pixelharmony

I was wondering if there is a safe method for falling. I actually hit something beneath the crushed limestone that made my front wheel wobble. In an attempt to compensate I lost on control of the bike going about 12-15mph and slid out. I have gravel burn on my hand, shoulder and knee...

Is there a safe way to fall/ditch the bike, or just pray for the best?

Unreasonable

If you're wearing gloves, your hands are a good place to catch yourself - your elbows provide a really good amount of spring action to dissipate energy.

Otherwise, landing on your side is probably best - letting your arm take most of the fall. It protects your head (as it has the most distance to travel, if you land on your front or back your head is an impact point). There's a risk of shoulder dislocation... but that's something quickly fixable by somebody who knows what they're doing.

TheHen

Not this^^^. The weakest parts of your body are those upper limbs and their connections. If you enjoy being injured, go ahead and use your hands/arms. Enjoy the wrist surgery, long-term elbow damage and broken collerbone.

If you can't get some air, which would allow you to control your landing if you are even moderately athletic, then get down on your buttocks/thighs/back. It's not very difficult to learn to keep your head up, but you may consider practicing on grass. Probably the most important part of a "successful" crash happens before the crash. Train yourself to ALWAYS have an escape plan, every second of every ride. Also, don't ride like a sack of potatoes; be joined to the bike at the pedals, not the handlebars and not too much at the saddle (except for what is necessary to steer).

Unreasonable

Well, given all the right circumstances I'm sure there could be plenty of good ways to bail. Landing on your feet and collapsing with your knees would make your landing nice and soft.

When I bailed a few weeks ago, it was sideways and downhill. A crappy situation anyway. But there was no way to get my body ready to land using my lower body, I was going sideways and forward. My options were landing face first, or using my arms. I chose the latter, and let my arm collapse into my side so I wound up on my side. I scratched up my hand and knee... but it's better than my face.

wroomwroomoops

What does that mean?

kuan

Jumping off the bike by letting it slide forward from between your legs is best if you can do it.

Cyclaholic

You jump up off the pedals to approximately 12 feet above your top tube, while assuming the crane position as you spin 6 times around your vertical axis of symmetry, perform a quadruple flying side snap kick at nothing specific while furrowing your brow menacingly.... and, at just that critical point in time/space, you freeze and hold that pose, suspended motionless in mid air for exactly 3.14159 seconds... before falling gracefully to earth with a fluttering sound, finally landing in the crouching tiger position with your samurai sword drawn ready to slay the ninja that shoved the broomstick into your spokes.

You then pause to appreciate the life force within the cricket chirping at your feet... you know exactly where it is even though you can't see it.




...yeah, I fall off my bike just like that all the time.... honest!

zac

The best way to bail, is to learn not to fall to begin with. Yes, I know it happens to all of us, but reducing the number of potential incidents will go a long way toward staying injury freer.

As mentioned above, learn to ride and anticipate situations. Additionally, learn better bike handling skills: Practice slow speed handling, practice sudden direction changes, practice bunny hops, practice no-hands, one handed, practice jumping a curb, riding down a steep embankment. Practice turning a very tight circle, hell even learn to track stand.

As far as falling goes, don't limit it to bike riding. Here participation in other sports comes in handy: many contact sports will get you comfortable learning how to hit the deck. It becomes second nature and instinctual. Stay loose try not tensing up. Letting your major muscles absorb the impacts as opposed to taking it with your hands and arms is preferable. Sliding out is easy, doing the endo, not so much, there you have to tuck and roll as best you can. Getting on your thigh, butt or back as quick as you can is preferable to landing on your head, wrists and neck.

zac

I took it to mean, that you are suddenly on the ground, like a slide out out around a corner, as opposed to a situation were you find yourself with some moment of control before the incident, or you are in the air for a brief moment before hitting the deck.

zac

That can work in some situations, but IMO, a good bike handler has more options remaining on the bike, then suddenly transitioning to running from a relative stationary position. This is especially true if you are not riding with platform pedals and sneakers.

kenji666

These events happen in a split second. Most humans can't react quickly enough to "prepare" for a fall. Wear gloves, helmet, and a fully padded body suit if you want to minimize injuries. Realistically, if you don't want to fall, don't ride at all.

phoebeisis

In general you don't have time for any plan-especially when you slip sideways.
The reason it is a good idea to break your fall with your hands/ARMS/SHOULDERS- IS TO PROTECT YOUR HEAD AND NECK.
If you are falling head first nose down - you had better get your hands down to "catch" yourself.
For many people-athletes who play played contact sports-football/wrestling/soccer- catching themselves on their hands-IF THEY ARE HEADING IN NOSE FIRST- will be instinctive.
Sure if you have a choice fall on you butt hips and do the hand/arm slap they teach the MA guys(Judo etc).
Always protect your head and neck-take some of the deceleration out of the fall by sacrificing your hands/arms/shoulders.
No matter-you won't have much time to do anything other than get your hands down anyway.
Charlie

I-Like-To-Bike

If I had to ride in a specific uncomfortable/unnatural position because of a constant fear of falling, and found it necessary to "ALWAYS have an escape plan, every second of every ride", I would find a safer activity like knitting doilies in front of the TV. Of course I would keep a first aid kit at hand and an emergency telephone nearby every second just in case I poked myself.

rydabent

This is where riding a recumbent excells. Bent riders have their feet in front of them. Because of the center of gravity bent riders dont go over the handlebars. The result is in most bent accidents the rider ends up on his or her thigh or rump. This goes a long way to sparing hands arm and shoulders.

wphamilton

The short answer is: Yes.there are safe methods for falling. The several methods depending on the fall are worthwhile to learn in my opinion, but they all require practice and training to do effectively.

I'm not sure a thumbnail version is advisable, but I think that there are two things that are pretty urgent to know. First protect your head no matter what. That mostly means "don't hit your head"; pretty simple really. Number two, do not try to break your fall with your hands extending your arms. Or with your elbows. The only break-fall using your hands and arms to take the shock is straight forward flat on your face: hands in front of your nose, hands and forearms hitting the ground together, elbows bent and pointing out.

genec

I can never get the full 3.14159 seconds... what is it I am doing wrong?

eddubal

Roll. Practice it. It makes makes your crash look much more spectacular but most importantly it dissipates the energy of the fall. Falling on your hands is a great way to sprain or break your wrists. You'll probably end up with road rash in any case, but rolling minimizes it.

Dan The Man

Good way to break your collarbone, I would know.

dynodonn 

This describes my last fall, I was riding around a curve, and a second later I was on my back on the ground.

dynodonn 

wroomwroomoops

There may have been other events, which you forgot about due to a mild concussion?

dynodonn 

Oh hell no, I can remember every vivid detail from the point of my pedal striking the asphalt, flying through the air doing a half twist, and myself hitting the ground, all within a second's time.

wroomwroomoops

Good for you. Concussions suck.

fordmanvt

Tuck and roll.

RobertHurst

Yeah, if you hold your arm out _stiff_ it'll probably break a collarbone. So will landing directly on the shoulder or back of shoulder. Both 'methods' are poor.

The idea is to use the hands/arms to initiate a roll or ease yourself down as best you can -- use the arm as a spring, don't hold it out stiff. (If possible.)

In any case, it's always better to land on the arm or shoulder first instead of the head and neck, even if it does break your collarbone. Unless you would like to sacrifice your head or neck to save your collarbone. Not advised.