US Secretary of State John Kerry keen to get back on bike ... but David Letterman less so

US Secretary of State John Kerry says he is keen to resume diplomatic talks with Iran that were cut short when he broke his leg after crashing his bike last month – and despite that accident, he is also eager to get back in the saddle.

Another famous American is less keen on getting on two wheels, however – the recently retired talk show host, David Letterman.

Speaking to his home city newspaper the Boston Globe, Kerry revealed how his bike crash happened a fortnight ago in the French Alps as he took some time out from the talks with Iran being held in Switzerland.

Kerry described how he had been distracted by motorcycles ahead of him, and said: “I’m just navigating my way at about 2 miles an hour … and this kerb appears out of nowhere while I’m focused on the motorcycle and the bike just freezes.”

The impact of his fall resulted in Kerry, who has had both hips replaced, breaking his right femur. He was flown back to the US for treatment.

But after several days on powerful painkillers he switched to the over-the-counter paracetamol brand Tylenol due to the side-effects the drugs that doctors had prescribed were having on him.

For now, his recovery from his injury is continuing, and when asked if he would get back on his bike, he replied: “Yeah, absolutely. Are you kidding?

“I’m just going to make sure I never take my eye [off the road] — I’m not going to look at the motorcycle instead of what’s right in front of me.”

An interview with Letterman, who retired last month after more than two decades as host of The Late Show, also appeared in a home-town publication – in his case, the magazine Indianapolis Monthly.

The journalist interviewing Letterman reminded him that he had been known to cycle in the past and wondered whether he would do more of it now he has more time on his hands.

Asked if he still rode, Letterman said, “I do on occasion. But as I get older, I’m starting to realise that I don’t want to be found dead in a ditch somewhere. I’ll leave cycling to younger men.”