Well I have been off the bike now for a year, some may have seen my posts, in a nut shell I have had an artificial disc replacement in my neck (herniated C6/7) and its taken over a year of pain and nerve issues to get the op and recover. I thought I would be sorted. Yes my neck is finally better however the real kick in the shins is… around 6 months ago I started getting lower back pain, a new mri shows another herniated disc in my lower back and a further 3 discs showing degenerative disc disease. Im in a lot of pain again and it looks like another op on the way but with 4 discs this is going to take a lot to get over, if ever! Well the crux of this is my bike, it’s already sat still for 12 months and will probably do so for another 12, should I sell it and keep the cash till I am sorted or just polish it every week. It’s a very pimped out ellsworth and I hate to see it sitting there! What would you do? It breaks my heart to sell it but seeing it just makes me resent not ridding.

if money isn't an issue i'd keep it

Honestly – flog it, ring fence the money for the future.

If money's not an issue, keep it. If its doing your noodle in just sat there, store it somewhere out of sight until you feel the need to polish it again.

If it was something generic I'd probably say sell it and get the latest and greaest when you're up and running again. As its something you probably couldn't replace, hang on to it.

Just my tuppence.

I can feel your pain, but don't sell, just get out and have a few gentle rides. I have had three lower discs out due to degeneration in one and the other two being herniated(or bulging) and although very painful at times I kept up a bit of peddling to help my sanity.

Even minor slow riding will help, sitting on a saddle should also take pressure off your nerves, hence bambach saddle seats in the office now being used by many.

You should really try it, I bet its worth the pain to feel the freedom

if money isnt an issue – sell it.

if you can afford to take the hit selling it on now, then get it out of your sight. When you are fixed, you can buy something that is new shiny etc.

[pessimism]
its taken you a year to recover this far, now you have to seriously look at the possibility that riding off road might not be for you in the future, think about it, take stock, move on – if im (you are) wrong, mtb will still be here for you in the future
[/pessimism]

I hope the op goes well for you and you recover fast and fully.

Get well soon, fella! That sounds horrendous.

Listen to your Dr's etc of course, but my experience with a lower disc right out was that biking helped my back enormously – non-impact (reasonably!) and the exercise strengthened it. Another vote for "Keep it", then.

cheers guys, sorry just feeling really fekd off, I hoped to be back in the saddle now for the end of summer, didnt expect to be sorting out another 4 discs, I also have a curve in my lower spine, the neck op was a biggie and took a lot to get though, but the pain in my lower back is too bad to ride, I struggle just walking 100 meters. Your right its not an off the peg job so I may strip it down, give it a full grease up and store it away in the loft and hope I can ride this time next year!

Guess putting temptation out of site is the right way..

Off to the loft

I feel your pain as well. I'm currently laying on my bed waiting for scan on my lumber discs. I had a discectomy 2 years ago but its looking like the problem has come back.
I have also found that at times, provided I can actually get my leg over the bike, that a little pootle will help ease the pain.
I have often used a crate or something to use as a step for getting on !

I too remember going going through the shall I sell or not. I decided not to and was glad of it.
This time round I have decided to keep both FS bikes and sell the hardtail.

All the best….

Forgot to say – nice bike – just keep it and give it some love and think of the times ahead when you can enjoy it again.

As long as you're not desperate for cash I'd keep it. It's not everyday you come across something like that, so would be difficult to replace.

If it turns out that 12 months down the line you're still struggling (I hope you're all good by then though!) you maybe want to reconsider.

But until then, I'd store out of sight and then you've got something to look forward to when you're all mended 🙂

IF you'll never get one as good again for reasonable cost, strip it and put it in the loft. If you think you might find something nicer and better later, sell it now while it has some value.

Good luck with the recovery, I'm suffering with back issues nowhere near as bad as yours and it's getting me down, so I can only imagine what it feels like for you. Keep your chin up.

I will look after it for you 😉

The flip side of all those saying flog it is that if money is an issue, how will you afford something as nice in a couple of years time?

I debated selling my 2005 5spot earlier this year, but even compared to todays bikes its a totally sorted trail bike.

I'd have to pay thousands again to get anything as good, so for the £500 I might have got for it, its worth keeping IMO.

How comfy is that saddle by the way?

Wow! Nice bike! How much if u were to sell it?

Strip the bike,

Keep the frame and sell the parts, the parts are easily replaced with newer bits when the time comes and it'll be like you and your bike have turned a corner.

hang on to it mate, you'll be back out on it eventually 🙂