broken toes

there's been a rash of broken toes going round the last couple years i've noticed. or close to broken, ripped off nails, etc. been happening to you or your mates? my theory: lower bottom brackets, increasing speeds (endless competition due to strava, enduro race training, young bucks in riding group), and lastly, coastal trails. almost every trail here has cut off roots, rootballs, slash sticking into the fringes of the trail. all adds up to foot injuries and it seems to be increasing in frequency.

Yup broke my right big toe twice on my dh bike so I sold it.

Smashed a big toe last week (nail is gonna go sooner than later), decided I could suffer through a pedal today and somehow smashed the two right next to it. Didn't break them, though I thought for a moment i might have, but it did end the ride. Dirt erodes, roots not so much. :crybaby:I blame the lizard people.

Pinky on a rock walking the shore of the Chilliwack barefoot. Coastal trail, but not the bikes fault.

I'd agree with lower BBs. I scrape my pedals and BB on rocks, roots and the ground on a fairly regular basis since switching from a Giant Faith to a Knolly Chilcotin (170mm fork). I never noticed it on the Faith. It was a little disconcerting for a while but I've mostly adapted my style by keeping the crankarms flat as much as possible when not pedalling.

I've been losing a few toenails - complete - as of late. It's a combination of having not worn any footwear in the tropics for nearly 3 years, to coming back to the GWN and wearing shoes/boots, and soon, rigid tight fitting SPD bike shoes. I've only broken a toe once and I think it was more to do with bad decisions under the influence than anything else. As for toenails, they were a common perennial for us ski racers who used to have to shoehorn our steaks into ridiculously moulded ski boots with unforgiving lasts and the like. I'm used to it.

I kinda dig in a weird and borderline sick way when I lose my toenails. Least I don't have to cut 'em and they're nice and fresh and purdy when they do come in (I suffer from ski-boot mangle foot, so it goes, freshies look nice…while they last).

Le Sanch

I'd agree with lower BBs. I scrape my pedals and BB on rocks, roots and the ground on a fairly regular basis since switching from a Giant Faith to a Knolly Chilcotin (170mm fork). I never noticed it on the Faith. It was a little disconcerting for a while but I've mostly adapted my style by keeping the crankarms flat as much as possible when not pedalling.

yeah it's another thing to mentally process when careening down the trail. foot position, crank position, heels down, toes in. and line choice. it's one of the many reasons i'll always ride around the 80-90% range where a number of the more competitive guys in the group are pushing their 95+ much of the time. they want to improve their race standings and strava times, also accept injuries more than i do. mr sensitive, it really pisses me off if i do get hurt….

Something in the water?

Something in the water?

malt, hops and yeast.

I bust knuckles on narrow trees more IMO #redsucks , that being said I do bash pedals .

But that is part of riding non groomed technical single track , and from trails that are railed with logs , those fuckers are the worst

I'd agree with lower BBs. I scrape my pedals and BB on rocks, roots and the ground on a fairly regular basis since switching from a Giant Faith to a Knolly Chilcotin (170mm fork). I never noticed it on the Faith. It was a little disconcerting for a while but I've mostly adapted my style by keeping the crankarms flat as much as possible when not pedalling.

yeah that,s a newer trend increase the bikes suspension travel and then lower the bb so it handle better LOL .

part of me really misses old school mentality and ran skyscraper tall BB,s .

My pedals and feet and shoes took less abuse , even with the 68deg head tube angle !!

I bust knuckles on narrow trees more IMO #redsucks , that being said I do bash pedals .

But that is part of riding non groomed technical single track , and from trails that are railed with logs , those fuckers are the worst

yeah that too. much of the local trails are in cutblocks with many small trees around an inch thick that used to give when your knuckles hit them. now they zing and draw blood often cutting through thin gloves. i got some fox gloves with the d30 knuckle pads for the protection. the whole length of my pinky fingers are scarred from the last couple yrs. i would be interested in very light mtn bike specific hand guards as weird as it would be.

yeah that too. much of the local trails are in cutblocks with many small trees around an inch thick that used to give when your knuckles hit them. now they zing and draw blood often cutting through thin gloves. i got some fox gloves with the d30 knuckle pads for the protection. the whole length of my pinky fingers are scarred from the last couple yrs. i would be interested in very light mtn bike specific hand guards as weird as it would be.

Speaking of cut blocks I was just entering Wasp and got 2 pedal strokes in and grabbed a small tree that had been planted right along the trail edge . It wedged between my pedal and cranks , threw me into a nasty nose wheelie then OTB with the bike landing on top of me as i belly flopped with my arms under me onto the trail . Not the best way to start a ride LOL .

yeah it's another thing to mentally process when careening down the trail. foot position, crank position, heels down, toes in. and line choice. it's one of the many reasons i'll always ride around the 80-90% range where a number of the more competitive guys in the group are pushing their 95+ much of the time. they want to improve their race standings and strava times, also accept injuries more than i do. mr sensitive, it really pisses me off if i do get hurt….

I ride clipped in all the time, so foot my position is fairly restricted - haven't broken anything yet. The bb and pedal strikes, usually on gnarly tech or corners, I'd never felt before and were a "WTF?!?" surprise for the first several rides.