There are two types of cyclists: The ones who've crashed and the ones who will crash.
Being a charter member of the "who've crashed club" I would say that despite the suggestions offered in Bicycling Magazines you don't really have a choice on rolling or sliding... physics will dictate what happens and it's different for different types of crashes at different speeds. In most cases short of an endo, you'll either land on your hip, lower leg or shoulder while still attached to your bike at the pedals and let me tell you -- you don't slide far once you're on the asphalt.
The "roll" that's talked about assumes you've gone head first over your handlebars (e.g., endo) and the basic suggestion is don't: a) stick your arms out like superman or you'll break your wrist before you do a face plant, OR b) keep your head up with your hands on the bars otherwise you'll basically end up like Kivilev. Therefore, the instinct you'll want to develop is tucking you chin into your chest to give you the best chance of minimizing a severe head or face injury.
Fastest speed on a bike during a crash: 26mph buried in a racing pack where a lead rider clipped a rear wheel. Gloves saved the palms of my hands, lost all the skin on my left lower leg, 1' diameter deep bruise on my hip along with some serious abrasions and a permanent chain ring tooth pattern scar on my right rear gluts -- this from the bicycle rider behind me who tried to "bunny hop" the mele and ended up with a broken collar bone when he endo'd on his landing.
As for max bike speeds: 54mph on a single bike and 63mph on our tandem (40 - 50mph is common on any ride with a descent). What do you think about at those speeds to keep you safe? "What if" a car pulled out in front of me and "what if" I flatted a tire -- what would I do and where would I go?
Last edited by livngood; 04-17-03 at 12:13 PM.