In the last year I've been concussed (with lots of nice facial bruising) broken a few ribs, had all the usual scrapes and cuts and most recently a minor dislocation of the clavicle.

My other half is getting really angry about it all. It doesn't help that my riding buddies are more than happy to give her the details of my gung ho attitude to danger and now she thinks I'm irresponsible and stupid and acting "like a teenager not a 40 year old father of two".

Now obviously I'm not going to take it easy as that would be no fun at all but any ideas on how to mollify the good lady?

Perhaps book a rider skills session?

That'll help you and help put her mind at rest.

See here http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/skills-course-review

Buy her a bike ?

Do some more leisurley rides with her ?

definitely some kind of riding dyslexia going on there

There's a difference between "taking it easy" and "not riding like a ****t". Based on your recent injury list she clearly has a valid point.

depends if you're an aspirational rider or not.
some riders are happy to just ride along where as others want to try things and get technically better which can obviously lead to injuries at times.

Based on your recent injury list she clearly has a valid point.

+1 from the sounds of it! You've commented that you're quick down hill, why not try a skills session to add some skill to the balls! That's meant in a nice way!

I'm completely with you and put it to her about a skills session however she seemed to feel that I was only wanting to do one so I could take more risks – She was right.

I'd love to say these injuries were the result of legendary riding but they weren't, one was a tree jumping out on me and the other was rinding flat outdown a gully where I lost the front end and took a header.

I'd hate to slow down as I accept the risks and take the injuries as par for the course, besides none of it had been that bad. I just need a way to make her worry less!!

Carry on regardless. Everyone falls off at some point, maybe it's just a run of bad luck? Take the opportunity to invest in a bigger front tyre and some lucky heather?

Your immortality index is getting lower…

Wait until you hit my age, when what used to be a minor fall can disable you for weeks, or a heavy fall can seriously injure you because your blood is full of rat poison, or you have to closely watch your heart rate. It's a bummer getting old.

Funny my missus says much the same as yours. 🙂

or wrap yourself in cotton wool like the rest of the sedatary world who think a fair ground is an extreme sport 🙂

Take your lid off, fit some rigid forks and you'll soon find you're having fun without getting injured all the time. The fact is that humans tend to compensate for safety devices, so if your bike will do 25mph down a section of trail, that's what you'll do on it, so that you get the thrill of danger. On the other hand, if it'll only do 15mph, you'll do that, and still be getting the same thrill / risk of falling off.

You'll probably fall off just as often, but the injuries won't be so severe.

If you find you can't manage that, perhaps you should take up 4 wheeled motorsports. It's relatively rare for people to get properly injured.

Dont expect sympathy… women are hard.

It's quite thought provoking, I'm forty in four weeks or so and I am a better rider than I've ever been IMHO however it is fair to say I don't bounce as well as I used to!

Maybe I'll by some knee pads and leave them in the car!

im 42 this year.
i don't ride outside my limits ever and don't ride fast because i am wearing a helmet.
you say you're a better rider than ever based on what? you are crashing loads. is that more, less or the same as before?

my SO is the one that knocks her self out and gets bruises all over when she is riding/racing …… i just break bones

There's an advert at the top of the page that says "Have you been injured? Finding out is easy"

The clear implication is that you could have been injured without knowing it, perhaps repeatedly. It's even more serious than your good lady thinks. 🙂

Don't worry about it – chicks dig scars 😉 keep going, falling off is all part of it. My legs looks pretty wrecked and decidedly unlady like most of the time – like I care. I've also had black eyes, and other stuff. As long as you are not taking unecessary risks.

Sorry this isn't answering the question is it. Female perspective – she's probably just worried for your safety and the longer term implications for you – and her, if you were to injure yourself seriously. Explain how important biking is to you, reassure her that you're not being reckless and that minor (ish) bumps and scrapes are just that, and that all told a fit, active husband is a much better prospect for her and your kids than a sedentary couch dweller with no zest for life. 😀

About the same maybe less. It's only been three offs in 12 months and considering I ride four times a week I'd say that's fine.

Other than the gully one which was messy I'd describe the others as "comedy" offs.

Jedi I am trying to get over for a day with you to be honest. I'm sure I have some seriously bad habits and I convinced much of the stuff I land is more luck than design!

Seems that I'm not the only guy who has had this conversation!!

Reminds me of the look MrsDezB gave me when she arrived at the hospital to find me strapped down on a spinal board! So sympathetic 😐

Thing is, they know what your hobby is, they know you do it because it is a bit dangerous (despite what TJ says), so they just gotta get used to it.

And you have to get used to the looks.

I separated my shoulder just before moving house the first time, and then broke my ribs before moving house the second time. Both injuries went down like a fart in a lift.

Just take up something more dangerous like paragliding or mountaineering and she'll soon love the fact you are only risking minor injuries on the bike 😉

I am broken again, after trying to chase 'sprog' James down the hill! Not sure I can afford this financially much more 🙁 Better half very mixed about it, helpful, concerned and a little angry about it. Also struggling with the 'literal' pain two weeks later. And can't wait to get back on my bike….. Hoping to connect with Jedi once all well just to improve the odds a little.

im just trying to help you see what you may be doing wrong

I think my main problem is my fondness for the phrase "what's the worst that can happen"!!

I like tron's point about getting a different kind of bike that will calm you on the down hills. Basically move from freeride-lite to more XC style riding.

2 broken wrists and 22 stitches in the last 12 months… when the missus has a word I mention how good the life insurance payout would be 🙂

Must admit both of last years incidents happened when I was on my own and in places I think I could have lain for a day or so before anyone found me so I try to be safer when I ride solo these days

Ouch! I pointed out how well I'm insured and she gave me the most withering look – I felt like a schoolboy!

freeride-lite – did you make that up ? is that like a non offensive term for an effiminate friend?

bin her off!

it's your life fella.

i spent 6 months last year in bed/laid up with injury… if anyone had whinged about it to me (other than my grandparents who had a bizarre pop at me in the hospital) i'd have thrown a nicely filled wee bottle at them.

Can't really bin my partner of 15 years and the mother of my kids!

I keep reminding her that it's not really a life threatening sport but then reading some of the post on here maybe I've been lucky so far.

You have to trade off threat to your family (through lack of income/father) and your enjoyment. But she has to realise who she married and that people don't change.

"freeride-lite – did you make that up ? is that like a non offensive term for an effiminate friend?"

😀

Yeah I made it up.

I'd like to think that what I do is more " jeyride lite freecore mince XXC" – After all I have 6 inches of travel!

Don't let wife meet mates who obviously take some delight in dropping you in the shit about your gung ho riding style.

Check terms of insurance that they don't exclude "dangerous sports", or if they do, what are their definitions of a dangerous sport.

Finally pay for some tuition and ride within your limits. 😯

XXC??!
😆

It's all good advice, one thing though riding within your limits still involves falling off now and then!

Insurance definately covers me it's not on the list of exclusions.

depends if you're an aspirational rider or not.
some riders are happy to just ride along where as others want to try things and get technically better which can obviously lead to injuries at times.

I disagree. I think people approach progression in a different way, it's not a case of being aspirational or not.

From my kayak coaching background I saw two very distinct groups with different approaches to pushing themselves and risk.

The first is probably the OP. They will take risks where the feature is probably beyond their technical skill level but progress in leaps and get injured. The other sort is those who take a much more calculated approach. Rather than go and launch off the first large waterfall or drop they see they will build up to it starting small and gaining the skills necessary to run it with confidence. It's more to do with skill level and acceptable risk than wanting to improve or not. The later will probably technically better and less prone to injury.

Wait until you hit my age, when what used to be a minor fall can disable you for weeks

people keep saying this, but is it really true ? I haven't noticed any difference.

Jon I agree with you in part of course it's wise to ride sensibly and build up to those features that challenge you. Eventually you reach a plateau. I managed my first large drop off (when I say large I mean around 6 feet or so, so not large at all really) only last year, had been bottling it for months, had all the skill required but also had that cautionary voice in my ear reminding me of consequences.

There is a point for anyone who wants to get better be it on a bike on skis or whatever else, where caution has to be put aside and you just have to go for it, well I think so anyway.

The injuries I've sustained have never been on technical features, just dumb mistakes on trails I've ridden hundreds of times, if anything I tend to concentrate less on the easy stuff and then get caught out!