I wanna make sure Seth gets full credit for the fact that he started this video by grabbing a fistful of front brake at speed to go over the bars on purpose, that's commitment. Well done 👊
I went kinda otb a few times so far and every time I managed to jump over the bars with my feet. It's easier than it looks. Still not easy enough to do it on purpose
did the exact same thing 20y ago.. wearing strap clips (got good at pulling my feet backward out of the straps so was showing someone that it could b done... Lucky for me it was on grass and I pulled it off without a hitch... I'm planning to do it for a vid sometime.. but at 55 I'm going to make sure it's on grass again.
The thing about crashing is it usually goes so fast that the ONLY thing that is going to save you is muscle memory. So the more you crash, the better you'll eventually get at it.
That happened to me 2 years ago still can't figure out how my front tire washed on a blue that I do all the time :( hope you get back on the horse better than ever soon
I suggest everyone do what I did and whip out to the yard and get in a quick 40+ years of trail bike riding (motorbikes)... Learned an excellent trick (in main comments)
@@LorenzoDeprado Yep... It seems that I fell so many times when I was a kid and teen that I now instinctually know to tuck an roll. I recently went over the bars and somehow caught the bike by the top tube as it was flipping over me... talk about a flow state.
This is entirely dependent on the situation, but you can also use the sole of your shoe against the back of your front tire as a brake. Lean back and press the flat of your foot into the tire and gradually increase pressure to slow yourself down. Growing up in the 90s in a place that wasn't financially well off, a lot of kids didn't have working brakes on their bikes and would do this instead.
I guess that could work, but I feel like you also have a good chance of getting your foot sucked into your tire and losing balance, then twisting the handlebars and breaking your leg :/
Nah I'll pass, friend did that one once. Leg was ok'ish just sprain and a bruise. But I newer before seen anyone faceplant faster on a bike. Broke a tooth, road rash and worse he had braces at the time. They broke while brace wire punktured his cheek and inside cheek got minced by metal braces.
From personal experience, take a breather 2-5min after any more severe crash. I've wiped out on one downhill, which, to our surprise, ended with a stream flowing across concrete in a blind turn (no traction) and hit hard on the concrete. That wasn't so bad, it was just a few scrapes and bruises. I got back on the bike and started the next segment of downhill, only to lose concentration for a second and swerve off the path down a natural ditch next to the course. The bike was almost a lost cause, and I was lucky to walk away only with a constant reminder of my neck making weird sounds from time to time.
Ha ha the Surprise Ending! I went round a similar corner, thinking "this is the fastest I've ever bee/" then woke up bleeding against a closed steel gate. Good times indeed.
i learned this the hard way practicing martial arts (Judo). when doing a front jump -> roll, do not land on your hands, it's not hard to break a wrist. learn to go over a shoulder instead. when done properly you can effectively stop from low to mid speed falls in one harmless roll.
I'm currently suffering from a bike crash 2 broken ribs and a soft tissue injury of my shoulder. I have "traumatic amnesia" from the crash and don't exactly know that happened I wish there was a video like this a few weeks ago and maybe I wouldn't have been injured so badly. Thanks for always supporting the community. Come for a super long drive to Winnipeg, Manitoba we have a NICE free public park (bison butte) here with lines that are challenging and interesting. Your viewer from the land where we can only bike hard 4 months of the year (Vancouver doesn't count)
I didn't really know what concussion was until that day I woke up sitting upright in a field somewhere... thinking it looked like Levin (NZ)... and I thought I had been on a (motorbike trail ride) there a week before... and I can't remember finishing that ride... and a voice behind said "What's your name, what's your age"...
Also, if you are leaned too far back in the air (or "tail diving", as Seth calls it), squeezing your brakes in the air can help tilt the bike forward. The wheels' rotational energy gets transferred into the bike and the bike tilts forward. Just make sure NOT to squeeze the brakes if you are nose diving!!!
Pro tip for crashing against another vehicle (including cars): In order to minimize the impact, try to steer your momentum into the same direction as the other vehicle's momentum. For example, if a car in opposing traffic stupidly makes a left turn in front of you, try to steer right so that your wheels are facing the same direction as the car's wheels.
I prefer to ride like I am totally invisible.. thus preparing for all vehicles to turn in front of me... even when the driver is looking at me... and waving hello...
this video was a true life saver. i hit the biggest jump of my life and was about to crash, but luckily i found this video in time. Ended up not being not so bad, thanks for the help!
Please remember that if you step OFF the bike going uphill don't do it on the valley-side of the trail :-| I have seen guys fall down a steep section like that (they were very luck to only have a bruised ankle) . Please use the uphill section of the trail to step off
Yeah, happened to me couple of times. Not because I was stupid enough to pick that downwards part of the trail, but it was just unlucky coincidence - either my center of gravity was pointing that way, or the bike just slipped into that direction and here you go. Once I flew really ugly steep valley and I was so glad I met a tree on my way down and I was able to catch it and hold myself while my body turned horizontally in the air during the stop. I ended up with a hand bruised decently, but saved my bones that day. 😂 But yeah, if I had the chance, I'd definitely used the other side of the trail. 😂
This whole video would have been useful to my wife yesterday, on our first trip to Bentonville. She does use many of these techniques already, purely out of fear of falling/ crashing. More instinctual rather than taught. Her issue was a berm that was slippery and the tail slid out from her. She’s all good and is nursing her scrapes. That over the handle bar trick is something I wish I’d have known years ago. I seem to always be thrown forward. Great video as always.
Whenever I want to be an MTB TH-camr, I look at this dedication (him literally crashing multiple times for a video) and I realize I could never. Massive props to your work Seth. This video is a testament to that.
Trail runner here. Tucking and rolling after uncontrolled landing can be a LIFE SAVER. It saved me multiple times from really gnarly falls and after some time it became so instinctive that when I fall I just roll and use the momentum to get back up and keep going. I'm not the best at descending so you can trust me as the worse you are at descending the better you are at falling :)
I just want to say how much I appreciate Seth going through all of the scenarios, and taking the lumps so beginners like myself have a chance to avoid them! Thanks buddy!
True. You almost never have a chance to be thinking about what a video told you to do in this situation. 9/10 you’re going to be doing whatever your natural instincts tell you. “Oh SH$T” and you have reacted before you even know it.
Something not often mentioned... that I learnt from skateboarding in the 7'0's, Riding pushbikes in the 80's into trail bikes tight up to 2020 including YZ250's.... ...and DH Mountain Biking from 2000 but properly (well mediocre if you watch my vids) from my 50's circa 2018... HOW TO LAND FACE FIRST WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF DAMAGE. It began with Skateboarding... where a stone only 6mm (1/4") could see you superman into the tarmac.... right through to flat out full throttle offs on a 2 poke motorcross bike... I found keeping your elbows out and fists closed in front of your chin like a pose for a boxing match... When you land (And I even practiced this this just running on a grass field and leaping head first forward to the ground)... you land in a sort of 'elbows out' bench press... thumbs slightly up (about 45deg, not palms down). This allows you to slow down your impact in a bench press landing, keeping your face from the ground... If it looks lie your going to tumble... from this position you can lift an elbow, lowering that wrist (Like you were going to punch yourself in the groin...) and roll over that forearm, shoulder and back... (This I practiced too... you can run flat out... leap forward, roll over the outside of an arm, across your back and butt, and end up back on your feet). This has failed me twice... Once at 40, Highsided my YZ full throttle top gear in a paddock when I hit whoops.. but I was flicked about 8ft into the air and was probably doing about 100kph so a KO followed by TKO and a popped shoulder was probably getting off lightly... and the 2nd was on my way down on an impromptu double that I completed... but the YZ didn't.. and slthough my reactions are fairly good for (then 46yo) I didn't get my arms back from the bike departing my knees... and rolled a wrist on a peck before it fot in place at about shoulder level (broke my radius apparently (after a month I finally got it checked out.. I had fairly well set itself by then)) Anyhooze... Watch any faceplant video of (even seasoned riders) and they often open hand straight arm land on a crash... I use my lower side palm and forearm for a landing and still have my teeth (well I lost a cap through the full face helmet on the KO but like I said... it was a decent unpoweed flight.. Not that anyone will read this or give me a thumb for my effort... but seriously, from a 40+year seasoned trail bike rider.... Close your fists, Use your forearm springs!
You gotta admire Seth's commitment for provoking a proper OTB (without even gloves or elbow pads) for the sake of this video. When I go OTB, my palms, and even elbows quite often get grazed, to say the least.
As a kid i rode MX MTB and BMX, now just car and MTB. Best advice i saw 20 years ago enduro video in south America. The guide was showing amateurs to skid the front wheel at about 10 mph and lean back. Yes I’ve had a rear line pop, Hayes Sole hydro, not fun.
coming from a bmx background, crashin is something i learned to do which is essential in mtb riding...it allows me have more confidence in trying features and specially jumps
This is actually my first go-to when it comes to whatever sport I join to. I always learn how to "fall/crash" first, this allow me to minimize the possibility of getting worst injury and it actually help me to develop the right reflect when it just about to happen.
Best advice I can give to a new player... Go find a gravel road, nice and open... Seat set a little lower than usual, ride slow... jam on the front brakes and put a foot down... Now do it again... actually a LOT.... and try to get to where you can jam on the front, then release the brakes... and still be on the bike... Now see how long tou can ride with the front locked up (I've gone 2-3m and ridden out of it)... All this will train your brain on what you can do wit the front brakes.. as they are GOD... (rear brakes are near pointless unless your really bad... or really good...) learning how to 'feel' the front tyre through your brake lever I would rate right up there with learning how to balance! (oh and try and keep your elbows out, nearly at wrist height... and even level with your wrists when hitting the rough stuff... (Just stand there and try it, and have someone wobble the front back and forth.. then try with straight arms... your shoulders will throw your body all over the place straight arm... If only someone had told me this 40+ years ago I would have been a WAY better motorbike/MTB rider.
Last year, while commuting in my hometown of Geneva, Switzerland, I lost all braking power on my mechanical disc brakes on a rainy day going down quite a big hill and I needed a new pair of underpants after that. And after a scooter (motorcycle) totalled that bike, I got hydraulic brakes for my new one and I've been loving it. On my first time out with it, I tore off the pedal from the crank and hit my "jewels" against the frame while going up a steep hill. I was not happy.
I just love your videos, thanks Seth for teaching and entertaining me 😊 every week with new stuff .And I crashed yesterday so if this video was posted I think I wouldn't hurt my self this much because I can't even walk for longer than a mile😢.
I was climbing a muddy, steep trail once when I lost traction and stopped dead. My instinct is to unclip my left foot, but it was then that I found out one of the cleat bolts had come out, so I couldn’t. I ended up ditching to the right, stuck to the bike on this muddy hill and had to remove my foot with the shoe still attached to the bike. If you feel more float then you’re used to, check those cleats.
Brake failure happed to me one time on a jump trail. My brakes stopped working and I couldn't manage my speed. I ended up up clearing the landing by quite a lot and crash landed on a tree stump, it was not a fun trip to the ER. This video probably would have saved me if i had know these things, very important.
As someone who spent years teaching folk how to fall safely [in a throwing Martial Art], I always cringe when I see cyclists talking about falling from bikes. But for once there was some really useful information here. Though learning how to 'tuck and roll' safely as well as landing to side or rear when you go down fast takes committed ongoing practice. On mats - with good instruction. The main thing you learn is to protect your head and not to put hands out. i.e. unlearn natural instincts. These falling skills are the most important thing I've ever learnt and I was lucky that my main martial art was extremely good at falling practice, not come across another anywhere near as good. These falling skills have saved me many hospital visits despite doing a variety of activities that involves being smashed into the ground deliberately or as by accident. Also made things like skiing where falling over is inevitable, much easier to learn because I had no fear about hitting ground.
For tucking and rolling, the finer points of falling fancy are to bring your elbows in line with your chest and try to cover your face with your hands lightly balled into fists, if you got time to actually put your hands to your face rest your hands on your forehead and let your forearms cover your face and chest. bring your chin to your chest. keep your feet and knees together if at all possible so that the weight of impact is always on both of your legs instead of one leg. After you hit let your body roll with the impact naturally and try to stop your roll by using the momentum of your fall to put your feet into the direction of the fall. Hopefully, if everything goes right from going wrong, you'll have protected your legs and arms from getting broken and kept your head from impacting the ground while protecting your face from getting smacked. NEVER EVER TRY TO CATCH YOUR FALL WITH YOUR ARMS OR HANDS. YOU WILL JUST BREAK YOUR ARM. Your body will take the impact a lot better than your arms will.
I really wish I had seen this a few days ago because it would have saved my face. I went OTB on a step up, but instead of bailing I landed upside down in the ready position. I dragged my face a few meters, ruined my expensive sunglass, mangled my teeth, and smashed my knee. One thing I would add to Seth's video is that if you have not had the pleasure of bailing on a jump, wear a full face; half shells are great for trails, but if you're jumping a double black jump line, wear a full face.
Seth! The pumping technique helps not only on bikes. I'm gonna tell u a little story, i was riding with my family in a car ihe mountains and at one pount my front left brake pad just explode. I felt a little kick in the steering wheel, my brake pedal fell off to the metall. I was ready to use a handbrake, yet it was still on a decline, thus dangerous. A few pumps (felt like a hundred in 3 seconds lol) made my brakes functional again (rest 3 pistons pushed the pads and front left piston directly to the brake disk. Your video will definitely help bikers and drivers out there. Thanks
Just a few days late^^ I just had a gnarly crash on Sunday, where I jumped into a steep rocky section of trail, followed by a nasty tight corner. Missed the line by the slightest bit, couldn´t correct it and wrapped myself face first around a thick tree behind the corner... broken nose and concussion... Now I need some quality YT content to distract me from not being able to ride my bike for at least 5 weeks 😞 You made a good start Seth^^
I have been riding for 18 months now. Mainly gravel and light trail. I got an old giant that I knew had a very worn crankset. One day I was really putting some power down springing and the chain skipped on 2 very worn teeth and the cranks jumped straight to the bottom of the stroke. I got launched into the bars, Bent the right shifter with my right groin, went over the bars. Tumbled and smashed my head on the ground. Damn I am glad for helmets. Wear your helmets people. The bruising was brutal especially on the right side. Learned a lot that day about not ignoring bike maintenance.
My favourite crash ever, was this one time I was going around a big berm, and my front tire suddenly caught and turned 90 degrees in a split second, sending me flying forward over the handlebars, but somehow I did a perfect somersault out of it and landed on my feet without a scratch or bruise. It was actually kind of fun.
After a broken collarbone, jammed and sprained right thumb joint, multiple bumps, bruises, cuts and scrapes, and testing out the protection of a full-faced helmet...I found this video most helpful. Thanks Seth. LOL
Dude thanks for this video. I'm riding fairly risk averse but don't mind extra preparedness. Can confirm the foliage trick can work - saved me from hitting a river on a family trip. With my feet I even managed to save my bike and luggage from drowning till my mum got to me and helped me up again.
I’ve said for years that what often causes a prang to go bad is hanging onto the bike for too long. Better to eject the moment you realise it’s gone Pete Tong. Practice like frog-leaping the bars from an endo is time well spent. The other is learning to step clear or jump off the back and leave the bike to its destiny. Obviously, improving riding skills is going to help. Best of luck!
Smashing the pedal into your shin is usually hard to avoid once you're set up for it because it happens so fast. If you slip off the pedal to the front, keep your foot in the front but out of your front wheel. A split second later when the other foot has dropped down, you can move the slipped foot back. If you slip off the pedal towards the back, I don't see how you can avoid some shin injury.
Magnet on your pedals, steel strip on your shoes, and magnets again, but for your shins. 🤯 The steel strip is for traction, while the two magnets repel each other just before contact. (patent pending) 👀
It's worth mentioning that if you're riding along an exposure, be sure to always bail away from the exposure. Same goes for stopping and putting a foot down. Always put your foot down away from the exposure even if you normally use the other foot for that.
I sure hope that over time I am able to have more presence of mind to "fall" uphill. I was on the Flume Trail in Tahoe, and lost momentum on an uphill rock step, and didn't get my seat down fast enough. I couldn't get a foot down due to off camber narrow trail and over the edge I went. I did separate from my bike, but I hit everything else on the way down the hill. Thankfully it was loam like material and i stopped tumbling before a downed tree would have forced me to stop. This video was very helpful and I will incorporate the tips as shown.
I think something worth adding is considering how you might bail when doing a run up on a new obstacle i.e. noting that there are rocks on the left side so bail to the right.
How about braking in the air or hitting the pedals to spin the back wheel to change the balance? Does that really work? And how do you remind yourself of it?
Thank you, Seth. This is about the time of year when I usually hurt myself. I get overconfident and invariable screw up. While I got a good laugh - and a few new usernames for social media - from the terms "lawn dart" and "rag doll" and "tuck and roll" I'm thinking it's probably best if I take up walking on the trails and doing some scouting beforehand.
That's a good reason to have strong triceps and pecs as a bike rider. I'm sure I have more than enough, but it isn't nothing to do a full range-of-motion dip so quickly. Especially if you're fairly heavy like me. I'm a well-muscled, typically 187-206 lb guy.
Man i love how Seth makes bicycle videos man when I see his videos I don’t know why I feel excited ❤❤❤ PERSONALLY Seth don’t ever stop making bicycle videos it’s awesome your my favourite. You are the first person that makes interesting videos You are the best creator keep creating awesome videos ❤❤🎉😊
I was DH racing on Cannondale super vee that we shoved a double stroke length shock (we had to modify the tabs) and turned into an 8 inch travel rear with a Risse upside down fork with 6 inches up front. It had a 13 inch bottom bracket height. When I got my Frank The Welder Motorhead frame and ripped down the same trails on my first run, I clipped a pedal and got thrown so fast I was instantly grinding my new helemt in the rock garden. I don't know how I didn't get hurt. Just naturally ready to crash. Be ready for it is my advice
For those of us that ride clipped in, there is an additional measure of forethought and complexity to making that instinctive, immediate bail from the bike successful. I have not yet fully mastered it and at times, still wonder if riding clipless is worth the risk should things really go sideways.
0:25 i have. I was going down a hill slowly just waiting for my dad, as i was showing him the trail while he was on foot. Then, all out of a sudden the brake lever stops resisting back and it goes limp. The caliper took a piss and i was left to use my rear brake in order to stop. At first i was completely baffled about it, but the realization kinda poped up slowly as i got off the bike, and indeed, the pads, rotor, and left fork leg were completely soaked in mineral oil.
This video is very good and it all will work but I have two problems with it. If you hit front tire first on BMX you can lean back and your want to pull your arms up but also allow your arms to be able to pump once you tires on the ground on a mountain bike you want to go back some but don’t be in line with your tire and push as hard as you can with your legs and if you land to where your about to loop out bring your legs up some and push your front tire down as hard as you can.
I remember my first weeks of Dirt Jumping back when I had my cheap ebay Dirt Jumper. I had just advanced to the medium table line and spent the whole evening before on it when after the first few rides of the day my right crank suddenly snapped upon landing. Apart from a slight scratch on the inside of my lower leg where the sharp edge of the remaining bit of the crank arm had made contact with my leg I managed to land safely on just my left leg and stop the bike without crashing. Part of me must've seen it coming tho, just before that exact ride I was like "I wonder how much longer this thing is gonna hold up!" And lo and behold, the above situation happened.
I take it your talking "in the air"... On a motorbike, hitting the brakes (either/both) locks the wheel so the rotational force is ported to the frame, rotating the bike nose down... Hitting the throttle accelerates the rear, lifting the nose (watch pro riders nose diving and often you'll hear them go full throttle attempting to save it)... I hit a big jump on the YZ years back... blipped the throttle mid (level) flight and nearly landed on my back if I hadn't tapped the front brake in time... (Landing with a non rotating front can be a little dicey but as long as the front brake isn't still on... (not that we have throttles on MTB (unless your a lazy EMTBer)
The first one about the brakes got me good 16 years ago, I was on wet terrain and hit a patch of leaves in a corner that I needed to slow down for hit the brakes they didn't work, went into a skid and just couldn't stop at all slid right off the trail and went right into a tree.
I went to the mega caverns in Kentucky, was jumping the progression line when mid air my cleat popped out 😂, proceeded to slam my goods into the top tube, then get bucked over the bars. No injuries but a tad of pride. Cheers everyone
Thanks for sharing this knowledge Buddy ! You already made a similar Video a few years ago and it inspired me to actually get a cheap mtb to practice the OTB ejection seat thing. I really want to learn this skill 😅
Almost every time I crash, no matter how fast I'm going, time slows down and I have time to sort out what's going on. I then came up with a plan to remove myself from the bike and the best place to fall with the least amount of injury. A few times the bike reacted in a way I didn't expect and I ended up getting seriously injured. I think this slowdown comes from years of crashing on bikes, skateboards, rollerblades, sleds, etc.
Motorbikes taught me to stick with the bike, you'll be surprised what it can actually go through and come out the other side of if you stick with it... Yet another skill that turns out to be mon portable to MTB... sigh... (I miss the throttle on jumps!)
You know, with a lot of the tips Seth gave about bailing out on dirt jumps, you have to just learn by experience unfortunately. We've all had that one bad wreck that just gets you that "muscle memory" that Seth talked about. Mine was trying to full send a bike with old geometry and 26" wheels down a blue jump line. Confidence got the best of me and I did a full nose dive. I have no idea how I didn't break anything but I broke my helmet and it knocked the wind out of me so hard. I had learned the feeling of going over the handlebars many times throughout my life, but that one wreck really made me understand the hard lessons of how important air control is. You can make a huge difference by just moving your body in the air just a bit. And that margin of error is very small on a 26" wheel. It moves too much as it moves over the terrain.
Thank you for reminding me how risky and dangerous this sport can be. Watching videos of successful and experienced riders all the time blurs your perspective.
I have a dominant falling side. I've found you often have a choice which side of your body hits the ground and for me I choose to fall on the right side. For that reason I put my phone in my left pocket so that I don't smash it. Another thing is if I'm wearing gloves, I "ski" on my shoes while leaning back and dragging a hand. This makes it less likely that I slam my hip or another part of my body into a rock or something.
For the tuck and roll, or just landing your body in general, do not use your wrist at all. It's very common to break it by putting all your body weight on it during a fall. It's better to make a fist with your hand to protect it and use your forearm as the primary point of contact with the ground.
Did exactly that, but slammed my shoulder into the ground on the first impact, then my fist hit the ground on the second impact. Luckily nothing broken, just sprained shoulder and wrists. Still 2 months without biking.
One thing you forgot Seth. When crashing at high speed the obje time is to make the skid or roll or however you are landing take as long as possible from initial contact to stop. The more time it takes the less energy any 1 part of your body will experience.
One time while biking down a steep rock cut, my front wheel stopped against a taller rock and I front flipped over the handlebars downhill onto loose chunky rocks…then my mtb fell onto me sideways/flatwise? While working On Mackinac Island one summer I was riding the steep paved roadway in front of the Fort walls. I was going maybe 12-15 mph with my back cable brake engaged. Otherwise I’d climb well above 40mph. Anyways, my cable snaps with a deafening “PING!” Bringing everyone’s attention to me, who is now accelerating rapidly. Instinctively I held the handlebars and hopped my feet to the left of the frame and microstepped as fast as I could. I safely came to a stop and was greeted with cheers from the spectators. My toes were bruised because I was wearing my steel-toe work boots.
I´ve crashed countless times, but the worst pain suffered was from crashing at a near standstill on an uphill climb because I landed on a sharp rock which hit my ribcage. I basically just tipped over but the terrain was so too steep to do much and it took me by surprise. Just a story of warning that you don´t have to be going fast to hurt yourself badly.
Man, really could have used this vid last week. I was riding my mtb on the road. Going about 20mph, turned a corner at speed, my tires slipped out from under me and I went down. Dislocated both shoulders, torn my groin muscle, slightly dislocated my hip, tore up my knuckles, knee and hip. It's been over a week now and my shoulders still hurt, i can barely lift my leg and the scabs are forming nice on my knuckles knee and hip. I think the only thing that got messed up on my bike is a bent derailleur hanger. I'm installing a new one later today so we'll see if the derailleur is actually messed up after installing it.
Same thing happened to me on my road bike a few weeks back. I’m not sure if it’s experience that finally kicked in or sheer panic that caused me to freeze… but I somehow managed to NOT brace for impact. Thinking back on it, I instinctively unclipped and pushed my bike ahead of me before hitting the ground like a wet noodle. I had lots of road rash down my right side, but zero damage to any bones or joints. Thankfully there were no cars around… it could have been completely different if I had to avoid a car.
@@tomjkelleher yeah i knew going into the turn that it wasn't a good idea. I officially learned my lesson. I now know Maxxis ardent tires are no good for high-speed cornering on concrete, lol.
One time on a ride down the local trail, I had an entire crank and pedal fall off my bike. Luckily my breaks were still working so I managed to stop. I later learned from a bike mechanic that a screw had broken and that caused it to fail
8:42 you can also tuck your knees under you and slide down on your knees if you have knee pads on. it definitely hurts less then landing on your tailbone
70kph down a chumcky gravel road on a new down country bike I’d just finished building. Both brake levers collapsed into the bars. Holy sh!t that was scary. Tried pumping, tried not braking hoping they’d cool enough. Lucky I just managed to slow enough to make the 90degree corner at the bottom instead of flying off the 4m drop into scrub and rocks below! Yes I’d used old brake fluid. A 1L bottle had literally been opened once to change the fluid in on brake maybe a year before. Lesson learned!
I was on a pumptrack last week and me and my friend were going onto a kind of skinny thing inbetween berms but he stopped and I couldn't fit with my bike, it went down into the berm as i jumped of because of every mountainbiker sayong it's better to throw your bike away. Thank you!
Thank you! I was about to crash on my MTB. I was managed to google this video and avoid getting hurt. 5/5. Totaly recomand this for friends.
Same thing happened to me! And people were calling me a dork for having a phone mount on my bars... Who's laughing now?
The best part is you can rewind and get a do over!
i needed this months ago, b4 I went full on OTB
So Seth was right - time really does slow down during a crash!
Lucky, I got an ad and broke my collarbone
I wanna make sure Seth gets full credit for the fact that he started this video by grabbing a fistful of front brake at speed to go over the bars on purpose, that's commitment. Well done 👊
Fr
He needs all the credit for sure! Im glad he made it out unscathed also, thats skill.
I went kinda otb a few times so far and every time I managed to jump over the bars with my feet. It's easier than it looks. Still not easy enough to do it on purpose
did the exact same thing 20y ago.. wearing strap clips (got good at pulling my feet backward out of the straps so was showing someone that it could b done... Lucky for me it was on grass and I pulled it off without a hitch...
I'm planning to do it for a vid sometime.. but at 55 I'm going to make sure it's on grass again.
I don’t even know if my brain would let me do that knowing I was bailing on purpose!
The thing about crashing is it usually goes so fast that the ONLY thing that is going to save you is muscle memory. So the more you crash, the better you'll eventually get at it.
Just don't put your arms straight.. and close your fists!
That’s why I’m so good at crashing!
We all love Seth so much we’re all just gonna ignore the whole the pickle stem bit? I’m okay with it
i noticed the cut right after the bite
He definitely enjoys the stems of pickles the most.
I immediately went to the comments section to see how far I'd have to scroll before seeing someone mention this.
You mean that isn't the pickle? Someone should tell the nice people at Subway
I too like eating pickle stems. They're so nice and chewy, like celery.
Sitting here with my broken thumb figuring out what I should have done
I’m sitting here with my broken arm thinking what I should have done! Oh yeah try not to go up a berm into a tree. Duh
Land on bum not thumb
That happened to me 2 years ago still can't figure out how my front tire washed on a blue that I do all the time :( hope you get back on the horse better than ever soon
@@JustkeepshreddingDo you mind not stealing my party tricks?
I've got a broken ring finger and same...
Muscle memory in these situations is going to pay off. Practicing to fall or crash as safely as possible is such a great lesson.
skateboarding! that what taught me how to fall.
@@LorenzoDeprado lol
I suggest everyone do what I did and whip out to the yard and get in a quick 40+ years of trail bike riding (motorbikes)... Learned an excellent trick (in main comments)
@@LorenzoDeprado nothing teaches to how to avoid injury like skateboarding does
@@LorenzoDeprado Yep... It seems that I fell so many times when I was a kid and teen that I now instinctually know to tuck an roll. I recently went over the bars and somehow caught the bike by the top tube as it was flipping over me... talk about a flow state.
This is entirely dependent on the situation, but you can also use the sole of your shoe against the back of your front tire as a brake. Lean back and press the flat of your foot into the tire and gradually increase pressure to slow yourself down. Growing up in the 90s in a place that wasn't financially well off, a lot of kids didn't have working brakes on their bikes and would do this instead.
It definitely works well on "smoother" tires, but it's a little bit tricky and even dangerous to do that on knobby tires.
I guess that could work, but I feel like you also have a good chance of getting your foot sucked into your tire and losing balance, then twisting the handlebars and breaking your leg :/
Growing up in the 90's on a BMX bike with no brakes, I can confirm this works
Nah I'll pass, friend did that one once. Leg was ok'ish just sprain and a bruise. But I newer before seen anyone faceplant faster on a bike. Broke a tooth, road rash and worse he had braces at the time. They broke while brace wire punktured his cheek and inside cheek got minced by metal braces.
@@telefonkirtyscool
From personal experience, take a breather 2-5min after any more severe crash.
I've wiped out on one downhill, which, to our surprise, ended with a stream flowing across concrete in a blind turn (no traction) and hit hard on the concrete. That wasn't so bad, it was just a few scrapes and bruises.
I got back on the bike and started the next segment of downhill, only to lose concentration for a second and swerve off the path down a natural ditch next to the course.
The bike was almost a lost cause, and I was lucky to walk away only with a constant reminder of my neck making weird sounds from time to time.
Ha ha the Surprise Ending! I went round a similar corner, thinking "this is the fastest I've ever bee/" then woke up bleeding against a closed steel gate. Good times indeed.
i learned this the hard way practicing martial arts (Judo). when doing a front jump -> roll, do not land on your hands, it's not hard to break a wrist. learn to go over a shoulder instead. when done properly you can effectively stop from low to mid speed falls in one harmless roll.
Yeah, did ju jitsu for years which also involved a lot of practice on how to fall/roll/land and redirect force. Useful to know
Decades of experience condensed into 10 mins, making riders safer and enjoying their rides (even when times turn tough). Seth, you are awesome!
I'm currently suffering from a bike crash 2 broken ribs and a soft tissue injury of my shoulder. I have "traumatic amnesia" from the crash and don't exactly know that happened I wish there was a video like this a few weeks ago and maybe I wouldn't have been injured so badly. Thanks for always supporting the community. Come for a super long drive to Winnipeg, Manitoba we have a NICE free public park (bison butte) here with lines that are challenging and interesting. Your viewer from the land where we can only bike hard 4 months of the year (Vancouver doesn't count)
I didn't really know what concussion was until that day I woke up sitting upright in a field somewhere... thinking it looked like Levin (NZ)... and I thought I had been on a (motorbike trail ride) there a week before... and I can't remember finishing that ride... and a voice behind said "What's your name, what's your age"...
Better yet, travel to good ol thunder bay for our terrific trail system and make a Canadian road trip out of it!
Also, if you are leaned too far back in the air (or "tail diving", as Seth calls it), squeezing your brakes in the air can help tilt the bike forward. The wheels' rotational energy gets transferred into the bike and the bike tilts forward. Just make sure NOT to squeeze the brakes if you are nose diving!!!
As a general rule, it's also usually best to only pull the back brake. If your front wheel is turned at all, it can throw you off even worse
this is true even on a 26er, I've done it before.. totally saved my but.. on accident lol
Pro tip for crashing against another vehicle (including cars): In order to minimize the impact, try to steer your momentum into the same direction as the other vehicle's momentum. For example, if a car in opposing traffic stupidly makes a left turn in front of you, try to steer right so that your wheels are facing the same direction as the car's wheels.
I prefer to ride like I am totally invisible.. thus preparing for all vehicles to turn in front of me... even when the driver is looking at me... and waving hello...
this video was a true life saver. i hit the biggest jump of my life and was about to crash, but luckily i found this video in time. Ended up not being not so bad, thanks for the help!
Please remember that if you step OFF the bike going uphill don't do it on the valley-side of the trail :-| I have seen guys fall down a steep section like that (they were very luck to only have a bruised ankle) . Please use the uphill section of the trail to step off
Yeah, happened to me couple of times. Not because I was stupid enough to pick that downwards part of the trail, but it was just unlucky coincidence - either my center of gravity was pointing that way, or the bike just slipped into that direction and here you go. Once I flew really ugly steep valley and I was so glad I met a tree on my way down and I was able to catch it and hold myself while my body turned horizontally in the air during the stop. I ended up with a hand bruised decently, but saved my bones that day. 😂
But yeah, if I had the chance, I'd definitely used the other side of the trail. 😂
Larger the wheel or the faster it is moving the more effective this is
This whole video would have been useful to my wife yesterday, on our first trip to Bentonville. She does use many of these techniques already, purely out of fear of falling/ crashing. More instinctual rather than taught. Her issue was a berm that was slippery and the tail slid out from her. She’s all good and is nursing her scrapes. That over the handle bar trick is something I wish I’d have known years ago. I seem to always be thrown forward. Great video as always.
Whenever I want to be an MTB TH-camr, I look at this dedication (him literally crashing multiple times for a video) and I realize I could never. Massive props to your work Seth. This video is a testament to that.
Trail runner here. Tucking and rolling after uncontrolled landing can be a LIFE SAVER. It saved me multiple times from really gnarly falls and after some time it became so instinctive that when I fall I just roll and use the momentum to get back up and keep going. I'm not the best at descending so you can trust me as the worse you are at descending the better you are at falling :)
I just want to say how much I appreciate Seth going through all of the scenarios, and taking the lumps so beginners like myself have a chance to avoid them! Thanks buddy!
I’ll remember this for the next time I’m on the ground thinking about what I should’ve done
True. You almost never have a chance to be thinking about what a video told you to do in this situation. 9/10 you’re going to be doing whatever your natural instincts tell you. “Oh SH$T” and you have reacted before you even know it.
I usually think about what I shouldn't have done. "I shouldn't have gone down that double black with this Wal-Mart bike". Shoulda, woulda, coulda.
...try and remember this before you are on the ground.
Something not often mentioned... that I learnt from skateboarding in the 7'0's, Riding pushbikes in the 80's into trail bikes tight up to 2020 including YZ250's....
...and DH Mountain Biking from 2000 but properly (well mediocre if you watch my vids) from my 50's circa 2018...
HOW TO LAND FACE FIRST WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF DAMAGE.
It began with Skateboarding... where a stone only 6mm (1/4") could see you superman into the tarmac.... right through to flat out full throttle offs on a 2 poke motorcross bike...
I found keeping your elbows out and fists closed in front of your chin like a pose for a boxing match...
When you land (And I even practiced this this just running on a grass field and leaping head first forward to the ground)... you land in a sort of 'elbows out' bench press...
thumbs slightly up (about 45deg, not palms down). This allows you to slow down your impact in a bench press landing, keeping your face from the ground...
If it looks lie your going to tumble... from this position you can lift an elbow, lowering that wrist (Like you were going to punch yourself in the groin...) and roll over that forearm, shoulder and back...
(This I practiced too... you can run flat out... leap forward, roll over the outside of an arm, across your back and butt, and end up back on your feet).
This has failed me twice... Once at 40, Highsided my YZ full throttle top gear in a paddock when I hit whoops.. but I was flicked about 8ft into the air and was probably doing about 100kph so a KO followed by TKO and a popped shoulder was probably getting off lightly... and the 2nd was on my way down on an impromptu double that I completed... but the YZ didn't.. and slthough my reactions are fairly good for (then 46yo) I didn't get my arms back from the bike departing my knees... and rolled a wrist on a peck before it fot in place at about shoulder level (broke my radius apparently (after a month I finally got it checked out.. I had fairly well set itself by then))
Anyhooze... Watch any faceplant video of (even seasoned riders) and they often open hand straight arm land on a crash... I use my lower side palm and forearm for a landing and still have my teeth (well I lost a cap through the full face helmet on the KO but like I said... it was a decent unpoweed flight..
Not that anyone will read this or give me a thumb for my effort... but seriously, from a 40+year seasoned trail bike rider.... Close your fists, Use your forearm springs!
You gotta admire Seth's commitment for provoking a proper OTB (without even gloves or elbow pads) for the sake of this video. When I go OTB, my palms, and even elbows quite often get grazed, to say the least.
Thanks Seth! I am a new subscriber and vet mountain biker/CC racer getting back into MTB with my grandsons. You have helped rekindle the fire!
Absolute madman! Ate the pickle stem first!!!
As a kid i rode MX MTB and BMX, now just car and MTB. Best advice i saw 20 years ago enduro video in south America. The guide was showing amateurs to skid the front wheel at about 10 mph and lean back. Yes I’ve had a rear line pop, Hayes Sole hydro, not fun.
coming from a bmx background, crashin is something i learned to do which is essential in mtb riding...it allows me have more confidence in trying features and specially jumps
This is actually my first go-to when it comes to whatever sport I join to. I always learn how to "fall/crash" first, this allow me to minimize the possibility of getting worst injury and it actually help me to develop the right reflect when it just about to happen.
I just started mtb'ing about 6mo ago & you taught me soooooo much!!! Thank You Seth. Appreciate you ❤️
Best advice I can give to a new player... Go find a gravel road, nice and open... Seat set a little lower than usual, ride slow... jam on the front brakes and put a foot down...
Now do it again... actually a LOT.... and try to get to where you can jam on the front, then release the brakes... and still be on the bike...
Now see how long tou can ride with the front locked up (I've gone 2-3m and ridden out of it)...
All this will train your brain on what you can do wit the front brakes.. as they are GOD... (rear brakes are near pointless unless your really bad... or really good...)
learning how to 'feel' the front tyre through your brake lever I would rate right up there with learning how to balance!
(oh and try and keep your elbows out, nearly at wrist height... and even level with your wrists when hitting the rough stuff... (Just stand there and try it, and have someone wobble the front back and forth.. then try with straight arms... your shoulders will throw your body all over the place straight arm...
If only someone had told me this 40+ years ago I would have been a WAY better motorbike/MTB rider.
Really good advice here. An excellent beginner guide that I wish I had when I started to help crash fear.
I think its safe to say that Seth has really come to be an Ozark Trail rider.
Last year, while commuting in my hometown of Geneva, Switzerland, I lost all braking power on my mechanical disc brakes on a rainy day going down quite a big hill and I needed a new pair of underpants after that. And after a scooter (motorcycle) totalled that bike, I got hydraulic brakes for my new one and I've been loving it. On my first time out with it, I tore off the pedal from the crank and hit my "jewels" against the frame while going up a steep hill. I was not happy.
I just love your videos, thanks Seth for teaching and entertaining me 😊 every week with new stuff .And I crashed yesterday so if this video was posted I think I wouldn't hurt my self this much because I can't even walk for longer than a mile😢.
same bro
Seth isn't learning, he's teaching. You are learning.
@@MotoRiderTubehahahahah very very true 🤣😅
I was climbing a muddy, steep trail once when I lost traction and stopped dead. My instinct is to unclip my left foot, but it was then that I found out one of the cleat bolts had come out, so I couldn’t. I ended up ditching to the right, stuck to the bike on this muddy hill and had to remove my foot with the shoe still attached to the bike.
If you feel more float then you’re used to, check those cleats.
Brake failure happed to me one time on a jump trail. My brakes stopped working and I couldn't manage my speed. I ended up up clearing the landing by quite a lot and crash landed on a tree stump, it was not a fun trip to the ER.
This video probably would have saved me if i had know these things, very important.
As someone who spent years teaching folk how to fall safely [in a throwing Martial Art], I always cringe when I see cyclists talking about falling from bikes. But for once there was some really useful information here. Though learning how to 'tuck and roll' safely as well as landing to side or rear when you go down fast takes committed ongoing practice. On mats - with good instruction. The main thing you learn is to protect your head and not to put hands out. i.e. unlearn natural instincts. These falling skills are the most important thing I've ever learnt and I was lucky that my main martial art was extremely good at falling practice, not come across another anywhere near as good. These falling skills have saved me many hospital visits despite doing a variety of activities that involves being smashed into the ground deliberately or as by accident. Also made things like skiing where falling over is inevitable, much easier to learn because I had no fear about hitting ground.
For tucking and rolling, the finer points of falling fancy are to bring your elbows in line with your chest and try to cover your face with your hands lightly balled into fists, if you got time to actually put your hands to your face rest your hands on your forehead and let your forearms cover your face and chest. bring your chin to your chest. keep your feet and knees together if at all possible so that the weight of impact is always on both of your legs instead of one leg. After you hit let your body roll with the impact naturally and try to stop your roll by using the momentum of your fall to put your feet into the direction of the fall.
Hopefully, if everything goes right from going wrong, you'll have protected your legs and arms from getting broken and kept your head from impacting the ground while protecting your face from getting smacked.
NEVER EVER TRY TO CATCH YOUR FALL WITH YOUR ARMS OR HANDS. YOU WILL JUST BREAK YOUR ARM. Your body will take the impact a lot better than your arms will.
I really wish I had seen this a few days ago because it would have saved my face. I went OTB on a step up, but instead of bailing I landed upside down in the ready position. I dragged my face a few meters, ruined my expensive sunglass, mangled my teeth, and smashed my knee. One thing I would add to Seth's video is that if you have not had the pleasure of bailing on a jump, wear a full face; half shells are great for trails, but if you're jumping a double black jump line, wear a full face.
I just want you to know I appreciate you for making this video. Especially knowing at our age how sore you were the next day.
Seth! The pumping technique helps not only on bikes. I'm gonna tell u a little story, i was riding with my family in a car ihe mountains and at one pount my front left brake pad just explode. I felt a little kick in the steering wheel, my brake pedal fell off to the metall.
I was ready to use a handbrake, yet it was still on a decline, thus dangerous.
A few pumps (felt like a hundred in 3 seconds lol) made my brakes functional again (rest 3 pistons pushed the pads and front left piston directly to the brake disk.
Your video will definitely help bikers and drivers out there. Thanks
Just a few days late^^ I just had a gnarly crash on Sunday, where I jumped into a steep rocky section of trail, followed by a nasty tight corner. Missed the line by the slightest bit, couldn´t correct it and wrapped myself face first around a thick tree behind the corner... broken nose and concussion... Now I need some quality YT content to distract me from not being able to ride my bike for at least 5 weeks 😞 You made a good start Seth^^
My man really ate the pickle stem? Are you okay Seth?
This is the best MTB video ever - some of these things are second nature to me, some were completely new. Thanks!
I have been riding for 18 months now. Mainly gravel and light trail. I got an old giant that I knew had a very worn crankset. One day I was really putting some power down springing and the chain skipped on 2 very worn teeth and the cranks jumped straight to the bottom of the stroke. I got launched into the bars, Bent the right shifter with my right groin, went over the bars. Tumbled and smashed my head on the ground. Damn I am glad for helmets. Wear your helmets people. The bruising was brutal especially on the right side. Learned a lot that day about not ignoring bike maintenance.
Landing with feet on the cranks. I never knew that, but I'm gonna practice that, and it's gonna save me one day, I just know it. Thank you Seth!
My favourite crash ever, was this one time I was going around a big berm, and my front tire suddenly caught and turned 90 degrees in a split second, sending me flying forward over the handlebars, but somehow I did a perfect somersault out of it and landed on my feet without a scratch or bruise. It was actually kind of fun.
Welcome to the world of MTB... if no one saw it, it didn't happen... That's why I only do stupid things when someone's there to laugh at me
After a broken collarbone, jammed and sprained right thumb joint, multiple bumps, bruises, cuts and scrapes, and testing out the protection of a full-faced helmet...I found this video most helpful. Thanks Seth. LOL
Dude thanks for this video. I'm riding fairly risk averse but don't mind extra preparedness. Can confirm the foliage trick can work - saved me from hitting a river on a family trip. With my feet I even managed to save my bike and luggage from drowning till my mum got to me and helped me up again.
The brake pump and the crank land were new to me, and unfortunately i feel like those will come in clutch!
Watching this as im halfway off the handlebars. Thanks for the tips.
I’ve said for years that what often causes a prang to go bad is hanging onto the bike for too long. Better to eject the moment you realise it’s gone Pete Tong. Practice like frog-leaping the bars from an endo is time well spent. The other is learning to step clear or jump off the back and leave the bike to its destiny. Obviously, improving riding skills is going to help. Best of luck!
"You lose points but you don't die". Pretty solid argument!
Congrats 1m🎉🎉
that first over the bar jump was impressing :D
I feel like there's a very common and painful injury you forgot to mention in the pedal slipping segment
Smashing the pedal into your shin is usually hard to avoid once you're set up for it because it happens so fast.
If you slip off the pedal to the front, keep your foot in the front but out of your front wheel. A split second later when the other foot has dropped down, you can move the slipped foot back.
If you slip off the pedal towards the back, I don't see how you can avoid some shin injury.
I wish I had advice for when a pedal is about to smack you in the shin, but so far I've got nothing
Magnet on your pedals, steel strip on your shoes, and magnets again, but for your shins. 🤯 The steel strip is for traction, while the two magnets repel each other just before contact. (patent pending) 👀
Mountain bike hickeys.
Socks with shin guards
It's worth mentioning that if you're riding along an exposure, be sure to always bail away from the exposure. Same goes for stopping and putting a foot down. Always put your foot down away from the exposure even if you normally use the other foot for that.
I sure hope that over time I am able to have more presence of mind to "fall" uphill. I was on the Flume Trail in Tahoe, and lost momentum on an uphill rock step, and didn't get my seat down fast enough. I couldn't get a foot down due to off camber narrow trail and over the edge I went. I did separate from my bike, but I hit everything else on the way down the hill. Thankfully it was loam like material and i stopped tumbling before a downed tree would have forced me to stop. This video was very helpful and I will incorporate the tips as shown.
I think something worth adding is considering how you might bail when doing a run up on a new obstacle i.e. noting that there are rocks on the left side so bail to the right.
How about braking in the air or hitting the pedals to spin the back wheel to change the balance? Does that really work? And how do you remind yourself of it?
Thank you, Seth. This is about the time of year when I usually hurt myself. I get overconfident and invariable screw up. While I got a good laugh - and a few new usernames for social media - from the terms "lawn dart" and "rag doll" and "tuck and roll" I'm thinking it's probably best if I take up walking on the trails and doing some scouting beforehand.
That's a good reason to have strong triceps and pecs as a bike rider. I'm sure I have more than enough, but it isn't nothing to do a full range-of-motion dip so quickly. Especially if you're fairly heavy like me. I'm a well-muscled, typically 187-206 lb guy.
Man i love how Seth makes bicycle videos man when I see his videos I don’t know why I feel excited ❤❤❤
PERSONALLY Seth don’t ever stop making bicycle videos it’s awesome your my favourite. You are the first person that makes interesting videos You are the best creator keep creating awesome videos ❤❤🎉😊
I was DH racing on Cannondale super vee that we shoved a double stroke length shock (we had to modify the tabs) and turned into an 8 inch travel rear with a Risse upside down fork with 6 inches up front. It had a 13 inch bottom bracket height. When I got my Frank The Welder Motorhead frame and ripped down the same trails on my first run, I clipped a pedal and got thrown so fast I was instantly grinding my new helemt in the rock garden. I don't know how I didn't get hurt. Just naturally ready to crash. Be ready for it is my advice
For those of us that ride clipped in, there is an additional measure of forethought and complexity to making that instinctive, immediate bail from the bike successful. I have not yet fully mastered it and at times, still wonder if riding clipless is worth the risk should things really go sideways.
For those that ride clipped in, you deserve whatever you get :)
0:25 i have. I was going down a hill slowly just waiting for my dad, as i was showing him the trail while he was on foot. Then, all out of a sudden the brake lever stops resisting back and it goes limp. The caliper took a piss and i was left to use my rear brake in order to stop. At first i was completely baffled about it, but the realization kinda poped up slowly as i got off the bike, and indeed, the pads, rotor, and left fork leg were completely soaked in mineral oil.
This video is very good and it all will work but I have two problems with it. If you hit front tire first on BMX you can lean back and your want to pull your arms up but also allow your arms to be able to pump once you tires on the ground on a mountain bike you want to go back some but don’t be in line with your tire and push as hard as you can with your legs and if you land to where your about to loop out bring your legs up some and push your front tire down as hard as you can.
I’m more experienced skateboarding and really know how to fall! But falling on a mtb is a whole different deal, another great vid Seth. Per usual.
I remember my first weeks of Dirt Jumping back when I had my cheap ebay Dirt Jumper. I had just advanced to the medium table line and spent the whole evening before on it when after the first few rides of the day my right crank suddenly snapped upon landing. Apart from a slight scratch on the inside of my lower leg where the sharp edge of the remaining bit of the crank arm had made contact with my leg I managed to land safely on just my left leg and stop the bike without crashing.
Part of me must've seen it coming tho, just before that exact ride I was like "I wonder how much longer this thing is gonna hold up!" And lo and behold, the above situation happened.
I have a small scar on my forehead from a recent downhill crash, glad I'm watching this to avoid future incidents
If you're tail heavy you can tap your rear brake and it levels you out. Practice it on a step up
I take it your talking "in the air"...
On a motorbike, hitting the brakes (either/both) locks the wheel so the rotational force is ported to the frame, rotating the bike nose down... Hitting the throttle accelerates the rear, lifting the nose (watch pro riders nose diving and often you'll hear them go full throttle attempting to save it)...
I hit a big jump on the YZ years back... blipped the throttle mid (level) flight and nearly landed on my back if I hadn't tapped the front brake in time...
(Landing with a non rotating front can be a little dicey but as long as the front brake isn't still on... (not that we have throttles on MTB (unless your a lazy EMTBer)
That crank save method.... going to have to practice that one!
I am going to save an injury this week . Thanks for the bike chucking lessons!!
When I was a bmx kid I used my mom’s butter knives as tire levers. Thanks for the trip down memory lane Seth!
Those 5dev cranks in your revel are sick!!🔥
The first one about the brakes got me good 16 years ago, I was on wet terrain and hit a patch of leaves in a corner that I needed to slow down for hit the brakes they didn't work, went into a skid and just couldn't stop at all slid right off the trail and went right into a tree.
I went to the mega caverns in Kentucky, was jumping the progression line when mid air my cleat popped out 😂, proceeded to slam my goods into the top tube, then get bucked over the bars. No injuries but a tad of pride. Cheers everyone
Never thought about putting your feet on the cranks! Great tips. Thanks, Seth!
WE NEED MORE COOKING WITH SETH THE VIDS ARE SO GOOD AND SO ENTERTAINING AND THEY HELP ME WHEN I AM EATING.
Thanks for sharing this knowledge Buddy ! You already made a similar Video a few years ago and it inspired me to actually get a cheap mtb to practice the OTB ejection seat thing. I really want to learn this skill 😅
Almost every time I crash, no matter how fast I'm going, time slows down and I have time to sort out what's going on. I then came up with a plan to remove myself from the bike and the best place to fall with the least amount of injury. A few times the bike reacted in a way I didn't expect and I ended up getting seriously injured. I think this slowdown comes from years of crashing on bikes, skateboards, rollerblades, sleds, etc.
Motorbikes taught me to stick with the bike, you'll be surprised what it can actually go through and come out the other side of if you stick with it...
Yet another skill that turns out to be mon portable to MTB... sigh... (I miss the throttle on jumps!)
You know, with a lot of the tips Seth gave about bailing out on dirt jumps, you have to just learn by experience unfortunately. We've all had that one bad wreck that just gets you that "muscle memory" that Seth talked about.
Mine was trying to full send a bike with old geometry and 26" wheels down a blue jump line. Confidence got the best of me and I did a full nose dive. I have no idea how I didn't break anything but I broke my helmet and it knocked the wind out of me so hard. I had learned the feeling of going over the handlebars many times throughout my life, but that one wreck really made me understand the hard lessons of how important air control is. You can make a huge difference by just moving your body in the air just a bit. And that margin of error is very small on a 26" wheel. It moves too much as it moves over the terrain.
I simply do not mentally process my crashes. I am on the bike, uh oh!, now I am on the ground with a scrape. Like teleportation into a world of pain.
Thank you for reminding me how risky and dangerous this sport can be. Watching videos of successful and experienced riders all the time blurs your perspective.
I have a dominant falling side. I've found you often have a choice which side of your body hits the ground and for me I choose to fall on the right side. For that reason I put my phone in my left pocket so that I don't smash it. Another thing is if I'm wearing gloves, I "ski" on my shoes while leaning back and dragging a hand. This makes it less likely that I slam my hip or another part of my body into a rock or something.
For the tuck and roll, or just landing your body in general, do not use your wrist at all. It's very common to break it by putting all your body weight on it during a fall. It's better to make a fist with your hand to protect it and use your forearm as the primary point of contact with the ground.
Forearms to chest has saved me from breaking things in many hard slams.
Did exactly that, but slammed my shoulder into the ground on the first impact, then my fist hit the ground on the second impact. Luckily nothing broken, just sprained shoulder and wrists. Still 2 months without biking.
@@Commandertabeldoesn't always go as planned. I broke both my wrists one time and I didn't even fall off the bike
One thing you forgot Seth. When crashing at high speed the obje time is to make the skid or roll or however you are landing take as long as possible from initial contact to stop. The more time it takes the less energy any 1 part of your body will experience.
Got a hole in my brake cable from the stoppers on my dual crown moving and pinching the hose. Super spooky and upgraded to braided lines since
One time while biking down a steep rock cut, my front wheel stopped against a taller rock and I front flipped over the handlebars downhill onto loose chunky rocks…then my mtb fell onto me sideways/flatwise?
While working On Mackinac Island one summer I was riding the steep paved roadway in front of the Fort walls. I was going maybe 12-15 mph with my back cable brake engaged. Otherwise I’d climb well above 40mph. Anyways, my cable snaps with a deafening “PING!”
Bringing everyone’s attention to me, who is now accelerating rapidly.
Instinctively I held the handlebars and hopped my feet to the left of the frame and microstepped as fast as I could.
I safely came to a stop and was greeted with cheers from the spectators.
My toes were bruised because I was wearing my steel-toe work boots.
I´ve crashed countless times, but the worst pain suffered was from crashing at a near standstill on an uphill climb because I landed on a sharp rock which hit my ribcage. I basically just tipped over but the terrain was so too steep to do much and it took me by surprise. Just a story of warning that you don´t have to be going fast to hurt yourself badly.
Handy video, once you are at a point of a fall better to avoid a possible injury, pretty useful and very well done...!
Nice! Im suspended in the air rn, its nice gravity actually let me stop to watch this, thank you, now im not gonna get hurt ;)
Man, really could have used this vid last week. I was riding my mtb on the road. Going about 20mph, turned a corner at speed, my tires slipped out from under me and I went down. Dislocated both shoulders, torn my groin muscle, slightly dislocated my hip, tore up my knuckles, knee and hip. It's been over a week now and my shoulders still hurt, i can barely lift my leg and the scabs are forming nice on my knuckles knee and hip. I think the only thing that got messed up on my bike is a bent derailleur hanger. I'm installing a new one later today so we'll see if the derailleur is actually messed up after installing it.
Same thing happened to me on my road bike a few weeks back. I’m not sure if it’s experience that finally kicked in or sheer panic that caused me to freeze… but I somehow managed to NOT brace for impact. Thinking back on it, I instinctively unclipped and pushed my bike ahead of me before hitting the ground like a wet noodle. I had lots of road rash down my right side, but zero damage to any bones or joints. Thankfully there were no cars around… it could have been completely different if I had to avoid a car.
@@tomjkelleher yeah i knew going into the turn that it wasn't a good idea. I officially learned my lesson. I now know Maxxis ardent tires are no good for high-speed cornering on concrete, lol.
The pickle ASMR was great
One time on a ride down the local trail, I had an entire crank and pedal fall off my bike. Luckily my breaks were still working so I managed to stop. I later learned from a bike mechanic that a screw had broken and that caused it to fail
Congrats on 1 mil Seth 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
8:42 you can also tuck your knees under you and slide down on your knees if you have knee pads on. it definitely hurts less then landing on your tailbone
Me when I'm about to crash:
My bike comes first.
Last I checked mechanical brakes dont build pressure if you press them a lot. Hydraulic brakes sure, but not mechanical xD
70kph down a chumcky gravel road on a new down country bike I’d just finished building. Both brake levers collapsed into the bars. Holy sh!t that was scary. Tried pumping, tried not braking hoping they’d cool enough. Lucky I just managed to slow enough to make the 90degree corner at the bottom instead of flying off the 4m drop into scrub and rocks below!
Yes I’d used old brake fluid. A 1L bottle had literally been opened once to change the fluid in on brake maybe a year before. Lesson learned!
I was on a pumptrack last week and me and my friend were going onto a kind of skinny thing inbetween berms but he stopped and I couldn't fit with my bike, it went down into the berm as i jumped of because of every mountainbiker sayong it's better to throw your bike away. Thank you!
that end card montage went hard🔥🔥