I experienced my first OTB yesterday afternoon, more of a mechanical failure than rider error , although i think it could have been prevented. I was pumping up a hill on my #2 chainring fairly hard and right as I was coming up to a 5-6" tall rock that i needed to get over my chain popped completely of the chainring right as I was pushing down with my right foot. the lack of pedal resistance caused me to lean forward over my bars right as my front tire got to the rock(didnt get the chance to pop the tire up) and over i went. I broke my fall and kinda rolled out of it, but i hit my bars with both legs as a went over and have bruises right above my knees.
My first OTB!
mass-hole
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I barely escaped a coffin. The bike would have been the least of my worries. I never thought of taking a picture of the spot, I'll try and remember next time I'm down there. The last couple times I've rode that line I am keenly aware of keeping close control. I remember it as a 5' drop to a 10' wide ledge which would follow to a 200' sheer cliff on the riverside. I pulled myself up before hitting the ledge
Edit: here's someone else's video. It was the ledge around the 13 second mark of this video. Hard to tell the exposure to the ledge from a fisheye, but my brain was probably being melodramatic. Scary though.
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My first OTB took place on a nice 5 foot high log ride. About to go off the end my front tire found and grabbed the tiniest chip on the left side of the log. Front wheel stopped and my bike flipped me over onto my back like some karate master. Thank god the landing was loose
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Haven't experienced an OTB before, ha~
lol my first otb was riding down a residential street late at night was doing side to side turning and locked the front wheel fully nighty degrees and otb.
scared the hell out of a drive through chick with me sitting on the side of the drive through with blood coming off my head, shaking for a while before i could walk home.
ah to be young and stupid....
scared the hell out of a drive through chick with me sitting on the side of the drive through with blood coming off my head, shaking for a while before i could walk home.
ah to be young and stupid....
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I was well into my first season before I had my first OTB. It was a soft landing and I remember thinking to myself, "that was easy" and I was glad to have the monkey of my first wreck off my back. I didn't have to wait long for my next as it came only 15 minutes later and was a much bigger hit. There is a ramp over a large tree trunk at the bottom of a small decent which can yield big air if you really mash it down the hill. I did just that sticking the landing but somehow managed to go hard OTB anyway. The bike landed on top of me and I came away with a trashed helmet, mild concussion, and plenty of trail rash. The rider behind me said it was the coolest wreck he had ever seen and wished he had been wearing his helmet cam. His enthusiasm for my acrobatics didn't make me feel any better.
I've had a few more since then. None nearly as bad.
I've had a few more since then. None nearly as bad.
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Thats too bad
Going OTB is one of the funnest parys of mountain biking. If you havent gone over in the last few months your not pushing yourself
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^^^^
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I disagree with you on that. I'm getting older and don't heal as fast as I once did. Injuries hurt more now too. Not to mention the fact that I have become quite fond of my house and being laid up off work with injuries doesn't pay my mortgage.
I try to avoid going OTB and I have plenty of fun doing so.
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True enough. Ill say its my favorite part.... It goes hand and hand with having fun. I know if im having a blast and hauling balls barely paying attention jaming out on the head phones that a good wrek is coming.
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Same thing in whitewater - a yard sale is when you come out of the boat in a rapid and you, your boat, paddle and gear all float down the river, displaying all to everyone as in a yard sale. I hadn't heard it applied to mtb, but I can imagine sometimes it could happen.
My crashes are more like a fire sale, what with the disaster and emergency vehicles and all.
I think my first OTB was when I rode off the side of a curved bridge at West Branch in Ohio - faceplanted right in the mud.
Good times.
Of course by now I've probably OTB about 30 times, plus numerous other crashes (fell sideways downhill off a big rock and landed on my elbow - and now I wear elbow protection every single time), riding off of bridges, sliding off the trail in loose leaves, and last fall going fast after a downhill I hit a tree with my shoulder and rag-dolled into the trees.
Plus two broken leg bones, a major tear to my knee cartilage, and two skull fractures.
In other words, don't be surprised if it happens again.
Steve Z
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My first was when a bee flew behind my sunglasses and stung me on the side of my on a rocky downhill. Both hands came up off the bars, they crossed and I ejected and landed on my knees. This was only ten minutes into a ride.
The second was when I went off trail and hit a small flat boulder. smacked my face into it and got 75 stitches in my forehead, broke my nose and obtained numerous other dings and scrapes. My friends took pictures of me being backboarded into the Ranger's Bronco for the bumpy ride down to the ambulance.
Since I switched to having a 29er, I've been lucky so far. Went over once last year but somehow unclipped, brought my legs around the bars and landed crouched on my feet with the bike on my back!
The second was when I went off trail and hit a small flat boulder. smacked my face into it and got 75 stitches in my forehead, broke my nose and obtained numerous other dings and scrapes. My friends took pictures of me being backboarded into the Ranger's Bronco for the bumpy ride down to the ambulance.
Since I switched to having a 29er, I've been lucky so far. Went over once last year but somehow unclipped, brought my legs around the bars and landed crouched on my feet with the bike on my back!
A couple of weeks ago I was not feeling that well but decided to ride anyway. 2 minutes into the ride (group) went OTB trying to hop up onto a plank over a small stream which I have done a hundred times without thought.
10 minutes later i did it again - again on a section of trail I otherwise give no thought to. After that I kind of gave up, left the group and just dreadfully meandered my way around the trail. Worst ride (road or mtb) of the year.
10 minutes later i did it again - again on a section of trail I otherwise give no thought to. After that I kind of gave up, left the group and just dreadfully meandered my way around the trail. Worst ride (road or mtb) of the year.
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My first OTB was when I tried to roll a five foot drop. Notting dramatic.
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Every time I've come off, has been some sort of variant of OTB!! I must have strong survival instincts, b/c each time it's happened my death (or life...) grip has brought the bike over following my trajectory and usually on top of me.
You think the ground hurts!! Imagine the pointy end if your saddle being rammed into the fleshy part if your lower leg! That incident hurt for a month or two.
If you don't OTB when you come a croppah you ain't riding hard enough!
You think the ground hurts!! Imagine the pointy end if your saddle being rammed into the fleshy part if your lower leg! That incident hurt for a month or two.
If you don't OTB when you come a croppah you ain't riding hard enough!
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423 Posts
My first OTB was rider error. It was too late when I noticed a log lying on a zig-zagging section of the trail. But I wasn't hurt because I had a split second to hit the brake, let myself get thrown OTB, and cushion my fall using my hands. It also helped that the spot where I landed was a clear ground.
My most recent OTB was my second and it really did hurt. It was mechanical failure...front shifter fell off and got caught in the front wheel causing an instant wheel lock. The effect was similar to hitting an invisible obstacle. I got catapulted more than 10 feet away. The experience made me mad at myself for trusting other people in making sure every bolt screws of my bike are secured.
My most recent OTB was my second and it really did hurt. It was mechanical failure...front shifter fell off and got caught in the front wheel causing an instant wheel lock. The effect was similar to hitting an invisible obstacle. I got catapulted more than 10 feet away. The experience made me mad at myself for trusting other people in making sure every bolt screws of my bike are secured.
I had a friend manage to lose hat, gloves, skis, poles, along with wallet + keys. The wallet slid down leaving a trail of various cards & money on the slope. The next skier was kind enough to stop and pick everything up.
On a mtb you'd have to somehow lose the pack and probably shoes...
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