I fell off my bike yesterday. The roads up to that point had been wet, but no indications of any frost or ice. I got to a right-hand corner and the wheels just disappeared from under me, my bike slid leftwards into the verge, I slid right ending up on the opposite side of the road. Whilst lying on the road, I remember being impressed by how thick the ice was, and that it was one continuous sheet right across the road. I also remember making a mental note, as my head (helmet) bashed against the road for a second time, that I must learn how to fall properly. I fell almost exclusively on my right shoulder, and was so worried I might have broken my collarbone, I ended up going to the A&E to get it checked later in the day.
Whilst I was falling I just sat on the bike like a sack of potatoes, I didn't remove my feet from the clips, I didn't do anything consciously to prepare myself for the fall. What should I have done? How do I learn to fall safely?
how to fall
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Certainly worth choosing your roads with care at the moment - I was all lycra'd up this morning in preparation for a steady three hours out there when I got a phone call from my other half saying she'd fallen on ice while walking to work and cracked her head. Consequently I spent half the day in A&E with nursing staff saying "Oooo, you've not been out on your bike, have you?" while accident victims flooded in with broken arms and legs. Caroline eventually discharged herself from post-concussion observation, and I decided that an hour on the turbo made a lot more sense... 
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Broom Wagon
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Is there a right way to fall? I've had a lot of practice and I haven't found one....
Though, I've found the sorts where one minute you're cycling along and the next minute you're on the deck, not knowing how you got there seem to hurt the most. Those falls where you get chance to have that sickening moment of realisation: there's nothing I can do about this, I'm going to hit the deck; seem somehow to come out a little better.
Sort of related, I read in a cycling facts book.....which is most dangerous cycling or gardening...apparently 5% of gardeners have injuries requiring hospital treatment and only 4% of cyclists (though as I spend quite a bit of my life compiling stats, I can't help not trusting them).
Though, I've found the sorts where one minute you're cycling along and the next minute you're on the deck, not knowing how you got there seem to hurt the most. Those falls where you get chance to have that sickening moment of realisation: there's nothing I can do about this, I'm going to hit the deck; seem somehow to come out a little better.
Sort of related, I read in a cycling facts book.....which is most dangerous cycling or gardening...apparently 5% of gardeners have injuries requiring hospital treatment and only 4% of cyclists (though as I spend quite a bit of my life compiling stats, I can't help not trusting them).
Sorry to hear of your fall and good to know you're ok.
Falling properly is usually taught in martial arts but thats only for being thrown and learning to twist your body to lessen the impact.
Falling off a bike though is a different kettle of fish. If you're quick enough you could pull your legs up to stop them getting trapped beneath your bike and curling into a ball, or trying to twist yourself to roll on impact.
Unfortunately when coming off a bike it's all down to the speed it happens which is pretty hard to predict.
All i can suggest i wearing protection and trying to tumble out the way of incoming traffic.
Falling properly is usually taught in martial arts but thats only for being thrown and learning to twist your body to lessen the impact.
Falling off a bike though is a different kettle of fish. If you're quick enough you could pull your legs up to stop them getting trapped beneath your bike and curling into a ball, or trying to twist yourself to roll on impact.
Unfortunately when coming off a bike it's all down to the speed it happens which is pretty hard to predict.
All i can suggest i wearing protection and trying to tumble out the way of incoming traffic.
Sorry to hear about everyone's falls, how is your wife doing Phil? I also had my first 'off' of the winter yesterday, but that was just a low speed comedy tumble so I was fine - both my wrists stayed intact this time! After I'd fallen, I looked back and noticed a rather surprised-looking pedestrian sliding towards me, so it wasn't just me who got caught out.
Tips: do as I say, not as I do!
I fell on the cyclepath that cuts off the corner at Nunnery Lane, which reminded me that bike paths are rather less likely to be salted than roads.
Also, don't jam on the front brake. A rear wheel slide is slower and less calamitous than the front wheel version, so treat that right hand lever with care.
If anyone has found a way to fall off that doesn't hurt, please PM me and let me know. I'll love you forever and won't even complain when you wheelsuck me
Tips: do as I say, not as I do!
I fell on the cyclepath that cuts off the corner at Nunnery Lane, which reminded me that bike paths are rather less likely to be salted than roads.
Also, don't jam on the front brake. A rear wheel slide is slower and less calamitous than the front wheel version, so treat that right hand lever with care.
If anyone has found a way to fall off that doesn't hurt, please PM me and let me know. I'll love you forever and won't even complain when you wheelsuck me
Thanks for asking, Greg. She was unable to speak for a while, but now seems fine, apart from various bruises, aches and a real beaut of a black eye. The latter is impressive since she smacked the back of her head when she fell; a good illustration of how shock whizzes around the contents of your head if you hit it hard enough. She had a CT scan which showed no major damage, and is functioning normally today, answering the repeated question "who is the prime minister?" with "**** off"...
thanks for everyone's replies.
sorry to hear about you wife Phil, good to hear she's recovering. I've only got a very unimpressive yellow 'iodine stain' bruise on my shoulder, no black or blue bits. The heads fine as well.
I've been looking through my books (Joe Friel, Chris Carmichael), couldn't find anything on falling/crashing. But in Lopes & McCormack 'Mastering mountain bike skills' they advocate that if you have time to react you "hit the ground loosely, and then roll with it", i.e. the tumbling Gunwitch mentioned.
When I searched discussion boards, the only other technique mentioned was to "stay relaxed and [go] down with the bike" http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index ... 06900.html , whether this is good or bad advice I have no idea.
If anyone has consciously tried a particular approach I'd be interested to hear the results. Although this might imply you're deliberately crashing to test your method, so I'd quite understand if no-one is able to answer this.
So maybe I'm just left with, I do whatever seems right at the time.
sorry to hear about you wife Phil, good to hear she's recovering. I've only got a very unimpressive yellow 'iodine stain' bruise on my shoulder, no black or blue bits. The heads fine as well.
I've been looking through my books (Joe Friel, Chris Carmichael), couldn't find anything on falling/crashing. But in Lopes & McCormack 'Mastering mountain bike skills' they advocate that if you have time to react you "hit the ground loosely, and then roll with it", i.e. the tumbling Gunwitch mentioned.
When I searched discussion boards, the only other technique mentioned was to "stay relaxed and [go] down with the bike" http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index ... 06900.html , whether this is good or bad advice I have no idea.
If anyone has consciously tried a particular approach I'd be interested to hear the results. Although this might imply you're deliberately crashing to test your method, so I'd quite understand if no-one is able to answer this.
So maybe I'm just left with, I do whatever seems right at the time.
Glad to hear you're fine 
The only thing i can suggest apart from what i said above is to bring your legs up as quick as you can on the side you're falling. SO if going down on the right, bring up the right leg, and vice versa with the left side.
This will stop you scraping, grinding that leg. Try and aim your shoulder at the ground to roll with the momentum. All very hard in a blink of an eye.
I'd suggest going to a gym or if you have an impact mat at home, and just rolling over different shoulders. This will cause muscle memory and eventually become second nature. Don't do it on a hard floor as this will lead to injury.
Try and tuck your head in aswell when you roll.
We are trained these techniques in PT sessions to lesson major injuries when falling off the back of trucks or vehicles.
The only thing i can suggest apart from what i said above is to bring your legs up as quick as you can on the side you're falling. SO if going down on the right, bring up the right leg, and vice versa with the left side.
This will stop you scraping, grinding that leg. Try and aim your shoulder at the ground to roll with the momentum. All very hard in a blink of an eye.
I'd suggest going to a gym or if you have an impact mat at home, and just rolling over different shoulders. This will cause muscle memory and eventually become second nature. Don't do it on a hard floor as this will lead to injury.
Try and tuck your head in aswell when you roll.
We are trained these techniques in PT sessions to lesson major injuries when falling off the back of trucks or vehicles.
Speaking from experience of falling many times (off horses, not bikes, I should add) I second the rolling advice, it is always advisable to tuck in extremities, and also rolling forwards protects vital organs (usually from passing hooves but might apply to other hazards!). There isn't really a right way to fall, but you can learn to protect yourself. The other thing (much easier said than done) is to try not to tense up as this also increases risk of injury.
Only a thought, but things like yoga and pilates can increase awareness & proprioception so that you can better 'locate' your limbs and muscles - I am sure this will help when falling, as will being as flexible as you can be.
I do seem to have rubber bones tho!
Only a thought, but things like yoga and pilates can increase awareness & proprioception so that you can better 'locate' your limbs and muscles - I am sure this will help when falling, as will being as flexible as you can be.
I do seem to have rubber bones tho!
Often whilst MTB’ing I have the sudden urge to closely inspect the ground. 
When falling from the side of the bike, one trick is to hold onto the handlebars for a split second longer than you would otherwise, before releasing as the front wheel slides away.
Literally, still holding on as your bike is leaning past 45 degrees.
The alternative is that you release the bars instantly, come to earth front first and either face plant or stretch out the arms and possibly break a wrist or collar bone.
Instead, holding the bars for a fraction longer seems to work because your bike can then tilt your body onto its side as you approach the ground.
Landing on your side is surely a good thing as it's a big surface area, it’s flexible (shoulders shrug, ribcage flexes, thigh ‘squishes’) and with luck you might even roll onto your back, as mentioned by others.
Well, that's what I was recommended. It's unnatural and feels awkward to do, but hurts less.
Take care.
When falling from the side of the bike, one trick is to hold onto the handlebars for a split second longer than you would otherwise, before releasing as the front wheel slides away.
Literally, still holding on as your bike is leaning past 45 degrees.
The alternative is that you release the bars instantly, come to earth front first and either face plant or stretch out the arms and possibly break a wrist or collar bone.
Instead, holding the bars for a fraction longer seems to work because your bike can then tilt your body onto its side as you approach the ground.
Landing on your side is surely a good thing as it's a big surface area, it’s flexible (shoulders shrug, ribcage flexes, thigh ‘squishes’) and with luck you might even roll onto your back, as mentioned by others.
Well, that's what I was recommended. It's unnatural and feels awkward to do, but hurts less.
Take care.