gbiker

What's it like? Cuz I sure hope I never find out!! I've fallen over several times because of my clipless pedals and that hurts more than I would've thought, but that's it so far, knock on wood. At speed do your shoes come unclipped pretty easily? Are you almost guaranteed a broken collarbone?

M_FactorX19

depends on how well you know how to fall.

gbiker

How do you fall well? Besides remembering to unclip in the nanosecond you realize you're going to crash...

jamesdak 

Don't even want to think about it. Much less the fact that I hit over 46 mph coming down the mountain today.

mazdatech10

well at 37mph broken collarbone, 2 broken ribs, punctured lung, broken scaplua and road rash

Velo Gator

Go outside and try it. Report back.

Palomar01

Crashed on a motorcycle at around 45 mph. The front wheel hit gravel in the middle of a turn and I went down. Motorcyclists call it a lowside. Watching cycling races and seeing guys crash on bicycles (alone) and 90% of the fall are lowside (they loose the front end).

Since you are not wearing much of anything while riding, you will get road rash on your arms and knees at least. YOu will hit your head! If you're lucky, your helmet will take the brunt. But there is a good chance your lower jaw will get road rash. Pray you don't do a face plant. Broken collarbones are very common because when you hit the ground that bone takes a great deal of the impact (besides your arm and shoulder).

Most people I know on motorcycles who have lowsided at low speeds (under 50 mph), are able to walk away from it because they are wearing protective clothing and a full face helmet. No injuries, just bruising and a hurt ego (and a messed up bike).

So on a cycle it will hurt more!

miyata man

UMD will show you how it's done

gbiker

Okay... Lemme know next time you're going for a ride and I'll pull up alongside you and shove a stick in your front wheel's spokes.

Runner 1

Do you know what it feels like to crash at 10 mph? Take that feeling and double it.

eippo1

It's fine for the first 30 seconds to minute after you crash. Then it all starts to really, really hurt. I've crashed in 2 crits, been hit by a bus, been broadsided by a kid, shattered my collarbone, fractured my wrist, broken my patella and have worn a diaper made out of gauze and 2nd skin. Good times and I'll probably do it again sometime.

Velo Gator

I don't wonder what it feels like, I've done it. Re-inserted my shoulder into the socket and rode 15 miles home into the headwind. HTFU.

uncrx2003

3 facial fractures is what I ended up with when I did that. Luckily, helmet saved me.

gbiker

As opposed to Smarten TFU and seeking proper medical attention?

gbiker

I'm thinking it might be squared, like wind resistance and doubling the speed.

kenji666

If you're going to wring your hands worrying about crashing, stay off the bike and do something safe like stamp collecting, but then you'll worry about getting a paper cut while licking the stamps.

gbiker

I multitask -- I lick my stamps while bicycling.

GP

It sucks. You and your bike will both be ****ed up. If you're lucky you can ride home.

jsutkeepspining

just remember to hold onto your handlebars. don't let go thats how you break your collarbone

DrPete 

Actually, quadruple it. E=1/2mV^2.

I've gone down at about 25, once at about 30, and one time at 42. They all hurt pretty bad. Biggest difference is the number of times you bounce/roll down the road or how far you roll into the trees/gravel on the side of the road. Not fun.

Spacemunky

I went down through a corner at about 20mph.....it hurts about as much as you'd imagine...then you go home and the adrenaline wears off...then the road rash feels like being r@ped by a bear......ya bear r@pe sounds about where my pain was

urbanknight

Tuck and Roll.

jsutkeepspining

don;t over exaggerate. i crashed at around 30 mph in the middle of a three hour ride (i had just finished a sprint and then a car swerved into me and forced me into a rock) and then i preceded to finish the ride (i didn't fully finish the intervals i just rode home at z2)

kenji666

I would be more ticked off about my effed up bike, than my effed up body.

M_FactorX19

there is a technique. it depends on whats happening obviously.

ex.. putting your arm out to catch yourself is bad. tuck and roll.