I got plenty time to edit. As soon as we’ve done one I’ll let u all know.

Just thought I’d let u all know the crack.

Cheeers folks!

T.

2

Sorry about your accident. man. That sucks big time. Hope you heal up quick.

3

Wow, tough break, D.T. (pardon the pun, just trying to lift your spirits :)).

I’ve always been concerned about riding faster than I’m able to outrun a UPD. So far, I haven’t had to worry much about it because I can’t ride very fast.

Hope all heals well and you’re back on top soon.

Bruce

4

Sorry about the bad crash. Riding in excess of your running speed is always going to be risky. But if you like doing it anyway, it pays to practice dismounting at high speed.

On the one hand, it might be possible to practice sprint running and actually improve your ability to run out of a fast dismount. But this can be hard if you’re tired, or if you’ve been riding a long time with tiny foot movements.

Better to hedge your bets by also learning how to tuck & roll. I have used this method in the past to replace with a few scrapes what might otherwise have been something similar to your crash. But this only works if you practice it! Wait until you heal, of course. But if you practice the rolls, when it comes time to crash, your body will know what to do.

5

Tuck and roll has saved me from injury many, many times. Most recently, I was saved from serious injury but probably saved more from embarrassment during our Toasty Parade last Sunday. During a T&R, I usually get a scrape on my shin that looks like I slid into second base, but that I can deal with rather than the possible alternative. T&R is a good thing to carry along in your back pocket.

6

Sorry to hear about your accident, that’s really bad luck. Hope it all heals fast, but don’t go rushing back onto the wheel without making sure you won’t make it worse.

I’ve always tucked & rolled instinctively, we were taught how (I can’t remember in what circumstances) in P.E at school, and its saved me several serious head impacts including once falling off a bed backwards onto a tile floor. It came in handy on the campsite grass at BMW, while speed testing Rogers demo schlumpf down a gravel track. Note to self: When you try & stop, the pedals WILL keep moving.

Didn’t make that mistake again.

Loose.

7

ouch! thats al i have to say. ouch! :astonished:

8

Cheers folks.

I don’t have a clue how to tuck and roll (obviously!) but its something I’m gonna have to look into. When I’m fully healed of course.

Either that or I just give up on the idea of going fast on unicycles.

The doc yesterday looked at me funny when I asked how long before I could get back on the wheel, then said
“at least six weeks - don’t get on it until you’ve been back here and given the all clear.”

So thats me told. And I aint gonna risk it. Will I still be able to ride as well in 6 weeks? Or will I forget some of it? I’ll have to wait and see!

I forgot the best bit of the story before…

When I fell I heard something crack and snap. When I got onto my feet I said to my mate “summats broke, me or the wheel” he looked at the wheel and it was fine.

I heard my own collar-bone snapping. Nice.

Cheers again folks.

P.S I realise now my “make a video” request was a bit too much to ask, but how about sending me some links to websites that might stop me from getting too bored. And I don’t mean porn.

T.