[brad72]

Well I,ve sold my xc racing rig and have bought an all mountian bike (2010 Enduro), but am curious about the tuck and roll. Obviously I'm going to expose myself up to more dangerous runs now being able to ride rock gardens, drops etc at more speed but how the hell to I practice the "tuck and roll" and how to remember the maneuver if heading over the bars?

Thanks

 

[Calles]

Falling correctly, believe it or not, takes a lot of practice. I spent a great deal of time learning the hard way how to hit the ground and minimize the damage. I think everyone does it more or less differently. BUT

One thing I'll tell you NOT to do, is try like hell to break your fall. Try your best to go as loose as possible, and protect your head and only stop yourself from hitting say a tree or rock. If you throw your arms and legs out with the intent of stopping yourself from hitting your ground, you will fail... and probly break an arm/wrist/ankle/leg in the process.

Someone else may have better advice, but at least for me, the sh!tty truth was that I had to learn through many many injuries.

Good luck :thumbsup:

*edit* Maybe not MANY MANY.. but a few that put me out for a while, thats for sure... wear a helmet.

 

[superford4x4]

i've tried to explain the art of falling to lots of people. never very successfully though. its just instinctive for me, i don't even think about it, i must be lucky or something. i know the worst thing is a sudden stop, hence the "roll" part. you want to kind of make it more lateral than vertical, in most cases. spread it out i guess u could say, and this may sound crazy, but relax, tensing up is how muscles get ripped and torn.

 

[GaryJ]

One thing I'll tell you NOT to do, is try like hell to break your fall.

+1 or +100, however you want to look at it.

Most of my crashes have been so fast, that one second I am riding, the next, I am on the ground. Had those been slow enough to react (stick an arm out to break the fall), I am sure I would have broken something. Fortunately the larger parts of my body have taken the fall and I have just been bruised and sore to this point...luckily, nothing broken.

Gary J.

 

[jay80424]

Yea, don't freak out and you will usually be better off. As far as "tuck and roll" I don't think there's much of that. Gravity and inertia will take over as soon as your out of the saddle. If you really want to "practice", find a nice soft grassy hill, roll down it, and grab a fistfull of front brake and see what happens. When going over the bars, there are lots of things that happen, automatically, after a few crashes. I guess I've hopped over the bars and landed on my feet about as many times as ended up flat on my back ( fairly panless, thank you camelback), and i've never given it much thought until it's all over.

 

[chas_martel]

.......... how to remember the maneuver if heading over the bars?

Visualize being bedridden and in the hospital if you don't.

 

[brad72]

sounds like I need to come off a few times on a bed of marshmallows to practice

 

[Freerydejunky]

My buddy demonstrates the tuck n roll perfectly.

 

[brad72]

Beautiful trail and a 9/10 score for tuck and roll. Certainly beats sliding along on your chin

 

[One Pivot]

you probably wont have a chance to tuck and roll in most trail riding situations.. its WAY easier to do on dirt jumps.

just worry about not falling with your arms out and breaking your clavicle/wrists/arms!

 

[perttime]

If you really want to "practice", find a nice soft grassy hill, roll down it, and grab a fistfull of front brake and see what happens.

Try it without the bike first. Or get some judo lessons.

Many of my low speed OTBs end up as belly flops. Somehow I've managed to avoid breaking wrists that way too. Not sure if it is chance or instincts from playing in the snow and doing some karate in my early days.

 

[Joedub917]

Take some Judo classes.

 

[CaveGiant]

really stressing the last two posts.

The first lessons they teach you in Judo/Aikido/Ju Jitsu is how to fall.

All you need is a couple of lessons, and you will get it.

First few lessons at most clubs are free too =-)


I always start with a Judo roll, but convert to rolling on my side. I have gone down very hard a lot of times but never got hurt (badly, well once I was doing 60mph and broke both collarbones when I hit, but that was the exception).

Best one was trying to jump a fallen tree, due to my new heavy tyres I didn't clear it!
Smashed through the branches at 20mph and rolled over my rightshoulder converting to a roll on the side. I was still rolling 5m later.

Injuries: minor scratches
Dizzyness: unvbelievable

Judo is a lot of fun too, it also greatly strengthens your core mucles which help for biking.

 

[Calles]

My buddy demonstrates the tuck n roll perfectly.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Yeah. this fall is a perfect example of what he should have done. Certain falls dictate certain responses, but generally if you can do what this guy did your gonna minimize your injuries.

If he had straight tried to break his fall with his hands, arms out he probably would been in a lot more pain, than he is now. Maybe even out with a broken wrist.

 

[perttime]

My buddy demonstrates the tuck n roll

That must be pretty much what I did during my most spectacular spill so far, except I must have rolled about three or four times after losing traction on a pretty mundane wooden bridge.

No bodily harm, but parts of my gear spread over a pretty large area and I had to straighten the seat before continuing.

 

[BikeToBlog]

I was a karate instructor for a good 5 years and took karate for around 13 years and man did they stress rolls and "break falls" when we were in class...

I haven't had a bad wipeout yet but I am pretty sure that muscle memory will take over and I will rock a break fall if I do.

Famous last words probably. haha.

 

[TORO1968]

I was a karate instructor for a good 5 years and took karate for around 13 years and man did they stress "break falls" when we were in class...

I haven't had a bad wipeout yet but I am pretty sure that muscle memory will take over and I will rock a break fall if I do.

Famous last words probably. haha.

Oooooo...you're asking for it now!

 

[mhmacw]

I get the tucking part.... been there done that. I do believe it has something to do with instinct. I was waiting for the rolling instructions... especially after the
"smokestack" maneuver! hehe

 

[CaveGiant]

I should probably add the obvious, you do not want to break fall, you want to use the roll that initiates the break fall but keep rolling. A break fall will decelerate you too quickly and remove a lot of flesh.

just roll it out, just getting into that roll takes the brakefall practise/skill

 

[alexrex20]

if you grew up in outdoor sports, you should've already perfected the art of the 'tuck and roll'