Dealing with Road Rash / Tape on Levers?

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

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!

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. 

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.

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.

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.

I had something similar in Jan. BCC in their ultimate wisdom didn't grit the roads after overnight temps of =3 and so ice was on the main roads on the one day I needed to do work in the office. Managed to get within a mile of work (8mile commute) and hit a patch turning right at some lights. Luckily as it was icy, I didn;t get much friction so the rash was just light scratches on my hip/thigh and elbow. Managed to twist the right shifter in though.

Antiseptic spray is good.  You don't have to touch anything.

Whenever I have covered road rash, it tends to seep and stick on the dressing.

It will dry out if left to the air.

Perhaps shorts for a couple of days, with jumpers and big thick socks.  

Sorry to hear about your mishap. These things happen and I wouldn't focus on the levers but perhaps better tyres.

As regards your rash, agree with Welsh boy about letting air get to it first. Once the wound is dry I would be inclined to use some spray plaster as this will keep it clean, and alllow you to dress without the worry of catching it.

I have always found that letting the air get to the rash is the best thing, bit nasty when you stick to the sheets in the night and have to peel yourself out of bed in the morning though.

Live with the scratches on your levers, wear scratches and scars as campaign medals, the make for interesing conversations at the coffee stops (can you remember cafe stops?).  If the scratches bother you too much wait until the end of the winter (you might hit the deck again, I went down last weekend when I hit a hidden pothole on a flooded section of road and submerged the right side of my body in about 4 inches of cold water, ended up with a scratched lever, torn handlebar tape and road rash too, the worst bit was riding home for the last 90 minutes wet in temperatures of about 3 degrees) and look for a replacement lever on eBay.