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I came off my bike and dislocated my shoulder with a fracture to add to it! Since then I have really been struggling to fine my mojo to get back on my bike, even though my friends still try and encourage me to join them. When I do get on the bike sections I rode all the time previously I struggle to get the confidence to send them. Has anyone else had similar issues and anyone offer any advice to get back to it?
When I lost my mojo I'd feel like I was just going through the motions and not really enjoy it.
I bought a rigid singlespeed which forced me to have to ride hard if I was to make progress off-road. And I almost immediately was reinvigorated to see what I could ride on this basic bike.
Another time I lost all confidence especially when riding berms. I bought myself a new more capable bike which cured me. I think my mind was too occupied with my new bike to really notice the bits of trail that bothered me.
If this happened to me again I'd be buying an ebike asap.
Also go and ride some blue type trails asap, and build up slowly to the trails you used to ride. The longer you're out the saddle the harder it'll be getting back on.
Book a bike holiday next year, somewhere you've been wanting to go to but have not got around to it. So you have something to work towards and should help motivate you to get out and ride.
It’s taken me quite a while of being back on the bike to shake the fear of landing on my shoulder. Still not 100% there yet but lots better. And I’ve had an ebike so I’ve only had to contend with weak shoulder/paranoia rather than adding lost fitness into the mix (sorry, probably not the answer you wanted to hear!). I’ve tried to concentrate on riding I enjoy - with fun people, in nice weather, going nice places without pressure to cover x miles - to get the miles in while keeping the stress down. The first ride I really enjoyed was a gravel ride where I set out just to go for a swim at a local spot and ended up adding on another 15 miles or so just because it was a nice day and there were a couple of nice pubs and another swimming spot to visit. I’ve ended up being too busy having fun to be worrying about my shoulder, and that’s helped break the cycle of fear and tension.
Jedi speaks sense.
I've had to come back from a similar injury (dislocated shoulder, broken jaw, cracked eye socket, broken wrist, damaged lower back, broken nose, concussion and a partially deskinned chin) and it took me well over 18 months to get close to what I was riding before. I just let things progress naturally until I was at a basic level again then a chance to go on an alpine holiday pushed me to get some skills training (with Jedi as it happens!). It took me 11 years to actually ride the section I had my crash on, a series of three small jumps at the end of Windy Point at Glyncorrwg that has go-arounds that I always took. Just go slowly and build on your confidence in small increments. Expect the odd setback but as long as the trend is upwards it's all good.
Edit: just to add, my shoulder is still damaged from the crash. It has limited movement and it can still dislocate if I put it in certain positions while lifting it pushing something so I've had to adapt my riding slightly to compensate. Also affects daily stuff like getting things out of cupboards but I have adapted and it rarely holds me back.
Always worth mixing it up - why not do a bit of XC/tracks/bridleways near home rather than hit 'features'. I'm no 'jumper' and I take it easy on 'features' as I broke my spine badly 8 years ago, and don't want to be there again (I've had my bad accident's on the road bikes, not the MTB).
3 thoughts from me:
Just chill a bit and do some easy rides just to get back in the saddle / don’t push yourself to do stuff immediately
Once your shoulder is back to reasonable strength (keep doing any physio you’ve been given) get a 121 coaching session. I had a couple of crashes in 2018 that were similar to each other and it really knocked my confidence. Had some coaching which got my position on the bike better and gave me things to work on to improve and I’ve been much happier since then. Had one other coaching session and feeling like I’d benefit from having another one soon. <br /><br />
If your fitness has taken a knock then doing a bit of turbo training helps - since getting my turbo trainer I’ve been much stronger out on my mtb. It’s good for getting in a quick (but intense) 45-60 min session when there isn’t the time to go out on my really bike.
Similar to others, I had a horrible crash 4 years ago this Sat, smashed shoulder, detached rotator cuff, major surgery involving a full reconstruction of left shoulder. It is weak and limited movement in some directions, despite weekly physio and massage.
I have adapted though and it doesn’t get in the way of life much. I do a couple of front crawl swim sessions most weeks, and a fair amount of riding, though more gravel than MTB unfortunately. Crash was first ride on a brand new ebike, 10 mins in. Surgeon thought my off road riding was over and I sold the bike. 10 months later I bought another one.
At age 57 I’m not into tech riding and am very much wheels on the ground, big scenic riding, which is probably more suited to gravel bikes, hence my Levo SL only been used a handful of times this year. Would love to get back into it, somehow…I think ..
I reckon what you actually need is to crash a couple of times, maybe land on that shoulder, and realise that it's fine.
That's what got me over this issue when I got my arm broken anyway.
Fine advice above about doing chilled rides in the meantime as well. And maybe find some new riding buddies if yours are leaving you behind on eebs?
Like other have said; try not to put pressure on yourself to get back at it too soon. That kind of injury can take ages to heal, both physically and mentally. I've found that a chill ride by myself at my own pace has helped me to get my mojo back. Don't have the pressure of other folks (no matter how supportive they might be) don't plan a route, don't have some mileage in mind, just go and smell the change of the season, go to the top of the hill and back, and maybe just check out a section of trail that will give you something to get your teeth into; and don't be afraid to get off the bike, have a look at it from all angles, do a dry run a couple of times, and because you're on your own, there's no pressure to do anything.
I fractured my pelvis years ago in a MTB crash in Switzerland. Took about a month to get back on the bike and at least another 4 months to get back to full fitness.
To get back into riding, I was using my full sus (more comfortable than the HT I'd crashed on plus as it was a different bike there was none of the "I crashed and broke myself on this bike..." feeling). I had to completely reset my mental state - at the time I was racing regularly and in very good fitness so once I got back on the bike I had to accept that I could no longer smash it to the top of that hill.
There was a local MTB group who I'd ridden with before mostly to learn new trails etc as they were very much the leisure end of the spectrum (so in order to ride with them originally I had to park ideas about the ride being any sort of fitness / training session and just chill out) so that helped a lot with the mental reset as well as just being out in the countryside.
Same in road racing - I was a 2nd Cat at the time and able to hold my own in E/1/2/3 races. By the time I did my next race several months later I was struggling in the 2/3/4 group so had to accept that dropping back to 3rd Cat was the best way forward. Once I stopped caring about the number on my race licence, my actual enjoyment of racing went up, it was no longer about chasing points or feeling I HAD to race, it was just a good excuse to get out and ride fast!
Definite mental reset needed though, you've got to stop that "I used to ride this no problem" and build back from a position of "I'm going to learn to ride this with no problem".
What helped me was riding with people who wanted to spend time with me and let me enjoy myself as I could. Not competitive or challenging.
An absence of pressure to perform well on a bike - and just be out there. Whether it was just messing around the city centre, in the woods or practicing in a small area.
I always try to end on a high, by stopping before the infamous “last run” and choosing when to challenge myself (middle of the day, when I’m warmed up and still fresh).
If there’s a feature that scares me, I only ride it if I’m feeling it. If I’ve not gone off something by the second run up, then I’m not going off it that run.
Going to a bike park always gets me feeling keen again.
As others have said, having something to aim for (the Alps for me) that needs some fitness is also helpful.
Finally, going somewhere new and riding new trails.
Thanks everyone with the comments, the annoying thing about the crash was it was on a normal trail, not jumping or anything daft, just slid a bit wide but there was a hole that swallowed the front wheel! Which possibly makes it a little harder to get my head round it! I have been doing a lot of hill walking with my Labradors and have been pleasantly surprised how my fitness has held up, just not quite bike fit. 🙂 I will get back to it.
I was similar after breaking my shoulder. Paying for lessons and then just riding what I felt comfortable with has made me feel more confident. Im quite content just letting friends do their own thing if I'm not feeling keen.
Getting fitness on point helps loads.
If I’ve not gone off something by the second run up, then I’m not going off it that run.
I had to do about six run-ups on a little drop at Grizedale earlier this year. I'd just done a bigger one a few seconds before, but suddenly totally forgot how to do it.
Funny how your brain can counteract your muscle memory.
just not quite bike fit.
When I got my arm broken, I bought a turbo and ended up coming back fitter than before.
Not necessarily recommending that if you can already ride outside, but maybe do some hill repeats on the MTB or whatever.
the annoying thing about the crash was it was on a normal trail, not jumping or anything daft, just slid a bit wide but there was a hole that swallowed the front wheel!
The trail I crashed on in Switzerland was final day and one of the easiest we'd done all week!
I slid down and my hip landed on a tree stump, it certainly wasn't a spectacular 'over the bars and rolling down a hill in a cloud of dust'.
Earlier in the week we'd been doing stuff twice as steep; this trail was no worse than anything you'd find at Grizedale!
Maybe I was just tired, maybe it was just bad luck that the tree stump had been exactly there. 🤷🏻♂️
It's also probably worth hitting the weights in the gym to try and get some mass back on the shoulders. It's a balance though because when I'm too bulky I feel sluggish, but when too scrawny I feel more at risk.