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How much do you crash?

bdamschen

Turbo Monkey
Nov 28, 2005
3,377
156
Spreckels, CA
I've been thinking about this for a while. I don't crash very much. I've been mt. biking in one form or another on and off since 1986, and lately (the last year or so) I haven't had that many crashes.

I ride pretty hard and am usually keeping up with or in front of the guys I ride with. I don't hit a lot of huge jumps(I have been learning how to jump better though), but I do end up on some pretty technical dh. Even when I do crash lately, most of them haven't really rung my bell or anything.

So am I not pushing myself hard enough or have I just gotten good enough that crashes don't happen much?
 

mtbpaint1

Monkey
Apr 25, 2005
326
0
University of Connecticut
I was just thinking about this the other day. This past season I have crashed very little to the amount I crashed the season before. Although the season before last I thought I had progressed a lot more than I had this past season. I look at it as if your not crashing your not pushing yourself and learning your limits. Crashing is the only way to know how fast, how high, how far, you can really go.
 

gonefirefightin

free wieners
when I ride I try to get a little crazy during the first part of the ride and test my limits. I will end up crashing and then I take it down one notch for the rest of the day.

So to answer your question, everytime I ride.........unless there are chicks watching of course
 

nmn25

Monkey
Jun 12, 2006
314
1
portland or co springs
Like chuck norris, I never crash:busted: !

I have about one or two good ones a year. Never really hurt myself (got a few scars, but no broken bones yet, from biking anyways. Knock on wood).
 

PatBranch

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2004
10,451
9
wine country
I'm kind of like you bdamschen. I don't go for really big stuff and ride some pretty technical stuff (sb).

The last time I rode coldsprings, my front wheel hit a square edged rock on a very narrow steep (less than a 1' wide) section and I fell down the cliff. I landed sitting down next to my bike..armor is nice.

Last year at firestone, I hit one of the small burms too fast w/o enough lean and flew over it screwing up my race run. At the last Fontana race (practice saturday and race sunday)..I crashed once during my practice run. I cleaned the last rockgarden pretty fast, then slipped out hard in the loose less rocky area below.

When dirt jumping, I don't crash much at all, although I have been hitting some bigger jumps in the past few months.
 
Feb 10, 2003
594
0
A, A
im pretty sure eventually everyone learns how to ride on that limit and if they do crash its one either learns how to crash or suffers...sort of a Darwinism effect
 

TeamFatKids

Chimp
Feb 18, 2007
11
0
Let me think.

James (the Bandito): Broken arm from the BMX track
Colin: Broken collar bone last year
Ian: Too many times and helmets to count. Thank god for Dainese
Kristin: Laid out a few times
Bridget: I have a bridge on a trail outside of NOLA named after me for being the first person to fly off of it and into the swamp.

But its like the banned one says (a lot) "If yer not crashin, yer not tryin!" Then he'll do something cute like give my brother with the broken wrist the advice of "Just keep rolling it around, you don't want it to stiffen."
 

Arena_Swe

Chimp
Aug 28, 2006
43
1
San Francisco, CA
Doesn't it depend on what U want to get out of your downhilling, if you are getting in or already are racing seriously U should keep yourself close to the edge and crash from time to time so that U know where your limit is, but if your more of amteur hobby rider and getting old, hehe have kids and whatnot then it's better not crashing.
 

ATOMICFIREBALL

DISARMED IN A BATTLE OF WITS
May 26, 2004
1,354
0
Tennessee
Usually only on a DH race run ! I have to practice faster all the time like Steve aet does..Just ride fast all the time,not just on DH race runs !
 

nh dude

Monkey
May 30, 2003
571
16
Vt
i crashed so much in 2006 i think i got it out of the way for 07.
during a race weekend i definatley want to crash alot on saturday in the am but not so much in the pm as i get the course figured out
 

zahgurim

Underwater monkey
Mar 9, 2005
1,100
12
lolAsia
Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. Depends how much beer is inside of me.
More beer= me bouncing off the trees smoother.
 

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
23,926
14,438
where the trails are
rarely.
that said, the last time I "really" crashed I broke my collarbone.
I feel that crashing and getting up with just a bump or scrape is a great experience ... learning without harsh consequences.
 

firemandivi

They drank my Tooters
Sep 7, 2006
784
-1
a state called denial
I was doing pretty good, no crashes all of last spring, summer, and early fall. Over the past three though rides I've gone over the handle bars on two of them. I guess my good fortune had finally cought up with me. Hopefully my new bike will treat me better. :)
 

coma13

Turbo Monkey
Feb 14, 2006
1,082
0
I look at most of my riding as the early stages of a crash... I'm ready to go down at any given time...
 

JRogers

talks too much
Mar 19, 2002
3,785
1
Claremont, CA
I crash less than I used to. Regular XC/AM trails, I almost never crash. I may dump it once or twice in a weekend of DH. On a race weekend, I'll probably have a good spill or two. This past year, I didn't race much at all, but had pretty good sized crashes at the races I did do. Once my chain jumped off the guide while I was sprinting, causing me to do a body slam into the ground. The other time was going off the Road to Nowhere at Diablo...hit the brakes for the turn after it way too late and hit a guy...
 

urbaindk

The Real Dr. Science
Jul 12, 2004
4,819
0
Sleepy Hollar
Riding DH, maybe one good one per ride. I'm a relative noob and I'm learning. If you don't lose it every once and a while, you ain't pushing it. Well that's my theory anyway. It could just be that I can't corner for shiznit.

Freeriding, (jumping, riding skinnies, etc.) I'll fall dozens of times. No big deal. It's just part of the process.
 
You say you need to crash to progress, but there is a definite trade off, you can't progress when your laid up with broken bones.

I think you need to pick spots/times to push yourself, do this on a section your feeling specifically confident about, our a new jump that is big and scary but well built. Avoid pushing your limits to far when there are big consicuences, like cliffs or trees real close to the trail or on airs that may not be constructed very well.

This has been my strategy over the last few years which has lead to some good progression and kept my pretty healthy along the way.
 
Feb 23, 2005
436
2
Spokanada
Depends on the day...but for the most part I have been crashing less and less as time goes on. You learn to guage speed and adjust your weight better, feel more and more comfortable on you steed, and just getting saddle time makes you that much better. Typically when I crash its because I did something stupid, someone else did something stupid, or something failed mechanically on my bike.

The last stupid thing I did...pedaled in a drop that required more brake then speed, resulted in three broken ribs.

The last stupid thing someone else did...crashed on a blind step up and left his bike in the lz for me to land on, resulted in a broken wrist.

The last mechanical failure...spontanious rear wheel delacing, reulted in a massive yardsale with a broken visor, sprained neck, and a broken knuckle.

Its true that the harder you push yourself the more you crash. But I have found there are much smarter ways to do things. This realization most likely came from aging and the fact that I dont bounce as well as I used to anymore. I like to push myself in smaller incriments now so the consequences are less severe. Sure you could just step up and huck that 30 footer, but wouldnt it make more sense to work up to it by hitting the 10, 15, 20, then 25 footer? This has been the way I have been riding the last couple of years and it has certainly helped. Sure I'm not progressing as fast as some of these kids out there, but by being a little behind the curve and taking things slow will mean that there is always going to be that next bigger stunt out there for me to work up to.
 

rockwool

Turbo Monkey
Apr 19, 2004
2,658
0
Filastin
three broken ribs.

a broken wrist.

a broken knuckle.
You need to drink more milk! Calsium is your word of 2007.




Some guy here on RM needs to excuse me, cus I've been the real Sir Crash-a-lot. Not many ugly ones though. A fecked crusiate once. Need to calm down, getting old. We'll see...
 

dhkid

Turbo Monkey
Mar 10, 2005
3,358
0
Malaysia
i generally dont crash much... i dont go big on jumps or drops, i only go big when i need to in races.

i never used to crash much at all. coz i dont like going over my limit and hoping for the best. bit too conservative some times. but in the past two years i started crashing more, but just small spills, most of the time when trying a new section... just pushing it till i am off the bike.

before i started crashing more in the past two years, when ever i used to crash i would take longer to recover, now after i have put some time in the gym and work on my tuck and roll technique i rarely get injured much, even hitting trees i recover much faster.
 

Anders

Monkey
Mar 5, 2002
436
0
Carlsbad, CA, USA
while dhing once a day. i usually dont get hurt since i got full body armor now, and i know not to stick my hands out to break my fall. when riding urabn i rarely fall from lack of skill, just when something breaks :twitch:
 

siege

Monkey
Sep 30, 2006
155
0
kapolei, Hi
its good to crash a little. it reminds you that you can push it and still get back up and ride. Injuries are signs that you should pad that area for next time. Yar
 

NapalmCheese

Monkey
May 16, 2006
261
0
Los Gatos
its good to crash a little. it reminds you that you can push it and still get back up and ride. Injuries are signs that you should pad that area for next time. Yar
In that case, I get reminded a couple of times per ride, even when racing through parking lots...

 
May 1, 2006
312
0
The ADK's
i always crash, how many times depends on my mood, am i really pushing, am i messing around or am i just in cruise mode. each ride out i always hate the first crash because i know its coming, but im always glad when its over, as long as im not seriously hurt. crashing usually builds confidence, and if im not crashing im not pushing myself to go bigger, get faster and be smoother. watch the extras on any mountain bike DVD, pro's are humans too, everyone crashes.
 

bpatterson6

Turbo Monkey
Jul 1, 2004
1,049
0
Colorado
My last 3 crashes have been pretty good ones.
1. Broken Foot - Dual Slalom course
2. 16 Stitches - Big step down (Named: Pole humper)
3. Hurt shoulder (possibly rotator cuff) Step down/Road gap @ Bootleg.

It's frustrating. I push myself harder and harder every year.
As I get older, it gets harder and harder to recover from said crashes.
Makes me wonder if it's worth it sometimes. especially when I take a hard spill.
 

Ian F

Turbo Monkey
Sep 8, 2001
1,016
0
Philadelphia area
I liked/needed to to have one minor crash or less-than-graceful dismount every DHing session... preferrably early in the session. It loosens me up and reminds me that the armor works... Most of the time, injuries are minor...

That said, I didn't crash as much later in my career... possibly because multiple injuries (that still haven't healed 5 years later...) started making me timid... That's when I knew it was time to hang it up. :plthumbsdown:

Now when I ride and I don't really push the limits at all.

YMMV
 

Red Bull

Turbo Monkey
Oct 22, 2004
1,772
0
970
when i crash i crash hard. i generally dont get hurt and its always in practice so i usually know my limits in that secion and go as fast as i safely can. it seems to work out alright for me
 

demo 9

Turbo Monkey
Jan 31, 2007
5,910
46
north jersey
if u arent crashing it doesnt neccessarily mean u arent tryin hard enough. you might know your limits and be expanding them but at a safe rate.
 

Sir_Crackien

Turbo Monkey
Feb 7, 2004
2,051
0
alex. va. usa.
i would say that i crash just enither to keep me in check. that being said though i don't crash much at all and when i do i normally get right back pu and keep riding. also more often than not i end up on my feet during the most nasty crashs i have, i have no clue how though. i would say that i wreck the most doing xc stuff because i really like to haul through the trails when i get a chance to let it loose. when i ride dh/fr i tend to calculate my chances more and therefore wreck less.
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
8 weeks ago Compression fracture T7 vertabrae and removed ribs from spine as well as sternum.
Last weekend crashed a nofooter plenty high and extremely wide spread, slipped a peddal right foot and came down only to have a nasty road rash and a crack on the forearm. Still rode and because of road rash I can't wear a cast so I am technically stil lable to ride. :D
If weather permitting we are at beacon again this weekend.

Your gonna go down, its not if but when! the rest is up to circumstances regarding the terrain and Murphys law. :D
 

fred.r

Dwangus Bogans
May 9, 2006
842
0
Reading this thread made my day. I had a long spell of not really crashing much, but then these past 4 weeks I've been crashing 2-3 times a ride. And gladly I started wearing my armor again about two weeks into my crashing season.
I think we all progress to the top of our game, so to say, when it comes to pushing it, but there is a transitional period between each big leap where you're skills haven't caught up to your riding, and you have a few weeks of crashing ahead of you while you catch up. That's what I think I'm going through right now, I'm riding faster than I used to, and I'm just getting used to it still, finding my limits for the time being.