How to fall off a bike?
Bob Wheeler
books?
Should one tuck one's arms in? How about one's head? A quick google
didn't help, perhaps because I'm using the wrong words. Any suggestions?
--
Bob Wheeler --- http://www.bobwheeler.com/
ECHIP, Inc. ---
Randomness comes in bunches.
botfood
pick a spot, bail, tuck and roll. ..
DONT stick your hand out; you'll break wrists and/or collarbones.
catzz66
It is always important to time your fall so's you can have an
appropriate amount of time to do all that. How you arrange to have an
adequate amount of time to do all this is the question.
catzz66
"it only took a split second"
Joe S.
"Bob Wheeler" <bwhe...@echip.com> wrote in message
news:deb47$42d15bad$466e95ca$31...@nf1.news-service.com...
Here is a sure-fire way to learn how to fall:
1. Enlist in the Army.
2. Sign up for Airborne training.
3. Where a group of kindly, gentle sergeants in black baseball caps will
teach you the correct way to fall.
4. And you'll be paid to do it.
--
-----
Joe S.
US Army (Retired)
botfood
better chance of 'body memory' taking over in that split second.
Mark Hickey
>Are there places one can go to learn how to fall gracefully? Are there
>books?
>
>Should one tuck one's arms in? How about one's head? A quick google
>didn't help, perhaps because I'm using the wrong words. Any suggestions?
Always ride in groups. Then fall on the fattest rider in the pack.
Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame
Bob
> Are there places one can go to learn how to fall gracefully? Are there
> books?
>
> Should one tuck one's arms in? How about one's head? A quick google
> didn't help, perhaps because I'm using the wrong words. Any suggestions?
There is no such thing as a graceful fall. Whenever someone claims to
"know how to fall" it pays to remember that falling well- like most
physical activities- takes *practice* so those with the most 'skill' at
falling tend to be those with the poorest bikehandling skills. Better
to spend the time learning how to decrease the incidence of falls than
to become an expert "bouncer". Besides, no two falls are exactly alike.
The tuck and roll that might save you from a sprained or broken wrist
today is the same maneuver that will land you under the wheels of a bus
tomorrow.
Regards,
Bob Hunt
Tanya Quinn
You want to avoid your head contacting the ground. (after a few falls
this becomes more instinctual)
Wear padded bike gloves so your hands don't get skinned by asphalt.
(also useful for preventing numb hands, and for avoiding greasy hands
when having to adjust the chain or change a flat etc)
If you know you're going down in traffic, try to fall to the curb side
rather than the middle of the road side for obvious reasons :)
Tanya, falls now and again.
Tom Keats
Bob Wheeler <bwhe...@echip.com> writes:
> Are there places one can go to learn how to fall gracefully?
Not for those situations where the bike steers out from underneath
you, and you get slammed straight down into the ground in less time
than it takes to wink an eye.
But I knew a guy who dismounted by deliberately endo'ing in his
front yard, going over the handlebar, and landing on his feet
every time. I never bothered to learn that skill, 'cuz I just
don't like the idea of carelessly letting a bike fall over.
cheers,
Tom
--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca
Fritz
wrote:
>In article <deb47$42d15bad$466e95ca$31...@nf1.news-service.com>,
> Bob Wheeler <bwhe...@echip.com> writes:
>
>> Are there places one can go to learn how to fall gracefully?
>
>Not for those situations where the bike steers out from underneath
>you, and you get slammed straight down into the ground in less time
>than it takes to wink an eye.
>
>But I knew a guy who dismounted by deliberately endo'ing in his
>front yard, going over the handlebar, and landing on his feet
>every time. I never bothered to learn that skill, 'cuz I just
>don't like the idea of carelessly letting a bike fall over.
>
>
>cheers,
> Tom
The videos on this site will show a guy how to crash his bike.
http://www.bikerfox.com/
Maggie
Fritz wrote:
>
> The videos on this site will show a guy how to crash his bike.
> http://www.bikerfox.com/
It is a very good thing they put the following warning on that website.
I was just about to go out and try some of those handlebar tricks.
Whew...that was a close one. Good thing I saw that. ;-)
WARNING! The actions depicted on this web site are unbelievably
dangerous. BikerFox is a professional and experienced rider. Do not
attempt to duplicate any stunts that are beyond your own capabilities.
Always use discretion and wear the appropriate safety gear!
Maggie
Booker C. Bense
In article <deb47$42d15bad$466e95ca$31...@nf1.news-service.com>,
Bob Wheeler <bwhe...@echip.com> wrote:
>Are there places one can go to learn how to fall gracefully? Are there
>books?
>
>Should one tuck one's arms in? How about one's head? A quick google
>didn't help, perhaps because I'm using the wrong words. Any suggestions?
>
_ In general it happens way too fast to do anything. You're much
better off spending time learning not to fall in the first
place. Learning to bunny hop is a valuable skill.
_ Booker C. Bense
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Bob Wheeler
Everyone who rides will fall at some time -- no exceptions. I've fallen
several times, and so far I have been lucky with nothing more than a
scar on my chin and some temporary road rash. What brought this to mind
were two recent falls by riders who have been riding since the 1970's --
they must have each ridden more than 60,000 or 70,000 miles in their
time. It just happened that the two falls occurred in the last month --
randomness comes in bunches. Both were serious falls and both riders are
off their bikes for several months.
There is plenty of time to do things when you fall, the question is
what? Should I tuck my arms in, lower my head, and assume a fetal
position, or does this expose me to some injury? I've been riding a long
time, and I really don't know. So, cut the cute comments, and give with
the information, if you have any.
Roger Zoul
:: There is plenty of time to do things when you fall, the question is
:: what? Should I tuck my arms in, lower my head, and assume a fetal
:: position, or does this expose me to some injury?
Yes, falling exposes you to some injury.
Leo Lichtman
"Bob Wheeler" wrote: (clip) There is plenty of time to do things when you
fall, the question is what? (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I think the word "plenty" may have a different meaning for you than it does
for me. There is some truth in what you say, but there can also be falls in
which the rider becomes a helpless projectile, with not the time, nor the
strength nor the awareness to control the outcome.
Chances are the falls that you describe your friends having were in that
category. Those are the wrecks that produce serious injury, and there may
be little the rider can do about it. However, in the less severe cases,
chances are your instinctual defensive moves, combined with your cycling
experience, will help you minimize or avoid injury.
IMHO, the best way is to ride so you feel safe, while still doing things
that make the ride enjoyable.
lowkey
With grace and dignity - at least until you hit the ground.
--
'I may crack
But I'll never shatter' -meredith brooks
Booker C. Bense
In article <bfc88$42d2bceb$466e95ca$26...@nf1.news-service.com>,
Bob Wheeler <bwhe...@echip.com> wrote:
>
>Everyone who rides will fall at some time -- no exceptions.
_ You'll get no arguement from me about that.
>
>There is plenty of time to do things when you fall, the question is
>what? Should I tuck my arms in, lower my head, and assume a fetal
>position, or does this expose me to some injury? I've been riding a long
>time, and I really don't know. So, cut the cute comments, and give with
>the information, if you have any.
_ I've got the full set of scars ( knees, elbows and hips ) and I
can't recall a single incident where I had time to do anything.
I have a fairly instinctual shoulder roll that I've used a lot
skiing but in 30 years of bike crashs, it's never been of any
use. The only advice I have is wear a helmet and gloves.
_ When I was ski racing we did a lot of running shoulder rolls
to "learn to crash". I'm pretty convinced that's a useful thing
for skiing. I did not mean to be as smart mouthed as I apparently
came across, but I think your time would be far better spent
working on your bike handling skills rather than learning
shoulder rolls.
_ Booker C. Bense
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Bob Wheeler
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
>
> In article <bfc88$42d2bceb$466e95ca$26...@nf1.news-service.com>,
> Bob Wheeler <bwhe...@echip.com> wrote:
>
>>Everyone who rides will fall at some time -- no exceptions.
>
>
> _ You'll get no arguement from me about that.
>
>
>>There is plenty of time to do things when you fall, the question is
>>what? Should I tuck my arms in, lower my head, and assume a fetal
>>position, or does this expose me to some injury? I've been riding a long
>>time, and I really don't know. So, cut the cute comments, and give with
>>the information, if you have any.
>
>
> _ I've got the full set of scars ( knees, elbows and hips ) and I
> can't recall a single incident where I had time to do anything.
> I have a fairly instinctual shoulder roll that I've used a lot
> skiing but in 30 years of bike crashs, it's never been of any
> use. The only advice I have is wear a helmet and gloves.
>
> _ When I was ski racing we did a lot of running shoulder rolls
> to "learn to crash". I'm pretty convinced that's a useful thing
> for skiing. I did not mean to be as smart mouthed as I apparently
> came across, but I think your time would be far better spent
> working on your bike handling skills rather than learning
> shoulder rolls.
>
> _ Booker C. Bense
>
OK, but neither of my friend's falls nor any of mine can reasonably be
attributed to poor bike handling skills: just awkward situations that
could not be avoided. In one case the rider was crowded by a school bus
into a crack in the road -- he fell on his knee which jammed upward and
broke his pelvis. Could he have saved himself by assuming a fetal
position instead of trying to arrest his fall by extending a leg?
r15...@aol.com
> OK, but neither of my friend's falls nor any of mine can reasonably be
> attributed to poor bike handling skills: just awkward situations that
> could not be avoided. In one case the rider was crowded by a school bus
> into a crack in the road -- he fell on his knee which jammed upward and
> broke his pelvis. Could he have saved himself by assuming a fetal
> position instead of trying to arrest his fall by extending a leg?
Bob,
I don't know about your friend's crash--longitudinal
cracks can cause nasty, quick crashes--but in general
there is nothing to be gained from sticking a knee out
or assuming the fetal position (?). The way to crash,
if you can set up in any way, is to get the arms out,
don't tuck them in. If you're going down, use the leading
arm as a spring, to ease your body's impact and to keep
the head off the ground. Don't hold the arm out stiff,
youll break wrist or clavicle. Ideally you touch down
with the outside of a fist, forearm, the arm collapsing,
absorbing as much energy as possible, then onto
the back of the shoulder, and rolling all the way over
to distribute the force of impact. That's a pretty
rosey scenario. Hitting shoulder-first is ill-advised
for bike wrecks. Basically your bottom line is dont
let that head o yours smack hard into the pavement.
Robert
Kenny
the fall, don't do it. Keep your hands on the handlebars, tuck your
chin in and try to take the blow with your shoulder's deltoid area. If
you have kung-fu then this will be all automatic.
Booker C. Bense
In article <8f1bf$42d32cbe$466e95ca$32...@nf1.news-service.com>,
Bob Wheeler <bwhe...@echip.com> wrote:
>
>OK, but neither of my friend's falls nor any of mine can reasonably be
>attributed to poor bike handling skills: just awkward situations that
>could not be avoided. In one case the rider was crowded by a school bus
>into a crack in the road -- he fell on his knee which jammed upward and
>broke his pelvis.
_ Broken Pelvis is nasty, my condolences. But I do not consider this a
"situation" that cannot be avoided. Bike handling is involved.
> Could he have saved himself by assuming a fetal
>position instead of trying to arrest his fall by extending a leg?
_ Maybe, but he might have cracked his head on a sidewalk and
died instead. I find the whole idea of trying to "train" for
accidents pretty silly. There's just too many variables, too
little time and overriding instinctual behaviours is very
difficult.
>
>
_ The scenerio above is exactly the situation when a well timed
bunny hop will avoid the accident altogether or even just pulling
up the front wheel and getting the back wheel stuck will be a
much safer outcome generally. Training these kinds of reactions
seems like a much better use of your time. Practice bunny hopping
sticks and puddles until it's second nature.
The other thing besides a bunny hop is learning to handle the
bike if you go off the road into soft sand or gravel at high speeds.
_ Booker C. Bense
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frkr...@yahoo.com
Bob Wheeler wrote:
> Are there places one can go to learn how to fall gracefully? Are there
> books?
>
> Should one tuck one's arms in? How about one's head? A quick google
> didn't help, perhaps because I'm using the wrong words. Any suggestions?
My first suggestion is don't fall. If you ride smart enough, you can
reduce your incidence of falls to such a negligible level that you'll
have long since forgotten any techniques you hear on Usenet.
Your friend, who was run into a crack by a bus, might have avoided the
problem by being more assertive about taking the lane, and being more
aware of the road surface. I think advice in that direction is much
more valuable than advice about what to do with your body parts when
hell is breaking loose and you're scared out of your mind. Much better
to prevent hell breaking loose.
Aside from that: I suggest a year of judo lessons. Not karate; judo,
with flips and falls aplenty. I think that's the only way to get
enough drill time to make the moves instinctive. If you have to think
about them for half a second, it's going to be too late.
And to lay my cards on the table: I did the judo 40 years ago. And I
can't tell you if it works on the bike, because I've had only one
moving on-road fall in 30+ years, and that was at about 3 mph. Heck, I
hardly fall mountain biking. I try not to let hell break loose.
- Frank Krygowski
Claire Petersky
news:sh43d1djsm77irurm...@4ax.com...
> Always ride in groups. Then fall on the fattest rider in the pack.
That's why Nona, Steve, and Carol keep on inviting me to go riding with
them!
--
Warm Regards,
Claire Petersky
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky
John_Kane
I did some judo about 35 years ago and I actually have found that in
certain falls it does help (although the reflexive breakfall is not as
reflexive as it once was). However it does not seem to be useful in
all kinds of falls but in a least 2 falls it worked.
John Kane
Kingston ON
LioNiNoiL_a t_Y a h 0 0_d 0 t_c 0 m
> I did the judo 40 years ago. And I can't tell you if it
> works on the bike, because I've had only one moving on-road
> fall in 30+ years, and that was at about 3 mph.
I was also a judoka forty years ago, and I can tell you it doesn't work
on the bike. I've had maybe a dozen memorable falls over the intervening
forty years, none of which went well.
--
"Bicycling is a healthy and manly pursuit with much
to recommend it, and, unlike other foolish crazes,
it has not died out." -- The Daily Telegraph (1877)
Ken Spencer
> bunny hop will avoid the accident altogether or even just pulling
> up the front wheel and getting the back wheel stuck will be a
> much safer outcome generally. Training these kinds of reactions
> seems like a much better use of your time. Practice bunny hopping
> sticks and puddles until it's second nature.
> The other thing besides a bunny hop is learning to handle the bike if
> you go off the road into soft sand or gravel at high speeds.
>
> _ Booker C. Bense
What's a "Bunny Hop" please?
(sorry for the newbie question...)
Thanks,
Ken
Zoot Katz
<2005072223492275249%kspenceECM@i2000com>, Ken Spencer
<kspen...@i-2000.com> wrote:
>What's a "Bunny Hop" please?
A technique for simultaneously getting both wheels off the ground.
Bill Sornson
Just what it sounds like -- idea is to be able to /hop/ the bike over a
proverbial darting bunny (or more likely for road riders, squirrel) that
could cause you to wreck. Used more in mountain biking, probably, but a
good skill to have on pavement, too. (I can clear a book of matches...IF
it's layed flat!)
Bill "Big Air" S.
Ken Spencer
> proverbial darting bunny (or more likely for road riders, squirrel)
> that could cause you to wreck. Used more in mountain biking, probably,
> but a good skill to have on pavement, too. (I can clear a book of
> matches...IF it's layed flat!)
>
> Bill "Big Air" S.
Thanks! LOL... I will now go try it. If you don't hear back, you
can figure that I didn'g figure it out properly... :-)
Ken
--
(To reply via email, please remove "ECM" - thanks)
Ken Spencer
> http://www.bicyclepaper.com/bp/issues/June05/bp4.htm
Thanks for the reference. I was out riding the other day, and came
very close to a large
space between sections of pavement, and thought "Man, I could be in bad
shape if my front
wheel ever got caught in that..." Then I started reading this thread,
and saw a reference to the bunny hop. I just like knowing of the
possibility of even hopping my front wheel out of trouble. Now to go
try it...
thanks,
ken
Fritz M
> Bill "Big Air" S.
I *loved* that scene in Napoleon Dynamite. Pedro and Napleon rock!
I can bunny hop my geared road bike with clipless pedals about a foot.
My fixie I have to have the pedals in the "right" position and I only
get about six inches.
I can hop platform-pedal bikes several inches, but I really have to
think about what I'm doing -- it's not automatic since I rarely ride
platform-equipped bikes anymore.
Leo Lichtman
"Bill Sornson" Just what it sounds like -- idea is to be able to /hop/ the
bike over a proverbial darting bunny (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Bill, I always thought it was named for one's ability to hop LIKE a bunny,
not OVER a bunny. Could one of us be wrong?
Bill Sornson
Ah, you're probably right, Leo. That's just the way I always took it as
applied to mountain biking (we have a LOT of rabbits out on the trails here
in San Diego!).
My technique is more like a /sloth/ hop...
Gravity Challenged Bill
Claire Petersky
news:gVhFe.34368$5N3....@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
Bunny-hopping means to hop like a bunny, AFAIK. I have never heard that it
meant to hop over a bunny, which is actually fairly high off the ground.
Mark Hickey
>"Leo Lichtman" <l.lic...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
>news:gVhFe.34368$5N3....@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
>>
>> "Bill Sornson" Just what it sounds like -- idea is to be able to /hop/
>> the bike over a proverbial darting bunny (clip)
>> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>> Bill, I always thought it was named for one's ability to hop LIKE a bunny,
>> not OVER a bunny. Could one of us be wrong?
>
>Bunny-hopping means to hop like a bunny, AFAIK. I have never heard that it
>meant to hop over a bunny, which is actually fairly high off the ground.
Actually, the term originated in a small town in Pennsylvania. The
locals rode high-wheeler and would often congregate at the local
public house, drinking beer and bragging about their exploits on the
bike.
One night, after a particularly long night of drinking and bragging,
one of the locals claimed to have jumped a mother duck and eight
ducklings during that morning's ride. Few believed such a feat was
possible, and much posturing and insulting language followed (proving
that things really haven't changed in the last century).
Finally one of the more reasonable (read, sober) participants in the
discussion suggested recreating the feat. The party stumbled out into
the street, but were unsuccessful in a search for any ducks or
ducklings. In a flash of genius, one of the patrons suggested using
bakery products as stand-ins for the ducks. This was agreed to all
around, and soon, the road was adorned with a "mama" loaf of German
rye bread, and eight smaller buns to represent the ducklings. The
participants began to get somewhat sentimental about the hapless
bakery-supplied "victims" and named the loaf Gertrude. There was much
discussion about naming the buns, but in the end, no one could agree
on that many names, and they were simply named A, B, C, etc.
The claimant climbed aboard his unwieldy bike, and after accelerating
wildly down the cobbled street, lurched upward with all his might,
pulling the heavy contraption under him skyward. The high wheeler
soared over the mama loaf with inches to spare, much to the amazement
of the gathered crowd. It seemed for one shining moment that the bike
might actually clear the assembled bakery products, but alas, the rear
wheel touched down early and the last two bun "ducklings" were
transformed into rubber-marked crumbs.
"Not bad", said the bartender. "You may not have cleared all of them,
but you managed a pretty good Bun E hop". The crowd decided a round
of cold brews was in order to celebrate the event.
Who knows? If the cyclist had been a bit more skilled, he may have
invented Bun G jumping a century early!
Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame
Bill Sornson
Recent change of meds, Mark?
:-D
Ryan Cousineau
Mark Hickey <ma...@habcycles.com> wrote:
> "Claire Petersky" <cpet...@mousepotato.com> wrote:
>
> >"Leo Lichtman" <l.lic...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
> >news:gVhFe.34368$5N3....@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> >>
> >> "Bill Sornson" Just what it sounds like -- idea is to be able to /hop/
> >> the bike over a proverbial darting bunny (clip)
> >> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> >> Bill, I always thought it was named for one's ability to hop LIKE a bunny,
> >> not OVER a bunny. Could one of us be wrong?
> >
> >Bunny-hopping means to hop like a bunny, AFAIK. I have never heard that it
> >meant to hop over a bunny, which is actually fairly high off the ground.
>
> Actually, the term originated in a small town in Pennsylvania. The
> locals rode high-wheeler and would often congregate at the local
> public house, drinking beer and bragging about their exploits on the
> bike.
> "Not bad", said the bartender. "You may not have cleared all of them,
> but you managed a pretty good Bun E hop". The crowd decided a round
> of cold brews was in order to celebrate the event.
This is the shaggiest dog that has ever graced rbm.
--
Ryan Cousineau rcou...@sfu.ca http://www.wiredcola.com/
"I don't want kids who are thinking about going into mathematics
to think that they have to take drugs to succeed." -Paul Erdos
Mark Hickey
> Mark Hickey <ma...@habcycles.com> wrote:
>> "Not bad", said the bartender. "You may not have cleared all of them,
>> but you managed a pretty good Bun E hop". The crowd decided a round
>> of cold brews was in order to celebrate the event.
>
>This is the shaggiest dog that has ever graced rbm.
Woof. Thank you.
JerZFox
Diana B., LPN
Diva Nurse
JerZFox
JerZFox
The Wogster
> Excuse me, but I'd rather learn how to NOT fall off a bike!
>
The way to fall off a bike, is in such a way as to minimize damage,
first to the operator, and second to the bicycle. If it comes between a
broken deraileur and a broken leg, it's the deraileur that will die....
How not to fall off, first make sure everything is well maintained, and
second keep a careful watch for problem conditions.....
W
Bill Sornson
> Excuse me, but I'd rather learn how to NOT fall off a bike!
Heard ya the first two times! :-P
> Diana B., LPN
> Diva Nurse
If Celine Dion gets sick, we'll know who to send.
:-D