I’ve been trying to ride my 8 month old Coker 36" unicycle as much as
possible so I usually go riding during my lunch break. Well, on Monday
(two weeks ago) I decided to set a new personal distance record and shoot
for 11 miles.
I was riding along the Jordan River parkway. I started at 4800 South and
headed south. It is a really nice path and the ride was going great. I was
keeping my eye on my watch so I could make it back to work on time. About
40 minutes into my ride the path ended (actually it was just closed) so I
decided that was a good time to turn around and return to work. I checked
my distance and I had only gone about 5.5 miles. Perfect! I thought. So I
begin back and I’m really trying to pick up the pace. At 9.5 miles the
path passes through a marshy wetland. There are lots of mosquitoes and
other flying insects. Well one of them (apparently tired of flying and in
my mind an africanized “killer” bee) decided to take a rest inside my ear.
The buzzing sort of freaked me out and I remembered hearing that to get a
bug out of your ear you should point your ear to the sun (I don’t know if
this is true but I figured it couldn’t hurt). So, having forgotten that
I’m cruising at about 15 miles per hour I tilt my head and begin swatting
at my left ear. As it turns out, when riding a unicycle you should
generally stay focused on staying atop the wheel. Since I had neglected
this crucial task the wheel decided to take a path different than I. I was
“thrown” forward and to the left. I broke my fall with both hands and then
my right knee made contact with the pavement. Because of the speed, I slid
momentarily on the pavement and then tumbled several times into the grass.
I received “road rash” on my right hip and knee and scraped my palms but
was able (after a few minutes of resting) to continue my ride. I began to
notice that my left elbow was also quite sore. By the evening I could not
move my left arm at all and my left hand was numb. So, I went to the
doctor and had my arm X-rayed. The good news was that there was no break
and no visible damage. But by Wednesday I began to develop a large bruise
in the bend of my left arm. I’m still unable to fully extend my left arm
and my grip is greatly diminished but everyday it gets a little better.
I was wearing a helmet but my head did not make contact with the ground. I
was not wearing any other protective gear. I wish I had been wearing knee
pads and gloves. Any suggestions on good ones?
OK, I wrote this the Wednesday after my “Monday Crash” and made some minor
modifications today just prior to posting it. If you want to see my mostly
healed bruised elbow you can. It’s at http://mgrant.unicyclist.com/bruised_arm.jpg (56Kb)
I can now almost fully extend my arm and most of the pain is gone. The
scabs on my knee are beginning to fall off (sorry if you find that gross).
Because of the pain I have not spend much time on the Coker since the
accident. I’ve, instead, been riding my Schwinn 24" and practicing new
skills. I was able to learn “stomach on seat”, “seat-in-front” and I’ve
regained the ability to ride one-footed. I’m now working on 1-footed
turns. I still cannot do 1-footed with my left foot but I’m working on it.
I’m glad your injuries were not more severe. Thank you for shairing your story; I will stop draining the last drop of Gateraid from the bottle when riding- that picture of your arm cured me of that!
I’m liking my Roach armour very much. The one time I rode without it, I felt naked. I have found impact marks on them and the Harbinger wrist guards after practice- and never relized I had touched anything! Up untill now, I have forgone elbow protection. No longer.
The best price on Roach I found at The Source:
Same for the Harbinger:
As of today, I’m also doffing a Kevlar hang gliding helmet, the Sol Kevalr Magic, offering great perifrial vison, air, chin protection, and can accomodate a headset. It also makes you look faster:
I would like something to protect the boney part of the hips and sholders, which tend to take it in an unexpected crash- any ideas?
Time has impressed apone me the importance of letting injuries heal; I have made much of minor damage by stressing too soon. Taking time out to heal because you choose to is much better than not having a choice.
I’ve done a 17 mph dismount on the Coker. It was just like taking a head
first slide into home base. The gloves and knee pads came in handy.
Inline skate knee pads work well with the Coker. I wear either Salomon
(can’t remember the model) or Rollerblade Bladegear LX knee pads. Get
something that fits you well so they don’t slide off your knee if you end
up sliding on the ground. Both are comfortable enough on the Coker for the
rides I do. But for long 75+ mile rides they would probably get
uncomfortable.
For gloves I wear full finger MTB gloves.
john_childs
>From: “Michael Grant” <michael_j_grant@yahoo.com>
[snip] >I was wearing a helmet but my head did not make contact with the ground. >I was not wearing any other protective gear. I wish I had been wearing >knee pads and gloves. Any suggestions on good ones? >
[snip]
I had a great crash yesterday, one of those no-one was watching crashes, where you get up and think you’re an idiot. I was trying to learn how to jump mount after getting myself pumped reading up on how to do it. I went downstairs and grab my uni, and stupidly left my shin pads up stairs not thinking i would need them, when i mastered the standard jump mount and thought i’d try a rolling jump mount, as it turns out i’m not to good at them. i caught the very toe of my left foot on the very back edge of the left pedal, caught my right foot on the back of the right pedal, this basically attachde me to the uni, then the momentum allowed me to face plant on the concrete, only just getting my arms up in time. i dusted myself off and went back upstairs and then went bowling with some friends, 20 mins into our first game i look down at my leg which is stinging and see that my sock and the bowling shoe is covered in blood from the gash i never noticed on my shin. it turns out that the bowling alley guys don’t like bloody shoes if you were wondering. i will neerv again not wear my shin pads and i think i’ll start wearing gloves and a helmet. dangerous machines aren’t they.
I was at the polls voting today, unicycle in tow. My neighbor came up beside me and we were reminiscing about me carrying my children on my shoulders around the neighborhood. The elderly woman at the ballot box asked me as I left if it was really true that I carried my children on my shoulders while riding a unicycle. I replied that it was but only when they were smaller, seven years old at the most. She was appalled. I decided to rush outside and mount up and take off in a hurry to prove to this woman what a skilled rider I was. I don’t think I have failed a standard, right foot mount for 35 years or more. As I walked out, I failed to notice that the soles of my shoes were damp I was so eager to show off. I put my right foot on the back pedal and started the wheel rolling back. My foot promptly slid off of the pedal and the top pedal came over and smacked my left shin. I was launched over the top of the unicycle and landed face first with both hands scraping the pavement. My backpack came up over the top of my head just like a child would have.
Boy, did I show her. When I dump like that and don’t hurt myself too badly I can’t help but laugh out loud. I wish I could see videos of some of the awkward looking things I’ve done.
> When I crashed on my then-new Coker at 18.1 mph, luckily only a couple > of high school students were witnesses.
I know that if I crash someday in the middle of Death Valley along the
highway, someone will happen to be walking along, right there to see it.
> I’ve still never hit my head on the ground unicycling, but Beau has a > couple of times.
I haven’t hit my head either (hot counting hockey game and switchplate at
NUC). For those that don’t know any better, the helmet is for just in
case. I have seen bits of a shattered helmet at the base of a tree along
one of the local trails, and talked to exiting firemen as the helicopter
with the hapless bicyclist took off. Wear your helmet.
I live in SLC as well. Dont really know where your accident took place though. I have never seen another Cocker in SLC. Hope to get out with you someday.
Next year I am going to do a centery on my Cocker. Dont know wich one yet. I did one last year however only made 75 miles. Think about joining me next year.
The bruise looks bad. I really dont reccomend protective gear while Cockering, other than the helmet. Although I mainly do distance and dont get involved much in the crazier stuff
Let me know (private email?) if you want to go riding sometime.
-mg
“dan” <forum.member@unicyclist.com> wrote in message news:9s9p5p$57p$1@laurel.tc.umn.edu… > Michael, > > I live in SLC as well. Dont really know where your accident took place > though. I have never seen another Cocker in SLC. Hope to get out with > you someday. > > Next year I am going to do a centery on my Cocker. Dont know wich one > yet. I did one last year however only made 75 miles. Think about joining > me next year. > > The bruise looks bad. I really dont reccomend protective gear while > Cockering, other than the helmet. Although I mainly do distance and dont > get involved much in the crazier stuff > > Dan > > > > > – > dan Posted via the Unicyclist Community - http://unicyclist.com/forums
Not to be contrary, but LOOK AT THE PICTURE OF HIS ARM and then consider the above statement. I HIGHLY recomend protection for any part of the body you are found of that is likely to “suck it up” in a crash OR that would be dissabled in an unlikely accident.
<snip> > > For gloves I wear full finger MTB gloves.
Are there full-fingered gloves that have good wrist support. I have wrist
guards but they are half-fingered. They have a brace in the back of the
wrist that keeps your hand from bending way back when you hit the
pavement. The problem is that your fingers then grind into the ashfault.
No fun.
So… I’m looking for something full-fingered that also has wrist support.
Christopher
“Be Bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.” -Basil King (Anyone who
can give me more info on THIS Basil King please email
me.)
My short story at: http://www.rosedog.com/manuscript.asp?m=9389256&manusc-
ript=6862016&t=The+Determination+of+Jeffery&fn=Christopher&ln=Grove&srdt=-
9%2F27%2F01+5%3A32%3A05+AM&fs=2&ff=Arial%2C+Helvetica%2C+Verdana&ps=4000&-
s=735143750&folder=Search+Results
rhysling wrote: > > I’m glad your injuries were not more severe. Thank you for shairing your > story; I will stop draining the last drop of Gateraid from the bottle > when riding- that picture of your arm cured me of that! > > I’m liking my Roach armour very much. The one time I rode without it, I > felt naked. I have found impact marks on them and the Harbinger wrist > guards after practice- and never relized I had touched anything! Up > untill now, I have forgone elbow protection. No longer. > > The best price on Roach I found at The Source: > > http://www.unicyclesource.com/Roach_Body_Armor33658.html > http://www.unicyclesource.com/Roach_Body_Armor33643.html > > Same for the Harbinger: > > http://www.unicyclesource.com/Harbinger_(2_models)1211.html > > As of today, I’m also doffing a Kevlar hang gliding helmet, the Sol > Kevalr Magic, offering great perifrial vison, air, chin protection, and > can accomodate a headset. It also makes you look faster: > > http://www.bigairparagliding.com/solmagicreview.htm > > I would like something to protect the boney part of the hips and > sholders, which tend to take it in an unexpected crash- any ideas? > > Time has impressed apone me the importance of letting injuries heal; I > have made much of minor damage by stressing too soon. Taking time out to > heal because you choose to is much better than not having a choice. > > Best wishes, > > Christopher LeFay > > – > rhysling Posted via the Unicyclist Community - > http://unicyclist.com/forums
Oh heck with all that! I’m gettin’ myself a Batman suit… I’ll have to
have the cape too otherwise I’ll look stupid!
Picture me… Batman on a Unicycle!
Hey Chris… Can I borrow your “Unicycle Rider of the Apocolypse” name
when I go out in my Batman suit!?
Christopher Grove
“Be Bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.” -Basil King (Anyone who
can give me more info on THIS Basil King please email
me.)
My short story at: http://www.rosedog.com/manuscript.asp?m=9389256&manusc-
ript=6862016&t=The+Determination+of+Jeffery&fn=Christopher&ln=Grove&srdt=-
9%2F27%2F01+5%3A32%3A05+AM&fs=2&ff=Arial%2C+Helvetica%2C+Verdana&ps=4000&-
s=735143750&folder=Search+Results
I grew up in Hamilton, Ontario. We have an escarpment which we call
Hamilton Mountain. One of the winding roads down the face of it was a
favourite of mine for bike riding. Once I was racing down with car traffic
behind me, I went off onto the shoulder a bit then tried to get back on
the pavement. The problem was that the pavement had raised about an inch
above the shoulder. When I swirved back over I of course did a stunt man
routine that you wouldn’t believe. The car behind me managed to stop
otherwise I wouldn’t be typing this but I was scraped up quite a bit…
and shaky.
You know… I think I’ll give up this unicycling thing and get one of
those big old-lady tricycles!!
Christopher Grove
“Be Bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.” -Basil King (Anyone who
can give me more info on THIS Basil King please email
me.)
My short story at: http://www.rosedog.com/manuscript.asp?m=9389256&manusc-
ript=6862016&t=The+Determination+of+Jeffery&fn=Christopher&ln=Grove&srdt=-
9%2F27%2F01+5%3A32%3A05+AM&fs=2&ff=Arial%2C+Helvetica%2C+Verdana&ps=4000&-
s=735143750&folder=Search+Results
Christopher Grove wrote: <snip> > > You know… I think I’ll give up this unicycling thing and get one of > those big old-lady tricycles!!
Do you think that they have “Big, Old-Lady Tricycle” trials anywhere? Or
maybe ‘B.O.L.T.’ Weekends in California!?
Christopher Grove
“Be Bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.” -Basil King (Anyone who
can give me more info on THIS Basil King please email
me.)
My short story at: http://www.rosedog.com/manuscript.asp?m=9389256&manusc-
ript=6862016&t=The+Determination+of+Jeffery&fn=Christopher&ln=Grove&srdt=-
9%2F27%2F01+5%3A32%3A05+AM&fs=2&ff=Arial%2C+Helvetica%2C+Verdana&ps=4000&-
s=735143750&folder=Search+Results
'> You know… I think I’ll give up this unicycling thing and get > one of those big old-lady tricycles!!’
WOW>>>!!! That would be like riding THREE unicycles at once! Let us know
WOW>>>!!! if
you manage it.
David
Christopher Grove <c_r_grove@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:3BE890AD.ECFEE31@yahoo.com… > You know… I HATE crashes and face-planting. > > I grew up in Hamilton, Ontario. We have an escarpment which we call > Hamilton Mountain. One of the winding roads down the face of it was a > favourite of mine for bike riding. Once I was racing down with car > traffic behind me, I went off onto the shoulder a bit then tried to get > back on the pavement. The problem was that the pavement had raised about > an inch above the shoulder. When I swirved back over I of course did a > stunt man routine that you wouldn’t believe. The car behind me managed > to stop otherwise I wouldn’t be typing this but I was scraped up quite a > bit… and shaky. > > You know… I think I’ll give up this unicycling thing and get one of > those big old-lady tricycles!! > > Christopher Grove > – > “Be Bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.” -Basil King (Anyone > who can give me more info on THIS Basil King please email > me.) > > My short story at: > http://www.rosedog.com/manuscript.asp?m=9389256&manuscript=6862016&t=The±
Det ermination+of+Jeffery&fn=Christopher&ln=Grove&srdt=9%2F27%2F01+5%3A32-
%3A05+A M&fs=2&ff=Arial%2C+Helvetica%2C+Verdana&ps=4000&s=735143750&folde-
r=Search+Re sults
> Not to be contrary, but LOOK AT THE PICTURE OF HIS ARM and then consider > the above statement. I HIGHLY recomend protection for any part of the > body you are found of that is likely to “suck it up” in a crash OR that > would be dissabled in an unlikely accident.
<FONT SIZE=2>Hmm, Where did you say the pics are posted? I
never wear my elbow pads. Maybe with winter coming I’ll start.<BR>
<BR> In a message dated 11/6/01 7:02:21 PM Eastern Standard Time, forum.member@unicyclist.com writes:<BR> <BR> <BR> <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE
style=“BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT:
0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px”>Not to be contrary, but LOOK AT THE PICTURE OF HIS
ARM and then consider<BR> the above statement. I HIGHLY recomend
protection for any part of the<BR> body you are found of that is likely to
“suck it up” in a crash OR that<BR> would be dissabled in an unlikely
accident.</BLOCKQUOTE><BR> <BR> </FONT></HTML>
–part1_a4.1bd00d6e.2919d863_boundary–
Actually I don’t think that I “hit” my arm. I think the bruise was caused
by the force of the impact on my wrists/hands. I really don’t think that
there is any protective gear that would have helped “protect” my arm from
this (relatively minor) injury.
Not to be contrary, but LOOK AT THE PICTURE OF HIS ARM and then consider
the above statement. I HIGHLY recomend protection for any part of the body
you are found of that is likely to “suck it up” in a crash OR that would
be dissabled in an unlikely accident.
“Be Bold and mighty forces will come to your aid.” -Basil King (Anyone who
can give me more info on THIS Basil King please email
me.)
My short story at: http://www.rosedog.com/manuscript.asp?m=9389256&manusc-
ript=6862016&t=The+Determination+of+Jeffery&fn=Christopher&ln=Grove&srdt=-
9%2F27%2F01+5%3A32%3A05+AM&fs=2&ff=Arial%2C+Helvetica%2C+Verdana&ps=4000&-
s=735143750&folder=Search+Results
Not that I have found. I have been riding without wrist guards or wrist
support. Eventually I may wise up and start using wrist guards. But I have
not been able to find wrist guards that are comfortable for unicycling and
will also fit over full finger gloves.
john_childs
>From: Christopher Grove > >Are there full-fingered gloves that have good wrist support. I have wrist >guards but they are half-fingered. They have a brace in the back of the >wrist that keeps your hand from bending way back when you hit the >pavement. The problem is that your fingers then grind into the ashfault. > >No fun. > >So… I’m looking for something full-fingered that also has wrist >support. > >Christopher
