# severed finger



## lubbockrider (Dec 19, 2011)

This is one Im sure is unique. Today I was tuning my fork. my rebound adjustment is at the bottom of my left fork. I hopped of my bike to turn it. I was squatting beside the bike, right hand up on the seat and left hand turning the knob with my thumb and middle finger. My index finger was just dangling there, not being used. No biggie right? I lost my balance just alittle, and the bike rolled foward not even a foot. as that happened, my index finger slid into one of the slots in my rotor, and my finger stopped against the caliper, the rotor kept turning. Severed finger just behind the nail. It thankfully was still held on by a small piece of skin untill I got to the hospital. it was reattached succsesfully. The surgon said I may never have a nail again, and a gnarly scar, but feeking should come back.


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## A girl from Seattle (May 3, 2007)

Wow!! That had to be unpleasant! Sorry man. I've heard of this happening before, believe it or not. Go ahead and post pics, let's see the damage! :thumbsup:

Speedy recovery!


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## Dwgfan91 (Jul 28, 2009)

Almost did the same thing while adjusting brake calipers the other day. Sliced clean through the nail down to the bone.


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## lubbockrider (Dec 19, 2011)

I uploaded pics. It suprising to me this is common. I never would of imagined this happening, seems so random, brake discs look so inoccent. I wana make a video of a recreation with a carrot.


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## Caffeine Powered (Mar 31, 2005)

I did the same thing with a track bike in '92. I was adjusting the chain tension and was turning the crank without a pedal on the arm. My index finger went between the chainring and the tight chain for a full revolution. The tooth of the chainring cut through the bone and popped through the bed of the nail at the cuticle. The hospital is just down the street from the OTC so we hopped in a car and drove me to the ER. They cleaned it, taped it in place and splinted it. No microsurgery or stitches. It reattached, I lost the nail but it grew back. I have about 90% sensation in that finger... see- jnhujnhujnhuj 

Heal up, that nose won't pick itself!


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## lubbockrider (Dec 19, 2011)

Caffeine Powered said:


> I did the same thing with a track bike in '92. I was adjusting the chain tension and was turning the crank without a pedal on the arm. My index finger went between the chainring and the tight chain for a full revolution. The tooth of the chainring cut through the bone and popped through the bed of the nail at the cuticle. The hospital is just down the street from the OTC so we hopped in a car and drove me to the ER. They cleaned it, taped it in place and splinted it. No microsurgery or stitches. It reattached, I lost the nail but it grew back. I have about 90% sensation in that finger... see- jnhujnhujnhuj
> 
> Heal up, that nose won't pick itself!


i feel you man, its 630 in the morning, the numbinb meds wore off, and it hurts like a *****. Im sitting here typing trying to get my mind off the pain


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## zarr (Feb 14, 2008)

Just try to hang in there. It'll heal.I recently lost my foot, so i kind of know what you're feeling.One upside is, sometimes after the healing takes place, you get what the med profession calls, "phantom sensation", where you feel that missing parts are still there.
I don't have a foot, but i can still touch the ground with my heel and feel my toes.Weird!! :eekster:
Don't worry. You will be OK soon.
Best wishes
---zarr


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## AC/BC (Jun 22, 2006)

That happened to me last fall! YEEE OAW! I didn't ride for a few weeks. Luckily I mine wasn't completely severed.

Hope you have a speedy recovery my friend :thumbsup:


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## olegbabich (Dec 28, 2007)

Best of luck in your recovery. Cutting fingers SUCKS!! I missed a lot of riding last summer because of this.


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## xcguy (Apr 18, 2004)

I've heard of this happening quite a few times. Respect the rotor!


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## Caffeine Powered (Mar 31, 2005)

lubbockrider said:


> i feel you man, its 630 in the morning, the numbinb meds wore off, and it hurts like a *****. Im sitting here typing trying to get my mind off the pain


What did they give you for the pain? It'd be great to have an Oxycodone (not Oxycontin) or at least Tramadol (non-narcotic). I've been taking the Tramadol during the day for kidney stone pain and recently for my ankle surgery. IT takes the edge off the pain without feeling stoned. Call the doctor and ask for the pain management nurse (though they might not have one) and explain to them that you're in pain (8 out of 10 :thumbsup: usually works) At the very least you should be able to have something to allow you to take the edge off enough to get some sleep. I was taking 2 oxycodones before bed (when the pain was bad) and tramadol through the day. It's harder to get addicted that way, at least I think it is.


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

Caffeine Powered said:


> ...It's harder to get addicted that way, at least I think it is.


says _Caffeine_ Powered


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## osmarandsara (Jun 26, 2006)

sucks....it's happened to more people than you think....completely respect the rotor....when I'm working on my bike either on the stand or the bike upside down I make sure my young kids come nowhere near it....


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## mtnbikej (Sep 6, 2001)

You only do that once......then you learn.


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## lubbockrider (Dec 19, 2011)

Caffeine Powered said:


> What did they give you for the pain? It'd be great to have an Oxycodone (not Oxycontin) or at least Tramadol (non-narcotic). I've been taking the Tramadol during the day for kidney stone pain and recently for my ankle surgery. IT takes the edge off the pain without feeling stoned. Call the doctor and ask for the pain management nurse (though they might not have one) and explain to them that you're in pain (8 out of 10 :thumbsup: usually works) At the very least you should be able to have something to allow you to take the edge off enough to get some sleep. I was taking 2 oxycodones before bed (when the pain was bad) and tramadol through the day. It's harder to get addicted that way, at least I think it is.


They gave me hydrocodine


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## BikerJen (Feb 9, 2009)

Nice, welcome to my last three months - managed to get my left middle finger (i know, ha ha) caught in the rear brake rotor while working on my bike on 12/5. Had to have orthopedic surgery to pin the last bone in my finger. 11+ weeks later, (last Monday) I got the pins out. Have ridden twice since. Slow going. And my finger? Nail is regrowing, one suture still in the end and stiff as a board. Range of motion is getting better. Good luck! I truly mean that. When it starts healing don't be surprised when your skin peels off like a bad sunburn - at least mine did.


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## BikerJen (Feb 9, 2009)

lubbockrider said:


> I uploaded pics. It suprising to me this is common. I never would of imagined this happening, seems so random, brake discs look so inoccent. I wana make a video of a recreation with a carrot.


My friends all wanted to do a recreation only stick a dowel in a hotdog.... LOL


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## lubbockrider (Dec 19, 2011)

BikerJen said:


> Nice, welcome to my last three months - managed to get my left middle finger (i know, ha ha) caught in the rear brake rotor while working on my bike on 12/5. Had to have orthopedic surgery to pin the last bone in my finger. 11+ weeks later, (last Monday) I got the pins out. Have ridden twice since. Slow going. And my finger? Nail is regrowing, one suture still in the end and stiff as a board. Range of motion is getting better. Good luck! I truly mean that. When it starts healing don't be surprised when your skin peels off like a bad sunburn - at least mine did.


I really thought no one else would have done something like this. Its kinda nice to know Im not the first to pull this off. Glad to hear your riding again!!! I hope thats me soon! Even after all the support and common stories Ive gotton from this site, Im still in disbelief that I cut my finger off in a mountian bike brake rotor. I mean, I ride motocross, kiteboard, competitve skiff sailing, and I cut my finger off at 0 mph while squatting. I dont know, it just seems like such an unlucky move. And I bought my first clipless pedals/shoes that very day.....


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## tigerwah (Jul 5, 2007)

Damn that's rough. That picture actually turned my stomache a bit. Get well soon.


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## Negative (Mar 17, 2013)

Registered just to ask how you guys are going? I did this last November:









I did it the same way of adjusting the rebound on forks and tore em off :L
You guys got any tips or changes that you had to make?


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## Lawson Raider (Jul 24, 2006)

It is wierd thinking of the injuries a brake rotor on a bike can inflict.


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## hardup (May 21, 2013)

This is gnarly, it got you really well!

I had a close call with a rotor bite, I was adjusting the QR on my girlfriends bike to get the rotor properly centered in the caliper and had the wheel spinning slowly as I adjusted the QR and locked it down repeatedly. Somehow my finger got in the rotor about half way up the last finger section and it VERY easily sliced nearly to the bone.

I have always had v-brakes myself and spokes are soft and don't bite like that so I was completely caught off guard. Luckily I didn't sever anything important and it healed on its own in a few weeks.

To those who have had serious injuries this way I hope everything turns out for you guys.

I now respect the rotor!


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## Luis M. (Jun 9, 2013)

Wow , this thread got me thinking...Do I want to continue to work on my bike ?? !! I hope all of you are recovered and in good spirits.


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## thickfog (Oct 29, 2010)

I'm going to be careful as **** while adjusting calipers while spinning the wheels. F that method anymore. I never would have imagined this! 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 4 Beta


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## davez26 (Dec 2, 2004)

My MTB is old school brakes, but I worry about this on the roadie with the aero spokes!
Heal up soon!

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2


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## SAthirtythree (May 22, 2013)

I was working i a bike shop when disk brakes first started getting popular. very first bike i worked on i sliced my finger by rotor bite. I was aligning the calipers, while holding them, i turned to grab a wrench behind me, and bumped the wheel with my leg, caught the side of my thumb.

Gained a lot of respect that day, They don't look like much but they're ****ing Ginsu Knives. still have a nice scar and a funny shaped thumb.


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## cactus1 (Jun 18, 2013)

Thanks for sharing. I'm leaving my disk brakes up to an LBS..


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## highdelll (Oct 3, 2008)

^^^ seriously?

you just learned a lesson on what NOT to do - there are plenty of lessons on what TO do

SACK UP!
eat a salt tablet
and walk it off!

don't pussify yourself :thumbsup:


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## TB3inCville (Jan 18, 2019)

putting my bike on my car roof rack and my finger next to my pinky was in the way, got the nail sliced by the rotor before I knew it! Better the nail gone than a stiches but these things are super sharp. Bloody as hell but doesn't hurt much. Feeling dumb more than anything so keep all fingers away from the rotor!


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