Vetseun Posted January 11, 2015 Posted January 11, 2015 If you DONT want to fall, ride with me. I do the falling for everybody.
vinylguy Posted January 11, 2015 Posted January 11, 2015 It depends how often you run out of talent. . . .
rudi-h Posted January 12, 2015 Posted January 12, 2015 Falling is guaranteed. Injuries depend on how much you charm the luck fairy. I've fallen tens of times with no more than a few bandages needed to sort me out. Others have fallen over once in a driveway with a broken wrist to show for it. Touching wood...
Thor Buttox Posted January 12, 2015 Posted January 12, 2015 I haven't fallen for ages, but yesterday on a totally flat piece of trail I have ridden without any problem 10's of times something hit a rock in shadow and I was over the bars. Blood, and pain, but luckily no bones. It really 'just happened' in a split second.
Boerklong Posted January 12, 2015 Posted January 12, 2015 It happens to everybody at some point. She was unfortunate. Hope she heals up quickly.
SCD Posted January 12, 2015 Posted January 12, 2015 I wonder if there are clinics about how to fall properly? This is the first thing you learn when you take up snowboarding or a martial art. Think of inducing OTB's onto a training pad... Edit: typo
Boerklong Posted January 12, 2015 Posted January 12, 2015 I wonder if there are clinics about how to fall properly? This is the first thing you learn when you take up snowboarding or a martial art. Think of inducing OTB's onto a training pad... Edit: typoby the replies around here It sure looks like there will be enough coaches
Skubarra Posted January 13, 2015 Posted January 13, 2015 Falling is guaranteed. Injuries depend on how much you charm the luck fairy.  True, I have 2 friends who had no problem riding technical stuff but ended up in hospital due to cycling accidents in their own driveway, one with a broken back and one with 2 broken wrists.
V12man Posted January 13, 2015 Posted January 13, 2015 Fitness develops faster than skills - so you land up going faster than your skills can manage... Skills courses are definately worthwile - even if they only make you aware of your limitations. Hubber Peach offers a skills course - the boy can ride...  https://www.facebook.com/?q=#/profile.php?id=189334574570359&ref=br_tf Sean Badenhorst from tread mag offers skills courses treadskills.co.za As do several others - the investment is small, the rewards are worthwile.
DIPSLICK Posted January 13, 2015 Posted January 13, 2015 go fast, in my experience(advanced accident hunter) its the same as motorbikes, the fastest falls normally you stand up thinking vaaaaark im lucky that didnt hurt, MTB my fastest falls were roll stand up dust off before everyone laughs, scrapped knee bruised egoTHE SLOW FALLS FOR ME were the ones that needed dr assistance your question is pretty much like asking how long is string   keep the rubber side down EASY Â
PhdotD Posted January 13, 2015 Posted January 13, 2015 Do not discount the value of some good general fitness and mobility. It will not only help to prevent falls because of better balance, but it will decrease your chance of picking up a serious injury when you do fall. It is a fact that weight bearing exercise promotes bone density. Furthermore joints that are supported by strong and flexible muscles, ligaments and tendons are much less prone to dislocations and serious injuries. Do strength and mobility training at least twice a week. You will reap rich benefits in the long run. If it is your scene, you can visit a gym, but by using body weight and a few dumbbells you can do a lot of strengthening exercises at home. Google is your friend. Lots of exercises and programs to choose from.I do a yoga and power yoga , with resistance bands as well, as training regime. As a naturally aggressive and technically capable rider, getting to that point required numerous falls, some serious, some not so. But I agree, getting your core and upper body strength in line with your riding fitness, prevents  not only a lot of injury, but a lot of falls.It depends on where you want to be, if you want to ride edgy technical stuff at blistering speeds where the brain isn't thinking anymore, falling, how to fall and how to recover from the serious falls, is all a part of the game
droenn Posted January 13, 2015 Posted January 13, 2015 I think using flat pedals has saved me a few major falls, but has given me some nice shin scars instead... I'm still a novice (less than 2 years riding) but I expect to fall every few months - only 2 have been bad.
KarlvN Posted January 13, 2015 Posted January 13, 2015 Skills clinics are the way to go. If you can't afford that, then do some reading up and speak to more adept riders. generally they are keen to impart their wisdom. One pearl I have since I ride Koeberg every now and then, is to not tackle sand seated. Get into the "attack" stance and do not lean into it like a berm. I have been able to hit those sandy patches at speed without falling. Another thing is to look where you WANT to go and not where you currently are going. There is a difference, but once you have this finely tuned skill, the bike will naturally follow, and your skills will also improve. As to how often you fall, that is all up to how often you ride. I have had plenty falls last year, all on MTB were sore, but not serious. My one tar wipeout had me in the X-Rays department for a cracked elbow and tghe CT Scanner for brain scans as I had impaired vision for a few hours after the fall.
Lurch the stalker Posted January 13, 2015 Posted January 13, 2015 Skills clinics are the way to go. If you can't afford that, then do some reading up and speak to more adept riders. generally they are keen to impart their wisdom. One pearl I have since I ride Koeberg every now and then, is to not tackle sand seated. Get into the "attack" stance and do not lean into it like a berm. I have been able to hit those sandy patches at speed without falling. Another thing is to look where you WANT to go and not where you currently are going. There is a difference, but once you have this finely tuned skill, the bike will naturally follow, and your skills will also improve. As to how often you fall, that is all up to how often you ride. Sign up for the newsletter from these guys, they'll mail you some tips which are all really logical but you don't actively think about them: http://betterride.net/
watsonr Posted January 13, 2015 Posted January 13, 2015 My wife and I started cycling about 2 years ago and the bug has bitten in a big way. We've been putting in the miles and been to a Tread Skills clinic and our strength on the bike has improved greatly the last 6 months. With this improvement however and our average speeds ticking up each month from 13 to now 17/18km/h we are finding that we seem to be falling a lot more often than we used to. I fell into a storm water drain last week after going around a corner too fast and sliding on loose sand and my wife had a spectacular OTB at Van Gaalens on Sunday and dented and cracked her helmet on a rock. Luckily nothing serious except a stiff neck and a bruised ego, oh and to fork out money for a new helmet.
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