disregarding latest advice (post-scan results) I read online that groin injury can be improved by cycling with seat lowered. So after a 10-month hiatus/forced-rest from biking I last night choose a flat trail and lowered the seat on the Vagabond. Headed off to the FoD Peregrine Trail at Symonds Yat Easy. Flat. Fresh air. Cycling gingerly I soon felt over-confident.

Then a chain of evolving events moment of extreme stupidity woke me up fast to my own lack of experience coupled with the limitations of drop-bars/Nano tyres.

Approaching Highmeadow Woods we ventured off the path into some gnarly drops and banks. I first decided to sit it out and be content to watch biking-buddy test it out on his Marin AXC. Seemed easily doable.

Cut a long story short, I gave it a go and confidence soon outstripped sense and ability. Washed out entering the third swoop, leg went through main triangle and I tried to match the momentum on the now-flat bike down a 30ft 45 degree slope. This was achieved by aggressive hopping on left leg, miraculously keeping foot in the centre of the main triangle. It was mostly successful and I mostly protected existing injury by stubbornly refusing to stack with the bike until reached the bottom of the slope and collapsed into the rocks and mud. Front brake-lever took the hit in the washout and popped right off. A bent rack and a rapidly growing hen’s egg contusion on the shin

Take-home wisdom:

MTBing on the brake-hoods is stupid.

Falling off again feels amazing. MTBing is the most fun. Still on a high.

Now what to do. N+1 is undoable as already have a ute, a road bike and the Vagabond.

Did you launch that concrete booter? Fair dues.

MTBing on the brake-hoods drops is stupid.

.. but still fun.

Falling off again feels amazing. MTBing is the most fun. Still on a high.

.. thumbs up to that. Stay safe!

Did you launch that concrete booter? Fair dues.

(Googles ‘booter’)

Good gods no. Both myself and the NHS are currently in too poor a shape to ever be much use in that scenario! 😯

But hats off to anyone who would try that. Scary.

MTBing on the brake-hoods is stupid.

Get on the drops!

Googles ‘booter’

I could have used ‘sender’ which in normal conversation would make me sound equally daft in front of people who do actually properly send it.

Yeah, get on the drops…..but not big drops:)

I could have used ‘sender’ which in normal conversation would make me sound equally daft in front of people who do actually properly send it.

And I thought it was a ‘keep’, hence my always giving it a wide berth. Yeah that’s why!

Drops for drops.
Hoods for flats.
And no-handers on the sender.
😆