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Anyone broken a thumb cos it got caught between shifter lever and bars?
Feeling curious now, as I have a possibly fractured thumb (our local minor injuries don't run xrays on the weekend, so never found out for sure...)
During a rather abrubt stop during which I hit a tree stump, but stayed on the bike, my thumb got caught between the shifter paddle and bars.
In many years of crashing, this was never a hazard before, and on inspecting my other bikes, I found it wouldn't have been a possibility anyway as the gap between shifter and bars was too small to accommodate my thumb.
The sram matchmaker clamps on the newest ride seem determined to change that equation, however. So I've adjusted them to move the shifter inwards as far as possible, away from my thumb while riding, and close the gap so far as possible as well, but there's only so much you can do.
Is this a known hazard? Has anyone else hurt themselves this way?
Not personally, but I can see how you could possibly get "Skiers thumb" the above description.
I was crashed into from behind on a flat open area (!!) in an XC race years ago and somehow got my thumb caught. No break but must have over extended as it was then knackered for quite a while.
I wouldn't over think it to much, just bad luck as chance is so small. What about frame triangle, between spokes with your foot etc.......... (bring back aero disc wheels hah)
I've over-extended my thumb a few times.
If it's actually broken, then may be a sign that your clamps are too tight?
Cheers all. Not overthinking it, could just be bad luck as you say, but if it happens to others it may be something everyone should think about when setting up a bike. If the shifter is set up badly then your thumb could be sat in that gap 100% of the time you have your hand positioned to use the brake levers, as it turns out mine was I think. This differs to my spokes and frame triangle in that I don't generally ride along with a leg stuck through them.
Broke (smashed) left ring finger middle joint with handlebar as I fell on my right hand side. Doctors liken the impact to cricket ball injury despite realignment operation it refuses to heal in the right place and consultant considering joint replacement which I am trying to avoid with lots of hand therapy sessions.
Anyone broken a thumb cos it got caught between shifter lever and bars?
Yes. I had a daft tip-over onto my left side about three years ago and broke my right thumb. There was zero impact on my right hand, so I'm 99% certain this is what happened. Quite often the ligament hurts like a swine too, even now. I sometimes actively swap hands to do some things nowadays because it twinges that thumb. I did a fair bit of rehab and that helped, but it hasn't been right since and probably never will be.
I'll bet that WCA has done it too 😉👍🏼
I always used to put my shifters sufficiently inboard of my brakes to avoid thumb/shifter interaction. However now my Deore shifters bolt directly to my SRAM brakes and they're not inboard enough so they are.alwaus in the way. And I could see how they would be in the way in a crash.