Okay, so I decided to pick up some crits and circuit races this year. I do race with a team and attend team rides regularly. I have done duathlons and mountain bike races in the past. My biggest worry is crashing (either being the cause of or not being able to react quickly enough). Crashing on an MTB or in a TT situation never bothered me because it seems like the carnage would be a little more controllable since the bikes are more spread out. I just read a post relating a story where somebody was killed in a crit some time ago (long enough ago to make me think the guy probably was not wearing a helmet). It gave me the heebie-jeebies and made me wonder if I should stay focused on MTB / duos. Any words of wisdom?

Thanks in advance.

Stay in the front.

Any words of wisdom?

Don't worry about the things you can't control, like crashing. You can try your best to keep your wheels on the pavement, but you have no control over the other riders in the pack.

Staying towards the front don't always work either. I got taken out when someone moved over on me and I was in the first 10 of the field. In a lower category with a bunch of newbies, you have no idea if the riders on the front know what they're doing either.

Typically, crashes don't tend to be all that bad and they don't hurt THAT much, so the odds are that IF you crash, you'll live to tell about it.

There's also something to be said about skittish riders causing these crashes, so if you're not comfortable riding in a pack... then DON'T.

Don't worry about the things you can't control, like crashing. You can try your best to keep your wheels on the pavement, but you have no control over the other riders in the pack.

Staying towards the front don't always work either. I got taken out when someone moved over on me and I was in the first 10 of the field. In a lower category with a bunch of newbies, you have no idea if the riders on the front know what they're doing either.

Typically, crashes don't tend to be all that bad and they don't hurt THAT much, so the odds are that IF you crash, you'll live to tell about it.

There's also something to be said about skittish riders causing these crashes, so if you're not comfortable riding in a pack... then DON'T.

If you worry about crashing whilst you are racing, chances are good that you will crash, being all nervous with a death grip on the bars is never a good thing. Relax on the bike, let it flow. I've been in a lot of races, lower and higher categories, and I've never been truly frightened in a race, except for a few times. It's very seldom where I'm worried for my personal well being in a race.

If you worry about crashing whilst you are racing, chances are good that you will crash, being all nervous with a death grip on the bars is never a good thing. Relax on the bike, let it flow. I've been in a lot of races, lower and higher categories, and I've never been truly frightened in a race, except for a few times. It's very seldom where I'm worried for my personal well being in a race.

Also, to continue, if you're racing along, and someone crashes behind you, do the rest of the pack a favor, don't turn around to look at it. That's a surefire way to cause another crash, and if you see someone else turn to look, admonish them to keep their eyes on the road and to NOT turn around while you're riding in a pack of people.

If someone crashes in front of you, start planning a bail out route as soon as you see the guy hit the pavement.

If someone crashes in front of you, start planning a bail out route as soon as you see the guy hit the pavement.

I'd start planning if I saw the slightest wobble! Know where everyone is around you at all times (kind of like driving), so you don't swerve into another rider to avoid something in front of you (crash, pothole, what have you). Swerving is never advised, btw.

Also, learn to bunny hop. While you may not feel comfortable bunny hopping another human being, you can at least bunny hop obstacles to avoid swerving and causing a crash in the pack.

If you don't crash, you're not going fast enough.
People who are afraid to crash will be either off the back, or the cause of a crash.

out on the road training than I am about going down in a race. I just put all that stuff out of my mind and focus on the road and race.

In a race, going down results in road rash and bruises. Normally, nothing more serious. Even if bikes pile up on you, it's still scrapes, bumps and bruises. There are exceptions, where bikes hit stationary objects at high speeds, or cyclist hits a downed cyclist at full speed, bike going down on a big descent, or there is a bike / car accident out on the course. But, the normal kind of stuff caused by bikes making contact isn't that serious. If you worry about such stuff your nerves would be shot at the end of the race and your chances for having a wreck go way up.

If (or when) you do go down. Get your wits about you as fast as possible, stand up and pick up the bike if posible. I've seen folks hold the bike over their head like a big sign until the peloton passes through. Standing up makes it harder for bikes to run over you. Easier said than done though. I went down in a corner of a crit, one of the folks on the sideline had to remind me to get off the course before the bikes came around again. You don't always think right when you get rattled.

Also, to continue, if you're racing along, and someone crashes behind you, do the rest of the pack a favor, don't turn around to look at it. That's a surefire way to cause another crash, and if you see someone else turn to look, admonish them to keep their eyes on the road and to NOT turn around while you're riding in a pack of people.

If someone crashes in front of you, start planning a bail out route as soon as you see the guy hit the pavement.

... your hands in the drops so that no one can hook your drops. Use your elbows and shoulders as "feelers" to warn or push away anyone who gets too close. Finally, if anyone leans into you, lean back into, not away from, them. Otherwise you are likely to inflict some major unhappiness on yourself and those behind you. Same w/ brushing your front wheel against someone's rear wheel, push your wheel into theirs (softly, and only if you are behind their rear hub/qr) until you shed enough speed to get clear of them. if you steer away, you risk going down.

A+

Philippe

If (or when) you do go down. Get your wits about you as fast as possible, stand up and pick up the bike if posible. I've seen folks hold the bike over their head like a big sign until the peloton passes through. Standing up makes it harder for bikes to run over you. Easier said than done though. I went down in a corner of a crit, one of the folks on the sideline had to remind me to get off the course before the bikes came around again. You don't always think right when you get rattled.

I guess it depends on the situation. When I crashed with 40 women behind me, my insticts were to curl up into a fetal position and protect my head. I came out of it okay with just a few broken ribs and some road rash. I only got run over by 2 people and they took about 2 or 3 more. All in all, a small crash

And no, you don't think straight after you go down. I was laying in the road for a good 10 minutes before I even bothered to crawl to the gutter. :eek:

Same w/ brushing your front wheel against someone's rear wheel, push your wheel into theirs (softly, and only if you are behind their rear hub/qr) until you shed enough speed to get clear of them. if you steer away, you risk going down.

Words of wisdom I wish I had known at my first race. Oh well, you learn quickly. The next two times it happened last season, I steered into the offending rear wheel and stayed up. Sparks flew, but I stayed up... that's the important part. ;)

The safest position to ride is clearly off the back. You'll have plenty of time to react and avoid any carnage that lie ahead. You can also get just as good, if not better of a workout if you time trial it alone... where you are safe.

Seriously, you are coming from the mtn bike world and you are concerned about crashing? I dare say a slow speed mtn-bike endo/ face plant is as bad, if not worse, than a high speed road crash.

I probably even deserve the ribbing, Mr. Grumpy. This is great advice. Yeah, I have endo'ed plenty of times on my MTB and have had to replace helmets as a consequence. I've even broken some bones. But, I just think there is something about all that pavement, touching wheels, etc. that makes me think a bit too much late at night. For the record, I am not a twitchy rider in a pack, at least in group training rides. I am probably just overthinking. Nonetheless, thank you all for the fantastic input.

B.

I probably even deserve the ribbing, Mr. Grumpy. This is great advice. Yeah, I have endo'ed plenty of times on my MTB and have had to replace helmets as a consequence. I've even broken some bones. But, I just think there is something about all that pavement, touching wheels, etc. that makes me think a bit too much late at night. For the record, I am not a twitchy rider in a pack, at least in group training rides. I am probably just overthinking. Nonetheless, thank you all for the fantastic input.

B.

something you may or may not know...riding in the front won't help. my first race this season was this past sunday and a newbie in the front took a sweeping right curve and took out two people...didn't know how to cycle through the front group of riders (counterclockwise with lots of talking)...he was verbally torn a new one...lots of apologies...two guys in the ditch...have no idea if anyone was hurt but found it necessary to put that guy in my rearview for the rest of the race...
anyway, the point is to communicate with guys around you and there's no need to put your front wheel on the rear der. of the guy in front of you, move quickly to the right , etc...crashed are avoided by just following simple rules with small movements...like flying an airplane at 28 mph with lots of traffic.

A point of order -- it is true that riding in the front won't vaccinate you from crashing -- stuff happens -- but it is a damn sight better than riding in the back. The odds favor you up front. It's very easy to get caught up in a crash that occurs in front of you; it's very hard to get caught up in a crash behind you. The odds that the crash will occur in front of you increase the further back you are, simple as that.
It's good to get that first crash out of the way; that way you don't fear them as much. Most of them are a little bang, a little blood, and then on your way.
I went down one day hard. I came home with a frame in pieces, bloodied but standing, and my wife, as soon as she realized I would live, was so mad that she was literally stomping her foot in time to her rage. "Now what does this tell you about a man your age with your responsibilities racing his BICYCLE?!!! What does this tell you?" I said, "Well, it tells me that I can go down at nearly 30 mph and still be pretty okay."
Let me tell you, that was the wrong answer. It was the truth, but clearly the wrong answer.

Gosh, Grumpy, sometimes you're so darned inspirational I don't know what to say. *sniff*
:)

i went down (first time eating asphalt in a road race and on my road bike) this weekend, and it kinda sucked, but i'm not too beat up, my bike's not too bad either, and i picked up a new helmet for cheap. i've been back on the bike a couple times since, and i'm a bit skittish but the reality is that racing is A LOT of fun and if i'm gonna do it i'm gonna go down. -and i've had a lot scarier/more painful stuff happen to me dealing with cars than anything some scrawny cyclists on 20lb bikes were able to inflict.

i look at it like that, and besides, what's the alternative, not riding my bike?

It never works though. Those big Tegaderm patches are easy to spot and it's tough getting out of bed with a cracked rib without groaning and postioning the body just so.

I always get found out and then we go through the "why do you do it" discussion. Which ends with "Yes, dear I'm a idiot". (but, she knows she isn't going to stop me from getting back on the bike)

A point of order -- it is true that riding in the front won't vaccinate you from crashing -- stuff happens -- but it is a damn sight better than riding in the back. The odds favor you up front. It's very easy to get caught up in a crash that occurs in front of you; it's very hard to get caught up in a crash behind you. The odds that the crash will occur in front of you increase the further back you are, simple as that.
It's good to get that first crash out of the way; that way you don't fear them as much. Most of them are a little bang, a little blood, and then on your way.
I went down one day hard. I came home with a frame in pieces, bloodied but standing, and my wife, as soon as she realized I would live, was so mad that she was literally stomping her foot in time to her rage. "Now what does this tell you about a man your age with your responsibilities racing his BICYCLE?!!! What does this tell you?" I said, "Well, it tells me that I can go down at nearly 30 mph and still be pretty okay."
Let me tell you, that was the wrong answer. It was the truth, but clearly the wrong answer.

FWIW:

All my crashes and injuries have come from mtn and cross racing. None from the road races- even when some idiot Cat 5 hooked me good in a corner, or another idiot dropped himself in a fast corner 2 feet in front of me. Guess I was too tired to be scared. . .

;)

I'll be new to racing this season as a Cat 5. I just assume I'm going to crash, that it is part of racing and that while you do everything you can to avoid it, it just happens. If you are afraid to crash, should you be out there racing?

If you were/are actually a good MTB rider/racer you are like 10 steps ahead of everyone else in a Cat 5 race. Lots of Cat 5 guys barely know how to get the bike to turn and have absolutely zero experience going around corners quickly or pushing their bike.

As far as I can tell it is almost impossible to race MTB without picking up a lot of those skills very quickly. You learn to hold a line, deal with loss of traction, etc.. much more quickly.

If you've got the legs and you're worried stay near or at the front. I did that a lot in my Cat 5 crits, it was basically like survival. I usually stayed at/off the back for the suicide sprints, and I played lead man in between the sprints. If you are the lead guy it is almost impossible for someone to take you out if you are a good bike handler. About all they can do is hit your rear tire which is much more likely to take them out than you.

Just be prepared for people who cannot hold a line and will drift wide into you! It is no big deal to adjust your line and/or just hold your ground against them unless they are REALLY bad, but it WILL happen.

IMO Cat 5 crits are all about surviving to get to Cat 4, it was not even worth trying to contest them once I saw some accidents, if I couldn't just ride off the front, I didn't try to win!

For some reason the Cat 5 road races and Circuit races (e.x. 5 mile loop) were far, far safer, everyone calms down and it is no big deal.

People have to realize that crashing is just part of racing. Sometimes it's caused by stupidity on your own part, most of the time it's caused by stupidity on someone elses part. It just happens.
The only way to avoid it is to ride 5 yards off the back of the field, or to not race at all.
I've noticed that there are just some people who get hurt all the time, whenever they crash, and then there are some who crash "well". This includes both rookies and Pros.

IMO

Mr Grumpy is 100% on target and as another has mentioned, something very vital
DO NOT LOOK BACK. In fact, go forward. Do not react at all. Hesitation is another wreck. Racing means wrecks, just as riding a bike does too. However, IMO, what works for me is to NOT look back and stay forward and as straight as you can.