How to come off??

philip99a · June 2007

In that nano-second (and I cycle tour rather than race, so for me it's maybe a little longer tha a nano-second) between realising an off is inevitable and actually hitting the deck, what is the best action to take??

In other words, is there a "better way to crash"? The pros seem to survive the most horrible pile-ups. And the tarmac must be just as hard for them as it is for me.

I'm not talking about recovering (physios, oxygen etc) I'm talking about how to minimise damage when you hit the deck. Land on yr hip, yr shoulder, yr side?? I know that putting yr hand out is not good news. (This is not a helmet debate. I always wear a helmet)

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball

cougie · June 2007

Apparently its best to relax and roll.

If you do martial arts or something you may get used to doing this, but otherwise I cant see how you can get used to it. Falls arent that common are they ?

Diogenes · June 2007

All of my offs have been so quick I hardly remember the period between realising something is wrong and hitting the deck.

D[:(]

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Bigtallfatbloke · June 2007

I tend to pray

philip99a · June 2007

Wow this got a quick response!!

Question close to folks' hearts perhaps??

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball

cougie · June 2007

Prob more to do with tv being rubbish ? ;-)

I wouldnt worry about it too much. Cant remember last time I came off and theres been a few - never anything too serious. Do cycle tourists crash that much ?

philip99a · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by cougie
Do cycle tourists crash that much ?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Once is too often! Usually to do with slippery road surfaces. Tho I'm always also very wary of being doored (we do tour thru towns as well as country).

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball

Unknown · June 2007

Todays L2B (my first ) will stick with me for the amount of accidents I've seen.

My friend Dave fell of several times, usually whilst talking on a phone.Not once however did the fall interupt the call, except perhaps momentarily when he realised he had scuffed his latest bit of carbon fibre .
Some lady accident seem to be preceded by small sharp screeches.

The most striking of the day was the coming together of a plump lady on an optima full sus and a weight weenies on 3k of carbon race bike. It was a colision of two worlds and the result tangle of legs , carbon and steel may never be separated. That particular off happened so fast I doubt either party new anyhting about it. Sometime though they do happen in slow mo, I once thought I could leap clear of my bike and summersault over an oncoming renault 5, I had the next few weeks in hospital to realise this was a bit optimistic. [:D]

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pbiggs · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by philip99a
In other words, is there a "better way to crash"? The pros seem to survive the most horrible pile-ups. And the tarmac must be just as hard for them as it is for me.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">A lot of them do survive fine, but I think that's down to good luck - that anyone could have. I've had falls that were similar in the way I fell but very different in the resulting injuries.

Don't forget that there have been plenty of horrific injuries and even some deaths in pro racing.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I'm not talking about recovering (physios, oxygen etc) I'm talking about how to minimise damage when you hit the deck. Land on yr hip, yr shoulder, yr side?? I know that putting yr hand out is not good news.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">You will instinctively put a hand out if your animal brain thinks that may save you from worse injury. Loosing an arm would be preferable to loosing your head and internal organs. Your concious mind will not have the time and will to fight it if the crash is sudden and serious, even from touring speed.

You don't want to land on your hip, by the way. It doesn't take much to break it.

~Pete

mr_hippo · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by starseven
My friend Dave fell of several times, usually whilst talking on a phone.Not once however did the fall interupt the call, except perhaps momentarily when he realised he had scuffed his latest bit of carbon fibre.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I would not say accident if someone was talking on a phone, it is a collision due to carelessness.

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giant_man · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by starseven

Todays L2B (my first ) will stick with me for the amount of accidents I've seen.

My friend Dave fell of several times, usually whilst talking on a phone.Not once however did the fall interupt the call, except perhaps momentarily when he realised he had scuffed his latest bit of carbon fibre .
Some lady accident seem to be preceded by small sharp screeches.

The most striking of the day was the coming together of a plump lady on an optima full sus and a weight weenies on 3k of carbon race bike. It was a colision of two worlds and the result tangle of legs , carbon and steel may never be separated. That particular off happened so fast I doubt either party new anyhting about it. Sometime though they do happen in slow mo, I once thought I could leap clear of my bike and summersault over an oncoming renault 5, I had the next few weeks in hospital to realise this was a bit optimistic. [:D]

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<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"><center></center>
Downright irresponsible i would say. What a stupid thing to do! lol

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rgisme · June 2007

The 'best' off I've had was a spectacular somersault over the bars on an emergency stop, in which I ended up from being in the saddle to standing on my feet a few metres in front of the bike in one continuous motion. That happened because of a combination of the speed and force of braking, and the fact that as I felt the rear lift and I knew I was going over the thought 'go with the roll' flashed in my mind, and that's what I did, but the rest was just all instinctive. I felt my helmet just brush the road lightly, then my back, then I was standing on my feet, with nothing that had hit the road hard, no scratch or bruise or even a tear on my clothing.

But that was just a particular type of accident with a good amount of luck. Nothing that could ever be deliberately repeated. I think relaxing and rolling, if you can, is probably as good as it gets.

ashbyalien · June 2007

i assume,, from my accident last week, that my elbow took most of the impact when i hit the ground,

i think its quite hard to actually think "relax" let alone do it. it's not something anyone would go out and practice.

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hazeii · June 2007

Try MTBing (especially in mud); you'll get lots of practice learning how to fall!

Every crash is different though; a lot of them take long enough to happen that (with practice!) you can do things to soften the blow. Basically try to spread the impact, tuck and roll, get vulnerable bits out of the way (e.g. fold hands in, land on forearm or shoulder in preference to hand). Some crashes happen so fast though there's just nothing you can do - one moment you're upright, next you're down and wondering what happened!

david2 · June 2007

Only ever once had time to think about it. A friend went down ahead and I realised I was on the same sheet of black ice that he was on. Decision, hit him or lay the bike down before hitting him. I chose the latter and had a huge bruise oin my hip for a week.

Every other time I just left it to the forces of subconcious reactions. Sometimes I've been left with no injuries and sometimes ended up in casualty.

Unknown · June 2007

Most of my experience of crashing is from the MTBs. I usually consider it a successful crash if I manage to get away from the bike and roll rather than stop dead.

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Unknown · June 2007

Downright irresponsible i would say. What a stupid thing to do! lol

[/quote]To be clear, dangerous daves accidents happened because he is a clumsy doink by nature. They involved him his bike and the road. he also went on to spill a couple of pints and fall over whilst getting out of my car.

The worst accidents I witnessed yesterday involved speedy chaps with there heads down and ladies on shopping bikes.

I will however add " irrisponsible" to the list of names given to DD. [:)]

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philip99a · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by starseven

Todays L2B (my first ) will stick with me for the amount of accidents I've seen.
......[:D]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

OK, I give in. What's an L2B? [:)]

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball

hazeii · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
OK, I give in. What's an L2B? [:)]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

London to Brighton

philip99a · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by hazeii

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
OK, I give in. What's an L2B? [:)]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

London to Brighton
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Cheers![:D]

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball

Unknown · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by cougie

....... Do cycle tourists crash that much ?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Personally, yes.
Well not "that much" but enough.

One crash sent me through the air and I thought of beer and hamburgers before I landed in a bunch of lupins.Seemed like everything was happening in slow motion.

Another, after hitting a pothole, I managed to do a great forward roll but then hit a stationary car with an outstretched hand. My thumb on the wheel arch and my fingers underneath. Crushed my scaphoid.

george

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xio · June 2007

I'd imagine there's loads of people who could tell you how not to fall off. Not sure you can do much planning - I had a relatively low speed fall with some quite glamourous scraping of flesh, but the real killer was the spine fracture which I *think* was caused by twisting as I hit the ground. So while I'm sure rolling is good - be careful how you do it! I've been off the bike since early April and am hoping to get the all clear to get back on it in a couple of weeks...

pawlfreehub · June 2007

Always keep yourself between the bike and the road, you wouldn't want the bike to have a hard landing.[:)]

electricdave · June 2007

Putting your arms out to break your fall didn't work for me - fractured my radial head and needed lots of physio so I could straighten my arm again afterwards. Since then I've just tried very hard not to fall off!!

philip99a · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by electricdave

Putting your arms out to break your fall didn't work for me - fractured my radial head and needed lots of physio so I could straighten my arm again afterwards. Since then I've just tried very hard not to fall off!!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Ditto. Except I broke both arms! Radial heads + physio.[:)][:I][:)]

Campag Super Nova; faster than a cannon ball

pbiggs · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by electricdave

Putting your arms out to break your fall didn't work for me
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">How do you know? You could have been worse off if you hadn't put an arm out. Perhaps seriously disabled or dead.

jimstercp · June 2007

I opted for SPD's a couple of years ago and love them ( I'm slow to catch on ), but I have been a wondering lately how much worse a crash would be while being clipped in. It's not like you get much time to unclip, let alone relax yersel' prior to a crash...

fluff. · June 2007

Your feet will come out on their own in a crash, I wouldn't have any worries about remaining clipped in with a bike wrapped round your ears

----
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Unknown · June 2007

My perfect way of crashing, assuming you are going to one side, not over the bars or into a large solid object or speeding car:

1. Get your foot out of the side you are going down on, if possible but not essential
2. Put your arm out, bent at the elbow and at such an angle that your hand will skid along the tarmac rather than taking your full weight...gloves pay for themselves now!
3. When your arm hits the road, try to roll onto your shoulder or hip, and tuck your head in...helmet now pays for itself! If you have ever done judo, you will know the method.

So far I have not broken any bones using this method and the worst I have had were festering flesh wounds that needed treatment in outpatients after they failed to heal.

Rich Hcp · June 2007

Me too, only crashed MTB's so far.

Usually manage to jump off before I get tangled.

The worst is when you go over and you can hear the bike bouncing down the hill.

"Where is it going to land"?

I looked up once and had a bar end in me face.

Not nice.

All crashes are different, survival instint kicks in....

Richard

Best thing I ever bought for a bike?
Padded shorts![:D]

SteveGcp · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by electricdave

Putting your arms out to break your fall didn't work for me - fractured my radial head and needed lots of physio so I could straighten my arm again afterwards.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Nor me, sheared the radial head into 3 peices, 6 months physio and 12 months later still doing daily excercises [:(]. On the upside I've got 95% movement back and after 9 months was allowed back on the bike.
[:D]

How to come off??

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