[0-0]

I had a low speed mini crashette (black ice on a descent) about two days ago, and got a palm sized area of road rash on my leg. I don’t have any pain from it, just very mild discomfort.

My question is, is it best to keep a plaster on the wound all the time, or try and let the air get to it, or a bit of both? Obviously I’m wearing trousers in the day and pyjamas at night (both at home). So if I removed the plaster, my clothes would touch the wound.

Secondly, but more importantly, my shifter levers were scratched as the bike slid on the ground.

Can you recommend any tape to put on them, to minimise future damage if I crash again? Maybe “grip tape” down the sides, or electrical tape wound around them in one area?

Thank you.

Topic

[0-0]

Thank you Hoarsemann,

Thank you Hoarsemann, OnYerBike, Chaos and RoadYeti, for your help and advice ?

[RoadYeti]

Glad you’re ok. I hate ice!

Glad you’re ok. I hate ice!

First, for common road rash, just let it bleed. It and dry on it’s own. Natural disinfectant and wound protection. When get home apply warm soapy cloth to loosen scab then wash with warm soap and water and rinse well. Apply a thin smear of an ointment like Bacitracin, mostly so that the gauze doesn’t stick, then wrap or cover in gauze so air can get to it. You can wrap or place a patch depending on location of raspberry. Tape edges to hold gauze but not over the wound. You can leave bandage and cleanse and rewrap every couple days. Usually by 4-5 days you can just leave it to air. The worst part is usually pulling the tape off

Good advice on the levers. I learned that trick racing motos. Levers just tight enough to stay in position but will twist on the bar, not break, if you fall on it. Especially good advice on mtb.

Don’t worry too much about scratches. They’re scars. Scars are cool. Bikes get scratched. Always good for a story. Hope you’re back on soon. Peace

[chaos]

I received excellent advice

I received excellent advice years ago that has served me well: never tighten up your STI levers, when fixing to your bars, to the max. Just tighten them enough to be safe, but only to the point where in the event of a crash they can twist on impact, as opposed to breaking on impact.

And, yes I have managed to test the theory a few times over the years. Not paying for new levers takes some of the sting out of the gravel rash!

[OnYerBike]

When I had a crash a few

When I had a crash a few years ago, I saw the nurse at my GP for advice and she recommended Inadine dressings (available online and in pharmacies, larger Boots etc. – you might have to ask at the counter). The Inadine patch goes directly on the wound, then cover with a normal dressing.

She also advised that letting it heal “wet” (i.e. covered by a banadage as much as possible) was the best option for minimising scarring. Letting it dry and scab might feel like faster progress, but it’s not as good in the long run. 

Regarding shifters, I’m not convinced that any tape would offer a huge amount of protection in a crash, certainly not without interferring with performance/comfort. I managed to rip a pretty good chunk out of my bar tape, so I can’t imagine a layer of electrical tape doing much good. 

[HoarseMann]

I’ve done a bit more digging

I’ve done a bit more digging and apparently iodine was banned by the EU in 2009, largely because hikers were using it to sterilize drinking water from streams and it had the potential for lethal overdosing (and apparently also used to make crystal meth!). But this had the effect of removing sprays like this from the market.

The EU amended the law in 2014 to allow for the use of iodine in antiseptic treatments, so I don’t think a spray like this is illegal anymore, just not sold in the UK now 🙁

[0-0]

Thank you for the updated

Thank you for the updated info.

[Sriracha]

https://www.medicines.org.uk
https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/6331/smpc

[0-0]

I went to my local Chemist to

I went to my local Chemist to see if they had any, but they didn’t.

So I bought the cream version, by the same company.

It doesn’t have the same ingredients, but it will do… hopefully.

 

[HoarseMann]

Lol, was going to recommend

Lol, was going to recommend it – but then got side tracked as to why it’s disappeared from the market! Hopefully your rash doesn’t get as bad!

[0-0]

Thank you very much for the

Thank you very much for the advice ?

[HoarseMann]

Many years ago I had a nasty

Many years ago I had a nasty rash on my leg that got infected. It was horrible, wet and weeping, just wouldn’t dry out and no antiseptic cream would stick to it. I went to the chemists and they recommended some dry iodine spray. It came out like a fine powder, stuck to the wound and cleared it up in no time. Great stuff.

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/256942529

But – it looks like it’s been banned and you can’t buy it anymore! Does anyone know whether it’s still available as a prescription item? A search for povidone iodine dry spray brings up some options, but all expensive and from websites I’m not familiar with.

[0-0]

Thank you for the help. Much

Thank you for the help. Much appreciated ?

They’re black. Ultegra shifters on a 105 setup.

 

[andystow]

What color are your shifter

What color are your shifter levers? I keep a small tin of black enamel and a tiny brush handy. Sand down any rough areas that stick up proud, then paint with 2-3 coats. Looks great from a few feet away.

[0-0]

Nice one, thank you.

Nice one, thank you.

I bought some of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/COSMOPOR-ADHESIVE-10X20CM-x-25/dp/B0098LVX3A/

Just because it stated the actual “pad” size on the packet, and I didn’t have to use guess work by looking at the external dimensions.

 

[andystow]

3M Nexcare / Tegaderm works

3M Nexcare / Tegaderm works great if you can find one big enough to cover the rash area. I find I’m basically healed in a week.

[Author]

Replies