Does anyone ride with a torn ACL?

Can you get by without fixing it??? What risk is there???

I'd appreciate any good insight on this. I tore mine this summer and after a couple weeks off, kept riding, gingerly, for the rest of the year. I figured it was just strained and would get better when I quit riding for the winter. Finally got an MRI done and sure enough, the black line where the ACL should be is just a fuzzy haze of grey.

It has gotten progressively better in that it doesn't bother me unless I put decent lateral stress on it. Does anyone have any experience with just trying to strengthen it and wear a brace to avoid surgery? Is that a bad idea or will it work? Is the 5-6 month surgery recovery time worth it? I have a very good Orthopedic doctor, but he is very curt with his explanations, and did not shed much light on this decision before showing me the door, so thanks in advance if you have any thoughts...