Storage / maintenance while off the bike for 6 months

[Richo82]

After a nice OTB in mid December, I ended up doing a good bit of damage to my right hand (metacarpal break) which is going to keep me off the bike for some time.

Outlook at the moment is at least another 12 - 16 weeks before I have strength back in the hand.

Anything I should look at doing to the bike while I'm off it? Keeping suspension moving every so often? Luckily the bike lives indoors, but the missus is pushing for it to move since it isn't being used at the moment.

 

[wkkie]

Keep it inside, and if possible keep the fork upside down to keep some lubrication at the seals.

 

[DMan]

Keep it inside, and if possible keep the fork upside down to keep some lubrication at the seals.

Do what everyone else seems to do. Sell it and upgrade when you're healed.

 

[Knuckles]

Do what everyone else seems to do. Sell it and upgrade when you're healed.

Or keep it.......and buy another one when you're healed, to celebrate.

#knuckleswasadrunkenchunt

 

[schred]

Yeah, nothing if you CBF and storage conditions are good. Otherwise throw a sheet over it, keep everything inflated, pump brakes every month or two, and turn up side down for a few weeks out of the 6mths and that'd be overkill IMO.

 

[richie_gt]

Leave it as complete with dirt caked on and wonder why it runs so badly next time you use it!

I say give it a really good clean, lube the chain and forks etc., put bulk air in the tyres so they won't go flat and you be good to go when you're ready to ride again!

 

[XYGTHO]

Should be all good mate. I broke my metacarpal and cracked the one next to it Aus last year. Rode over 100kms in Rotorua about 2-3weeks later. Hurt but was worth it. Otherwise I'd reckon you will be fine back on the bike after 6weeks just going easy trail rides. Depends on how bad I suppose but mine was completely snapped and had to be be put back in place before casting. Re-xrayed 2 weeks later and had the cast taken off and was told do whatever doesn't hurt to get it moving. Had pain for months and stiff. But a year on and full strength is back and no more pain. Good luck mate.

 

[Richo82]

Should be all good mate. I broke my metacarpal and cracked the one next to it Aus last year. Rode over 100kms in Rotorua about 2-3weeks later. Hurt but was worth it. Otherwise I'd reckon you will be fine back on the bike after 6weeks just going easy trail rides. Depends on how bad I suppose but mine was completely snapped and had to be be put back in place before casting. Re-xrayed 2 weeks later and had the cast taken off and was told do whatever doesn't hurt to get it moving. Had pain for months and stiff. But a year on and full strength is back and no more pain. Good luck mate.

Thanks, wish I was healing that quick, had the stack on the 10th of December, and still haven't regained the ability to close a fist, yet alone the strength to be back on the bike (well I could be doing rides around the street, but that is frowned upon by the better half until I get the go ahead from the occupational therapist). Did a lot of damage to the head of the bone, my knuckle is back about 3mm from where it started, but the alignment meant no surgery.

Thanks for the other advice, have only had the bike for 12 months and loving it, couldn't bear to sell it so soon, so it will just get a flip every so often to keep the seals moist.

Cheers

 

[Lazmo]

Wow, 12 - 16 weeks for a metacarpal... I broke one in my right hand and was riding a few weeks later, just going easy... yours must really stuffed... the longest off the bike for me was 6 weeks for a fractured skull. And I have broken many bones.

Added later... to be fair though, my metacarpal was only a minor fracture, not a break. Yours sounds much worserer.

 

[D/\M0]

Keep it inside, and if possible keep the fork upside down to keep some lubrication at the seals.

THIS ^^

Serviced and left mine stored for about 6-8 months while abroad; upright. Came back, rode one or twice then stored it hanging up. Came home to a puddle of fork oil where the seals had decided to pack it in. :frusty:

 

[XYGTHO]

Thanks, wish I was healing that quick, had the stack on the 10th of December, and still haven't regained the ability to close a fist, yet alone the strength to be back on the bike (well I could be doing rides around the street, but that is frowned upon by the better half until I get the go ahead from the occupational therapist). Did a lot of damage to the head of the bone, my knuckle is back about 3mm from where it started, but the alignment meant no surgery.

Thanks for the other advice, have only had the bike for 12 months and loving it, couldn't bear to sell it so soon, so it will just get a flip every so often to keep the seals moist.

Cheers

Yep all injury's are different. Mine was a snap in the middle of the bone so have a lump in the middle, back of my hand where it pushed on the skin. Doing the end bone near the knuckle would not be nice.

I think the best thing I done was got it moving as soon as the bone had healed enough. I broke my elbow not long ago and it was pretty severe so couldn't move it for almost 6weeks. Out of everything by far the hardest part is how stiff these joints get I think from not moving them.
If you were unable to move it for a while it would make it a lot stiffer and longer recovery. Good luck mate. Unfortunately no pain no gain... sort of lol. I was genuinely amazed when the specialist removed the plaster after week about 13days. All doctors have different methods though. Find out what stretching you can do to get the range of motion back. And work on it each day. I also borrowed one of those hand strengthen things you squeeze and slowly built up my strength.

 

[Nerf Herder]

make sure your post and frame seat tube is dry ... I'd smear grease in the seat tube and on the mast of the post ... I'd let any trapped moisture in the frame evaporate out over night ... use Slickoleum as a barrier as it will not only inhibit rust, treat existing corrosion, it will also create a water resistance and air tight barrier ... particularly important if you have a carbon frame and alloy post as the barrier will stop galvanic currents/corosion and posts seizing in frames.

I'd get the post serviced to make sure any muck and water internally is cleared out ... 12 weeks with standing water in the post is going to be painful at the end of the inactivity. As a fall back smear a bunch of slicko on the stanchion and cycle it up and down several times slowly trying to force lube internally, might work, but less ideal for prevention of damage.

keep the post fully extended during your hiatus ... if it does rust from inactivity ... at lease it will be under the seals and DUs ... so wont impact the performance as much. Also dropping the post will activate the lube internally which is easier/better then trying to pull it up

If you can uninstall the post and lay it out horizontally (particularly the Etens) then this may keep the IFP valve from sticking and save a bunch of grief. (LEVs, Integras, Dropzones, Supernaturals don't need this)

Good luck with the injury hope all problem free.

 

[BorisBC]

Do what everyone else seems to do. Sell it and upgrade when you're healed.

Haha yep that's the way to go!

Alternatively, just ride it (carefully!) around the streets to help keep some fitness up. I've been injured for a combo of 10 months out of the last two years (6 + 4 month accidents) and as soon as I could I was riding, either with a moon boot on or just real careful.

 

[Richo82]

Thanks everyone, back to the occupational therapist this week, first question is can I do some low impact riding around the streets!

 

[Lazmo]

Thanks everyone, back to the occupational therapist this week, first question is can I do some low impact riding around the streets!

Geez, don't ask them... they'll say "no way" for sure.

Look, assuming no movement, you usually need ten days to two weeks for the bone to 'set' ... then a period of time for it gain strength. It's two competing graphs... the bones joint is gaining strength over time, verses you doing stuff that may undo it.

I've broken a few bones... and of them there are two bones I fucked up...

F-up #1... My right collar bone. About two weeks in the thing had set. I was buttering a salada one handed, without my arm in the sling, just my thumb hooked into my shirt (duh)... the salada made an exit stage right... and I stupidly caught it (a good catch) with my brummy arm... and re-broke the collarbone... beyond insane massive pain, way worse that the 200kph get off. Back to the start.

F-up #2... was a broken little finger. I had a fractured skull and broken finger, but also had a new dog (an awesome whippet) who could jump our existing fence in a heartbeat... we desperately needed a new fence, or he was gone, so with a busted finger in a splint, I thought it'll be right, I'll build a new fence... crowbar, shovel, etc. Na, wrong, I re-broke it so bad, that two ops later is it now 'fused' permanently into holding bike handle bar shape with a titanium rod in it.

I'd give it at least three weeks of namby-pamby-ing, and then do zero impact riding... smooth urban riding... no drops or jumps... just ride the 'burbs.