Tragic death at Swinley today

Just seen this on the Swinley FB page. Very sad news indeed, much respect for the guys who tried to help him:

Link

As someone who regularly rides solo, can’t help but think there but for the grace of God….

Links are not working.

Edited to fix the link hopefully.

Very sad 🙁 did a quick pink loop this morning. What happened? (for those not on facething)

“closed group”

Sad news indeed. Some good advice
http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/local-news/mountain-biker-dies-after-suffering-6429870

That’s an old link. A brief summary is that 4pm today some riders happened across a guy in a bad way on red 25, looks like he had gone down face first. Gave CPR for 20 mins until paramedics arrived, but sadly after an hour the rider was pronounced dead. Horrific news. Thoughts with all involved.

Ah sorry, closed FB group.

Appears the guy was riding solo & hit a tree on Red 25 – for those not familiar with Swinley it’s not a technically difficult section but very fast & jumpy.
Sounds like a group of riders following gave CPR & handed over to paramedics but unfortunately he couldn’t be saved.

I’ll certainly be taking that section a lot slower next tine around.

Nairnster.

That link is from December 2013.

Sad news. Makes you think that riding alone is adding an extra element of risk.

I am pretty certain I know what tree too after coming close many times. Very sad 🙁

Terrible news.

Thoughts are with his family,sad.

The article in the link is dated 2013. I remember that as a load of riders (including me) joined a big group ride.

Whatever happened happened. Life sucks sometimes.

Rip fella

Ah my mistake. That was the top result when i sesrched for death at Swinley today.

Andylc – do you mean Nainster’s link above? That was an older incident from last year where a guy died from a heart attack.
Today’s incident was result of a crash

I just realised that and changed my post. Certainly makes you think about solo riding, which I do a lot of and don’t hold back any more than if I’m out with others.

So sorry to read about this. It’s a sport not without its dangers. Thoughts are with his friends and family

Rip

I arrived after to find the forensic team there, trail closed. I’d seen a few people there tonight who ride alone like me who I seem to bump to to regularly.

Thoughts are with those involved.

Very sad. We had a similar thing a couple of years ago up here, local guy went out for his regular solo ride, crashed on a descent and broke his neck. Found by some walkers.

It is indeed sad, but many more people die from sitting on the couch doing nothing.

Makes you think that riding alone is adding an extra element of risk.

Certainly makes you think about solo riding,

From what was reported here I don’t see that riding solo actually increased his risk at all. Sadly if you hit a tree hard enough to kill you then unless your best mates are neurosurgeons and anaethsetists they are unlikely to be able to save you. The risk from riding solo is you hurt yourself and then lie in agony for hours or choke on your own tongue waiting to be found, it certainly doesn’t SOUND like that was the case on this tragic occasion. Keep in perspective that fatal MTB accidents are very rare, and I’ve certainly seen crashes between friends riding together that would never have happened solo.

One from This is Reading’s FB page:

Swinley Forest, Crowthorne
We have heard reports of a serious accident that happened today (Saturday July 25) at 4pm in Swinley Forest, Crowthorne.
A person, riding a mountain bike was involved in a fatal accident. People at the scene called 999 and forest rangers were also alerted.
The Thames Valley air ambulance and South Central Ambulance crews attended the scene with police officers from Thames Valley police.
Part of Swinley Forest has been cordoned off awaiting investigation into the cause of the accident.
Ambulance crews and doctor attended to the person at the scene but was later pronounced dead. The police have not yet named the rider but it is thought family members have been notified.

RIP.

Friends can assist if its concussion, a break or a cardiac.

If its in England etc you are never alone though.

When I go to the Alps I always go for a wander alone across border/using the lifts to wander. If I spongle myself -Im an adult.

If its in England etc you are never alone though

You don’t need to be alone for that long and it’s still quite easy in fairy well used areas to be out of sight and invisible to passers by if you leave the trail.

So sad.

I pretty much always ride solo around Swinley, but I’m never alone – even on an after work ride in the middle of winter there’s somebody around.

Big thanks to the guys who stopped.

RIP 🙁

I use gpx tracking app so my other half can see where my phone is when I’m out on a ride. Looks like it wouldn’t help this guy, but it is useful.

scott – what app is it? Is there a windows app that does this?

Only ever ride alone. Tend to ride where I have no signal. Wife has nearly called 999 on a number of occasions when I’ve been longer than expected as she’s convinced herself that I might have had a cardiac out on the trails.

RIP – I lost another MTB friend on Friday too – so RIP to both

Don’t want to derail thread, but

Only ever ride alone. Tend to ride where I have no signal.

+1 I ride to relax and get away from other issues. Like training for an ultra run, a key element is the peace and time on your own. Everyone needs it IMO

Some of the trees at Swinley scare me too. Terrible story.

Very sad.

Recent events have made me think again about my personal safety and that of others whilst out riding. It’s going to be different for everybody but the personal conclusion I came to was that life would be too dull not to do everything with an element of risk but to appreciate that the risk for the same style of obstacle changes depending on circumstances. Riding the Golspie black on your own on a wet mid week day from an empty car park could mean a long wait for help. Maybe not so much in Swinley but as this incident proves that maybe doesn’t always make much odds.

I’ doubt it is relevant here (this being Swinley) but I do worry sometimes that the bigger more capable bikes we have these day have led to “average” riders with average skills (arguably no better than 15 years ago) taking on bigger and gnarlier stuff at greater speed to get the same rush experienced on short travel bikes previously. When it’s all going well it’s ace, but the consequences ramp up too.

Handybendyhendo – it is just called gpx phone tracker. I have it on android, and Nat has it on her iPhone. We track each other when we go for solo rides.

Disclaimer – do not use this app if you are planning to cheat on your partner!

Convert – I actually think swinley can be more dangerous as it is so tame. It is very easy to fly around it at high speed with more serious consequences if you hit a tree, or hit one of those rollable kickers at speed in a bad position and go otb. I see a lot of people sat on their high saddles, hitting those and just about staying on the bike. if it was more technical, people might slow down a bit and ride more in their abilities.

😀

Have just downloaded FollowMee

Will see how useful it is……

Covert agreed. Swinley has a bit of a tame rep being in the middle of Bracknell. No “proper” hills. But let’s take red 15 / 25 as an example…. They are fast runs… Very fast. No matter how good you are or think you are… One day you could just pick a bad line and hit a tree doing 30mph plus.

Same as last two dh sections of blue. So easy to weight the bike wrong and end up on your face.

I ride Swinley daily. Just been out this morning to red 25 to have a bit of quiet time. Car park empty and I did not pass a single soul on the way there. I passed one chap (with a lefty) on way back.

It can be remote…. Not that remote but you could be lying by the side of the trail for quite a while.

I always ride solo these days. Riding buddies drift away and I like my own time. I use a simple app called hereiam developed I think by a chap on here….

I log a few key sections round Swinley and my Mrs gets a text (signal is sketchy but they seem to get out eventially)

This is the one:

The wife and I have life360 on our phones, but when I am out of range she can’t get a fix on me as I need to have a signal or data for it to work. I’d imagine all other tracking apps have the same issue.

handybendyhendo – Member
scott – what app is it? Is there a windows app that does this?

Endomondo does live tracking for friends and family to follow. Can export gpx from Endomondo after if you want to use in other services.

Likewise Garmins that have Bluetooth like the Edge 510/810 can pair with their phone app and do live tracking, although they don’t do the app for Windows. Plus it likely will drain the battery in both Garmin and phone a bit having Bluetooth active.

I have found Hereiamnow for windows……will try that too.

Agree with Don on the Swinley comments regarding it being easy to go at a speed level above your skill level…….I go every now and then and whilst I like to push it…….I am wary of sections that I don’t know that well………

A gps spot (various versions to choose from) is the best solution, especially if you adventure away from guaranteed telephone signal. Also not reliant on your partner/parent/trusted tracker recipient acting on the information and doing the right thing. Just press SOS on land or on the water and the correct emergency agency will know about it. Also a method of sending an “I’m OK” text to loved ones when you are but they might be worried about you even when not in range of telephone signal.

OK – I have Endomondo so will take a look at that too……

Just for Mrs peace of mind really……especially when I am miles away……