How to crash?

chakattack

I haven't crashed yet and hopefully I won't anytime soon but are there any rules/techniques to minimise the damage?

I was told before that you should let your shoulder take the hit and therefore not break your fingers/wrist?

Should a crash at 80 k/hr while descending be approached differently to 35k/hr on the flat?

Any thoughts?

CheGuedara

My understanding is to attempt to go down with the bike and try to resist the instinct to brace the impact with your hands taking the hit with your shoulders/side (as to do otherwise is more likely to result in a broken collarbone).

I'm open to correction on this though.

smithslist

chakattack wrote: »

I haven't crashed yet and hopefully I won't anytime soon but are there any rules/techniques to minimise the damage?

I was told before that you should let your shoulder take the hit and therefore not break your fingers/wrist?

Should a crash at 80 k/hr while descending be approached differently to 35k/hr on the flat?

Any thoughts?

Different people have different opinions on where u should take the hit first.

I do believe that the slowest of crashes you would come out the worst. My opinion is a crash is a crash and within that moment of it happening so quick ur not gona or have that decision of where to take the hit first.....

Dr.Millah

Have not crashed on the road bike yet but have crashed on the mtb many times.

Advice on how to crash would be to not crash i suppose :P but failing that usualy it all happens so fast you hardly think. My last second thoughs are always trying to find an area to land as safe as possible. be that avoiding something that will hurt more than a fall, ie wall/moving traffic/trees.

The only close calls ive had on my road bike so far was hitting a pothole at 54km down a hill and bouncing off the saddle all i remember thinking was "keep the handle bars stright" so i dont go over them at that speed, and slipping on a manhole while turning.

So, just try to aviod making anything worse if you can. I would always try to avoid falling on the oncoming traffic side just incase, but sometimes you cant help it.

Your reflexs will protect your head so you dont have to worry, you wil nearly always put your hands out (maybe gloves could help from skinning them)


All the best

blorg

I have some experience with this subject.

Generally if you are crashing you may well have a "oh fck" moment when you know it is going to happen, but best focus even then on whatever possibility you may have of NOT crashing. I have had more "oh fck" moments that I have (barely) recovered from than ones I have crashed out of- and even if you do crash, your recovery actions will probably be the best for mitigating the actual crash (slowing in particular, as many of my crashes have started at over 75km/h but I have actually crashed probably well under 35.)

When flying off the bike you are unlikely to be able to prioritise hits or control the roll, at least in my experience, better try to avoid in the first place and then if it happens just take whatever comes. I have had my fair share and have been lucky so far. Last hospitalisation was a week ago today! (just got the stitches out.)

Esroh

If you have time to think about falling ur going to slow:D
Seriously I used to think i knew how to fall when I rode horses.You actually did have time relax and roll.It became instinctive once you crossed the point of no hope of staying on. With the few I've had from the bike apart from the clipless pedals moments I never had time to think.

Beasty

I used my head and....

....fortunately had a helmet on at the time!

smithslist

blorg wrote: »

I have some experience with this subject.

I can so support this comment..........

humbert

I've gotten into the habit of accepting it once you're passed the Rubicon and bracing like I was going for a shoulder tackle in football. I've never had a very high speed accident though so I've usually come to a stop pretty quickly.

Walked away from all but one, the slowest one. Put my hands out and broke my arm badly.

DirkVoodoo

I think crash technique is more useful in mountain biking, given that you crash more often and at slower speeds, but are more likely to come away from the bike (jumps and such).

Still, I think the advice above is pretty handy. Any crash I have had has been pretty slow but I still find it hard to react on a road bike. You know much sooner something is going wrong when you're on the mountain bike, it might be before you hit a jump and think "I may come off", however most road incidents are a little more out of the blue.

If you crash a lot on corners, improving your cornering technique is going to be much more beneficial in the long run. If you crash in bunches, being aware and not letting fatigue get the better of you is the best option. Being comfortable with being close to other riders is also worth developing. Cyclocross is probably worth getting into, you have to deal with lots of different terrain types as well as lots of tricky cornering and close quarter jostling with other riders.

Cadex

Hi - some experience of this (but not I think as often as Blorg!), mostly the deal is to get as much speed off as possible maybe including intentionally skidding bike sideways, putting foot on ground etc. but in the end - say if about to hit a car/ person/ inanimate object - try and steer it so as to glance rather than hit direct. Small adjustment of handlebars can deflect some of force on frame and save it and maybe save you. Two best things though are decent mitts and helmet. For fear of opening the debate on these, I have two broken ones that testify to their value. Can't tell you how to fall, maybe if you did Judo or some such, you'd learn! If you do, let the rest of us know.....

furiousox

chakattack wrote: »

I haven't crashed yet and hopefully I won't anytime soon but are there any rules/techniques to minimise the damage?

I was told before that you should let your shoulder take the hit and therefore not break your fingers/wrist?

Should a crash at 80 k/hr while descending be approached differently to 35k/hr on the flat?

Any thoughts?

l wouldn't recommend landing on your shoulder.
l landed on mine 3 weeks ago and fractured it.
6 weeks with arm in a sling, 3 down 3 to go...then physio....no cycling of course

Victor

The best way is to take off your shoes and top and just fall down on the bed.

:cool:

I've only ever really fell off my bike three or four times. Ironically, all in very similar situations (though I'm not exactly a fancy, knowledgeable cyclist. I use a cheap ass mountain bike to get around on).


Every time I've fallen i've been going down a hill (usually the Grove Hill in Drogheda if anyone knows it) in rain. I've noticed that, whether it's intentional at the time or not, I always seem to jam the back brakes, and, because its wet out, the back wheel stops spinning and the bike slides out to the side.

I always seem to end up pushing the bike to my right, lifting myself off the saddle and falling backwards. I land on my ass/back and let go of the bike and I tend to slide a bit while trying to stop myself. The bike usually seems to go sliding along a fair bit farrer than me.

It's probably worth noting though that 90% of the time I'm wearing a backpack which breaks my fall, and I never cycle without gloves, and again, 90% of the time, I'll be wearing combat pants, so i dont rip the legs of myself and my hands are always well protected, too.


I know most serious cyclists will never wear anything like that, but if you don't own gloves then i'd recommend them. Everytime i fall off my bike I always look at my gloves afterwards and you can see where they scraped or dragged along he ground (usually the palm or knuckles). I never wear a helmet though.

Ryaner

Generally relaxing is the best thing to do. Tensing makes it more likely to do damage, especially if you are clipped in since you can't roll.

Worst I've had on the road bike was at about 10km/h and I was down before I knew what happened. Situations like that, there isn't much you can do.

Its the high speed ones that you can react to and slowing down is usually the best option, although it can be useful to remember that the speed is keeping you upright and letting it go a little longer can let you ditch in a soft spot.

cranks

Was involved in a few bunch topples in my time and as I remember there's a weird slowing of time between the time you see the dominos falling, ploughing into the guy on the ground in front of you, and waiting for those behind to hit you. Happens very quickly but it was always a rule (for me only???) that while you do your best to avoid going down, you avoid swerving and taking out half the bunch.

As for crashing techniques, I'm not so sure such exist - I always hoped for the best tho without thinking it was mainly shoulders, hips, and hands that took the bangs and the subsequent scarring. If you can relax and let your instincts guide you ...... you will be relaxed and guided by your instincts! After that, it's anyone's guess.

Re descending: in my view, once you've arrived at a point where you're descending at 80kmh you've gone beyond the point of 'crashing techniques' and your main concerns, if you start to think about the danger inherent in what you're doing, relate to potholes, dogs, cats, stones, that dodgy spoke you really should have sorted and the possibility front wheel collapse, what would be the worst outcome if my front brake calliper were to work itself loose and get caught in the wheel ............ and so on.

No doubt this has been in no way reassuring but by way of consolation most breaks and grazes heal pretty quickly.

triv88

Beasty wrote: »

I used my head and....

....fortunately had a helmet on at the time!

okay your not being serious

but i hope noone would ever use a helmet to try and protect themselves rather than trying to sacrafice another part of their body?

isn't everyones first natural instinct to try to protect their head(whether or not they were wearing a helmet) with their arms/hands etc

congo_90

I never knew there was a science to the 2-4 seconds involved in a crash to brace

I've always walked away. Or limped off.

Some of my crashes include on a road cornering just a lil too sharp in the wet and went over a man hole.. bike slipped out, caught grip and flipped me over... Thank god for helmets.

Others include going off a track due to fallen trees and got my foot caught under a rock at 30+ km/h. That was a sore one and i had to be 'untangled' for want of better words from the bike.

Best thing I can think of is if you know you're about to have an accident you're either heading straight towards a truck or have phsycic abilities. If your in an accident relax all muscles if possible so as to let yourself flail around and disperse some of the impact energy and also to reduce pulled muscles (at least).

Happy cyling

Jumpy

Having just crashed, you have no time to think. Its probably better if you dont think at all, let your body decide what is best.

Beasty

triv88 wrote: »

okay your not being serious

but i hope noone would ever use a helmet to try and protect themselves rather than trying to sacrafice another part of their body?

isn't everyones first natural instinct to try to protect their head(whether or not they were wearing a helmet) with their arms/hands etc

Unfortunately I was being serious, but that was the subject of a separate thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055610775
From what I have been able to piece together, I had very little time to react, and my (thankfully helmeted) head took the full force of impact. This is not the place for another helmet debate, but I am particularly grateful I was wearing one. I would certainly not have chosen to fall this way to protect any other part of my body!

triv88

kk my bad,glad your ok from the crash

chakattack

Thanks lads, some great advice.

A very good point on not attempting speed records when you're not sure of road conditions or the condition of your bike.

So the synopsis appears to be:

Slow yourself as much as possible, relax, aim for a safe spot to land, stay loose and don't put your hands out to break your fall

Do you think it's better to roll and tumble or skid and endure the road rash?

Are there any good articles on how pros crash?

ED E

Despite being a clumsy b@stard I seem to have a nack for landing on my feet. Was interesting when my saddle ended up on the top of an iron rod about 4+1/2 foot high beside me.("WTF?") Clipped by a scumbag above dundrum, I got one foot down firm, spun, onto the other, eventually got my balance back and stood to see ten kids on a wall with open mouths.

Another time though, did the worst thing,[NOTE: French Bikes Are DANGEROUS, reversed brakes!] slammed on the brake when a car shifted left at the lights on the end of Orwell park. If it was an Irish bike I woulda been fine, but it was french, over we go. Onto my head, stupidly no helmet, but I was wearing a patrol cap. Woulda had a bad graze otherwise. Very bruised after that one.

In any case, you dont have time to act in these situations really, its all instinct. If you were to have a second I'd try to lean back, that way you can roll with it in a way, first impact on you're hip, then onto your shoulders. At high speed though, look for grass damn quick.

triv88

check it,how to crash a motorbike,same principles as has been said

http://www.oldguy.us/easy-riding/articles/sa-crashing.php

blorg

chakattack wrote: »

So the synopsis appears to be:

Slow yourself as much as possible, relax, aim for a safe spot to land, stay loose and don't put your hands out to break your fall

Do you think it's better to roll and tumble or skid and endure the road rash?

I think #1 on your synopsis really has to be "do whatever you can to avoid crashing"; it honestly isn't inevitable until you are off the bike skidding across the tarmac. As to whether to roll or skid, I have never really had the choice there in my experience.

chakattack

blorg wrote: »

I think #1 on your synopsis really has to be "do whatever you can to avoid crashing"; it honestly isn't inevitable until you are off the bike skidding across the tarmac. As to whether to roll or skid, I have never really had the choice there in my experience.

That goes without saying...I won't be out all weekend honing my crash skills, but I will be changing my brake pads and giving my bike a good inspection

biomed32

i have had a few crashes and collisions and never was able to see them comming but in general i let my body go limp and tried if possoble to aim for a safer spot to land i.e. kerb grass and out of moving traffic.

dogs can be a bit of a pain too:dog1.jpg

RtD

I've had a few minor crashes, back wheel sliding out on greasy road, front wheel slipping into LUAS track :mad: etc.

But the one I remember most was when I as cycling along the road just behind a friend and he braked suddenly for no apparent reason. I was going too fast to brake in time and too close to swerve so as I wasn't clipped in I decided to bail out and do the perfect duck and roll. And the execution was indeed perfect, however I had not taken into account the U-Lock in my back pocket and landed square on it, two days later half an arse cheek was black and sitting down very uncomfortable:o

jefferson73

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