Can we talk about crashing?

[blueskies]

OK, I'm new to cyclocross & have a question... How much crashing should I expect?

I went to 2 short clinics last week, and in a total of 3 hours, I fell 3 times. I'm not used to crashing. It was my first time riding off road, my first time riding this particular bike, & I had just lost my bike shoes, so I was temporarily stuck riding in sneakers. Also, turned out the rear brake didn't work. So, I'm assuming that it will get some what better, but I'm just wondering how much this is just part of the cross experience.

I loved it & had so much fun, but how much crashing/falling is typical? I've got one huge bruise on my hip, and a few scrapes, so not much damage... but I'm not a kid by any means & am getting to an age where I appreciate having all my joints work.

[Biciclista]

That's why I like roadbikes. We don't fall as much.
I've fallen 4x in the last several years. Having said that, i fell twice in a few weeks while getting used to a bike.So there is a learning curve. but my MTB girlfriends do a lot more falling than us road bike gals

[SadieKate]

Of course you're going to crash going off road the first time, and maybe more. But you'll become a much more skilled cyclist because of it. And racing in packs of people on a closed cross courses with those same skills are probably going to cause some falls, but so what? You'll learn. You're on dirt and/or mud with usually very few rocks on cross courses.

Even the best fall during cross.

Hang in there. Your road riding will improve because you're willing to venture into new arenas.

[blueskies]

Thanks for the encouragement, SK. I feel better hearing that everyone falls some.

It was so much fun trying out the mounts & dismounts while rolling across a bumpy field. I've put in a lot of miles on the road bike over the last couple months, and cross has a great playful quality to it that's refreshing right now.

I came up laughing from my last spill. We'd been practicing the basics for about an hour... & at the end of the clinic, they had us line up in small groups & practice sprinting off the start. Well, 2 of the women in my group were immediately off & away. I got a slow start (no cleats!!!), but got caught up quickly in the excitement of the chase. I was focusing hard on keeping my sneakered feet on the pedals, as I pedaled as fast as I could around the mini-course. It didn't occur to me early enough, though, that since I was going faster, I needed to start my dismount from further behind the first barrier... I dismounted just as I hit the barrier & then did a sort of slow motion tip over. Classic beginner, I'm sure. :)

[blueskies]

One more question-- I've got a bruise in the small of my back, from where the pedal was banging in to me while I was running with the bike on my shoulder. Any advice?

[SadieKate]

Not me. Lots of women on TE who know more, bit I did findsome cool how-to videos lately.

Look for the 4-part cross series.
http://www.velonews.tv/

http://www.bicycling.com/article/0,6610,s1-4-41-17837-1,00.html

[Andrea]

Think of your bruises/scrapes as temporary tattoos with much better stories :D

[Nokomis]

I've got a lovely collection of bruises from the Alpenrose clinics. I managed to stay mostly upright - until that first practice lap. 4 falls. The changing colors in the trees have nothing on my banged up knees!

If you have a choice - fall on Sand, then Mud, then Grass, then.... Just don't fall wrists out and break anything! Since you are already falling & practicing on grass, would be a great time to pick up clipless pedals and learn how to use them. Then you'll get the quick starts too! Actually - don't. Sounds like we'll be in the same beginner field, I don't need one more person off the front kickin my butt! haha

The pedal in your back? I think part of the problem is having platform pedals - those are a fairly large blunt object. If possible, see if you can have the pedal out front before you pick it up. I haven't noticed any interference from my egg beaters, but I think they are down/front position by the time I attempt to pick up the bike. Instead, I have bruises on my shoulder and forearm from shouldering and wrapping my arm thru to hold the bars tight.

[spokewench]

Not to make you feel bad, but you might have been better off with tennis shoes instead of clipped in bike shoes your first time. It is much easier to dismount and remount with tennis shoes than when you have to get unclipped, off the bike; run; jump on the bike and get clipped back in. So be prepared and remember unclip both sides before you try to dismount the first time! Once you get better, you can unclip the foot you take off first and then as you come through and go to run, you can unclip the second foot sort of simultaneously as you come off. Remember in mud, this can get tricky, cause unclipping doesn't happen as easily! :D Just keep trying it gets easier and easier.

spoke

[blueskies]

Since you are already falling & practicing on grass, would be a great time to pick up clipless pedals and learn how to use them.

Oh, I do have clipless pedals. I just lost my cleated shoes & hadn't replaced them yet, because I was still hoping they'd turn up. I am more comfortable doing the dismounts when clipped in, because my sneaker on an SPD pedal is not very stable when riding over a bumpy field.