Unexplained crash, is it just me?

brindlescoops

So I am riding along a trail I know well at a fair old rate of knots, when suddenly I am flying through the air before ragdolling along the path. The first thing that goes through my mind is what the **** just happened, followed by thank God I wear a helmet as the impact of my noggin with the path left me dazed and starry eyed. Anyway, I got myself together and inspected bike and trail, cannot for the life of me find any obvious reason for it. Did another 7 trouble free miles afterwards. The only thing I can think, is that i fitted a new sram chain a few weeks ago that I keep having trouble with sticking to the front chainrings and trying to go round again locking the crank, but this just means you cantpedal and the rear just free wheels, a quarter turn backwards on the pedals frees it up. This only happens every five or sommiles and i hoped it would go as it wears in. The chain was also off at the front, but I put this down to the crash impact.

Any ideas, anyone else experienced unexplained Could it be the chain? :roll:

cooldad

You crashed. It happens. Probably a root or something.

cooldad

Might be worth checking of the chainrings are worn though.

allen.coulson

Are you changing front sprockets while pushing hard on the pedals - this can jam the front mech.

The Rookie

Touched the front brake and got a washout?

delcol

black ice on trail,, is a killer.. you dont see it but feel the impact as you hit the floor.

brindlescoops

Hmm, ice might be a good shout, the brakes are tektro draco hydros so wouldnt stop a paper bag let alone chuck me off, i back off 30% when changing so dont think it was that, anyway, the whiplash has nearly gone (seriously) so we can see how it goes at the weekend!

allen.coulson

Maybe an antelope jumped on to you. Seen loads of films about that.

concorde

Back off '30%' is an interesting one.

brindlescoops

Concorde wrote:

Back off '30%' is an interesting one.

I'm a numbers guy, doesnt mean the numbers are right though. I mean I back off whilst changing gear in the same way you lift off the throttle in a car if changing up without using the clutch, not completely, but so there is minimal load, so probably more like leave in 30%.

bennett_346

BrindleScoops wrote:

Concorde wrote:

Back off '30%' is an interesting one.

I'm a numbers guy, doesnt mean the numbers are right though. I mean I back off whilst changing gear in the same way you lift off the throttle in a car if changing up without using the clutch, not completely, but so there is minimal load, so probably more like leave in 30%.

Reminds me of someone i used to know who would get to the bottom of a trail and if i had kept up with him he would say he was only riding at 80% or 75%

miss notax

cooldad wrote:

You crashed. It happens. Probably a root or something.

Yup :?

I managed to crash on the flatest most dull peice of singletrack on the south coast the other week - absolutely no idea how. I was covered in bruises, bike ok, but I managed to break the bracket holding my light on ther bars which was a pain in the @rse, not least because the chaps I ride with then managed to cable-tie it under my bars at a rather jaunty angle which made riding 'interesting' for the rest of the night (basically ok as long I was always turning right...).

I also spent the rest of the night trying to find some mechanic fault on my bike that I could blame the off on - never did find one. Lack of rider concentration I fear.... :roll:

castlelad

delcol wrote:

black ice on trail,, is a killer.. you dont see it but feel the impact as you hit the floor.

+1

And its a biaaatch!!

Jolly Swagman

Did you check for ley lines? They can be deadly, I have hit a few.

Ouija

Came off a bike once for no reason when riding down a perfectly smooth and uncluttered alleyway between two houses in a country village..... turned out the owners of the houses had strung up fishing wire at head height between the two houses to discourage people riding down there. Afraid we might accidentally knock down one of their children. Didn't seem to care about killing other peoples children though, as the cut across my throat where it bit into my neck almost hospitalized me.

Jolly Swagman

Ouija wrote:

Came off a bike once for no reason when riding down a perfectly smooth and uncluttered alleyway between two houses in a country village..... turned out the owners of the houses had strung up fishing wire at head height between the two houses to discourage people riding down there. Afraid we might accidentally knock down one of their children. Didn't seem to care about killing other peoples children though, as the cut across my throat where it bit into my neck almost hospitalized me.

Did you put a brick through every window or just the front ones ?

Walkertalker

I had been rideing down some very techy bits yet no problems my first crash was on my drive in front of several mums and children. Went to turn and went flying as my front tyre was partialy inflated landed on my shoulder and banged my head. Never hert but was anoyed with not checking. I head checked everything the day before. Was an ultra slow puncture. Fell last week belting down a trail into a large muddy puddle right across the trail for about 30 ft hit a 2ft deep bit landed right in the mud. Thought it was hilarious, covered from head to toe. Just love this game.