How often do you fall?

[SkilpadJantjie]

Looking at all the comments not nearly enough. I still brake too much, think I'm in desperate need of a skills workshop. Although I have found that your body position on the bike makes a huge difference to the level of control you have.

[Skott5]

OP, what bike you riding ?

[Matchstix]

If you are comfortable clipless stick to it. Been riding with clips forever.

Weight shifting is very important as wel as allowing you bike to move under you and not clamping it. Fast and loose.

Look and focus the line you want to ride, don't focus on the rock that you want to avoid. . . You will hit it.

Look for fabien barrel has some nice videos.

Track stand is a great skill to have.

If want to come out to jonkers or contermans also available for pointers.

[DeFconOK]

If i go without a fall for two or so months i start to worry a bit cause you know its going come, and you will eat sh1+.

 

Stay loose, head up eyes forward, keep breathing, and stay loose!!

[Robodog]

How often do I fall? No too bad but at least once a month. It happens when you are pushing limits or learning new things.

 

99% of the time the crash is minor with no consequences but I've had to cancel my skills clinics this week due to recovery from a big one.

[Simonpurdon]

I fall about once a month and have only been riding seriously for about a year or so. I would stick with cleats if i were you, grin and bear it until you have the hang of it and you will be thankful you did. They provide so much control and power compared to flat pedals.

 

Also, look ahead of you in the trail, I don't know how it works, but your body knows whats there and takes care of it. This is the best piece of advice I can give that I used when I was a beginner.

 

Ride within your limits. No use trying to keep up with racing snakes on the downhills when you just crash and lose your confidence or injure yourself, you will just lose confidence. Progressively get quicker, use less breaks, try smaller jumps.

 

Hope this helps.

[TALUS]

I fall less now. At some stage it was every second ride. My best tips have mostly been given above but one remains:

Go to a skills clinic and learn how to go REAL slow. Included in that is how to brake correctly and fast.

 

Knowing that helped me to be less twitchy and not to grab the brakes every time I got a skrik.

 

Now I have pissed off the cycling gods and I expect to be punished harshly and soon...

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I have moments on each and every ride - my front tire saves me every time (thanks Muddy Mary) but it makes me realise where my technique is lacking - cornering!!

 

As for how often I fall, normally once to twice a month, every 3rd or 4th ride or so. I use it as a learning tool ie: What not to do.

[TopFuel]

Too often, normally when thinking "Hey I haven't binned it for a long ti..."

Quite right. "Gee, I haven't fallen in quite a while." *crash*

[decibel]

Have a minor fall every couple of rides and a big one every couple of months. Either because of not paying attention in a rut and letting the side of the tire bind to the side of the rut, or slipping on loose leafs or slippery rock or the like. Unless you're a complete beginner, probably persevere with the clip in pedals - you are going to use them sometime so you might as well start now. Go ride round some grassy area where you are unlikely to hurt yourself and practice clipping in an out a lot. The thicker the grass the better as it will slow you down and force you to unclip unexpectedly. You may also want to consider slacking off the clip tension in the pedals (using a small allen key on both sides of the pedal typically) to make it easier to get in and out.

 

I ride with some less experienced people sometimes, but typically it's me falling. I'm not sure if this is because they are following and can improve on the lines I take, or just have more confidence because they know someone has gone before, or just because I'm uncoordinated ;-)

[El Scorcho]

In my first year of riding I only fell twice, once when I was doing 40kph down a gravel road and swallowed a tsetse fly and panicked - still have the scar for that one, and another minor one attempting a log ramp thing.

 

In my second year now and I've fallen about 6-7 times this year already. Mostly minor, but it's definitely because I'm pushing myself a little more technically. Last fall was a biggish one, nothing broken though, thankfully.

 

I find that most of my falls are quick, so I'm going down whether I'm clipped in or riding on flats (I ride both based on which bike I feel like taking out). I tend to ride a little better when clipped in though, I commit to clearing sections properly because I know I don't have the luxury of putting a foot down. If you're already using cleats, maybe stick to them for that reason.

[porqui]

Just for the fun of it

 

https://www.bikejames.com/strength/the-flat-pedal-revolution-manifesto-how-to-improve-your-riding-with-flat-pedals/

 

And

 

http://teamboriscycling.com/styled-13/styled/styled-7/index.html

 

Enjoy and broaden the mind.

[JohnnyReggae]

I fall every ride in the mountain, sometimes many .. many times

 

On the rare occasion however I do end up face-planting which can be a bit sore, but for the most part I use the excuse that I'm "dismounting" to take a break

[WeekendWarrior80]

I used to do my own stunts riding through soft sand and going over rocks.. but I've learned to take things a bit slower nowadays.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I used to do my own stunts riding through soft sand and going over rocks.. but I've learned to take things a bit slower nowadays.

 

LOL. I love the uncertainty that sand gives you, especially going around corners. It really highlights *** form...

[Super Sywurm]

I fall like once a year. Fell at Meerendal a month ago, got a grass burn on my knee.