How often do people stack it?

[DMan]

Over 40 here. Every now and then. Mainly when I'm out with the boys and we're egging each other on. When I'm out solo I ride a bit more conservative. Mainly as I need to be able to get myself out of wherever I am. Big jumps do me in though. I wish I could big jump like all the cool kids..

 

[C0na]

I'm not even old and I have started to notice that my history of repeated stacks/injury has taken a gradual toll. When I was really into DH racing I would push myself pretty hard and it would be very rare to do a full set of practice runs without stacking. 7 years of DH racing/riding; lots of broken bones and muscle injury and the added bonus of slight brain damage (thanks to last years stack) has really taken its toll, and now not day goes by where I don't have to take painkillers.
Now I've sold my DH bike and have dialed back the risk taking; my friends still race DH, but I don't feel left out or anything; I now just ride the all mountain tracks/enduro with them.

Falling off inst half the fun, that's just stupidity. The fun is both being able to ride what you want comfortably, and having the ability to push yourself when you want to - I eventually learnt this hahaha

 

[shake_rattle_and_ roll]

Binning it/tree hugging/backing in & out of corners/laying with nature: every other, other ride.
Stacking it: once every 7-8wks.
Years riding: 15

I'd like to think I crash less now than I did when I was racing DH too. Probably debatable though.

Paying your dues for life. Get used to it

 

[Mywifesirrational]

You might be thinking of MyWifesIrrational.

I have the occasional little crash, and rarely a massive crash, sometimes massive crash little damage or sometimes end up with broken bones or only once, life saving surgery.

Nothing wrong with crashing, practice certainly helps, but if one is planning on pushing the boundaries and skill level, armouring up is very, very smart, to minimise or attenuate the trauma.

I find when I am riding regularly and focusing on riding fast and smooth, no crashes for a while, then a massive crash, same phenomenon as others have mentioned.

 

[Flint]

I rarely used to crash but then I got the downhill and all mountain bug. I was crashing every month or so. The last crash put an end to it for me. Shattered my leg, 2 plates and 20 screws, 6 months later and I am only now just off crutches but still limping badly, will be another 6 months before I can ride again.

I'll go back to enjoying the serenity and being out doors style of riding where I ride at my own pace.

Oh and fuck Strava off as well.

 

[The Reverend]

I go through periods of no crashes (months) then have a stupid little stack here and there. Seemed like there was a crash coming my way every ride which pissed me off no end. Thankfully just lost skin / broken phones.
Big crashes are very rare, and serious injury too. Having said that my favourite type of stack seems to be front wash outs. Tried all sorts of tyres and across all 3 bikes.
Sometimes I hold them and feel like a hero other times you're on the deck.

I've invested in Gform pads and now the Fox Enduro ones which I prefer.

My most recent one (another washout on a sandy corner) resulted in a torn ligament in my thumb and 10 weeks off the bike.
Might as well use the time to read up on how not to have front washouts!

 

[quin66]

Get some 26" wheels op, it's good to feel closer to the ground.

 

[TheAzza]

I was thinking about this thread the whole time I was riding tonight and rode like absolute crap.
Spent the whole time wondering when I was going to bin it hard into the nearest tree.

Best not to think about it go with the flow.

 

[moorey]

My wheels rarely leave the ground these days. About to turn 44, watched too many mates stack lately.
I've previously broke plenty of bones on the bike, including neck, last 5 years was casually employed, have dick all sick leave accrued in new job, big mortgage still, young kids.....

All of this plays in my head ever ride. I still like to go as fast as I feel I can, but I don't ride like I did 10-15 years ago.

 

[will2]

I hope everyone is touching wood. Errrr....layball:

 

[thatsnotme]

I rarely used to crash but then I got the downhill and all mountain bug. I was crashing every month or so. The last crash put an end to it for me. Shattered my leg, 2 plates and 20 screws, 6 months later and I am only now just off crutches but still limping badly, will be another 6 months before I can ride again.

I'll go back to enjoying the serenity and being out doors style of riding where I ride at my own pace.

Oh and fuck Strava off as well.

Completely with you on this! Being able to just ride for enjoyment, and feeling good about the time you've spent in the saddle is awesome. I actually love Strava - but only because it's an easy, free way for me to compare my own times. Couldn't care less about how quickly anyone else takes a sector, but it's nice to get to the end of a ride feeling like you've done well, and see that you've achieved a PR. Using Strava that way takes some discipline though I think. I've had rides where I've felt like I really went well, but the times say it was only my 3rd best. But then I remember that I felt great, and really enjoyed the ride, which is way more important than anything an inaccurate phone GPS can tell me!

My wheels rarely leave the ground these days. About to turn 44, watched too many mates stack lately.
I've previously broke plenty of bones on the bike, including neck, last 5 years was casually employed, have dick all sick leave accrued in new job, big mortgage still, young kids.....

All of this plays in my head ever ride. I still like to go as fast as I feel I can, but I don't ride like I did 10-15 years ago.

Totally with you on this. I've got 5 and 3yo kids, a big mortgage...luckily I do have a lot of sick leave, which really saved me when I fucked my shoulder, but still 18 months after doing it I can barely raise my left arm above the horizontal. It's sobering when you're in the pool for your little girl's swimming lessons, and during games you can't lift her above your head like all the other parents can. I keep my wheels firmly planted to the ground!

 

[Elbo]

I crash maybe once or twice a year, just depends, but lately I've had more close calls on the road to the trails than on the trails. I probably don't push it as hard as I used to and don't attempt jumps I used to when I was younger, but then I also ride a XC/Trail bike now and not a 16kg thrasher hardtail like I did back then.

 

[bikeyoulongtime]

Crashing - whenever it is most hurtful to my ego

 

[4dabush]

I hope everyone is touching wood. Errrr....layball:

Every time a tree jumps out in front of me...
until I started riding, I swear trees were rooted to the ground, but now I know the truth... My daughter used to laugh when I said that, now we have a tree named after her on a little creek crossing...

 

[Jaredp]

I don't crash very often. But geez when I do....

 

[Coopz]

I don't crash very often. But geez when I do....

That's one painful ankle =p
Part of me would like to wear a proper dirt bike helmet one I'm on the real rough stuff but they just look wrong on a bicycle..

 

[Jaredp]

That's one painful ankle =p
Part of me would like to wear a proper dirt bike helmet one I'm on the real rough stuff but they just look wrong on a bicycle..

The fox Carbon Full face vents really well for a full face. its light and is heaps more comfortable than a D3. I have one for the days we do shuttling and "rough stuff" as you say.

Great Helmet!!!!!!!!

Rampage Pro its called. Definitely worth the investigation. The only real advantage I reckon the D3 has is the Jaw piece is not quite as high. your peripheral vision (downwards, ie you cant see the handle bars or you hands) is compromised and takes a while to get used to.

 

[John U]

Once every couple of weeks at the moment but I am also riding more.

As with most things, if you're stacking you're pushing your limits. Just try to stay on the correct side of anything being too serious.

 

[sprocket]

I used to crash every other ride when downhilling, just getting back into trail riding now and have had a few close calls, mostly just due to not having the confidence to commit to sections, I almost had a big off into trees on the bottom section of the new "three hills" at nerang where the "whoops" doubles are, can't clear them easily, can't manual them, can't gap the the first pair then flow the next pair... I'm sure there's a way to do it, just can't sort it...

I recently posted my two biggest crashes in another topic, but I think crashing depends on how you want to ride, I'm way more into enjoying the view and being in the bush than I used to be so I suppose that's why I crash less than 10 years ago, well apart from when 18 year old sprocket kicks in and I like to think I can still gap everything..

 

[pharmaboy]

These days it seems about every 5 or 6 months (about every 2000km off road), but only counting crashes that end up on the ground, feeling pain, and still feeling something the next day. I don't count get offs, or sliding off the trail when you do no damage.

It used to be Every month. When I started it was probably every ride.

Mate of mine came off the other night for the first time in quite a few years - man he complained about how it hurt. Where he came off he had no right to given what we ride - I guess when your number is up your number is up