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Twice last night on a new to me track on Clent, much to the amusement of my riding buddies.
Knee is a bit swollen this morning.
Recent falls have been mostly CX related silliness e.g. very muddy corners that have had several people charging round them all day (I still race 'senior' which is always the last race of the day...). These are great as they are inevitably onto soft muddy grass.
I'm also in the 'too old'/'value my riding time too much' camp nowadays, even on relatively tame gravel rides I'm stepping off for most ditch crossings or anything silly steep or techy that I might have happily rolled into/hopped or wheelied through on the MTB.
My mantra has become 'ride anything that I can pedal through or steer around'. I get my jollies from endorphins not adrenaline now!
Frequently. Left knee currently weeping from a crash 2 and a half weeks ago.
My commute has been the most crashy for me. Live in Hillsborough in Sheffield. I've had two or three reasonably hard crashes due to the tram tracks. All due to me not giving them the respect they deserve. I've successfully negotiated them hundreds of times, but when they get you, it can sting! I had a weird off at a roundabout reasonably recently. Pootled across it, went to put the power (if you can call it that!) down to exit and either struck the floor with a pedal, or my chain came off, and I got shot OTB.
Off-road falls have become more infrequent as I've tried to improve my technique. Three coaching days with Aline here in Sheffield have been awesome. My most recent, and fun crash wash this:
I have had a few tumbles at Blackamoor (my toes have nearly recovered from my most recent near crash a few weeks back) Parkwood, Greno and Wharncliffe. Happily nothing more than soreness and grazes. I try very hard to ride within my limits, especially when riding alone. If you've watched the video, you'll see that my limits aren't very high!
Not often but more often than I would like! Only properly broke one bone and cracked a few ribs so far.
Oh and I nearly ripped my foot off, wedged between the pedal and an embankment at speed. Didn't think it could bend that far, god damn it hurt for a long time afterwards!
Not that often, it's mostly comedy trips into the hedge or undergrowth rather than a full-on crash. I did hurt my knee and ankle pretty badly at an enduro at Kielder a few years ago which took me a few months to get over (mentally and physically.)
Not that much these days, self employed and the wrong end of my 30's so tend to ride within myself. Last 'proper' off was a washout/OTB in some local woods afew months back.
My last two crashes have been on very easy trails while not giving full attention.
I hear that. Sat here with a broken toe thanks to a silly "how did *that* happen" crash on Sunday.
I probably come off once or twice a year. Off-the-bike consequences 50% of the time, at a guess.
Today..... full speed OTB complete with a nice dent in Bluegrass golden eye helmet. 🤕
What new helmet?
bruneep - them helmets is cursed! I had the same, I now have a Met Roam and will wait and see if that is a bit less crashy...
As I get older, crashes seem a lot worse than when I was a carefree teenager. Perhaps my attitude to risk has changed and I'm less carefree?
I also seem to have developed a propensity to faceplant. My last two offs have seen me break my nose twice, knock a tooth out and both times split my philtrum clean through, requiring maxilofacial surgery.
Some skills coaching or courses are definitely in order. And I've also wondered whether the 2011 geometry of my bike is partly to blame.
My last two crashes have been on very easy trails while not giving full attention.
This. Normally when I have an audience of walkers as well. Negotiated a rocky section on Sunday to loud cheers and applause (not really), then slipped the front wheel into a rut while pedalling away in triumph and went OTB.
Now and again, usually when i'm tired or not paying attention, mostly a bit of bruising or the odd graze, my last 'big one' was a couple of cracked/broken ribs at christmas. Nothing lately up until a week a go when I slid off onto a pointy rock which felt like i'd been Forest Gumped.
Wow I haven’t had a bad off for over twenty years and no fall at all for maybe ten years. I live in the Yorkshire Dales Rather than Lakes these days so it is smoother riding but I still ride from my parents at Keswick. Must try harder I guess
I would say that it does not point to you being a crap rider (as you put it) but more riding outside of your current ability to often.
The problem with riding outside of your ability is that you actually ride worse than your ability allows. As you will go into a sort of survival mode where you are riding in a "just about hanging on mode" and loose the ability to learn how to ride better.
If you can ride slower and nicely within your current ability you will have more time to think about what you are doing and will learn far quicker. As you learn more your will be able to ride a little faster and if you keep within your limits your skill will slowly improve. You will no doubt reach a final plateau of skill that you may not be able to get beyond but thats not a problem.
Riding in control and within your limits can be very rewarding and feel pretty good.
This year i bought a season ticket for the local(ish) uplift, have also had a few offs this year. I swear some of the trees in the woods are evil ents
It depends on what i'm doing, if i'm doing something benign and at a speed that's not pushing me, then not that often, but if i add speed, or complex types of obstacles then i can fall of more than once a ride.
Falls just happen, again it depends what you're doing to the level of risk/reward, pushing your limit on tabletops has a different risk to doing the same with gaps, doing step ups a different risk to step downs and so on, you have to think through the consequences of failing to make it and mitigate appropriately, that means just putting protection on and checking the route/landing prior.
Have to admit, it does hurt when it goes wrong though, broken several bones in the last year or so, strains, hematomas and so on, i do wonder if i need to go back to playing golf more than riding bikes!
On a local rooty climb when I’m on my own in the woods, never.
Last night on the same climb with three girls watching, twice.
For me, not often. Except right now I’m sitting at home after a hospital trip following running out of talent on a drop off. Knackered ankle and bruises and scrapes down my whole left side. Feeling sorry for myself - it’s been many years since my bike sent me to A & E!
And I was riding well, had the flow and was enjoying myself. Then said ‘I’ll just go back up and do that drop I’ve not yet done as I’m in the groove. Oops! That was the mistake!
@mcnultycop always seems to be the way 😉
I seem to be on a good streak of no crashing (touch wood) even with some technical rides in the Surrey Hills and Swinley Forest. Might just be because I am starting to realise my limits and making better descisions.
The only real crash I've ever had was when I tried to jump into a bowl where there was no real landing - trying to impress some friends ofcourse. Ended up with my elbow in a cast for 4 weeks. still think about how silly that was to this day :/.
Lets hope the good streak continues!
My last two crashes have been on very easy trails while not giving full attention.
Definitely agree. These days I generally have a significant forced dismount about twice a year, but I’m more risk averse than I used to be. I seem to have a knack of landing without doing too much damage, possibly as a consequence of years of messing about when I was younger.
Wow I haven’t had a bad off for over twenty years
Tempting fate! 😬
Well just 9 days after my latest off my whole left side is one big black and yellow mess (I'll spare you all the gory pics). I really should get x rayed but I'm able to walk around so doubt the hip is broken? Not entirely sure what can be done anyway should I have cracked or chipped a bone in that area?
In addition to the pain, it has cost me: -
My dignity
£90 new lid
£120 lost oakleys (Goyt area if anybody found a pair!)
£18 Exposure helmet mount
Just riding along...
Lots in the winter but that's due to riding mostly in the dark on wet and icy trails.
In the summer it's generally just the odd daft fall on an easy trail when my brain just turns off as it thinks it doesn't need to concentrate on the easy stuff.
I've not been to a decent trail centre with big drops and table tops for a while so would expect a few close calls when I do.
If you fall and lose a little confidence, this can lead you to slow down and tense up on the bike which can result in you crashing again. Try to relax and concentrate on enjoying the trail. Maybe ride an easy blue type of trail that isn't too steep that rewards 'flowy' type of riding.
Flats do make you a better rider, you can always put the SPD's back on for longer rides and just keep the flats for local and short rides.
As I've gotten older I have backed off on the speed a little but I kind of enjoy riding like this more as it allows me to savour the riding and concentrate on flow rather than out and out speed.
Good luck OP 👍
Wow I haven’t had a bad off for over twenty years
Tempting fate! 😬
I know I am worried now 😊
When I was a lad most of the 80's was one crash after another but everyday was focused on jumping just a little bit further than that last line scratched in the dirt.
I am a far more sensible rider now. I haven't used spd's since the mid 90's so that probably helps. I don't ride trail centres, only natural trails and nearly all in my local places in the north dales and North lakes. When I jump I probably only get a couple of feet of air and the 29er stops me from table topping etc.
I suspect I have had a lot of luck but if I was breaking bones then I think I would stick to fell running, I would definitely back off a bit.
The move to 29er wheels has reduced my momentary cocks ups. Been lucky no broken bones that I am aware of - normally minor comedy moments a few times a year - then there is commuting when its icy - this is my downfall.....
I read this thread earlier in the week and it got me thinking that I hadn’t had a bad “off” in a while.
That evening I went out, got off-line and stuck my foot out for balance. My foot got caught in some long grass and folded like a receipt...torn ligaments and an ankle like a pineapple.
I then looked at Strava and it showed me a ride a did one year ago where I clipped my bars in a tree which threw me shoulder first into another tree. Couldn’t lift my arm for four weeks.
So to answer the OP, once a year, in mid-August.
Since swinging the leg over the bike for the first time in a few years and being older (though not wiser) I have managed to stay on whilst trying to up the anti on the trails.
In the past I have had a few and a couple of shockers with the shins taking a clattering.
We all do it, provided nothing is broken and badly damaged mark it down as "it happens"