I busted mine a couple of weeks ago, not sure what damage I’ve done but I landed on my side and it was my elbow which battered into the lower ribs. Finished the ride (albeit curtailed) and rode again the next day without any significant pain.

However, the pain has actually ebbed and flowed since then. Sometimes a cough won’t cause anything other than mild discomfort, other times it’s like being jabbed with a stick.

Keen to make the most of the nice weather yesterday, I went for a ride, but minced my way down every hill. Confidence gone, and subconsciously I was tensing up on my damaged side, almost like I was expecting to crash and trying to protect myself in advance. The thought of binning it and landing on my ribs again is not a pleasant one.

Think I’ll give it a couple of weeks before I get back on the bike again. No point making things worse, and I might enjoy it a bit more if I don’t have The Fear.