[Prettym1k3]

Hey Cliffy. Nipples down is bad, but neck down is the worst.

Any chance that if he gets off of a respirator that he'd be able to work up strength in his arms again? Maybe get on one of the 4-wheeled, full-suspension wheel-chair bikes? I've seen them at Northstar.

 

[S.K.C.]

Guys, I'm super stoked on your responses here.

Currently Matt is still listed as an "acute patient" in the hospital. He still can't feel anything from the nipples down... I still haven't been in to talk to him while he's awake. It just so happens that another rider friend of ours is a nurse, and is keeping us updated.

You guys have echoed all my thoughts on this. Risk and reward are something we all juggle in this hobby. Honestly, I'm still shocked by all of it. There's talk of tearing the jump in question completly down... Lots of people are still stunned by it. I think the circumstances will haunt us for a long time.

I'm hoping for the best recovery possible...

... as are the rest of us.

 

[jonKranked]

I just got out of a full arm cast today after i f'ed up a small jump on the angel fire 4x track, i broke my full face..i have a leatt and i didn't have it on. Somehow i didn't hurt my allready really screwed up neck. I won't let that happen again!

glad to hear the cast is off!

 

[ebarker9]

Like the others, I'm really sorry to hear about your friend's accident And, like many others I'm now considering a Leatt brace because it does seem like cheap insurance. I am, however, wondering what actual data is available on the effectiveness of one of these devices. Any studies available, etc?

 

[ChrisKring]

http://www.leatt-brace.com/gpx_testing.html

Check the above. I don't know if they have done cadaver testing. That would probably be the best they could do unless someone wanted to volunteer.

It's really hard to get hard data on a % safety improvement in the real world. Kind of like seat belts. It takes years to accumulate data and ideally accident reconstruction. That's how the data is collected in automotive and then turned into test procedures that do not involve the broken neck of the test rig.

My take is that I haven't heard of anyone riding moto or DH becoming paralysed with a neck brace on. In contrast, a few years ago it was every week I was hearing of it.

 

[ebarker9]

Thanks, that's the kind of info I was looking for. I'm reasonably familiar with the limitations of this type of test/analysis, but it's always good to see something beyond "well, it looks like it should work...".

 

[dh gangster]

My friend Harry took a bad over the bars at nat champs on the middle hip jump at kinked his neck but nothing serious. He was wearing a leatt brace. He says someone showed him the footage of the crash as he went OTB straight onto his head. If he didn't have a leatt he would be seriously hurt right now.

I wear my leatt anytime i ride now. Even just a short trip out to some local trails i wear it. I think i wear it more than knee guards!

Healing Vibes!!!!!

 

[cneums]

along with everyone else here, i'd like to offer my sympathy and prayers for your friend. as soon as i can, i'll definitely be springing for a leatt. hopefully he heals back to 100 percent quick.

 

[bdamschen]

I'd been thinking about it for a while, but this thread finally drove the point home. I finally have the cash saved up. Ordering at leatt for myself and my fiance tomorrow.

 

[T-Lindz]

Sorry about your buddy Man, Its a risk we all take when we jump on our bikes. We can have all the best safety gear in the world but its a matter of how,not when. My prayers are with him and his family.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

I'd been thinking about it for a while, but this thread finally drove the point home. I finally have the cash saved up. Ordering at leatt for myself and my fiance tomorrow.

where are you ordering from?

 

[Internal14]

Prettym1k3....thank you months ago about posting up the group buy in. Picked mine up then and have worn it tons moto-ing and mtb-ing. Easy enough to get used to, and you truly don't notice you have it on after a few rides. Although it's still a pain having to put it on and get it off every time.

 

[rayhaan]

hey man, really sorry to hear about your friend, best wishes and healing vibes to him. I recently suffered an over the bars/dead sailor/over rotation while I was racing at the sprint avalanche in france. There was a stupid jump right at the end of the track, I caught the guy who was in front of me and I momentarily lost concentration on the track didn't slow down for the compression/kicker jump and I landed pretty heavy on my head first, I can honestly say if I wasn't wearing a leatt brace I too would be in a wheelchair. Here's a link to a vid of the crash.

The end result is a grade 3 seperation of my right shoulder with a fracture on the end of my clavicle, and a leatt brace shaped bruise on my chest. Not a bad outcome considering it could have been sooooo much worse.

Every Downhiller should have a Leatt brace without a doubt.

 

[drkenan]

Holy crap man I'm glad you're ok! That was a wicked crash!

 

[Prettym1k3]

Prettym1k3....thank you months ago about posting up the group buy in. Picked mine up then and have worn it tons moto-ing and mtb-ing. Easy enough to get used to, and you truly don't notice you have it on after a few rides. Although it's still a pain having to put it on and get it off every time.

Actually, I don't know if that was me or Josh (TotalHeckler). I think it was him. Either way, glad to have been a small part of it.

Mine has already saved my butt (errr... neck/back) once.

 

[Total Heckler]

Wow thats a gnarly crash. Glad you made it out alright.

Cliffy, any updates?


SIDE NOTE -

Yeah it was me.

Call RideSFO and let them know Josh sent you for a Leatt brace.

www.ridesfo.com

 

[ph4se_1]

really sorry about your friend.people that ride downhill really need to see the dangers and invest in a neck brace.It is far more important than nay body armour,with the helmet being the only thing that is as important.i just dont ride without mine as simple crashes are always the ones that catch us out and riders dont realize this...

best of luck to your friend

 

[drkenan]

Looks like the Club is available on ebay for $350ish with free shipping. I haven't seen the Adventure below $220. So ~$125 buys a better fit.

 

[5150dhbiker]

Sorry to hear that man Never cool to hear about another rider getting injured. My thoughts and prayers are with him.

My recent crash at Sol Vista is making me think of getting a Leatt for myself.

 

[proworkz]

Two Sundays ago I took a very fast OTB crash at N Star wearing my Leatt. I know for a fact that I was able to walk away from that crash because of my Leatt. It was the typical "one more" run when I was completely exhausted. Hit some fluff in a corner and over I went. The first thing to hit the dirt was the back of my helmet slamming my chin into my Leatt. I can not speak more highly of the Leatt. I ride moto and DH and never ride with out it. I wear as much protection to ride DH as I do to ride moto. To all the young guns out their that think they "don't" need to wear anything more than a helmet. Trust me, the human body breaks very easy.

I wish your friend the best. I never like to hear of anyone in any sport getting hurt.

Gear up.......Be safe......and Ride Hard......!!!

 

[greenhood]

Two Sundays ago I took a very fast OTB crash at N Star wearing my Leatt. I know for a fact that I was able to walk away from that crash because of my Leatt. It was the typical "one more" run when I was completely exhausted. Hit some fluff in a corner and over I went. The first thing to hit the dirt was the back of my helmet slamming my chin into my Leatt. I can not speak more highly of the Leatt. I ride moto and DH and never ride with out it. I wear as much protection to ride DH as I do to ride moto. To all the young guns out their that think they "don't" need to wear anything more than a helmet. Trust me, the human body breaks very easy.

I wish your friend the best. I never like to hear of anyone in any sport getting hurt.

Gear up.......Be safe......and Ride Hard......!!!

I could not agree more.

 

[slowmtb]

That is some sobering news, I wish your buddy the best of luck.

It has been 5 months now off work for me.
Hit up a jump and on landing went into a tree at about 40-50km/hr.
6 broken ribs
split shoulder blade
popped AC joint
2 compression fractures of T6 and T8 vertebrae
lacerated kidney and right adrenal gland

Fortunately no neck problems. It was a wake up call for me and I am going to tone it down a bit now. The whole neck brace thing has been going through my mind over and over and ....... trust me.

 

[shift96]

Hey guys can the Leatt be worn without the full face? When I ride XC i have just the regular open face XC type helmet on, can the brace be worn with those helmets?

Extremely sorry to hear about your friend. Prayers and best wishes go out to him and his family and friends.

 

[Zombies]

No it's designed for a full-face - would not function correctly in a XC style lid.

 

[happhazard]

Hey Cliff- thats some heavy news. Just called Matt Weis, and was relieved when he picked up the phone.... So which Matt is it? And how's he doing? I really feel for him and his family, such a horrible thing to contemplate, let alone experience. Lets just hope its swelling, not cut nerves, thats causing paralysis...
I'm getting one of those neck braces- and don't care if I look like a walking fishing lure.

 

[rayhaan]

Holy crap man I'm glad you're ok! That was a wicked crash!

Wow thats a gnarly crash. Glad you made it out alright.

yeah thanks guys, it was quite a sobering experience, it really made me realise how lucky I was to be wearing a leatt brace. Thinking about it the night after it happened, the crash really shook me up and everybody I've seen riding without a brace so far I have asked them why they don't have one. You would nearly think I was a leatt salesman!

 

[Uncle Cliffy]

Hey Cliff- thats some heavy news. Just called Matt Weis, and was relieved when he picked up the phone.... So which Matt is it? And how's he doing? I really feel for him and his family, such a horrible thing to contemplate, let alone experience. Lets just hope its swelling, not cut nerves, thats causing paralysis...
I'm getting one of those neck braces- and don't care if I look like a walking fishing lure.

His name is Matt Thomas. Izaak happens to work at Providence and is keeping tabs on him. I'm waiting for an update.

 

[happhazard]

Thanks for the update, hoping for the best.

 

[Mtbike]

If you plan on wearing a Leatt brace, when do you plan on wearing it? DH? Freeride? Dirt Jumping? trail riding? Our sport is dangerous and there plenty of situation that you could sustain a spinal cord injury.

 

[Sonic Reducer]

make sure you do everything to keep him motivated to enjoy life to the best of his ability once he is out of the hospital and that he has people who he can count on for support of all kinds. (not that you wouldnt, i just wanted to say it) do your best to keep him thinking positive and moving forward. if he will be in a wheelchair at least there are ways he can still shred like a sit ski and wheelchair dh.

 

[H8R]

Same thing happened to a friend of mine about ten years ago. Hardcore rider, would win an XC race on a Saturday and then come in the top ten on a road race the next day. Epic skills and stamina. Awesome guy all around, smart as fvck.

He went on a leisure ride on evening with some buddies. On the way back to the trail head at the end of the ride (tired and cold) went to ride a not-so-difficult section at the bottom of a dry stream bed and went OTB and snapped his neck. CPR saved his life till the copter came. Having the lung capacity of a trained athlete saved him from dying of pneumonia. He's still in a chair to this day. It can all happen SO fast.

Prayers to your friend and all those around him.

 

[- seb]

Well I've just had an over-the-bars onto pretty much concrete from about 8ft up tonight, and I seem to have survived, so I say Leatt can shove their stupid braces up their stupid asses

Neck & shoulder doesn't half smart a bit though, ouch!

 

[LittleBIGjumP]

Good luck to your mate. Seb your a goose.

Regards,

LBJ

 

[Uncle Cliffy]

Sorry I haven't updated in a while. The local paper did an article last week on Matt. You can read it here.

Also there is a blog you can follow here if you're interested. Thanks.

 

[greenhood]

Well I've just had an over-the-bars onto pretty much concrete from about 8ft up tonight, and I seem to have survived, so I say Leatt can shove their stupid braces up their stupid asses

Neck & shoulder doesn't half smart a bit though, ouch!

You got lucky...
Maybe not so lucky next time? Think about it.

 

[JayCee]

Healing vibes to all the downed riders (lots of posts in this thread aside from the initial one). Our sport is so fun, but carries consequences.

 

[Uncle Cliffy]

Thread bump.

This past Friday, there was a benefit raffle for Matt at a local pub. I went and was amazed at the amount of support he has from friends and family. I heard one of his doctors even showed up! Matt was a huge Kayak enthusiast before the accident, and some pretty sweet paddle swag was handed out. When it was all said and done, they raised around $6500 dollars to help him out. (He had no insurance due to unemployment at the time of the incident.)

It was standing room only! I hadn't seen Matt since the accident, so we talked (yelled)briefly. He was in good spirits under the circumstances. He is confined to a motorized wheelchair and has good movement in his arms, but dexterity in his fingers and hands is absent.

I've since become aware that Matt was only wearing an XC lid when the accident happened. I'm pretty gun shy about wearing anything but a full face now and see a Leatt on the horizon for me if I'm jumping, DH, ect. I'm a family guy with two little boys and work two jobs to keep everyone healthy and warm. Do I still ride? Yes. Will I quit? No. Bikes are in my blood and as long as my legs can pedal I'll keep at it.

If you're interested in keeping tabs on Matt or donating, check out his blog: Matt Never Gives Up. There's also a Facebook fan page.

Thanks for reading. Cliff.

 

[LMC]

is there any chance he will walk again?

 

[gemini2k]

That is some sobering news, I wish your buddy the best of luck.

It has been 5 months now off work for me.
Hit up a jump and on landing went into a tree at about 40-50km/hr.
6 broken ribs
split shoulder blade
popped AC joint
2 compression fractures of T6 and T8 vertebrae
lacerated kidney and right adrenal gland

Fortunately no neck problems. It was a wake up call for me and I am going to tone it down a bit now. The whole neck brace thing has been going through my mind over and over and ....... trust me.

Hey I've been to that hospital several times! What jump was it on? The road gap at the top of the port hills? Or the 40 ft-er? I definitely popped my shoulder out on that step down crashing into a tree in 9th gear spun out.

 

[shift96]

Best wishes to your friend. I've been reading through this thread and get the feeling people think it will never happen if they get a Leatt brace. Just be aware that it can totally happen even with a Leatt brace on. It lessens the chances, yes, but there is still a chance. Please, don't buy a LEatt and feel like you can ride and take chances because you have it. I hate hearing news like this. Ride safe everyone