MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Completely nosedived off a drop at FoD on Friday, the second of the larger ones on GBU. My idiot brain got as far as telling me not to stop or ride round it but not so far as to tell me to pre-load, and push/manual off it. So embarrassing... The whole sorry affair was caught on video - went in a bit slow, lost speed on a couple of roots just before, and a bit in the up ramp and my weight was too far forwards. Basically got everything wrong and as a penance spent six hours strapped down in A&E whilst they made 100% sure I hadn't broken my back (turns out my C2 & C3 are congenitally fused which caused some of the extended panic and extra X-rays and consultant visits).
Amazed I didn't break any ribs but most of my core muscles, especially the interstitial ones at the back plus the postural spinal ones are killing me. I did have some company in A&E as another of our group had dislocated his shoulder earlier the same day. Epic MTB road-trip fail...
"Oh shit" indeed. That looked nasty. Glad no permanent damage done.
Excelent numpty crash, rest up and get better before you do it again 🙂
Proper dead sailor there. Looked nasty, its always the slow ones! Glad no serious harm done. The old saying of 'if you're going to do it, commit to it' is so true!
I'd bought the full-face helmet about five hours earlier - glad I was in that rather than my usual trail one! And very very very thankful that I always wear a Camelbak - my back took most of the impact after I flipped off my head and the ground was very hard and quite rocky but it was cushioned by a couple of litres of water, tangfastics, malt loaf, waterproof jacket and the inner tube I always carry and never use...
Looked nasty but easily done . Glad your ok .
Dude !!!! that's like my second worst nightmare on film, you aren't the first or the last person on this planet to get it wrong. 🙂
Glad your ok.
Ah, 15 seconds. How many times have I (and others) been there... I have a rule these days, if the drop is bigger than the wheel, [b]hop[/b] or [b]stop[/b], [b][u]NEVER[/u][/b] roll!
Whilst the consequences aren't in the least bit funny, I must confess to laughing at the slapstick nature of the crash.
Get well soon.
Jeez that looks bad! Good job you invested in the full face lid!
At least you've got the footage to analyse what went wrong lol.
He looked like he'd crashed an F1 car when I saw him in hospital. The A&E staff were relieved to hear that the rest of our crew were moving onto a different county that evening as they were running out of beds 🙂
Thank the gods you didn't break your neck! Glad you're not too badly hurt.
haha. Priceless. Well done.
Glad you're ok and thanks for sharing your embarrassing Frank Spencer style video. Got to be worth £250 on you've been framed. If they can pay that for a dog opening a door..... hope your other pal heals quick too.
Proper scorpion crash that. Could have been real nasty. Glad you're not too badly injured.
Time for a refresh?
http://www.ukbikeskills.co.uk/
Something like [url= http://judonewcastle.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/judo-roll.html ]this [/url]might be more useful 😆
You're braver than me I'd of got off and stepped down
So , exactly how many days with Jedi resulted in this most awesome of manoever?
,oh and buy yourself an instantly inflating Sumo suit activated my a mercury tilt switch on the stem.
Still , I wouldn't have even attempted it.
One day with Jedi, last summer. It was a split second wrong decision and as I'm sure he'd agree the problem wasn't skills or bravery but a lack of concentration - incidentally I was running a temperate when I was in hospital and they said I may have had a low grade virus which could have affected my focus.
Oooooooohhhhhhh!
Glad you're walking and talking... though there is some comedy value, that could've been proper nasty.
split second wrong decision my arse!
You were hesitant entering the corner, then again on the run in to the little roots and then again on the run in to the drop.
Guessing you don't even know how to manual. When you're feeling better practice them. Lots!
If I wasn't competent at riding off drops (manualling off slower ones, pushing/popping off faster ones) there's no way I'd have considered attempting that, even though it was higher than I usually go off. A stupid moment yes but I''m not stupid all the time! 😛
Back's feeling much better than when I woke up, keeping moving appears to be the key. Hopefully I'll be good for the QECP Gravity Enduro in a fortnight!
OOF!
Hope no long lasting serious damage and you're back on the trails soon.
Fair play for posting the vid.
Not taking the pee but are you SURE you didnt touch the brake(s) a little on the ramp? either way, to my amatuer eye it looks like you were WAY too slow to go off it with whatever other technique might be needed....
heal up soon dude.
The bike does slow down more than I'd expect for that slight upslope so you may be right. If I'd properly manualled off the lip at that speed I'd have landed it ok but it would have been a thump to flat rather than a smooth transition to the downslope.
I will add that all of a sudden a full-sus 'skill compensator' seems like a good idea! 😉
Rolling in to that drop at that speed would have made no difference on a full susser, still major otb moment regardless of travel...
Sorry to be the one to tell you, but you're not competent at drops at all.
You've been taught 2 basic techniques for drops (Any advanced rider knows there are more than 2) and the technical jargon to spout it on the internet but lack experience to ride what's infront of you.
A skills course can help you in the right direction but is no substitute for actually gaining the skills and techniques from riding..
You don't actually need to "Manual", "push" or "pop" off little drops like that.. you simply need to unweight the front by having your weight in the correct place and land level(ish) with the downslope.
The reason I suggested you practice manuals is that if you were confident and proficient at manualling you'd be far more at ease moving your weight around and instinctively put your weight in a better position for drops.
Your crash, could still have been saved even after your front wheel had reached the end of the drop.
On a full-sus I feel I'd have come in with my weight more rear biased as I wouldn't have been so bothered about landing too rear wheel first (bad idea on a hardtail to a downslope) and I wouldn't have lost as much speed on those two roots. Add in a longer front-centre and a stiffer longer fork and I might have just about got away with it...
You don't actually need to "Manual", "push" or "pop" off little drops like that.. you simply need to unweight the front by having your weight in the correct place and land level(ish) with the downslope.
And exactly how is unweighting the front by having your weight in the correct place different to manualling? I do agree that practising holding manuals on the flat would help me with similar situations in the future.
More speed! Glad your ok though. Whats the fused-thing?
You were about ten degrees over the impact angle from almost definitely breaking your neck there. And an FS bike wouldn't have done shit to help you. That trail is way beyond your ability IMO.
Far, far, far to slow.
You were going to slow even when the video started for that. A prime example of doing everything wrong into it.
Good job you got out of it relatively unscathed though 🙂
I consider myself extremely fortunate that it will stand as a critical learning point as a opposed to an end of life or paralysis point!
See any Danny Mac or similar video to learn how to front flip before attempting again. Seriously I think you dodged a bullet there though. At which exact moment did you realise it wasn't going to end well?
**** skills. Just ride within your natural skill level. Push push and 9/10 you'll land it. The last time you might be in a managing health situation.
😳
I'm sure you don't feel it, but I think you were pretty lucky there. That video is exactly the mental image that goes through peoples mind in a worst case scenario, difference is you achieved it!
Yep lucky escape!!
Glad you're ok Alex!
I won't offer any skills tips 🙂
Luke
if the drop is bigger than the wheel, hop orstop, NEVER roll!
reading this advice and then re watching the vid I've come to the conclusion that you would of been Ok rolling off it on a 29er. 😈
Always nice to have a nice fast run in to a drop off. I did that once though not as bad. It did make my brain switch off the self preservation 'go slow' button.
It has to be said as harsh as it sounds it's not split second decisions that made it wrong , it's pretty clear that there was no where near enough speed going into it, it really does look like one if those videos of someone you see who hasn't ridden a bike for fifteen years, suddenly gets in to it, gets egged on cos his mates are videoing etc and BAM! Rider down
Not saying I'd have ridden it tbh, but it wasn't a split second decision that caused it, it was a truly awful run in, the nosedive was the icing on the cake
Ps hope you heel soon
You're confusing "unweighting the front" with "raising the front wheel." . The two things are connected but not the same thing at all.
a bit more speed next time! speed is your friend 🙂
Nasty crash and no doubt lots of lessons learned. Thanks for posting the video for our amusement and mutual learning!
There's some right farkin tossers on here tonight though....post some videos of your own amazing riding and lets all have a good slag of you.
Can't believe some people...
split second wrong decision my arse!
Sorry to be the one to tell you, but you're not competent at drops at all
Nice Persona, I'm sure your friendly advice has been a huge comfort!
I built a drop off in the garden with a run out ramp you can lower. I built it a bit thin though and it is only a foot wide. Anyway I have got much more confidence and a better feel about how fast and what it feels like to drop. I know I could take the ramp away completely but it gives a nice bouncy landing. I have done one nose drop like you but luckily I did not go over the bars and managed to ride it out.
No offence mate but that lawn is a ****ing disgrace its like a field 😉
Nice idea if you have the space
Thanks for sharing that o.p. it's a great example of how not to ride a drop of that size. Don't beat yourself up too much, looks like a slightly sketchy run-in robbed you of the necessary speed and you didn't have the technique to make up for the lack of speed. Your body language gave me the impression you were very hesitant as well which is never a good sign, you have to commit to a feature like that or get off and push round it.
Perhaps you could find yourself a smaller drop-off to practice on, one that's small enough to roll off without going OTB if you get it wrong, then practice going off it as slow as possible whilst still landing both wheels together. Then practice it till the technique is second nature.
Glad you're okay.
Is this you practising at GT?
🙂
an almost identical crash, commitment and speed are everything when it comes to jumps/drops there is very little technique involved.
I hope that guy is ok but what would possess you to a drop at that speed ?
I assume if you doubt your technique you dont commit so i think they go hand in hand tbh. I suspect they were told to just go for it.
Where is that BTW?
I would say jumps need technique. For a start being able to move the bike without pedaling, for example pumping. Building your own stuff is where it's at as then you can get bigger and build your confidence up.
More speed not always necessary.There's a video of a young girl aged about 13 who does the big GT ladder drop from an almost stationary start but I couldn't find it.These give you an idea.Get well soon.
The main mistake was not aborting when your approach turned out to be so slow. I mean, I could ride that out at that speed without too much bother, I reckon, but that's just because one of my specialist subjects is comfort braking on the approach to drops then having to ride them too bloody slowly 🙂 It's not that good a superpower really.
I am impressed by the people who can dismantle someone's entire riding style based on a single vid, that's insightful. Anyone can screw up, why assume that one section of iffy riding is the OP's norm?
Only one thing for it OP- get back up there and do it again tomorrow. No complaining about the sore back, worst case scenario is you crash again and knock everything back into place.
I've dropped off 4' high northshore (that lip's about 3'6") at that speed without a problem - but to do so requires attitude and energy and both appeared to vacate me at the critical moment. Plus this needed the bike to reach the downslope a few feet away for a good landing. Thinking about it I got more air heightwise on the road-sort-of-gap near the bottom when I'd done some full runs earlier avoiding this drop. I'd been up since 4:30am with my five month old and travelled from Brighton that morning which probably didn't help... Just had an email from a riding mate who'd heard about the hospital visit and was worried and after I reassured him I was ok he saw the video and said this:
"I have looked at the video and it does not look like you. Normally you are so positive and confident it reassures me that you have sorted line and speed and movements before you get there but you just rolled. At that speed I would have expected you to brake and reset or run to the side and then stop."
Live (thankfully!) and learn... By the way, I can normally land drops front first, back first or together as required, it's one of those things I practise. However, doing it again tomorrow is out - it's a hundred odd miles away and I can't stand normally yet let alone ride a bike with panache! 😉
Yikes, get well soon!
Years ago, I used to ride a bit of trials - the backhop/pedal hop technique that I learnt back then has got me out of situations similar to yours before. Give it a go.
Yup, we all have bad days and if you don't push yourself you don't improve.
I would definitely have bottled that if I'd rolled up to it at that speed. I hope.
Very glad you got away with it OP.
late push and bent knees. glad you ok but how long int the day was it??? you know better than to do that!!!!
It was about 5pm and I think we'd started just before noon with a break for our first A&E related incident at lunchtime - it didn't feel like we'd done loads of riding but in retrospect it had been pretty mentally intense because they were new trails to me and we weren't riding them slowly. So yes, too late in the day, sorry Tony!
And one thing that's making me think a full-sus might be a good idea is that a hardtail is that bit more fatiguing and less forgiving when you're doing DH runs, especially when there's an uplift so you get back to the top sooner.
At low speeds your timing has to be better, been there / done that and have scratched such drops since last plant. That's a harder drop to ride as the run in is not straight so more difficult to get the speed right. Hope you get well soon.
You would have gotten away with that on a full susser 😆
I cant really say anything thats not been posted above, you were lucky, it happened that quick it looks like you kept hold of the bars ? which probably could have been a lot worse,
That guy with the SYNDICATE top on, ****ing hilarious ! and as for all the hitting it with speed tips, you could have cranked off that trials stylie, and you can do the GT ladders that way as i have done without a stack,
just get out again soon and pop those roots on the way in and the drop will follow on !
have you got any more clips of you hurting yourself ❓
good luck,
I hate the run ins to those drops, this is exactly how I picture them happening for me with the speed I manage to get into them as well!
The technique for riding drops at that speed is pretty straightforward. As the clip shows so very, very well, pushing the front forward isn't it. Pull up gently on the bars into manual and push the rear off the edge and set the back end down. Bent legs to absorb the landing. As DT suggests, more trails than mtb. Probably easier to learn on a bmx Chief.
If you want a FS bike buy one, stop staging accidents to give yourself some justification 😉
Once you're back up to fitness you'd be welcome to have a go on mine for a week or two if you want to see what it feels like on some of the local stuff- I'm sure Archie would welcome riding it over (especially up Carden Avenue! perhaps I'd drive it, actually).
As the other A&E related party the irony isn't lost on me that my tube randomly blowing out earlier in the day, causing an epic OTB which dislocated and fractured my shoulder has left me off my bike for months. The Chief is a solid rider, but I think we both proved random events, be they environmental or mental can have pretty painful consiquences.. However, as self employed dads I suspect the Chief will agree the most painful part of the day was probably calling our wives!
I can vouch for CGG usual skill levels too. I've chased him round many trails, over all sorts and ordinarily he pins it. Whatever happened, thank god it didn't turn out worse. Rest of the crew went on to ride Afan and Cwmcarn in the following days and i reckon most of us kept things wound in just a little more than we might have if it wasn't for the day 1 misfortunes. Heal up quick fellas.
I agree that having some basic trials skills is useful for getting out of trouble when you are traveling too slowly towards a drop. Plus trials is good fun to learn, very rewarding when learn new skills, it will improve your balance a lot and you get very good at getting of the bike during slow speed crashes.
oooooooof! that made me feel a little bit sick.. 🙁
Solid riders?
Gah ha ha..
if by "Solid" you actually mean novices/beginners with huge excuse lists, then, yes some Solid riding there boys!
Sorry, I didn't foresee "comforting" other riders as a requirement in signing up for an internet biking forum?.. There's certainly no mention of it in the rules. (Which I have read in full after being asked nicely to by the mods)Nice Persona, I'm sure your friendly advice has been a huge comfort!
Why is it so hard for some people to accept a little honesty? if you post a video of yourself riding terribly and crashing, would you honestly rather I agree'd that you'd just had "a momentary lapse in concentration" and just made up some shit about the you having great skills/bottle or whatever, tell you not to worry and it's probably a 1000000 to 1 chance of such a freak accident ever happening again, just to make you feel better?
😕
I suspect what they were expecting was 'blimey that looks nasty, we all make mistakes and hopefully you've learned from this one'?
you don't have to comfort anyone if you choose not to you shouldn;t however;
[i]No posts which in the opinion of the moderators are solely intended to, or are likely to provoke or abuse any individual or group.[/i]
and you do seem to be in danger of straying into that area?
Persona clearly has an agenda. My guess is he's written a book. Within those pages will be 'The' definitive guide to riding like a Pro. It will cut to the chase no doubt. I can't wait to get my copy to be honest.
See.. I did actually ask the moderator about this grey area.No posts which in the opinion of the moderators are solely intended to, or are likely to provoke or abuse any individual or group.
I got no reply.
Seems to me there are too many users on here who can't cope with a little honesty and for some reason to feel the need to wade in to defend others with absolutely nothing to back up their arguement. and all of a sudden the only honest sensible reply to the thread is accused of "deliberately trying to provoke/abuse" Who made up this crazy ruling?
is laughing when someone bigs up their quite clearly awful riding skills really considered abusive? Pointing out and correcting where someone's gone wrong or just typed a complete load of utter tripe, provocative?
lots of uptight folk on here, why? it's sunny out, the trails are dusty and the roads are quiet
[i]and all of a sudden the only honest sensible reply to the thread is accused of "deliberately trying to provoke/abuse"[/i]
why do you think you're the only one telling the truth?
[i]
lots of uptight folk on here, why? it's sunny out, the trails are dusty and the roads are quiet [/i]
yet here you are, trying to justify your 'honesty' in the face of honest disagreement and not out riding the trails or roads?
Should have said "first" rather than "only" smack my wrists with a wooden ruler! 8)
Don't you worry, I'll be out as soon as I'm finished work same as every day
Damn,
I done a big drop that was probably "out of my skill level" last weekend, landed it successfully and didn't think of it again other than "that was awesome".
Now shitting myself as to what could of happened!
Luckily my drop had a straight, root free line up that was down hill - just let go of the brakes and go....
lots of uptight folk on here, why? it's sunny out, the trails are dusty and the roads are quiet
Its simply because we are all off work due to being injured from crashing whilst out on our bikes. This is due to the fact we are all inferior to you , obvs.
hell I rode into a massive tree.
I crash more than most, wouldn't dream of looking for sympathy for my own mistakes though. 😉
[b]If you're not crashing, you're not trying hard enough![/b]
Hope you feel better soon OP, the slow silly tumbles often turn out to be the worst IME, I'm sure I've walked away from "Bigger" stacks than that but sometimes momentum is your friend...
TBH you look tired and fatigued and that's when the errors in judgement creep in, you did say you'd been up early with your nipper, that I can relate to, I think some people perhaps don't appreciate just how knackered most Dads with younger kids are half the time.
The best thing to do is get back on and ride ASAP, overcome any self doubt before it becomes entrenched.
Persona: While I can see you are being "honest" you are also being a bit of a dick about it too (I'm just offering an Honest Critique of your communication Skills)...
I think you could have been a shade more gentle with your delivery of truth rather than wading in there with "Brutal Honesty"... I think the OP has been pretty open and receptive to [U]Constructive[/U] criticism from most people in this thread...
Yep. Tiredness/fatigue towards the end of a ride is usually when we have people come off in our group. Trying to "keep up" when tired is lethal as you don't maintain proper technique like pumping and absorbing with your positions on the bike. Often lazily going into something without commitment causes problems like in the OP. Get well soon.