Freestyle Falling

[twobiker]

As I am still recovering from being knocked off the Sequoia tourer, not tree, does anyone have any ideas how to fall without screwing up your wrist/arm ?.

 

[Matthew_T]

As I am still recovering from being knocked off the Sequoia tourer, not tree, does anyone have any ideas how to fall without screwing up your wrist/arm ?.

I had a fall recently (not from a collision), I was going too fast around a corner in the damp. The back wheel came from underneath me. I sustained many cuts and road rashes, but the main damage was to my knee (was in hospital for 4 days and had to have an operation). I am having the stitches out on wednesday.

My bike came off relatively undamaged, but thinking back to the incident. I could have reduced the damage done to me.

As the brute force of the fall was on my knee, I could have easily rolled allong the floor or made more contact points with the floor and my body.

Try taking the impact with your back or bottom as they are going to be the strongest parts of your body. But watch your head and spine.

 

[Friz]

Most of my big crashes (MTB wise) I've been able to land on my back so my rucksack takes the brunt of it. Doesn't help a whole lot when the bike comes crashing down on you but it's a trade off between broken bones or really cool scars.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

"...it's a trade off between broken bones or really cool scars."

 

[twobiker]

On the road I always seem to put my hand down first.

 

[Herzog]

If you can overcome instinct and 'manage' your fall, you're a better man than me.

 

[Bluebell72]

I fall the same, every flaming time
1. Heel of hand
2. Elbow
3. Ribs (as an optional extra)
4. Hip.

Stitches out tomorrow from last weekend's elbow whack

 

[HLaB]

You've got to Roll With It Seriously and touch wood of the off's I've had the most damage I've done was about a month ago when I bruised my ribs falling at 25mph but I've never broke a bone, I think my body does roll with it rather than being rigid but I don't want to repeat things to find out.

 

[danger mouse]

From reading this and other posts, clip less shoes etc, then its only a matter of time before I fall off

I also ride a motorbike and dont have the same approach.

What is it about cycling? I wonder why people don't wear more protective gear?

Even if it were elbow pads?

I've broken an elbow in the past and I can definitely say that it hurts (a lot)

 

[Nebulous]

I haven't crashed, but I fell off a few times when trying to master my clipless pedals.

I keep a hold of the bike and try to roll with it - as far as I can manage the fall at all. As a teenager I had a badly broken wrist (a colles fracture) as a result of putting my hand down to save a fall, so I have learned not to do that.

 

[gbb]

You've got to Roll With It Seriously and touch wood of the off's I've had the most damage I've done was about a month ago when I bruised my ribs falling at 25mph but I've never broke a bone, I think my body does roll with it rather than being rigid but I don't want to repeat things to find out.

I know the feeling (rolling with it).
My most spectacular was a kiddie riding right out in front of me from some low hedges, bang, straight into her at about 17mph. Straight over the bars, i remember having my hands out thinking, this is going to hurt. Hands down first and probably unwittingly bent my elbows and my whole body rolled with the impetus. Straight over my head and stood up like i'd been at a circus.
Its the bending of the elbows i think...and the subconcious tucking in the head.
Grazed palms and a couple of aches the next day, but a result i don't want to retry either.