Too good to crash?!

Stu 74

Despite having 'heart stopping' moments on most rides, in the 18 months that I have been mountain biking I have only actually come off the bike once. This was 12 months ago when I lost control jumping off a kicker and ended up going over the bars and butting a tree towards the end of the Llandegla trail. It really knocked my confidence and took me about 3 months before I was riding at my normal level again.

I'm not one for taking my time on the downhills and I was begining to think that I am just too good a rider to crash 8)

Anyway bought a new bike a few weeks back (Wolf Ridge) and have been thoroughly enjoying thrashing it around the North Wales trail centres. Went to Penmachno on Tuesday and really gave it some stick, flying down the singletrack faster than I thought I ever could or would! However I did have quite a heart stopper on the 'in the wilderness rocky section' when my front wheel took a side slide on an off camber slab of rock. Managed to stay on (just) but made a mental note for next time. (You can see where this is going!)

Anyway enjoyed Tuesday's ride so much that I thought I would hammer Penmachno again tonight. All was going well until I got to the above mentioned slab of doom. Even though I was prepared for it my front wheel just slid sideways again. Unfortunately my skills could not get me out of this one - I tried to straighten the bike out but went into a ditch, over the bars and slammed hard into the rocky trail.

After the intial pain and shock of the fall I picked myself up and checked I hadn't done any serious damage to myself or, more importantly, my bike.

Decided that, despite the thobbing pain in my hand, I was not going to hold back on the approaching downhill section. However it seems that I actually enjoyed my crash so much that I decided to do it again, this time losing control after landing a jump and going sideways off the trail into a muddy bank! :oops:

I took my time on the rest of the trail.

There are three morals to this story:-

1) If you have a near miss on a specific obstacle take extra extra care on it next time!
2) If you have nasty crash, take your time for a bit, even if you still feel confident.
3) Doesn't matter how good you think you are there is always something out there waiting for you!

Stu

P.S The 'I'm a good rider' comments are somewhat tongue in cheek.
P.P.S Seriously, beware the slab of doom at Penmachno especially if it is dry but your tyres are wet. Next time I'm getting off and pushing the bike over it!

RichMTB

I find I'm riding best just before I crash, my confidence is always highest just before I bin it!

I'm sure it's the same for a lot of people the higher your confidence the more risks you take the more likely you come a cropper and have a sore one. Your level of confidence then adjusts and you start the cycle again

The Northern Monkey

i fell off one of the wooden planks at the NFT near the end...my legs had died on me lol! been tryin to improve my fitness/endurnace so i can keep enjoying my ride even at the end

Iain C

I've yet to have a big one (obviously not trying hard enough) but I have had a shed load of 1mph pathetic ones...often SPD induced!

Here's my mate Tom demonstrating just such a crash...and listen to all of us, his friends, with our horrified voices of concern to make sure he was OK...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90DPUXimILM

Anonymous

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90DPUXimILM

i don;t think that's very funny, it's just kind of sad.
honest to god, some people should have their mountain bikes forcibly removed from them, and be replaced with a roadie with some stabilisers. :roll:

Iain C

yeehaamcgee wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90DPUXimILM

i don;t think that's very funny, it's just kind of sad.
honest to god, some people should have their mountain bikes forcibly removed from them, and be replaced with a roadie with some stabilisers. :roll:

Jesus...cheer up mate! It's not actually his bike...he's just borrowed it.

My apologies for trying to inject a little humour... :?

Anonymous

There's so many muppets like that around these days, that they're pretty much the majority. When most people think of mountain bikers, they think of some idiot wobbling around uncontrollably.

It's an embarrasment.

switchback18

RideDHorDie wrote:

This guy is way to good to crash. BEST PHOTO EVER!!!

http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/2255528/

have to say it again, awesome. Reminds me of a pic I saw of a superbike rider with his elbow on the track...

taliesyn

yeehaamcgee wrote:

There's so many muppets like that around these days, that they're pretty much the majority. When most people think of mountain bikers, they think of some idiot wobbling around uncontrollably.

It's an embarrasment.

Well without beginners then the whole sport of mountain biking is buggered.

Sure, their "uber leet skillz" may not be up to say, yours ...but labelling riders that aren't as good as you as muppets is pretty lame. Everyone's got to learn somehow, and everyone who rides has had their fair share of stupid moments. I don't care who they are. If you're really that good that other riders embarrass you, then who are you riding for at the moment?

When someone like Sam Hill can overcook it and wipe out on the final corner of a WC championship course when he was on a winning run, then I think the rest of us mere mortals are allowed the odd mistake

victor ludorum

yeehaamcgee wrote:

There's so many muppets like that around these days, that they're pretty much the majority. When most people think of mountain bikers, they think of some idiot wobbling around uncontrollably.

It's an embarrasment.

Yeah, its much better that people like you be thought of as representative... :twisted:

Anonymous

But shouldn't peple learn to ride a bicycle before venturing off-road?

I'm teaching a friend's daughter how to ride off-road, and she's never come close to having one of those "oh my god I'm going to break my neck going down this little slope" moment. That's because she can ride a bicycle. It's kind of a critical skill before going off-road.

joed05

when i went to morzine a few weeks ago i had a big off coming into a big left - hander berm at god-knows what MPH on my first run thinking i was Sam Hill. at the last moment a drainage ditch comes into view, riddled with braking bumps and the ditch ended up about half a foot high i stayed off the brakes and hoped for the best, front wheel got over it but it bucked the rear up and i landed on the front wheel and then went over, face-plant straight into the ground. mouth full of dirt, gash on my hip and scratches all over my helmet, makes you think 'i wonder what would happen if i wasn't wearing this?' later in the day though my mate who i was riding with fell off awkwardly and dislocated his shoulder, popped it
straight back in and was riding 2 days after.

the best thing to do when you fall off is to get straight back on and do the section again, twice as fast, thats if you're not disabled by the crash

victor ludorum

yeehaamcgee wrote:

But shouldn't peple learn to ride a bicycle before venturing off-road?

I'm teaching a friend's daughter how to ride off-road, and she's never come close to having one of those "oh my god I'm going to break my neck going down this little slope" moment. That's because she can ride a bicycle. It's kind of a critical skill before going off-road.

But muppet moments can happen to anyone at any time. No-one is too good to fall off at any speed or level of difficulty, that is the great banana-skin of life.

Being able to ride a bicycle is a critical step, but it won't make her immune to "oh my god I'm going to break my neck going down this little slope" moments, it will just make them less likely.

Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)

(and no I'm not usually a bible basher...)

Anonymous

victor ludorum wrote:

Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)

(and no I'm not usually a bible basher...)

oh, right :roll:
I guess you must never take pride in anything then.

ride_whenever

i proud before i smash something :twisted:

Anonymous

I'm proud hen I smash things :twisted:

oswald

Yeehamcgee you are a D**K- MTB is for everyone that is the great thing about it. People are out there doing things that they enjoy and why not! They dont need idiots like you criticising. The bigger problem with MTB is not the people beginning its the people with their heads up their arses like you!!! GET A LIFE

Anonymous

Look, I don't mind people learning, but there are some people who clearly shouldn't be on a bloody mountain bike.

Iain C

Yeehaa I can only presume you are some kind of troll wanting a reaction as I find it hard to believe that someone could come up with such a dumbass statement. How the feck is someone going to learn to ride off road without...now let me think about this, going off road and making a few mistakes?

The guy in the video does not own a bike but is getting into biking and really enjoying it. He's been away with a group of us a couple times on a borrowed Rockhopper whose forks rather desperatly need a service and with V brakes that are not exactly the best. First trail he ever rode? White's Level in Afan. Did he make it round? Absolutely. Did he fall off a bit? Of course. Did he make it round on his borrowed bike when one of our mates who has been riding for years is usually bloody good indeed and PROPER fast fell off very early on and had to sit in his tent for the day nursing a sore elbow? Yes. Shortly after that video was taken, did he cane it down Pink Heifer behind me, arriving at the bottom really very soon after me on my full susser saying "I'm really learning now, I was never that far behind you!" Indeedy. Was I pretty useless when I got my bike and got better just by getting out there and improving my riding? Well how else am I going to get better?

He and I both race dinghies. This is us out for a pleasant Sunday afternoon jolly. http://www.flickr.com/photos/23284229@N ... 2/sizes/o/ Takes a while to be able to sail boats like that. When we see a learner making a bit of a beginners area do we ridicule thier efforts or do we actually give a damn about encouraging people into our sport?

benjdr

Here here Iain. Just ignore.

Anonymous

The thing is, it's fucking dangerous taking someone who can't ride a bike off-road.
If they injure themselves because they can't ride, then the trail centres are going to cop a load of blame and complaints.
Llandegla has had to tone down it's black sections because so many idiots were getting injured on them. I believe the local A+E actually complained in the end.
There's a certain base-level of skill you should reach before attempting such things.

To use a similar analogy to Iain's Dinghie. If I were to take a complete beginner out in a kayak for the first time, would I take them on some white water rapids? no. If I did, I'd be branded a f**kwit.
I'd take them to an area of calm water, and teach them how to handle the boat in a safer environment, and make sure they knew what they were doing, and that they had the necessary skills, then I might consider introducing them to more dangerous stuff.

joed05

^^^^
i agree with you there. i do agree some people shouldn't be on the mountain either, saw someone at Cwmcarn, blinged up Foes Mono, an absolute dream bike. had to walk down the last part of the track, me and a mate asked him later in the day on the uplift bus and he said he can't do it. but i also agree that learners do need a bit of patience etc etc.

jayson

yeehaamcgee wrote:

There's so many muppets like that around these days, that they're pretty much the majority. When most people think of mountain bikers, they think of some idiot wobbling around uncontrollably.

It's an embarrasment.

I hate people like this with the 'im superior to u so you shouldnt be doing it' attitude. Tell me, were you born with the best riding skills the world has ever seen, if so why are u not out winning world champs every year??

You need to learn some tolerance my friend, mtb'ing is sposed to be a fun enjoyable pastime but people like urself take it far too seriously and ruin it for those u deem 'inferior' before they even get started.

With this attitude i dread to think what ur doing to ur poor inferior skilled student.

Mattbot2

Don't worry lads he's just an idiot.

I've found there aren't too many stupid MTBers, I was doing a downhill section slowly at woburn, and come across this bit that was far too hard for me, a steep drop with many roots and stuff like that. But one of the DHers gave me a hand with my bike getting down it. So friendly.

yeehaamcgee on the other hand is a troll.

darren636

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Look, I don't mind people learning, but there are some people who clearly shouldn't be on a bloody mountain bike.

says who? :?:

Anonymous

darren636 wrote:

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Look, I don't mind people learning, but there are some people who clearly shouldn't be on a bloody mountain bike.

says who? :?:

says me, you wanna make something of it, punk?

johnnyrotten

Just watched Tom on Youtube. At least HE was having FUN. Isn't that what its all about?
Quit yo jibber jabber, fools!

missmarple

Quit yo jibber jabber, fools!

Give it a break guys, you're not flying a £125 Million Jet are you? You're doing what you like best, everyone can take it at their own speed, there aren't regulations, if you don't like it then you can sod off.

Just like Skiing and the mountains, it is not the responsibility on the piste owners to gauge whether the user is fit and competent enough to fly down a black run at speed - it is a skiier's responsibility, he isn't forced on it is he?

The same, in an idealistic world would apply to the trail managers - it is not their responsibility to ensure that those riding on their trails are ultra-competent, its pretty much common-sense whether you should go on or not, they're not kids (well a majority aren't).

On a more delightful note, I have found my SPDs increase my confidence so much more, I feel as if I have much more balance and can push myself further than with flats. 8)

Anonymous

Yeah, but common sense goes out the window when you get dimwits getting serious injuries by riding sections they are in no way prepeared for, even when the sections are clearly marked as such. So then the trail centres have to downgrade or 'make safe' their trails. :evil:

darren636

i think we should ' make safe' this topic- errect a cordon around it and fire it into the sun.

Daz555

The guy in the video was not doing anything remotely dangerous, he was just a beginner who fell off. He looked like he was having fun.

Nothing to see here. Move along.