A guide to injury reduction in a mountain bike crash - how to protect yourself when a bike crashes

2021-05-06 08:39:55

Every rider can't avoid a crash, so how do you prepare for the crash and protect yourself? Wanting to crash safely is also a "craft", learning this "craft" can give you a chance to get up on difficult roads, and even directly resolve a dangerous crash! So today we are going to tell you all the knowledge that can make crashes safer, easier to avoid injuries, and even resolve the fear of crashes.

Before you start learning, first remember that you need to do all external protections during riding. We recommend that you at least need a helmet, knee pads and gloves to ride on non-paved roads.

The golden law of crashes

It's never too late to resolve the dilemma

No matter how far you crash and fly away, or how fast your rear wheel turns, you can always find a moment to resolve your dilemma. Remember to use everything you can control to reduce the damage in that critical moment.

Leave the bike alone.

Always protect yourself first! Throw the bike as far as possible before you crash, so that you are more likely to survive the crash.

Roll up like a ball

When you are about to hit the ground, hug your neck and head. Relax and roll on the ground. Rolling impact can disperse the force, much better than throwing it on the ground like a bag of potatoes.

Don't panic

The crash is terrible, but don't panic! The body's conditioned response to a crash is to stretch out your arms to absorb the impact. This can only end with a fracture. If you stay calm and prevent yourself from stiffening, you will have more chances to get yourself out of the crash.

Three common crashes and treatment methods

Every crash is definitely different, but most crashes are of the following three types.

Over-the-bars, OTB for short

Car crash scene: The most classic "face brake" (OTB) scene is when you suddenly shift your center of gravity to the front due to hidden packing, rocks or potholes. Usually the loss of control caused by this will be accompanied by flying limbs and face landing. But no matter what the scene is, the result is the same. You are thrown forward, ride on the handlebars and then fall onto the road ahead.

Solution: Depending on the speed of your crash, you may need to be ready to leave the OTB scene before you hit the ground. You can kick the car as far as possible by pushing on the pedals and flying over the handlebars. This allows you to land with your feet on the ground and then avoid falling. But a higher speed (and the use of a lock pedal) will make it more difficult to get out of trouble. If you cannot touch the ground with your feet, the alternative is to push the car away from the crash path, protect your head and neck with your arms, and then roll as far as possible to the ground.

High crash

Crash scene: This kind of crash is usually caught off guard. Maybe you just corrected the rear wheel swing, and then a large rock was attached to the rear wheel, or the handlebar hit a tree. Regardless of the scenario, the result is that your cycling distance changes direction, slides, and then locks up, and then throws you out along a high arc.

Solution: A crash from a high position will violently throw you into the air and throw you off the side. Will not leave you too much time to rescue the car. So your first task is to loosen the handlebars and get off the pedals as much as possible, away from the bicycle. Next, prepare for the "landing"-you have to face the reality, you don't have time to consider where is suitable for you to fall. In addition, you may roll over for a while due to the uncertain direction when you fall. The best way is to avoid rolling in the direction of trees or rocks as much as possible, and then pray that there will be no accidents. If possible, try to keep your feet on the ground first and keep your balance as much as possible. If there are no conditions, let's roll over!

Low crash (sideslip)

Crash scenes: Low-level crashes are usually caused by loss of grip. When the tires side slip, the car backs down in the opposite direction of the side slip, causing you to land on your side. This is very common in flat bends and false-curved walls, and low-speed sideslip usually occurs instantaneously.

Solution: Sometimes side slip can be resolved by supporting the ground with the inner leg. But this type of crash happens very quickly, so you won't have enough height to support your legs. (Completely different from high position and OTB). The best solution is to use the handlebar as a support point, and then curl your knees and elbows as much as possible.