If you’re a skier, chances are you’ve seen crossed skis (or poles) on the piste when someone has gone down or had an accident and is getting assistance. If you’re a rider, and your friend has gone down on the trail in a vulnerable spot, what do you do? Have you ever seen upside down bikes on the trail?
For example, as riders, you may look to the Countryside Code or the IMBA Rules of the Trail for guidance, but how much do we really think about our responsibilities?
If you see this on the trail, be considerate and don’t ride around. Note: The bikes are before the lip of the jump, the injured rider was on the other side. Photo: Al Shaw.
Responsible Trail Use
Obviously, as with everything, there’s always an element of common sense but where do we stand with an overall, widely known set of standards or overall trail safety and etiquette? The Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland’s ‘Do the Ride Thing’ guide to responsible mountain biking in Scotland is a great starting point with a comprehensive breakdown of things to think about.
We’re not saying that there’s a need to be fully up on the latest guidance. After all, when you go out for a ride you want to get away from everything. However, there is definitely a need to open up the narrative to think about our individual and collective responsibility when it comes to each other, our trails, and where mountain biking is going. There are more of us out there than ever before so the chances of coming across a trail incident are increasing week by week..
Guidance
If you want to do further reading, here are a few other resources on cycle codes and guidance:
So what should we do in this situation? What if it’s not possible to turn around or you’ve come across it on a section of blind trail? Most of us would likely see if there’s anything we could do, but the circumstances will differ depending on where you are, who you’re riding with and the situation itself.
Most of us would likely know what to do, but for new riders or those who haven’t been out in a while, they may not be aware. It’s a good idea for all of us to know what something means if we come across it. The picture above was taken last weekend at Leeds Urban Bike Park. The rider, Darren was on the ground for over an hour before the emergency services arrived. He suffered a broken hip and pelvis in the accident and couldn’t be moved from the trail.
His friends placed their bikes on the lip of the jump to warn other riders. Despite what many of us may think of as an obvious sign of caution or at least that something is amiss, there were riders who simply rode around the single bike that was placed on the trail at first. This lead to the group adding another bike to fully block the trail. One bike, or two – makes no difference. The signal and message is the same. Put the brakes on and prepare to either get out of the way or offer help.
See an upturned bike across the trail? Put the brakes on and be prepared to stop and help if you can.
Crossed skis = Red Triangle = Upturned bike = CAUTION, HAZARD.
Darren laying on Hannah’s leg. Unable to be moved from the trail.
Darren’s friend (and cycling guidebook writer), Hannah Collingridge is trying to raise awareness of what this upside down bike signal means if you see it out on the trails.
Crashes happen and sometimes the casualty is badly enough hurt that they can’t be moved until the professionals arrive. The last thing you need when you are dealing with one incident is more trouble landing on you, either literally or figuratively. So protect yourselves by setting up a warning further up the trail. The simplest and quickest tool for this is the one you have with you – your bike. Turn your bike upside down and place it across the trail in a place it can be seen by oncoming riders.
Hannah Collingridge
Try to place things in such a way that it will give them adequate time to slow down where possible. Don’t inadvertently create a new hazard.
In future, if you see this on the trails you’ll know what to do. The main thing to take from this is to be aware and if you see this, slow down and go around.
Are there any other unwritten rules or trail etiquette points that you think not many people know? What have you seen out on the trails that people need to be more aware of?
Singletrack Merch
Issue 133
What’s inside? Let’s start with some UK based features, for all those staying on our little island… UK Adventure: Night Riding Previous Barney Marsh looks at the shifting benefits and…
Singletrack Sponsored Features
Think global, ride local – A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood – Part 2
Having reached peak lockdown beans on toast capacity (seemingly every night on the bounce does not constitute a balanced diet!), Sanny goes in search of a gastronomic treat.Like pretty much…
Featured Premier Partner
Blazing Bikes
The Blazing Bikes StoryIn 2009 we had an idea to use our land to develop a unique destination site to the UK. Based at the southern end of the south Shropshire…
Join our mailing list to receive Singletrack editorial wisdom directly in your inbox.
Each newsletter is headed up by an exclusive editorial from our team and includes stories and news you don’t want to miss.
Comments
Home›Forums›Upside Down Bikes, Know what it means?
If you put two upside down bikes across a thread…
I wonder if tjagainandagainaandagainaandagainandagainandagainandagainandagainand… just rides over them
Lots of other info about what to do in a crash but not this
I can’t see what point you’re trying to make here TJ, apart from “because I’m not aware of something, it therefore doesn’t exist for anyone else” this is whole new level of obtuseness that I didn’t think even you were capable of.
I’m going to summerise, as I I’m getting a bit lost
There’s an article design to raise awareness about something that may be of benefit to some people, your complaint is that you weren’t aware of the thing the article is trying to raise awareness about…
FWIW (and that’s not a lot), I was told about the crossed skis (or boards) thing by three different instructors in three different countries, Norway, Italy and France.
Was this a 1:1 type instructor or big group ski school? and what age were you?
The whole lesson/instructor thing works differently in MTB, I guess nobody took bike lessons as a complete absolute beginner to off roading?
Whereas taking a course later on, whether thats for riding technique or big mountain safety is possibly more common than on snow, where most people I know just get on with it themselves once they got to the basic ability to turn and stop.
Not as far as I’ve understood what he’s said. The article portrays the “upside down bike” as some kind of internationally recognised system when it appears that plenty of people with a lot of experience have never come across.
It’s not that it’s a bad idea, it’s the idea that everyone is at it.
In 30 years of riding, reading bike mags (that famously recycle articles) and doing MIAS and BC instructor courses I have no recollection of it as the accepted method.
Because its not a recognised signal to the vast majority it will not do what its adherents propose. Look at us on here – many of us have never heard of this as a recognised signal. so if you put a bike upside down and expect it to bring you help it will not
thus its actually worse than useless as its adherents think it will acheive something it cannot
sure it will help keep muppets off the trail when its blocked.
if you put a bike upside down and expect it to bring you help it will not
It’s not to go get help, it’s to stop folk barrelling into a seriously injured rider, unseen at the point of no return on a jump, and the emergency services tending to him.
Is that the basis of the amount of energy you are putting into this strange argument you are making TJ? That you think this is some kind of signal for help?
It absolutely is not a signal for help. It’s to indicate a hazard.. like a red triangle you put on the road when you break down.
Upside down bikes like in the photo are a good way to block a trail/warn people, yes. And also suggests possible mechanicals- if I see someone with an upside down bike at trailside I’ll ask if they need help. And it’s common sense that if someone’s made an effort to block a trail you should react and think about why… If we’re going to have a rule, it’s a good one.
Having a middle-aged desk pilot flip an ebike is, scientifically and empirically speaking, going to lead to hernia’s and slipped discs.
Then you’ve doubled* the amount of casualties. Depending on the number in the pack of ebikers, this could lead to a cascade of lifting injuries that overwhelm local A&E services.
Not as far as I’ve understood what he’s said. The article portrays the “upside down bike” as some kind of internationally recognised system when it appears that plenty of people with a lot of experience have never come across.
Apologies if this is the way it comes across. Never expected this to get the reach it has. The intent is to raise awareness (as I said in a previous comment, I’ve not seen it either, though it does appear a lot more common in Europe and not the UK). Hopefully we’ve helped to make it more of ‘a thing’ so that people will recognise it as something to slow down for.
To clarify, the idea is that this isn’t a thing as such, but the riders involved would like it to be something that’s more widely recognised in the interest of keeping everyone safe on the trails. However you choose to do it, we all have a responsibility to make sure we’re doing the best we can when the worst should happen.
The hope is, that when seeing this and used in the safest way possible that it could prevent further accidents. As most have said, they would see it and slow down. The issue in this circumstance is the rider couldn’t be moved and his friends wanted to stay with him and keep him safe.
It absolutely isn’t one or the other. There are plenty of things widely used in specific areas (not necessarily bikes) which the public at large are not necessarily aware of.
Also, look up the meaning of tautology – it doesn’t mean what you think it does.
I’ve not seen it either, though it does appear a lot more common in Europe and not the UK
Well we’ve left Europe so we can break away from what those dirty foreigners do. We are free to devise our own system of warning now! Maybe Liz Truss could come up with something as part of a trade deal? Or we could use a flag?
@DezB – in hindsight, the tile should have been, upside down bikes, should it be a thing? Ha. Anyway, have enjoyed reading the comments and discussions (here and on social media). Will look out for this in future, though hopefully I won’t see it often!
I was briefly on/under an upside down bike only last night. Rapid bracken growth concealing a particularly big and badly angled rock-related OTB. True story.
To my mind, is this an established signal? No. Does that really matter? No.
Those bikes have very clearly been placed deliberately. Anyone coming across that would surely at least question why? I know common sense ain’t always all that common but still. Who changes a puncture like that? And where are the riders changing it?
Conversely, your mate’s just had a big off past a blind bend / summit, you want to put something out as a warning that’s large and visible. What else would you use? Walking down the trail is fine in a big group but if there’s just too of you, your mate might need the company / monitoring.
To my mind @cougar is absolutely right – its not “a thing” but it is a sensible use of the tools available to make the casualty and those treating them safer. BUT if is the article seems to suggest its not 100% effective at stopping people – it would be better to recruit one of these bystanders to flag-down/shout/warn people.
So @mark I’m with @tjagain on this – the problem is not with the concept of using a bike to block / provide some warning to those ahead, its the idea that one or two people can invent their own code and expect others to know what it means as you put it “It absolutely is not a signal for help. It’s to indicate a hazard.. like a red triangle you put on the road when you break down.” Because a red triangle has no other purpose, and is specifically mentioned in the highway code (FWIW perhaps also worth noting where used in the UK often put in a largely useless position, and rarely adopted here).
Here’s the article headline, as per this threat title: Upside Down Bikes on the Trail, Do You Know What It Means?
and some quotes from the article: It’s a good idea for all of us to know what something means if we come across it. Crossed skis = Red Triangle = Upturned bike = CAUTION, HAZARD. One bike, or two – makes no difference. The signal and message is the same. Put the brakes on and prepare to either get out of the way or offer help.
The article then goes on to criticise people for passing it – even by your own self-created interpretation of what it indicates this is not actually wrong.
Despite the article including 5 separate links to reputable sources of information on trail etiquette etc none of them seem to suggest blocking a trail with an upturned bike to warn of a hazard ahead. There probably is a legitimate debate to be had on whether we need some well-promoted warning like crossed skis, and certainly, most of those links were scant on any discussion about dealing with an accident.
I’m not sure a journalist or someone who has just had a scary experience on a trail is best placed to formulate a set of guidelines that should make sense in any situation; but if ST-Towers want to use their presence to help lobby the IMBA, DMBS etc that there should be some agreed means to make riders aware of a crash ahead then I think most people would support that. The article seems to suggest there is already an accepted standard and people are just not aware – and I think that is wrong.
Was this a 1:1 type instructor or big group ski school? and what age were you?
The whole lesson/instructor thing works differently in MTB, I guess nobody took bike lessons as a complete absolute beginner to off roading?
Whereas taking a course later on, whether thats for riding technique or big mountain safety is possibly more common than on snow, where most people I know just get on with it themselves once they got to the basic ability to turn and stop.
There are clearly differences between skiing and cycling but:
1. The both have signs at the start of trails, on uplifts etc. Skiing managed to put X skies and other etiquette signs up in these places, cycling has all sorts of information – like where the nearest hospital is, but we don’t have any information on marking crashes ahead.
2. I’ve ridden with (and crashed with!) people who are qualified trail leaders, and I’ve never heard this suggested.
3. Its not something youth coaching sessions, or the local your XC race series have used. It may be that these are well enough staffed/marshalled that its not a problem.
4. Kids have been on day long (and multiday) sessions with various outdoor centres / guides and none of them have mentioned this – despite the possibility that you might have another half a dozen riders from the same group coming in a few minutes…
If this was to become a thing, it could relatively easily be communicated/shared. Until then you have to rely on the first help to the rider using their common sense to work out the best way to warn others and the oncoming riders using their common sense to work out that the improvised message might be a danger.
Those bikes have very clearly been placed deliberately. Anyone coming across that would surely at least question why? I know common sense ain’t always all that common but still. Who changes a puncture like that? And where are the riders changing it?
Most definitely this, hopefully most people are not too absorbed in Strava to wonder why someone has left their pride and joy unattended on the trail.
Although I have met a tosser at Glentress who was swearing about people laying face down on the trail and ruining his times. (was a friend of mine had an OTB behind me, the rear of our group were attending them). So I can quite understand that these people can’t comprehend warnings!
Not too good about writing about myself, but not so bad at writing about other things. There was a time that I hated bikes, but then they became my life. Wouldn't be the person I am if I hadn't been on this journey. Here's to bikes, drinking tea and everything that comes with life on two wheels.
I'm Lauren, I like bikes and writing about them. Always trying my best and up for adventures.
Posted 3 years ago