TobinHatesYou wrote: ↑Mon Nov 19, 2018 10:03 pm
RocketRacing, that is also incorrect. If you want to roll, you tuck as much as possible...you bring your hands in and maybe protect your face. The more spread out the mass, the less likely you are to roll, it doesn’t matter if you think you’re able to initiate it with your hand hitting the ground...pro tip: that doesn’t work.
Also rolling in most cases is only for a second before you’re actually just sliding. The aim again is to roll with your hips/buttock or the back quarter of your shoulder area to prevent trauma to internal organs.
Anyway holding onto the bars until the last second is effectively tucking the hands and arms in. At the moment of impact, you want to be a rag doll...no tense muscles,
I think we are both correct and agree. It is just hrd to communicate. What is best also involves speed, rider weight, objects you may hit vs just “road rash” on a flat. Is it a sideways fall, or full forward otb? Somewheres in between.? The “best” fall in each case is different because forces are in different directions vs our anatomy. I have had many “falls” that were very low speed, and a hand on a tree stopped me and the bike from falling. At 30km/hr the strategy is a bit different.
You are right, relaxing is good. And a tucking helps initiate/allow a roll. A stiff outstretched hand trying to “stop” a fall will generally cause more harm than good. Most people’s own body weight would fracture a wrist... ignore flying off a bike. We agree there.
i advocate that People Don’t let the head be the first point of contact if they can avoid it. Use your arm to be the first point of contact if needed. I.e. Use your arm to facilitate the roll in a way that does not cause the head to be the first point of contact. That is basically elbows or wrists to forhead (or whatever)in a barrel style roll, and a bit more outstretched (then quickly elbows to ears when rolling) if you are closer to torpedoing forward head first. If you are truly torpedoing head first... tuck your head down.. whatever it takes for the head to not be the first impact point.
But yeah, if i fall, and my head is flying at a tree (rolling won’t save you) than i will fire that arm out and take the broken wrist to direct my head away from the direct impact every time (which has been never to date).
When sliding on pavement... and not rolling, you should tuck, because forward energy is more safely dissipated rolling (cliffs aside). If you are going too slow to roll, the worst is over anyway...
The irony here is that if speeds are fast enough... we are all rag dolls, even if we start stiff, and you our prayers are the most we have.