"The Mountain Bike Way of Knowledge"

[velomaniac]

I got this cartoon strip guide to mountainbiking from my wife that she found whilst browsing a bookstore.

Published in 1989 by William Nealy its a amusing guide on how to ride a mtb and all the problems you might encounter not least crashing which the author seems to have done a great deal in the forests of the USA.

One crash type and how to deal with it leaves me very scared :
" In a high speed over-the-bars type crash, staying with the bike greatly lessens your chances of serious injury...when you go over, arch your back, tuck head and think pleasant thoughts....If your real lucky you'll do a complete flip and land on the shoulder area of yoy back and slide..."
A set of amusing cartoons accompanies this advice.
All this done on a rigid mtb on a Californian fire road without body armour other than a basic helmet, arrrrrggggg !!!!!

Many other gems and funny cartoons are also present.

A good guide to riding BITD and a recommended retro read.

Cheers

 

[FSR-Si]

See now i was always under the impression that the best way to deal with a "In a high speed over-the-bars type crash" was to throw the bike as far away as possible then stamp my feet about whilst doing this ----->

then get myself together and go retrieve the bike out of the nearest hedge with a shameful look on my face if anyone was around to see me.

 

[tintin40]

I find that crashing happens very qucikly. One second on the bike the next off and on the ground. If i had time to think then I wouldn't have crashed. But good advice other wise

 

[velomaniac]

When I crash it all goes slow motion at least to me, if only whilst this is happening I could make good use of this extra time and bend the laws of physics and extracate myself from the situation before snapping back into reality in the land of extreme pain. Never happens though and with me too focussed on impending hospitalisation, I doubt I'd get round to adopting the classic surviveable crash position !

The many and varied crashes illustrated in the book will strike a cord with many of us who remember the days before trail centres, suspension, good brakes and full body armour !

Aaaahh Nostalgia

 

[gump]

When I crash it all goes slow motion at least to me, if only whilst this is happening I could make good use of this extra time and bend the laws of physics and extracate myself from the situation before snapping back into reality in the land of extreme pain. Never happens though and with me too focussed on impending hospitalisation, I doubt I'd get round to adopting the classic surviveable crash position !

The many and varied crashes illustrated in the book will strike a cord with many of us who remember the days before trail centres, suspension, good brakes and full body armour !

Aaaahh Nostalgia

yep, I get the full on slow motion replay in real time effect too. Amazing how much you can actually think while falling off in what is actually a nats chuff of a second. Its like an epic in your mind after

 

[lumos2000]

i saw an experment to demonstrate this slow motion effect happening, they droped this guy of a high platform into a big air bag. he had on a watch that flashed a number so fast that he coulen't read it but as he fell the time to him slowed down and he was able to read the number.

it happend to me a few times but the best was riding home from the pub with my mate ,not in a fit state to ride, i drifted into him and he into me. our peddles touched spokes and we were both in free fall. ill never forget the look on his face as we both looked at each other in slowmo before hitting the tarmac :?

 

[doctor-bond]

Last time I crashed I couldn't seem to find the bike: apparently wandering around looking for the pieces. It was intact just next to where I'd got up.

I've got no recollection of the bit in the air before the ground came back.