Watch out for diagonal ruts

[gone2seed]

Does anyone have contact information so we can send get better wishes, or support, or , just rag on him about how he F’ up?

    I will start - Ribs suck, can’t fart, laugh, cough or take a good sh/t without pain. Been there , done that. 

         Suggestions. A good recliner.  You will want to sleep in it for a while. Don’t stay still any longer than your doc says.

  Moving will help with the healing  and keep your other injuries from stiff’n up.

      Most of us have been there, and if not, will be. 

        Shet happens. Don’t get to lik’n the drugs to much.

    I did. Only once. Won’t happen again, keep telling yourself that.

Edited December 11, 2020 by gone2seed

[roy826]

Back a few years ago I think 2015 I broke 3 ribs in a dirtbike crash on a weekend for a dirt hoot at the camp I was in. Hit a tree at speed and well the rest is the story. I was actively road racing at the time with WERA. I gridded up 1 week later with taped ribs and on a ice pack when in my hauler between races. I gritted it out. Was it easy no, did I get valuable points towards my championship goals, yes I did. Ribs are bad but I’ve also had 4 broken collar bones two on each side over the years and without a doubt the collarbone is the worst most uncomfortable bone break there is. You’ll sleep upright for no less than two solid weeks in preferably a ugly ass recliner. That is if your lucky enough to have a bone union at the break and no surgery or plates needed. 

[ADV Newbie]

On 12/10/2020 at 7:34 AM, Firebolter said:

No doubt he has talent, but it sure helps to have a nice big kicker at the exact perfect distance from the obstacle to help clear it. And almost all of the really great and super talented guys (Torres, Jarvis, Knight, Birch and more and more) have a trials back round and that makes this kinda stuff way more doable for them on a bigger bike! 

 

Check out Chris Birch on a 1290 killing it

 

 

First off, Chris Birch teaches ADV riding.  So he better be good.

 

Secondly, he has excellent form.   He stands the entire time for every trick.  His use of body English is superb.

 

But I wonder how much practice he did for those moves and how many times they filmed it to get each one.   They don't show the out takes.

 

 

[ADV Newbie]

My sympathies to the rider who got hurt in the video.

 

I have a few comments though.

 

First off, he has little time on the bike.  It shows.  He is putting his foot down in several places where it is too fast to dab.  Especially  on a 450 pound motorcycle.   He was going to get hurt.  You can't be flat tracking a 450 pound motorcycle on an unprepared surface like that.  If his balance and control was good, he wouldn't be putting his foot down in the first place.

 

Second, he isn't standing in attack mode.  He is not using his legs as shock absorbers.   He can't rapidly shift his weight or get away from the bike in a hurry. 

 

Next, how far ahead was he looking ?   Where was he looking ?   He has an entire trail and yet heads straight for that rut, the worst place he could.  There is no evidence of trying to wheelie over the rut or steering to avoid it or braking to slow down.   One trait of newbies is that they don't look far ahead, they look right in front of their front wheel.   This leaves them reacting to terrain rather than acting proactively.

 

Next, how much warm up did he have before going fast ?  It always pays to start off slow, to get a feel for things.  He was riding for 5 minutes when this happened.

 

The bike threw him off to the right because the bike went left.  The rut went left as well.  He kept the front wheel straight ahead hoping it would climb out of the rut straight via the rut's edge.   First rule of ruts is don't try to steer out of them without careful consideration.   8/10 you'll lose the front wheel if you try to steer out of a rut and the conditions aren't right.   Had he not been trying to steer out of the rut, his weight would have been to the left, steering the bike to the left. 

 

It the front suspension had more travel and if the front tire was grippier and if dirt had more grip he may have ridden his way straight through that rut.   But on that day, with that rut and that line and that stance, he had no chance.

 

Saying the rut was shadowed is not an excuse.  You can't over ride what you can see.   If you can't read the terrain fast enough to react, you have to slow down.

 

Also, he wasn't wearing any protection.   A heavy riding jacket might protect against abrasion, but it isn't protection against impact.  Armor is protection against impact.  Motocross boots, knee guards, etc.  I wear a Fox Titan compression suit.   I'm not sure if it would have lessoned his injuries, but I know it has saved me several times from injuries by the way it speads out impact loads.  Several of his broken ribs were from the back.  The Fox Titan suit has pretty good back coverage and excellent chest coverage.

 

I ride for fun.  We ride fast, no doubt about it.   I always monitor "close calls" when I'm riding.   I find that crashes happen after a number of close calls.  I know that I need to slow down if I'm having close calls.  I've never had a crash out of the blue.  There have always been signs of fatigue, close calls, etc.   When I feel these signs coming on, I move to the back of the pack and go slower.   There are days I ride at the front all day.  And there are days when I start gearing down, taking it slower.   Knock on wood I've had a relatively injury free riding career.   I think it also helps to do weights, balance routines and cardio to keep in shape when not riding.

 

Ride safe.

 

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2020 by ADV Newbie