Over a year ago, I told myself I wouldn’t get a better bike until I reached an arbitrary training goal I set for myself. The goal was to reach an FTP and VO2 max of some numbers that seems ridiculously high to me at the time. I have dreams of someday going pro, and maybe, just maybe I’ll hit it. I thought this goal would force myself to prove how serious I am about cycling, and help me be sure it isn’t just a phase. Well, I finally hit my fitness goal after 15 months of training, and I had some money that I had been setting aside to save, so I went out and bought my dream bike. I bought the Canyon Ultimate CFR with Dura Ace di2. They had it on sale for $7,500 down from $10,000.
Today, on my second time riding the bike, I wrecked it. I have no memory of how it happened. I last thing I remember was riding in the downtown area of La Jolla Shores, CA, and then my memory goes blank. The next thing I know, I’m being woken up sitting on the sidewalk by police officers telling me I crashed. “What?” I asked them, not understanding where I was or what was going on. “Where am I?” I looked down and saw blood dripping my knees, hip, and the backs of my hands. I tried to move, and felt a sharp pain in my collarbone. My collar bone was rotated 90° and creating a bulge on my chest. I had definitely broken it. I’ve never crashed before. Never even broken a bone. I rode to the hospital in an ambulance to discover that I broke my scapula and my clavicle.
I had a family member take some closer photos of the bike, and by some miracle, I think the frame is salvageable. I only see damage on the right chainstay, that may be able to be repaired. The rear derailleur also was ripped off the bike, but everything else seems intact.
I’m still very much in shock. I’m really scared. I’m typing this out at 11:30 PM as I lie in my hospital bed waiting for my surgery tomorrow morning. I don’t know if I’ll be too scared to cycle. I’m filing a police report to see if this was a hit and run, because I can’t remember anything. The police said someone else called 911 when they saw me lying in the street after crashing my bike, but there were no witnesses that came forward that saw how I crashed the bike. I went from feeling on top of the world to everything being turned upside down.
My helmet also broke into two pieces, and I think it literally saved my life. It was a brand new Met Trenta Carbon helmet that retails for $380. I just got it to match the new bike. My Oakleys broke. The EMTs cut my kit to get it off me. My smartwatch shattered.
Does anyone have any advice for my situation? I seems like Met, Rapha, and Canyon have crash replacement and repair programs that may help. I also don’t know where to start to file a police report or see if there exists any footage of the accident. I think it may have been a hit and run, and without footage, I’ll never know.
And let me know if the frame looks okay. It scratched up but looks like it may be mostly fine.
by 02_cobwebs_collie
14 Comments
Dude so sorry to hear that!! Thank fuck for you wearing a helmet, otherwise you wouldn’t be able to worry about your bike anymore. Crashing a new bike always hurts as much and sometimes more than broken bones, I know that since I just broke my scapula and parts of my bike 2 weeks ago myself… healing process is good so far and I wish you the same.
For replacement I don’t have any tips for you, since I’m from Germany and things with insurance work a little different here. But I think I would ask police for footage of traffic cams. If you got hit the other person should be forced to pay for your damage or not? As far as I understand US court rules you could sue him don’t you?
Wish you the best!
Most important thing is, that you are semi alright. Take care of yourself.
Take care man
What happened? Man I’ve really gotta slow down i hate seeing what can happen
You might want to take down the first photo (not only in this post but also in your other posts) as you are identifiable by your name.
Other than that, I wish you speedy recovery and hang on in buddy. Now it’s about you, not the bike nor the equipment. Everything will work out after your operation. Oakley, MET and Canyon offer crash replacements btw.
Hope your operation works out well!
Welcome to the club
The city’s police website likely has a link or posted information on filing a report.
Have a friend or family member walk the area where it happened. Knock on doors and ask if they saw anything or have cameras.
Avoid speculation? Bike accidents happen at all skill levels. Be thankful that you are alive and getting care. Might want to follow up with a neurologist.
You are carrying a heavy burden – physical, psychological, material and financial recovery from this.
You have survived. You are receiving medical attention. I hope the physical recovery is in hand.
For the other parts – do you have anyone (family or friend) or have you contacted any organisation (insurance, law firm, local police) that can help you out?
Damn the pavement got you good, happy you are awake and aware…
It is definitely possible it’s a hit and run, talk to the police, possibly a lawyer, and maybe reach out to the businesses near where you crashed. However, i don’t want to freak you out but also talk to the doctor about possible other conditions. I had a seizure and didn’t get a full diagnosis until a week later after my second. So if you have something, the sooner you get it figured out the better.
I feel you — no cars involved, but I crashed my not-quite-as-expensive as yours fancy bike a few months ago and broke my first bone as a result as well.
To my amateur eye the damage to the bike doesn’t look bad, but definitely get in touch with canyon and have a local shop or carbon place look it over. My bike emerged unscathed aside from some scratches to the shifter and RD, thankfully; hopefully yours isn’t much worse. Looks like the worst case may be a relatively minor repair that costs a few hundred bucks (and a derailleur, of course, unless the hanger saved it).
Pro cyclists suffer that kind of injury routinely and come back fine. Find a good, sports-focused physical therapist and do what they say religiously. And if you don’t have an indoor trainer setup, now’s your chance — unlike me, you don’t have to lose basically all of your fitness to injury and start from scratch.
Rapha at least I know has a crash program that offers a discount on replacement kit. Don’t think they repair more than minor damage, though.
You’ll be fine. Good luck.
Your injuries seem to suggest an ass over teakettle event. Ripping a derailleur off like that can be caused by road debris. Maybe you hit something with your front wheel, kicked in into your drivetrain and went OTB in the process. Broken helmet and shades might support this. I think a hit and run might look different, but tire skid marks would certainly be an indication of that theory.
I’m not a bike detective or anything, just an armchair sleuth. Actually couch sleuth at best. Currently 1 day out of ACL surgery from a ski injury in March. This shit sucks, but it’s the price we pay for being awesome. You’ll be back on your bike in no time, which looks like it took the crash a lot better than you did 😉. Way to protect what matters!
So sorry this happened to you. I hope your surgery goes well and wishing you speedy recovery! I hope you figure out what happened.. hopefully there are houses or businesses with cameras in the area that could help you get answers.
Bike looks fine, looks like you just need a new derailleur hangar. Possibly a new rear derailleur too, but I think yours is ok.