Discussion
had my bike about a month now, and have been out every weekend, loving every minute. Was at llandegla again yesterday and was feeling fitter and more confident and having a blast...
one jump later, a skewed landing and am now the proud owner of a gashed knee, elbow and hip, along with some ripped clothing and some aching!
all part of the fun though and i'll be back out next week having learnt what not to do
anyone else care to recall their first big "off"?!
one jump later, a skewed landing and am now the proud owner of a gashed knee, elbow and hip, along with some ripped clothing and some aching!
all part of the fun though and i'll be back out next week having learnt what not to do
anyone else care to recall their first big "off"?!
My first was at Llandegla aswell, on the 'Masts' route (not an official run), luckily there was a nice big bed of heather there to break my fall so it was like landing on a pillow.
Managed to crunch my foot between a rock and the pedal during the initial exposed section of the Red aswell, that hurt a lot more, but not really an off.
Where abouts in NW are you?
Managed to crunch my foot between a rock and the pedal during the initial exposed section of the Red aswell, that hurt a lot more, but not really an off.
Where abouts in NW are you?
I've had plenty of off's (given that I'm mostly useless at XC riding), but my worst was at Keilder. There is a long climb on a smooth fire-road to 1900ft and then a very fast, rocky fire-road coming back down to the start of the trail. The trail is littered with big rocks (a bit bigger than a fist) with a rough line you can follow. It's easy to hit 25-30mph without really breaking a sweat.
So there was I, bombing down the hill throughly enjoying it all, relishing in the new suspension making riding even more enjoyable when I realised that the path I had taken put me straight over an exposed boulder with a ditch on the other side - I realised late so took avoiding action by throughing myself backwards off the seat to pull the front wheel up and at the same time trying to do a little jump to try and avoid my front wheel going straight into the ditch.
I managed to land, felt that moment of elation that I'd managed to avoid an incident, then fell off. Normally it would be have been a nasty scrape, maybe some cuts, but nothing overly major. Unfortunately for me, I landed on one of the fist size rocks, right on my ass/hip.
I broked my ass. Not a bone. My ass. The bloody muscle. The whole thing was managled with a huge dent in the middle. The problem was I was riding alone so after hobbling about for a while whincing I got back on the bike and finished the trail. It was agony and the next morning my ass was badly swollen whilst been coloured black, yellow, green and blue! I could sit, but try and walk, drive, stand up, lie down... Ouch.
The swelling went down after 2 or 3 days, the bruise went a fortnight later, but 4 months on the indentation is still there
So there was I, bombing down the hill throughly enjoying it all, relishing in the new suspension making riding even more enjoyable when I realised that the path I had taken put me straight over an exposed boulder with a ditch on the other side - I realised late so took avoiding action by throughing myself backwards off the seat to pull the front wheel up and at the same time trying to do a little jump to try and avoid my front wheel going straight into the ditch.
I managed to land, felt that moment of elation that I'd managed to avoid an incident, then fell off. Normally it would be have been a nasty scrape, maybe some cuts, but nothing overly major. Unfortunately for me, I landed on one of the fist size rocks, right on my ass/hip.
I broked my ass. Not a bone. My ass. The bloody muscle. The whole thing was managled with a huge dent in the middle. The problem was I was riding alone so after hobbling about for a while whincing I got back on the bike and finished the trail. It was agony and the next morning my ass was badly swollen whilst been coloured black, yellow, green and blue! I could sit, but try and walk, drive, stand up, lie down... Ouch.
The swelling went down after 2 or 3 days, the bruise went a fortnight later, but 4 months on the indentation is still there
mine was on the last "signposted" jumps bit on the red. got a little skewed on the landing off one of the jumps and .... ouch! lesson learnt though!
Im in Wrexham so llandegla is only down the road from me. It seems to get good and bad press but ive been the last two weeks and did coed y brenin the week before and i have to say i really like llandegla
Im in Wrexham so llandegla is only down the road from me. It seems to get good and bad press but ive been the last two weeks and did coed y brenin the week before and i have to say i really like llandegla
Not my first, but definitely my worst... a wet road descent in the Lakes, on the mtb, misjudged a right-hander and drifted out off the road, clipped the dry-stone wall and went flying off the bike. Unfortunately a bit of slate was sticking out of the wall and sliced into my left leg just above the knee - 12 internal stitches and 7 on the skin, the doctor commented that the cut was very clean and asked if it was a knife wound! 
Was very lucky not to damage the ITB or my quad muscle seriously.
Was very lucky not to damage the ITB or my quad muscle seriously.Crikey, cant remember the first big off, must be 30 odd years ago, followed by weekly encounters on my BMX...
The one that always sticks in my mind is when at Chicksands on my GT, (its a tad large) and got a jump completely wrong. The front washed out and I found myself heading face first towards a large log. Thankfully I had a helmet with a decent sized peak which folded over and covered my eyes as it clattered along the log. Bruised ego, scraped bike and a sore cheek.
The one that always sticks in my mind is when at Chicksands on my GT, (its a tad large) and got a jump completely wrong. The front washed out and I found myself heading face first towards a large log. Thankfully I had a helmet with a decent sized peak which folded over and covered my eyes as it clattered along the log. Bruised ego, scraped bike and a sore cheek.
Came off in Whistler (on A-line) a few weeks ago after riding for 6 hours. Lost my grip on the bars landing a fast jump, hit the next jump completely out of control.
Injury list;
Bang on the head, knocked out for god knows how long. Loss of memory (including name/address) for 3 hours.
Broken wrist and dislocated hand bone bits
Skinned knees
Bikes fine though
My first big off was in 1993. I launched off a jump at chicksands at 35mph, landed off trail and somesaulted. Landed on my head, and the helmet went flat. Apparently, all my mate could get out of me for 2 hours was "have I had a crash, is my bike alright" in a loop. Lost about 6 months memory (couldn't remember where I lived or worked for about 12 hours), but it came back pretty quickly, and what didn't I don't know about.
The bike was fine, btw.
The bike was fine, btw.
American iv said:
at Keilder. There is a long climb on a smooth fire-road to 1900ft and then a very fast, rocky fire-road coming back down to the start of the trail. The trail is littered with big rocks (a bit bigger than a fist) with a rough line you can follow. It's easy to hit 25-30mph without really breaking a sweat.
Deadwater fell. Rode that earlier this eyar and wished I'd got pads & full face helmet! As it was, I didn't fall off there - as you say, at speed, it's pretty sketchy with those big rocks everywhere - but it was a real sphincter clenching run.First big off was at Stile Cop, Cannock Chase. I landed a jump badly (yep, me too, there's a theme developing here guys
) which sent the bike towards the edge of the 'gully' the trail was following. Part way along, there was a tree stump in the side of the gully, which sort of grabbed the front of the front wheel and... well I'm not sure. Next thinig, I'm hurtling down the trail on my side thinking how well the large roundy pebbles tumbled beneath me and how little my speed was diminishing. Very lucky to have just a few cuts n bruises, mostly on my arm which had the sleeve of my jersey foolishly rolled up.My worst off was three weeks ago when I went headfirst down a steep muddy, rutted bank I'd been trying to ride on the singlespeed. Hit the top far too fast and the mud & ruts hoooked the front wheel. Rigid carbon forks don't do much to mask operator error... I landed shoulder first and was very lucky not to do serious damage. Even as it was, I could not pull on the bars properly to climb anything steep It stayed like that for a fortnight; I could push (press ups, bench press etc.) and I could sort of lift, but certain pulling (like on the handlebars to climb/jump etc.) was not happening.
About 3 years ago, i had just got my new bike. We were out with about 10 mates doing a day ride, fast downhill through some tree's. Enjoying my new bike a bit much, completely failed to see a tree, clipped the end of the handlebars/brake lever on said tree, launched into what by most accounts was a pretty impressive "superman" over the bars, landed in a heap amongst some big tree roots, then got hit on the back of the head by the bike........... Was winded, but felt ok. So did the rest of the ride, got home, had a shower, went to bed........ And woke up the next morning completely unable to sit up or bend. Turns out i had 3 broken ribs, oops!
And what did i learn that day??? no, no, it wasn't "slow down" it was "the best reason to have an expensive bike is that they tend to be lighter, so hurt less when they hit you on the back of the head after falling off"...... ;-)
And what did i learn that day??? no, no, it wasn't "slow down" it was "the best reason to have an expensive bike is that they tend to be lighter, so hurt less when they hit you on the back of the head after falling off"...... ;-)
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 25th October 11:15
sounds like im not alone at least! i have to admit to being on the internet yesterday learning how to take jumps with a little more finnese! I think next week will just be a gentle run out though!
The day after is definitely the worst though...was moving around like someone 40 years older yesterday - have developed several more bruises too, including a round, end-of-the-handlebar shaped one on my inner thigh!
The day after is definitely the worst though...was moving around like someone 40 years older yesterday - have developed several more bruises too, including a round, end-of-the-handlebar shaped one on my inner thigh!
I have developed some fairly inflexible rules with regard to person protection when out on the mtb. It does, occasionally get me some grief from some of the guys I ride with, but I don't really care - I'd rather look like a gay stormtrooper (their words, not mine), than cop for a potentially permanent injury.
- General/easy XC: helmet, gloves, no pads
- Hard XC on steep, fast or rocky terrain: helmet, gloves, knee pads & possibly elbow too.
- Downhill; Full face helmet gloves, knee & elbow pads & possibly body armour.
Edited by Digga on Monday 25th October 14:01
The first one I recall that hurt for more than a few seconds was a 'The Wall' Tiny little hump double, launched off the front and landed nose heavy on the second. Straight over the bars. Open my eyes to a front wheel like a Pringle and a swollen shoulder. Luckily I'd just fitted some hydro discs so one of the boys smashed the front wheel back round-ish and I limped back to the car park.
Dozens and dozens since...
Took a lump of mud to the goggles in Morzine, totally blind at 30mph, launched out of the top of a berm and landed on my pedal, gashed up all my side.
Hit a bank mid-air at Cli-mach X, front flip and landed on my Coccyx and had to endure the most painful drive of my life back to Cardiff.
Came off the road drop at Cwmcarn (the easy way) couldn't slow for the turn, went straight over the berm and into a tree grabbing branches as I went to slow down..
The last one though... Lost the back end on Penhydd at full attack speed, front wheel connected with a rock hidden in the undergrowth. Bars span and smashed my left wrist to bits, went over the bars head first into the trail (Fox Flux to the rescue) and landed awkwardly on my right elbow, most of it fell out in bits... 1.5hours waiting for my mate to get help, the great FC guys to get to me and eventually an Ambulance for some lovely gas&air and some morphine...
3 weeks later left Hospital with these lovely new bling Ti items.
Back on the bike 8 months later though! That was March, getting back up to speed now, another operation next month to remove the elbow plate and it's Whistler August 2011!
Dozens and dozens since...
Took a lump of mud to the goggles in Morzine, totally blind at 30mph, launched out of the top of a berm and landed on my pedal, gashed up all my side.
Hit a bank mid-air at Cli-mach X, front flip and landed on my Coccyx and had to endure the most painful drive of my life back to Cardiff.
Came off the road drop at Cwmcarn (the easy way) couldn't slow for the turn, went straight over the berm and into a tree grabbing branches as I went to slow down..
The last one though... Lost the back end on Penhydd at full attack speed, front wheel connected with a rock hidden in the undergrowth. Bars span and smashed my left wrist to bits, went over the bars head first into the trail (Fox Flux to the rescue) and landed awkwardly on my right elbow, most of it fell out in bits... 1.5hours waiting for my mate to get help, the great FC guys to get to me and eventually an Ambulance for some lovely gas&air and some morphine...
3 weeks later left Hospital with these lovely new bling Ti items.
Back on the bike 8 months later though! That was March, getting back up to speed now, another operation next month to remove the elbow plate and it's Whistler August 2011!
Ive only ever ridden off road once. This was prob 15 + years ago in the Lakes. (im looking for a bike at the mo to get me started again)
Went on one of those MTB tour things, Went down this big hill with some huge rocks. Didnt exactly break any speed records but got down ok.
One of the group had a flat when he got to the bottom. A couple of us went back up and had another bash at getting down this hill while he was fixing his bike.
I decided to grow some balls and go faster, all was going well about half way down i hit i presume was a big rock. Not really sure what happend i just remember lying on my back in a load of Ferns at the side of the path and hearing a load of people laughing. I got up from the ferns and there was about 25 Scouts laughing there little heads off lol
My body was fine - Pride was in bits
Went on one of those MTB tour things, Went down this big hill with some huge rocks. Didnt exactly break any speed records but got down ok.
One of the group had a flat when he got to the bottom. A couple of us went back up and had another bash at getting down this hill while he was fixing his bike.
I decided to grow some balls and go faster, all was going well about half way down i hit i presume was a big rock. Not really sure what happend i just remember lying on my back in a load of Ferns at the side of the path and hearing a load of people laughing. I got up from the ferns and there was about 25 Scouts laughing there little heads off lol
My body was fine - Pride was in bits
I can remember my first big off and it was 31 years ago!!
It was a downhill right hander in the road we lived in, drifted wide but still kept pedalling and smacked the pedal onto the kerb which launched me..
Next thing I remembered was the neighbour carrying me home semi concious.
Steve (still riding just as hard age 40)
It was a downhill right hander in the road we lived in, drifted wide but still kept pedalling and smacked the pedal onto the kerb which launched me..
Next thing I remembered was the neighbour carrying me home semi concious.
Steve (still riding just as hard age 40)
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