[sanjuro]

I was reading the teaching thread, and I was thinking about one aspect about teaching mtn bikes to women: the inevitable first crash.

I was wondering how most women reacted to their first crash, and how you would prepare another woman about crashing.

 

[Velocity Girl]

Hmmm...I don't remember how I reacted to my first crash but I remember reacting to my ex after my first crash(es) on the trail. I was ridding toe clips...aka, deat traps...and having a miserable time getting into them, ended up ripping one off, falling all over the place and all on I trail I probably shouldn't have been on. He was getting all pissy with me for being frustrated, I remember throwing my bikes into the woods in frustration...hehehe.

I think letting beginners know that they can, and will, crash is a good thing. Not to scare them, but just to be honest. And I think how the teacher reacts to the students crashes is far more important. It's very frustrating, they'll have days they're spot on, and then days that nothing goes right. Be patient and let them get pissed and get it out of there system, offer to help them with something but ask them to let you know when they're ready. Right after you crash is not always the time you want to hear how you screwed up...."I just crashed, I know I screwed up thank-you very much " Now that I've been riding awhile the first thing I ask after I crash it "what did I do" but in the beginning, sometimes you just need to walk away. Also be aware of the temporary setbacks that first crash (or any) can cause and don't push to hard.

I think one of the nice things to know from a vet as newbie though is that we all still crash sometimes. The times get fewer and further between but we're still human and not immune to it

 

[sanjuro]

Unfortunately, I remember only the bad stories, like the mechanic who convinced his girlfriend to take her first mtn ride, then she crashes a 1/4 mile from the trailhead and never rides off road again.

 

[MudGrrl]

It depends on the person.

I pulled my first endo when I was in 4th grade. I cried my little butt off. Was fine half an hour later with a dish of ice cream sitting in my lap.

I got back into riding last year. Last summer, I crashed 3 times on a ride with friends. I can't tell you how many times I did the slo mo topple with the clips... in front of people.....

Some people care more about other people's perception of them. They don't want to crash because that will make them vulnerable, less macho, not skilled, un-worthy....

Some people are more worried about cosmetics. Chicks mostly. What happens if they get a bruise on their leg? They can't wear their lil shorts on Friday to the party where the cute guy is going to be.

Other people.. myself included, are more worried about being told to remain stationary for a week if not more due to injury.

The only reason I don't want to crash is because it might make a couch monkey outta me. I hate sitting still.

I know I will crash more. Everyone does.

 

[dhjill]

Yep...seasoned vet or newbie...we all crash!

As far as how to prepare her and react to her first crash, like someone else pointed out...telling her it's inevitable helps a lot. Tell her she's gonna get some scrapes and bruises. On the reaction part...you probably know her pretty well. When she hurts herself or gets sick, does she want the attention (some people do) or does she prefer to be left alone? If she's the "left alone" type, don't make a big deal out of her crash unless she clearly asks you for help. If she like to be coddled a little bit, give her the attention she needs, wipe the blood of her scrapes, dust off her jersey...and then continue the ride when she's settled down a bit.

Good luck!

 

[K2Crazy]

I remember my first endo....over the handlebars onto my feet, thinking "That's it???" So far, my worst injuries (all truly minor) are from falling over, not actually crashing.

 

[sanjuro]

BTW, in case anyone is interested, I took a bad dump today about halfway through my ride. I skinned my knee, shin, and elbow. I spent the rest of the ride quoting "Roadhouse" and "Gattaca":

"Pain don't hurt"

&

"Don't save anything for the swim back"

Am I stupid or what?

 

[Repack]

Lead by example. My girlie had seen me crash so many times that she became somewhat desensitized to it.

 

[Capt. Jack Sparrow]

My first mtn. biking crash occurred in the winter. I was riding XC on icy patches with fully-inflated, non-studded tires because I would rather ride and fall than not ride at all. My rear tire slipped on ice, I crashed, and I banged my knee so hard I almost felt nauseous. I looked down at my spandex pants and saw maroon on black. Ew. But it was cold, so I didn't feel the pain as bad. I just hopped back on my bike and forced myself to ride on without getting all emotionally scarred about it. Honestly, I felt kinda badass for having crashed, because crashing tells me I pushed my limits.

Crashing is inevitable and can be fun!

 

[TreeSaw]

I've been known to throw and/or kick my bike while screaming obsenities at it, the trees/rocks/whatever & my husband I have crashed SO many times that I don't really remember my first one. I still crash just about every ride...it lets me know I am pushing my limits and working hard

Like the others have said...let the beginner know that everyone crashes and be realistic about it. I wear arm & leg guards on most of my xc rides because we ride very technical trails and I crash a lot (trust me, I have the bruises to prove it).

Definately know your beginner...do they like to be coddled or left alone. I personally like to be left alone. When I first started riding and would crash, my husband would rush to my side and try to baby me...bad idea!!! It only made me more angry and resentful of how much better a rider he was than me. Now he tends to laugh, take a pic and later (after the ride or later in the ride) tell me how funny the crash was and survey me to see if I got hurt.

 

[mtnluvn]

Scars are cool. Every scar tells a story, and the stories are better when they involve fun things like bikes and boards rather than dumb things (although often still pretty darn funny) like slipping on the gravel in a parking lot and having to dig a pebble out of the palm of your hand. It's much better when one is having fun in the process of embedding dirt and gravel in their skin, which is absolutely inevitable at some point. Just don't let the fear of falling stop you from going out and having fun and pushing yourself, as long as you ride smart and know your limits and don't do anything heinously stupid. Falls USUALLY look worse than they are

 

[santacruzer87]

I didn't used to mind crashing, I thought scars told stories and what not. Then I started to get big into riding DH and I've found as I get faster the crashes get worse and I fear them more. For me thats the biggest challenge with racing now, the skill is there, but Im up against myself, if I can control my emotions I kill it. If I dwell on eating **** clipped in I hold back too much.

Sorry that wasn't even really advice.


-Ryan

 

[K2Crazy]

It sort of was advice...

"Don't think, just do".

 

[bluebug32]

I'm excellent at crashing and the people I work with are used to me coming in with my ice pack. The key is to learn how to crash gracefully, to learn what you did wrong and to, ultimately try to laugh it off.

The first time I rode clipless (on a brand new bike nonetheless), I decided that it probably wouldn't be so bad to try a trail through the woods--a trail I'd never done before. It had some sudden ups and downs and my body was rigid, my mind constantly reminding me that I had to clip out. I was definitely hamming it up in front of my boyfriend, going a little too fast and suddenly.... BAM! a HUGE root at the corner of a sharp turn. I slammed on my brakes and felt my entire body drop sideways with the bike into a giant, prickly bush. I was still clipped in with my bike on top of me and my boyfriend had to untwist me from the tree and my bike cables.

Beth

 

[Snacks]

My first real crash was rolling( ) off a wooden platform 5+ft. high. Landed on my head. Broke my collar bone and herniated 2 discs in my lower back. My b/f and I had to walk out of the trail 2 miles.

It took me a good year to 'forget' the pain of that crash.

I still crash, but I'm much more confident on my bike and I don't think I'd trade any of my crashed for what I learned from them

 

[geargrrl]

there's all those stupid little tipovers into the tree trunks. My first big crash was on a group ride, which at that time I hardly ever did... airborne in a gully and I'm dam lucky I didnt' break anything. It was really weird being with a bunch of strangers, hard for me to just not totally cry, I think I was more freaked out and shaken up than anything. I was embarassed too being with a group. But the gals were all really sweet about it.

Now, I just try and have a good laugh once I'm done shaking.

here's a good one for you: It's really bad when people are talking about you before you even get back from the ride.

ok, you can stop laughing now. ;-)

 

[RhinofromWA]

" Now that I've been riding awhile the first thing I ask after I crash it "what did I do"

I normally ask "is my bike OK?"

or I ask "will somebody grab my bike" Like in Spokanes DH race....I separated my shoulder and wasn't realy near my bike when I figured it out. : I think the medics thought I might be in shock....when I was cracking jokes. (just my way of dealing with my self dissapointment) That and they wouldn't believe me when I said my arm didn't feal good resting on my chest....it wanted to hang out. I guess I wasn't kicking them in the shins enough to have them believe me.

At another DH race when I became intimate with a tree at speed.....I couldn't get up....and couldn't breathe right for awhile ((Edit: Mutoli) was there) Then I couldn't care less that bikes were coming....let them hit me...I didn't care. That is when it is bad....If I can't even think to move. (Edit: Mutoli), where you the one that found my glasses? After that hit I can honestly say I was spooked....now I take it easier...aka slower. I guess 5 days in ICU and another 5 in general observation will do that to you.... :

Some crashes can shake you pretty good...and people will take their own time to accept it and ride on.

I believe it has been mentioned above. The reaction from the crowd can make the actual event better or worse than it needs to be. Like little kids who trip and instantly look up to thier parents for the appropriate reaction....if you laugh and give them a thumbs up, all is good. If you run over sobbing and coddling them for a skinned knee they are going to freak out.

I try to get up and laugh when I crash.....but sometimes it just isn't funny.

 

[hooples3]

I know crashes happen, but i try my best for them not too. when riding XC i dont worry about crashes too much. most pain is tolerable. Now when i go DH'ing, I make sure I have all mny gear on. I am a big guy and it hurts when i go fast and fall, luckily I know how to fall correctly for the most part, but I can't seem to shake the idea of getting seriously hurt. Its not really the pain its the sitting around not doing anything, and the loss of work .

 

[yentna]

My coworkers call me "crash'n'burn" from all the bruises I regularly wear to work. I'm a chick, hate crashing, but agree that if I'm not crashing then I'm playing it too safe, not pushing myself. (Um, yeah, that's my way of rationalizing why I fall a lot.)

Not one that likes to be coddled either when I crash - it annoys the piss out of me when guys think I need to be babied. (Ok, the BF gets to coddle a little, but.....) But then, guys think it's pretty sweet when a girl gets injured, then get up and keep riding.

And that's the trick, getting back on the bike after a wreck. A beginner may not believe you at first (I'm sure I almost punched a friend when he suggested it after my first wreck), but once we/they're back on the bikt it'll be okay. The movement keeps them/me from getting too stiff, riding keeps my mind on something other than my sore (insert body part), and after a while the fear of falling again diminishes. Oh, and body armor / pads / etc help with keeping legs short-skirt-ready.

Lots of good stuff in this thread - I'm new here and like what I see!

 

[ridetoofast]

Hmmm...I don't remember how I reacted to my first crash but I remember reacting to my ex after my first crash(es) on the trail. I was ridding toe clips...aka, deat traps...and having a miserable time getting into them, ended up ripping one off, falling all over the place and all on I trail I probably shouldn't have been on. He was getting all pissy with me for being frustrated, I remember throwing my bikes into the woods in frustration...hehehe.

I think letting beginners know that they can, and will, crash is a good thing. Not to scare them, but just to be honest. And I think how the teacher reacts to the students crashes is far more important. It's very frustrating, they'll have days they're spot on, and then days that nothing goes right. Be patient and let them get pissed and get it out of there system, offer to help them with something but ask them to let you know when they're ready. Right after you crash is not always the time you want to hear how you screwed up...."I just crashed, I know I screwed up thank-you very much " Now that I've been riding awhile the first thing I ask after I crash it "what did I do" but in the beginning, sometimes you just need to walk away. Also be aware of the temporary setbacks that first crash (or any) can cause and don't push to hard.

I think one of the nice things to know from a vet as newbie though is that we all still crash sometimes. The times get fewer and further between but we're still human and not immune to it

thats great advice, but i've found that since i dont crash as often as i used i seem to save them all up for one SPECTACULAR crash at once...id rather have a bunch a little ones that one big one damnit!

 

[altagirl]

Wow, I don't even remember...

My very first mountain bike ride was like 5 years ago in Italy - on an XL bike that didn't fit me at all. And I was with my husband (then boyfriend) and a friend of ours. I remember we hit some mud and I managed to wreck into the only mud puddle for miles, so I was absolutely covered. It was pretty funny - definitely not anything that hurt me aside from my ego!

And that same day I tried my clipless pedals for the first time... I remember wrecking into a fence when I didn't unclip in time. But again - more laughs than anything.

The ugly wrecks came later - We went to Moab when I had all of a couple months of riding in, and I endoed about 100 yards into Slickrock. Bloody face, mild concussion... wow that hurt. And it was like 100 degrees. I kept going out to the Y, but I had about had it at that point.

Anyway, getting scraped up, bruised - that doesn't bother me much. It's just the frustration. I'd start thinking - WHY DO I WRECK SO MUCH? Which obviously - I wrecked so much because I had a couple of rides under my belt and was trying to keep up with guys who had been riding and racing for like a decade. Duh. But you can't help getting a little frustrated when you're the only beginner. And then my husband would give me advice like - "Quit wrecking". Thanks, hon. That helps.

And now I do crash a lot less. But sometimes they're uglier... I've needed stitches a couple of times. First time, I ripped my ankle wide open - you could see flesh and bone and I thought I was going to throw up. That freaked me out and hurt like hell. And then last year I ripped the back of my ankle/calf open on my pedal and it needed 3x as many stitches, but I guess, having been through it before - it was nothing at all. I ripped it open up at the top of Fire Swamp, looked down and saw bloody skin sticking out of my leg and said - whoa - that's gonna need some stitches. Kept riding, went down to the bottom, talked to my husband and the patroller there and then drove myself to the hospital. (so everyone else could keep riding).

And then I blew out my knee last year at Mammoth. Ugh. More than anything I was just PISSED that I couldn't finish my race run. Once I got off the trail and was waiting for the truck I cried for a minute (mostly because I knew I just lost my ski season) and then decided to quit feeling sorry for myself and by the time they got me to the bottom of the mountain I was laughing about something. And then proceded to drink enough beer I forgot my bike in the parking lot. (Luckily friends locked it up for me...)


Anyway...

I think when teaching beginners you just have to know the person. If they're going to be really upset if they're scraped up - maybe you need to get them some armor, take it a little slower, etc. (and show them that nothing accessorizes a cute little skirt like some scraped up knees! )

 

[MUTOLI]

I normally ask "is my bike OK?"

or I ask "will somebody grab my bike" Like in Spokanes DH race....I separated my shoulder and wasn't realy near my bike when I figured it out. : I think the medics thought I might be in shock....when I was cracking jokes. (just my way of dealing with my self dissapointment) That and they wouldn't believe me when I said my arm didn't feal good resting on my chest....it wanted to hang out. I guess I wasn't kicking them in the shins enough to have them believe me.

At another DH race when I became intimate with a tree at speed.....I couldn't get up....and couldn't breathe right for awhile (snacks was there) Then I couldn't care less that bikes were coming....let them hit me...I didn't care. That is when it is bad....If I can't even think to move. Snacks, where you the one that found my glasses? After that hit I can honestly say I was spooked....now I take it easier...aka slower. I guess 5 days in ICU and another 5 in general observation will do that to you.... :

Some crashes can shake you pretty good...and people will take their own time to accept it and ride on.

I believe it has been mentioned above. The reaction from the crowd can make the actual event better or worse than it needs to be. Like little kids who trip and instantly look up to thier parents for the appropriate reaction....if you laugh and give them a thumbs up, all is good. If you run over sobbing and coddling them for a skinned knee they are going to freak out.

I try to get up and laugh when I crash.....but sometimes it just isn't funny.

That was me that saw the whole thing and tried to help! That was spooky... Was Snacks there too??

 

[Velocity Girl]

And then my husband would give me advice like - "Quit wrecking". Thanks, hon. That helps.

Hehehe...don't you love that one...."Gee, ya think?"

My husband tells me that now, but it's all in fun. Used to piss me off when my ex would tell me that though because he was serious about it If I knew why I was crashing and could avoid it don't you think I would? It's not as if I enjoy crashing during a race run or crashing and bending yet another derailleur hanger (common problem on my first dh bike which was a modified Specialized FSR)

Dang girl you've had some nasty crashes!!!! **Knock on wood** I've yet to take the trip to the emergency room but I know it's only a matter of time. Being in this sport it's bound to happen eventually.

 

[altagirl]

My husband tells me that now, but it's all in fun. Used to piss me off when my ex would tell me that though because he was serious about it If I knew why I was crashing and could avoid it don't you think I would? It's not as if I enjoy crashing during a race run or crashing and bending yet another derailleur hanger (common problem on my first dh bike which was a modified Specialized FSR)

Dang girl you've had some nasty crashes!!!! **Knock on wood** I've yet to take the trip to the emergency room but I know it's only a matter of time. Being in this sport it's bound to happen eventually.

I'm pretty sure I've had that discussion before! "Are you telling me you think I'm just wrecking because I choose to???"

And yeah, I've had a couple of doozys... I was talking about the stitches in my ankle and some guy started giving me a lecture about how I should consider buying some armor. Uh - there's no more armor I can add to my body and still move. Really. I just manage to find the spots in between... What sucks is that second one (that was 20 some stitches in the back of my ankle) wasn't even from a wreck. I slipped a foot off a pedal going over some roots, it hit the back of my calf, the pins dug in, and then I bounced over another root before I could get my foot back on the pedal. Ya know how the back of most shin guards are just fabric or straps? Yeah... Anyway I didn't even come to a stop, let alone wreck. That took talent!!

 

[Velocity Girl]

I'm pretty sure I've had that discussion before! "Are you telling me you think I'm just wrecking because I choose to???"

And yeah, I've had a couple of doozys... I was talking about the stitches in my ankle and some guy started giving me a lecture about how I should consider buying some armor. Uh - there's no more armor I can add to my body and still move. Really. I just manage to find the spots in between... What sucks is that second one (that was 20 some stitches in the back of my ankle) wasn't even from a wreck. I slipped a foot off a pedal going over some roots, it hit the back of my calf, the pins dug in, and then I bounced over another root before I could get my foot back on the pedal. Ya know how the back of most shin guards are just fabric or straps? Yeah... Anyway I didn't even come to a stop, let alone wreck. That took talent!!

OUCH!!! My experience with flats wasn't quite as painful, but I do have two smooth circular scars on my right leg from goofing off in the parking lot....foot slipped, crank spun around and the pedal nailed me on the shin!! Those suckers ended up being pretty deep too! Just one more to add the collection....I swear by time I stop biking I'm not going to have to shave my legs anymore because it'll all just be scar tissue!

 

[RhinofromWA]

That was me that saw the whole thing and tried to help! That was spooky... Was Snacks there too??

Ooooo dang it. I am probably wrong. : I keep thinking Trail hacker was there....and my mind jumped to Snacks being the one there.

I didn't have my glasses on after the crash. (Yeah that is it, because they shot off my face on impact)

Yeah that was an attention getting crash.... I was the idiot who was holding up the others from practicing. : One of the looooongest drives to the hospital THAT MUCH I remember.

 

[robdamanii]

Generally I've found that crashing can be avoided by the "ditch and run" method.

Although, the more interesting the crash, the more comedic value it is. Like hopping a wet slippery log with your front tire, having your rear tire skid along the log, and suddenly finding yourself on the ground face down facing the opposite direction you were moving with your bike on top of you and foot tangled in the brake cables...

 

[TreeSaw]

Generally I've found that crashing can be avoided by the "ditch and run" method.

Although, the more interesting the crash, the more comedic value it is. Like hopping a wet slippery log with your front tire, having your rear tire skid along the log, and suddenly finding yourself on the ground face down facing the opposite direction you were moving with your bike on top of you and foot tangled in the brake cables...

Now there's a funny visual! Sounds like you have some great crashes too

 

[robdamanii]

Now there's a funny visual! Sounds like you have some great crashes too

I always try for the best. Ask Bluebug about my crashes. There have been some impressive ones.

 

[crazybikergirl]

Ok, so I have a friend who says lets go for an urban ride. (Very early spring in upstate NY). Ok, I say, and pull my extreme cheapo Mongoose "Mtn" bike... (if having 2 wheels and a suspension fork means it's a mtn bike) out of the garage and head out with him. At first we are taking it easy, going down curbs and shallow stairs. It's a group of about 10 people, only one other girl who was as much of a beginner as I was. We turn around a corner and ahead of me I see stairs, very narrow. I didn't see the ramp to the right of the stairs, it looked like a dead end, so I follow the guys down the stairs. The other chick, Alex, is next to me going down the ramp and just as my front tire hits the first stair I hear her say "damn! those stairs are steep!" Then, as I am standing up on my pedals, with my weight completely over the front tire, proceed to flip over the handle bars and crash face first into the pavement. It was glorious! I wasn't hurt, just some scrapes and bruises and sore spots. I kept going, and was kind of glad to get the first crash out of the way cause it wasn't bad, but it did make me freaked out about stairs for a while. I had a complex for some time. I got out on some real trails and am doing better, and now stairs don't bother me. At least I impressed all the boys by a) getting up without crying, b) putting my own chain back on, c) using my own tools to adjust the brake levers, d) asking "What the **** am I doing wrong?" with a grin, and e) finishing the ride!

Diana

 

[altagirl]

Now there's a funny visual! Sounds like you have some great crashes too

No kidding! Lately I've been trying to minimize damage by keeping my hands and feet tucked in instead of throwing them out to attempt wild recoveries. (Too many knee surgeries and bruised palms...)

But if you've got the agility to ditch and run -that's got to leave you a lot less scraped up than the tuck and roll!

 

[altagirl]

We turn around a corner and ahead of me I see stairs, very narrow. I didn't see the ramp to the right of the stairs, it looked like a dead end, so I follow the guys down the stairs. The other chick, Alex, is next to me going down the ramp and just as my front tire hits the first stair I hear her say "damn! those stairs are steep!" Then, as I am standing up on my pedals, with my weight completely over the front tire, proceed to flip over the handle bars and crash face first into the pavement.
Diana

Don't you love that? Just following the guys and suddenly they air over some huge obstacle or gap that only comes into sight for you when it's too late to bail... Ahhh nothing like the sheer terror of suddenly realizing you're screwed.

Good on ya for being so self sufficient and tough!

 

[Velocity Girl]

Generally I've found that crashing can be avoided by the "ditch and run" method.

Although, the more interesting the crash, the more comedic value it is. Like hopping a wet slippery log with your front tire, having your rear tire skid along the log, and suddenly finding yourself on the ground face down facing the opposite direction you were moving with your bike on top of you and foot tangled in the brake cables...

I don't know how many times I've been in a similar scenario with the slick log, but I find myself on the ground still clipped in and the bike on top of that leg!!! It's especially difficult when it's the dh bike....trying to manuveur that big as bike and stand up on uneven ground one-legged so you can unclip f'in blows!!!! But definitely has a comedic value of about 10!!!

 

[laura]

i reacted to my first (and second, and third..........) crash by thinking wow, that didnt hurt nearly as bad as i thought it would. i think its hard to prepare someone for a first crash. the best advice i got was, "you WILL crash, tuck and roll".

 

[Echo]

Ok, so I have a friend who says lets go for an urban ride. (Very early spring in upstate NY). Ok, I say, and pull my extreme cheapo Mongoose "Mtn" bike... (if having 2 wheels and a suspension fork means it's a mtn bike) out of the garage and head out with him. At first we are taking it easy, going down curbs and shallow stairs. It's a group of about 10 people, only one other girl who was as much of a beginner as I was. We turn around a corner and ahead of me I see stairs, very narrow. I didn't see the ramp to the right of the stairs, it looked like a dead end, so I follow the guys down the stairs. The other chick, Alex, is next to me going down the ramp and just as my front tire hits the first stair I hear her say "damn! those stairs are steep!" Then, as I am standing up on my pedals, with my weight completely over the front tire, proceed to flip over the handle bars and crash face first into the pavement. It was glorious! I wasn't hurt, just some scrapes and bruises and sore spots. I kept going, and was kind of glad to get the first crash out of the way cause it wasn't bad, but it did make me freaked out about stairs for a while. I had a complex for some time. I got out on some real trails and am doing better, and now stairs don't bother me. At least I impressed all the boys by a) getting up without crying, b) putting my own chain back on, c) using my own tools to adjust the brake levers, d) asking "What the **** am I doing wrong?" with a grin, and e) finishing the ride!

Diana

Ha, I remember that crash welcome to the