My first crash......a big one!!!

Simon1890

Hi guys, thought i'd tell you about my crash today...my first one.

I was on a decsent down an off-road, rocky trail, at around -16% (so my Garmin says!) at around 20mph when i mis-judged the path and...woooossshhhh...over the handle bars i went!!!

I landed hands down and my face followed!! Unfortunately my bike stayed attached to one foot so i slid in a mangled heap another 10 metres....owww!!

I brushed myself down and thankfully i was ok physically and the bike was ok (including my brand new Garmin!!)...thank god i was wearing a helmet!!

It was my first and i'm sure it won't be my last....but wow...it's had an effect on me!!! But it's a positive one..i won't let it effect me and i'll just be a little more cautious next time!!

Always wear your helmet kids!!!

missmarple

TTIUWP. Lucklily you were wearing a helmet mate, and you've now lost your mountain biking virginity.

supertwisted

Over the bars at 20mph. Sounds good. Was your Superman Cape billowing behind you as you flew?!

You've got the right attitude though, chalk it up to experience and move on.

That said I've had a few offs that have given me the willies before, takes a few moments before I can ride full pelt afterwards.

Zeroman_IR

A big crash? It only counts as a big crash if A. there's blood, B. you've broken something on the bike or yourself or C. your riding buddies don't immediately start laughing but stand around in shocked silence while they wait to see if your still moving

But seriously, that was a lucky one. Glad to hear you're alright. Crashing helps you find your limits every now and again.

Hercule Q

i havn't ridden for a week because of gravity outsmarting me

Skonk

I have to admit my confidance took a beating when I went over the bars the day I got my first new bike when I first started riding.

Took months for the pain in my ribs to ease off (still hurts a little now, 6 months on) and it's definitly causing me to wimp out on some of the bigger jumps/drops on the trails I usually ride.

I dont want to end up with another inujry that puts me out of action for weeks and takes months to heal.

I've had a few big falls since but come out unharmed but I still have visions of that first one when ever I'm taking the run up to a jump; really wish I could put it out of my mind.

damo2576

Bet you were looking at the Garmin not the trail!

Flenser

Having done my ribs as well just a few weeks back I can fully commiserate. :x

Back in the saddle now.

towno15

oh dear i havn't crashed yet but going this weekend so maybe that will change

CycloRos

Congrats on popping your crashing cherry! i see crashing as a sign of progression, it's all part of the learning curve. Don't see it as failure see it as valuable riding input, but if you keep crashing in the same place time after time maybe take up something else instead

ashbiker

Sounds like a good un. I only got my bike a week ago I have already covered some pretty good distance. I was flying down a rocky path in Settle North Yorkshire this weekend but my mate said you need a good fall to learn your limit.

I agree to be honest. Im waiting....

MountainPete

Crashes are useful, but it's nice not to have them happen too often!
My last one was about a year ago now - I'd done the trail many times before; fast, rooty and by a fence. I hit a root wrong, went flying and what stopped me was my arm impacting one of the concrete posts holding the fence up - I'm not sure how it (my arm!) didn't break, but I had a rather impressive bruise from my wrist to elbow for a while!

BurtonM

If you have the attitude of "you need a crash to know your limit" how do you progress?

rudedog

BurtonM wrote:

If you have the attitude of "you need a crash to know your limit" how do you progress?

If the ultimate aim is to go as fast as you can without crashing, surely its to be expected you will crash now and then while discovering where those limits are?

Zeroman_IR

BurtonM wrote:

If you have the attitude of "you need a crash to know your limit" how do you progress?

That is progress, you have a better idea of the limits of your bike and components as well as of your own abilities. For example, learning the grip levels of your tyres often ends in a crash or ten. Then you'll know how far you can push them before they let go. As a result you've become slightly more skillful and improved your cornering.

Agreed, crashing all the time isn't necessarily good but the occasional stack helps us progress in this way, particularly when trying new things.

ashbiker

I agree completely. You dont know how well you can do until you push yourself over the edge.

Yukon Lad

my last one was a year ago, popped off a rock on the north side of the altura trail and landed nose heavy, bust a pair of grips, handebars, a stem and snapped a brake lever as well as completley splitting my helmet in half. Cut the top of my leg on something, bust my nose, split both lips and had a large bruise on my thigh and all of this was on christmas day.

And yes i agree, the only way to find your limits is to go beyond them and if you crash then that is the limit of your skill and you need to build your skills up and learn slowly but at the end of the day everybody is going to crash once in a while and unless you are very lucky it will hurt so use common sense, don't try a huge drop because one of your mates can do it and if i were you i'd invest in helmets, gloves and kneepads. The helmet is for obvious reasons (you can't ride your bike if are still trying to learn to count all over again) the gloves i to stop the fairly painful injuries that come to your hands if you crash onto a MTB trail covered in rocks and gravel/shingle (these injuries are ridiculously painful, make mundane tasks impossible and take ages to heal). And if you land onto your knee onto rock or a hard surface there is a distinct possibility that you may not be able to ride your bike again as your knee will never be the same.
Yukon Lad

BurtonM

Nahh, no point in limits, do you reckon the dhill riders atm have limits? me no thinky so

OH NO Dan

Im allways worried about my garmin when i have a tumble. You must be able to get a protector case no?

redwinnie

I had my first over the bars flying lesson last night. I just about saw the tree across my path in enough time to get the front wheel over but it was so high the back just stopped. Glad I was wearing elbow and knee pads even though it was just a little jaunt round the woods.

passout

Tuck and roll....

skullthaw

i came off on cannock chase the other day and was fine but my hope m4 brake line is ruined and had only just bleed it grrr :twisted:

glad to here your ok and welcome to the club...

the inadvertant superman club :shock: :?

jay12

i haven't fallen off but my pedal did and now the lbs is fitting a new crankset because when he rethreded it the hole was too big for the pedal to go in

flamedude

Pads give you the confidence that if you do come off your bike you can rely on the pads to absorb the blow. My kyles look terrible these days but just knowing that they will do the job if I mess something up is such a boost. The thought of freeriding without a fullface or pads or gloves sends shivers up my spine. Protection is good.

rudedog

BurtonM wrote:

Nahh, no point in limits, do you reckon the dhill riders atm have limits? me no thinky so

what makes you think this?