Avoid Bike Crashes and Cycling Injuries

Crash Course for Cyclists

These 6 tips will help you avoid some of the most common biking crashes and minimize the damage when you do fall
By Joe Lindsey bicycling
 

Riding Tense

How it Happens:

If you're tight, every movement is magnified, says Young. You can't react quickly, and when you do the reaction is exaggerated, which can send you into riders or obstacles around you.

Avoid It:

Proper bike fit? That's step one. Now, go ride at a velodrome. With the fixed-gear, brake-free bike and pack of others, you'll develop spatial awareness and field vision, and learn to scrub speed smoothly, stay locked on a wheel without fixating on it, and trade pulls. Most velodromes offer a basic track class with rentals. "Probably 85 percent of the people who ride here don't race track at all," says Young. "They just want to be better cyclists." No track nearby? Get a fixed-gear errand bike and try to use the drivetrain more than the hand brake. Bike polo also improves handling.

Too Late?

Shake out your arms and roll your neck and shoulders. If you're riding on the brake hoods, hook your index and middle fingers over the front of the brakes; it's hard to put on a death grip with your pinkie. Change your hand position periodically.

VIDEO: Learn to master all your on-bike skills with these quick-hitting clips from Coach Chris Carmichael.

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