Learning to breakfall

[Lex Smith]

In previous discussions of this subject some riders have suggested learning to break fall is a waste of time for EUC riders since accidents happen too fast to react.   I didn't weigh in at the time since I  hadn't been riding for very long.  Today I took a tumble and can say that my muscle memory kicked in and I did a forward roll  that along with my safety gear and back pack saved me from any injury at all.  True I wasn't going very fast at the time but still feel that a face plant would have had more consequences.   I'm not suggesting that it is a guaranteed way to avoid injury but personally was pleased to have that skill in the tool box today :-)  probably helped that we practiced them last night at class and I have been doing them for 43 years.  Anyway something to consider if you want to proactively be as prepared as possible for the inevitable spill.

[Julian-NZ]

As a beginner myself, I'm already a Ninja at the very skillful faceplant!
Being able to roll instead of slide has saved me a lot of skin being removed.
However, it doesn't work all the time. I was recently surprised by an unexpecte set of stairs (they jumped up in front of me!) I clenched the appropriate parts, vibrated down but one foot slid off. Instant very close inspection of the pavement (AKA - The Faceplant). Unfortunately, no time to roll on this one. Just as well I was wearing full safety gear!

The more 'safety skills' you can learn the better. I've been using breakfalls for about the same length of time. I can't count how many times the skill has saved me.

Proactive is far better for you than reactive  

[RoboFixIt]

Thank you I'm looking into this now, you mean like this?
BTW did your v11 cut out or?

 

[Lex Smith]

7 hours ago, ElectronxCycles said:

Thank you I'm looking into this now, you mean like this?
BTW did your v11 cut out or?

 

Similar to this but less sideways and more full forward. 

Wasn't a cut out - misjudged the gap between two steel posts. 

[Lex Smith]

It was more this sort of roll.

 

 

[Paul A]

Sliding with gear might be less harmful.

 

[mrelwood]

I know people seem to split at the opinion on whether to slide or roll, but I don't see a point in that. In some situations roll is better, but in others an attempted roll can be much more harmful than a slide.

Already when riding at a steady speed of say 20mph we are leaning forward to overcome the air drag. If the wheel would suddenly fail or get stuck in a pothole, by the time we react and start to move a single muscle, we have fallen forward a fair amount. If you then start to prepare for a roll and push your head down, it's quite possible that you will just slam on the ground head first. And even much more so while you are accelerating.

A crash I had some 4 years ago would've been salvaged with a roll though, and me trying to run it off and stay upright made me hit my shoulder that was pretty sore for several weeks. A simple roll could've avoided all injury, but it's been more than 30 years from the few judo lessons I took, and I guess it's safe to say that I'm not quite dynamic enough with my physique...

[Paul A]

29 minutes ago, mrelwood said:

I know people seem to split at the opinion on whether to slide or roll

 

Artificial Intelligence airbag vests are available. 

Dainese and Alpinestars were previously the only manufacturers of these not requiring a tether for deployment.

Klim is now producing them as well.  Fitted with In&Motion airbag.

Might seem like overkill for EUC, but it is a car colliding into the rider that is the deadliest impact.

Champion Helmets in the Netherlands are stocking them now.

 

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[Cerbera]

I'm still amazed people think we have a choice about how we land after cut-outs. Maybe they do somehow, but I know for sure that in every cut-out I have ever experienced on an EUC, and we must be up to about 10 now over the years, the moment I realise something has gone wrong I am already on the ground and sliding to a stop.

But we do have a lot more time to think if we are de-footed by the wobbles, for example, or hit something that destabilizes us before we go down (dogs hanging on to ankles, clipping a kerb with pedals, making it over a destabilising but not fatal pothole etc etc) where we do have time to know a crash is imminent and do have a slight opportunity to plan our dismount technique, even it's just a second or 2. In those circumstances my brain sometimes can't decide between trying to stay on and control it or working out the least painful way down, and I find there often isn't time for both !

Edited October 28, 2022 by Cerbera

[Lex Smith]

On 10/29/2022 at 3:36 AM, Cerbera said:

I'm still amazed people think we have a choice about how we land after cut-outs. Maybe they do somehow, but I know for sure that in every cut-out I have ever experienced on an EUC, and we must be up to about 10 now over the years, the moment I realise something has gone wrong I am already on the ground and sliding to a stop.

But we do have a lot more time to think if we are de-footed by the wobbles, for example, or hit something that destabilizes us before we go down (dogs hanging on to ankles, clipping a kerb with pedals, making it over a destabilising but not fatal pothole etc etc) where we do have time to know a crash is imminent and do have a slight opportunity to plan our dismount technique, even it's just a second or 2. In those circumstances my brain sometimes can't decide between trying to stay on and control it or working out the least painful way down, and I find there often isn't time for both !

I haven't experienced a cut out but videos I have seen of them look savage. 

In my case it was a pedal clip and I didn't make a conscious decision to roll, it's just what happened and tbh I was a bit surprised myself.  Guessing because it's something I regularly practice my body took over.

[Tawpie]

31 minutes ago, Lex Smith said:

I haven't experienced a cut out but videos I have seen of them look savage. 

In my case it was a pedal clip and I didn't make a conscious decision to roll, it's just what happened and tbh I was a bit surprised myself.  Guessing because it's something I regularly practice my body took over.

For me a pedal clip is a tiny bit different... it's my #1 cause of unplanned dismounts and typically at low speed. My cutout was also at lowish speed, but it happened so fast I was on the ground before I was really aware that anything wasn't right. With the pedal clips I can feel it before the wheel twists out from underneath me, but the cutout was 'riding along nicely and the next thought was why am I violently on the pavement?' Maybe if I have had more than 1 cutout it'd be different, my first pedal clip was also a zero time passed event.

[APGSDL]

I think this is one of those things that is simply unquantifiable.   I do believe having the experience of falling safely will help in a EUC fall but I don't think it will be a conscious choice.  Like above, before you know what's going on you're stationery and wondering what just happened.

I've had plenty of falls but almost all have been low speed.  I'm hoping it stays that way.  But i'm also hoping that if one day it happens at speed then the instincts from martial arts training will kick in and my body will do what it's practiced over and over again.  I know my brain won't be involved in it as there just won't be the time.