Inpd

Hi,

Definitely caught the biking bug so am moving beyond riding on weekends on bike trails to riding in more challenging situations (i.e. peak hour traffic on roads). I never ride in a group always by myself but I've had a few close calls recently so its bound to happen.

So can people pass on some tips on:

a) How to fall
b) What to wear to prevent damage
c) Anything else?

digibud

Best advice I can give is to remain alert. Watch a pro race. Pros crash in almost every race and end up with broken bones and worse. When you crash you probably won't have any time to "fall correctly". All such advice goes out the window because it's upright one second and then face on the ground in a split second with no apparent time in between. Carry your iphone for emergency contact. There's nothing to wear. If your really hairy maybe you want to shave your legs but you could ride for years with no accident so it's just not that big of a deal. Just do your best to be preventative with remaining alert to road hazards, cars, other riders, dogs, little kids, etc being the very most important thing you can do. I enjoy high speed descending so I went to tubeless road tires and did puncture at 40mph on my front tire but did not flat and am very happy I made that change. Not much else I can think of beyond being alert and learning what you can about riding in traffic because safe riding in traffic is not intuitively obvious. Smart move on your part to not ride

ModeratedUser150120149

I echo digibud's advice plus maybe a couple items, from experience.
-Be constantly aware of where you will land if you fall. After awhile it becomes second nature and you won't even realize you are doing it. There are places I won't ride because if I fell I would land in traffic. Another is where brush cutting has left the stubs cut at an angle effectively making them punji sticks.
-Be aware of what is in your pockets and where. Falling with keys over your hip is guaranteed to give you a big pain. Falling on your phone might bring a big bill.
-Choose your route carefully, especially after storms to avoid flooding or ice.

Lift weights or use weight type machines. That way when you fall you minimize the chance of broken, and maybe irreparable, bones.

sm1960

a) How to fall - down....seriously, you probably will not have a choice. I don't even recall my bike accident, smashed my helmet to bits. (1st time I wore a helmet, 1 use).

b) What to wear to prevent damage - helmet & gloves.

c) Anything else? - bright colors, flashy light on back, use hand signals, follow traffic rules, take the lane when your safety requires it, expect to get right hooked.

AlmostTrick

Try bubble wrap.

FBinNY 

Crashing isn't like going on a date. You don't and can't plan to crash, it's something that happens on it's own (often with a nudge from yourself, but equally often without). There are all sorts of crashes for all sorts of reasons, and the best advice I can offer is to avoid them entirely.

Ride smart, be visible and predictable, know how to hold your line and control the bike when making emergency maneuvers, learn to predict what drivers may do in various circumstances, and have your adjustments planned in advance.

Most crashes happen within fractions of seconds from when it's obvious that they'll happen to when they do, with 1-2 seconds being an eternity, so there's no time to start thinking about what to do. Having the contingencies and options preloaded in the subconscious, and automated reactions is the key to the difference between a close call and a collision.

One of my basic rules is to try to ride so that cars not only won't hit me, but couldn't hit me even if they tried. This excludes cars passing from behind, because there's no practical counter measures, and I have to trust them to exercise reasonable caution, which (so far) they have.

gpburdell

It's even better to avoid crashing.


Practice avoidance techniques in a safe environment; emergency stops, swerving, slowing/swerving, stopping in a curve, etc.


Learn to anticipate and accomodate potential threats. Assume everyone else on the road will do the stupiest, most dangerous thing they can and then be prepared for it.


Then wear a helmet and (half) gloves just in case something happens you didn't/couldn't avoid.


Also strongly consider something like a RoadID.com identification -- i.e. if you're unconscious and your stuff is scattered how will the ER know who to call?


In the motorcycling world there are a couple of great books called "Street Strategies" by David Hough that covers a ton of situations you might encounter and how to avoid/mitigate the danger. There's a lot of overlap into bicycling from what I've seen so far (longtime motorcyclist, recent returnee to bicycling).

ModeratedUser150120149

What to use for ID when riding is a recurring subject. Most people think only in catastrophic terms, when you are injured and can't speak. In fact that is the least likely. The most likely circumstance is to prove identity. That can happen in a wide variety of situations. So, what to do?

One product is highly advertised but is expensive and doesn't prove identity. It only says that for some reason this person is wearing the bracelet or tag. It doesn't say the person wearing the bracelet/tag is the person whose name is on the tag. That is Road ID. You can use the electronic data base that is better. But, that means you are giving up your personal details to an anonymous data base with only a promise of security. Also, that assumes internet will be available at the scene.

A better method is to carry a government issued picture ID. In my state the cost is minimal and in some cases is free.

Then get a set of dog tags with vital info. I saw a machine the other day that would stamp dog tags for $5.

If you carry a phone make your sign on screen or In Case of Emergency display the phone number of a contact that will respond. Not a number of your buddy who is on expedition in Antarctica or that of an angry Ex.

Cheap and effective.

caloso

There are better and worse ways to fall. A common injury is a separated shoulder or broken collar bone which usually results from the instinctive reaction to put your hand out to stop the fall. It's been my observation that riders who have a background in certain sports do better. These include gymnastics, martial arts, and field sports like rugby and football. There you learn to fall correctly and maybe unlearn the instinct to catch yourself with an outstretched arm. Of course this is totally anecdotal, I have no studies to back it up. Actually, it might make an interesting study, now that I think about it.

Rollfast

I'm sure the best method is always to avoid it if possible. The rest is going to be instinctive and you probably won't have any say in the matter. I would err on the side of tucking in and protecting your chest and keeping your head from directly striking. I don't care what helmet you use, impacting and rebounding your noggin directly is what gets you in trouble the worst and the rest is guarding your torso from force that will injure your organs. Your arms and legs will take the brunt away from them.

CB HI

Take a tumbling class to learn how to land. You do have control on how you land and keeping your head from hitting the ground.

Mountain biking can teach you how to step over the handle bar and land running when an endo occurs.

BugDude

#1 - Helmet. Protect the gray matter.

#2 - Gloves. Protect the flesh on your hands.

#3 - Don't try to catch yourself with your hands. Tuck & Roll.

That's about all you can control. The rest is the luck of the draw.

Daniel4

If you're really worried, get the full BMX cycling outfit. The helmet protects the whole head including the jaw and chin. The body outfit is padded throughout.

imi

Years of martial arts training may help - Judo, Ju-Jitsu and Aikido for example.

Chris516

I don't see how. Since I have taken both Judo and Aikido.

The OP should remain ever-vigilant to their surroundings.

Jim from Boston

Nicely stated. I do #'s 1 and 2 routinely, but as I recall, it seems nearly all my falls / crashes happened too fast to react as #3 suggests.

Juan Foote

Set your jaw, put your elbows down, hands out, knees down, and stiffen up as much as you can. Don't attempt to roll out of it, just be as rigid as you can and attempt to stop as rapidly as possible.

OldTryGuy

Can't agree or disagree since I've had no training, but I'm sure it couldn't hurt having some.

My 3 major crashes were at 25mph range with little time to think.....

1-very close paceline of 8-mid pack, clipped wheel, down left side then sliding to center of 2-55mph lanes, held on to bars, rash left side + helmet + bars + seat.....NO time to prepare other than knowing to hold on to bars. Thoughts while falling.....wife a widow, I will be crushed, hope guys behind don't fall. I stopped sliding-sat up and was face oncoming traffic-got up with bike and ran to edge of road with traffic passing by at 55mph soon after getting to side. No drivers slowed down and one of the guys behind me said he saw me stop sliding-sit up-then get up faster than a speeding bullet.

2-another paceline of 3 on 45mph road last in line. Oncoming truck moves into our lane to pass a delivering mail truck. Lead rider pulls off on to grass. Second rider had mailbox block his exit so slams on brakes to avoid crashing into box and I slam into him. My bars get locked under his seat, I am ejected up like in a James Bond movie, land on head-shoulder with 2 cracking noises = C6 and right clavicle, compressed C5-C6-C7 with slippage, long thoracic nerve damage-cracked helmet. Trip to ER. No time to think about how to prepare to land.

3-15 miles into 56 mile triathlon bike segment at 25.2mph going into roundabout and lost rear wheel. DOWN left side holding bars, no time to think, stopped slide just before wheels impacted curb, got up bleeding and lots of rash, spun wheels, got on the bike, finished the ride and half marathon. Medical crew wanted me to go to ER but went to doctor friend since she was at home and on my way home.

Slow falls....time to think so tuck and roll. Happens when shoe doesn't un-clip when stopping or balanced lost when track-stand or just screwing up. Have wound up on back still clipped in and bike up in the air. Hard un-clipping when on back.

gpburdell

You write as if carrying photo id and something like roadid is mutually exclusive. I see them as serving two different purposes. A roadid or dogtags will stay with your body in a crash and subsequent transport instead of being left at the scene and/or buried in a bloody bundle of clothes.

baron von trail 

a) you're not going to be in control when you fall. Best you can hope for is that your circumstance will be such that you roll out of it and not flop flat on your face and slide or, worse, roll into a curb or sign post.
b) helmet, cycling gloves...that's about all you have between you and hard asphalt. Another good prevention thing is too loosen the fit of your cleats in the pedals such that they come out easily; never ride with straps.
c) be hyper-vigilant, look around in all directions as you ride in traffic, like a squirrel eating a nut in a yard full of dogs and cats. Rrally this is your only defense--avoiding crashes.

bykemike 

An actual bike crash, we have so little control of the outcome:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmy3oAuWWBo

CB HI

The endo threw him into a tumble position for the most part, all the cyclist needed to complete a good tumble would have been to tuck his chin into his chest. Tumbling training or martial arts would have made that action instinctive.

GravelMN

Learn judo

Honest, no joke, you will find that judo involves a lot of fall and roll techniques that translate very well into non-confrontational situations. Thirty years ago I was involved in martial arts for a few years but hadn't practiced for decades. A couple of years ago I went over the bars at moderate speed and the reflexes to do a pretty decent shoulder roll were still there. Both wrists were mildly bruised, but since I landed with my elbows bent and using my arms only as guides, as I tucked and rolled over my left shoulder, I avoided any further injury. Almost ended up on my feet, but wasn't that cool and landed back on my butt. Muscle memory and reflexes are amazing things and old skills are rarely completely lost. If I had landed on outstretched hands with my elbows locked, I probably would have broken both wrists or forearms and face planted into the pavement.


Your most important piece of safety equipment is between your ears. Build your skills gradually under controlled conditions. Practice your riding skills like hard braking, swerves, bunny hops etc until they become second nature. Think ahead and learn to anticipate dangerous situations. Wear a good helmet and gloves at minimum for most riding situations, additional gear as appropriate for your chosen cycling sport.

Nothing you will ever do in life is perfectly safe, but it is important to understand the risks and take reasonable measures to mitigate them. You will find a lot of stories of cycling incidents here in A&S but when I see the same individual posting a laundry list of accidents and near misses on a regular basis, it makes me wonder if the rider is exercising good judgement and has the necessary mental and physical skills. Kind of like those who constantly are reporting angry confrontations with motorists or law enforcement, at some point you have to wonder how much they are contributing to the problem. OP, it is great that you recognize the potential for an incident to happen to you and are taking steps to prepare. As Bykemike pointed out, you can't always control the outcome but I disagree with Baron von Trail, preparation can make a difference in a good number of circumstances. Be safe and ride on.

dragoonO1

I will echo the martial arts training as a possible method to control a fall (some of the time). I learned falling and rolling techniques from my Tae Kwon Do master, and was then hit by a car. I practiced every technique I learned during that collision, and was able to walk away immediately with a few scrapes and bruises. It is of course possible that I may have had an equally positive outcome without the benefit of that training, but I like my chances better with the training I now have.

It is possible for your brain to memorize complex patterns of motion and then repeat them without any conscious thought. That is often called muscle memory, and you may train yourself by practicing desired movement patterns. You have the ability to modify your reflexes as you desire. The patterns you wish to learn may not always trigger when you wish them to, as they are by definition an unconscious response, and there are times when there is simply not enough time to completely execute the desired movement(s) prior to impact.

keyven

Well said... makes me wanna learn Judo too