Scared of loose gravel over hard surface, any tips?

[kalniel]

Keep your hands on the bars, tuck your chin in, and take the fall on the upper arm, rolling onto your side. You can practice on grass.

You know, I was talking about falling with a friend the other day as well - at one point I almost imagined ending up on my back with the bike in the air, like some kind of upside-down beetle. Not realistic, but gave me some amusement.

 

[Citius]

Keep your hands on the bars, tuck your chin in, and take the fall on the upper arm, rolling onto your side. You can practice on grass.

Seriously, don't do this - it's absurd. If anyone else suggests that you practice crashing your car, by repeatedly driving it into a wall - don't do that either.

 

[MichaelW2]

Seriously, don't do this - it's absurd. If anyone else suggests that you practice crashing your car, by repeatedly driving it into a wall - don't do that either.

Judo players and parachutists practice this kind of action with no ill effects. Just do a track stand on soft grass and topple to one side. Given the number of people who put their hand out and injure themselves in very minor collisions, a simple practice may save you from one of the most common forms of injury.

If you imagined that I advised seeking out a high speed crash on sandy tarmac, you are mis-imagining.

 

[Mugshot]

Judo players and parachutists practice this kind of action with no ill effects. Just do a track stand on soft grass and topple to one side. Given the number of people who put their hand out and injure themselves in very minor collisions, a simple practice may save you from one of the most common forms of injury.

If you imagined that I advised seeking out a high speed crash on sandy tarmac, you are mis-imagining.

If you have to do this don't topple to one side, topple to your left, there's some more expensive gubbins on the right which isn't overly keen on being dropped on the floor.

 

[Citius]

Judo players and parachutists practice this kind of action with no ill effects. Just do a track stand on soft grass and topple to one side.

Judo-ists and parachutists are able to predict - and therefore influence - the way they land. There is a difference. Toppling over while stationary on grass is utterly and laughably pointless, and is not going to be anything like falling at speed from a moving bicycle.

 

[mjr]

If your front wheel slides, you will be on the deck.

I've recovered loads - are road bikes that much less stable?

If you see any patches of loose gravel, just avoid them.

Almost always the best approach if you can, though!

 

[MichaelW2]

The aim it not to replicate a crash. It is to train you to keep both hands on the bars when you deviate from upright. Nothing more and nothing less.
It is a quite common technique of training in general to isolate one factor.

 

[Citius]

The aim it not to replicate a crash. It is to train you to keep both hands on the bars when you deviate from upright. Nothing more and nothing less.
It is a quite common technique of training in general to isolate one factor.

Sorry, this is bizarre. You are suggesting toppling over on a bike and not putting your hands out? I would rather break my wrist/collarbone than fracture my skull.

 

[MichaelW2]

Yes that is exactly what I am recommending, and you don't break your skull.
Ned Overend has a whole chapter on crash drills

 

[Citius]

Yes that is exactly what I am recommending, and you don't break your skull.
Ned Overend has a whole chapter on crash drills

Those techniques are for falling on dirt, FFS. If you try that on tarmac you will end up sliding on your face, which seems to be what you are suggesting.

 

[MichaelW2]

If you tuck your head in, your helmet will absorb any abrasion. I have taken spectacular slides downhill on the road with nothing for than road rash. Brain injury happens due to rapid deceleration, uncommon on moderate speed wipeouts where you skitter across the road. If you hit a wall or tree at high speed, or a car his you at speed, there is nothing you can do. In the case of gravel on the road, the main serious injury is shoulder and wrist, which is often, though not always, avoidable. Hip injuries are even more serious so you should aid to absorb impact on your upper arm, not hip.

 

[4F]

Yes that is exactly what I am recommending, and you don't break your skull.
Ned Overend has a whole chapter on crash drills

More emphasis should be on avoiding loose gravel in the first place rather than pointless falling over exercises.

 

[mjr]

More emphasis should be on avoiding loose gravel in the first place rather than pointless falling over exercises.

Bah, even though I knew it's there, I still got it wrong and rode onto the gravel at the edge of the road this afternoon, but I managed to correct the resulting front-wheel skid. There's always the possibility for things to go wrong

 

[doog]

Hate gravel and wet leaves..

Had a big off on the touring bike due to gravel when fully loaded with 4 panniers, tent the lot. By some miracle I landed on a nicely manicured lawn of a cottage garden...they gravel country lanes like nobodies business, probably mentioned but following tyre traffic tracks is the best bet.

 

[4F]

Stop it