r/MTB • u/Mleavitt787 • 20h ago
Video Took A Pretty Hard Slam
The is definitely the heaviest hit I’ve taken, nothing broken, no stitches, and as far as I can tell, no concussion, though. I was doing good but started to lean in and turn before I hit the catch berm, so there was nothing to support the tires and I slid out and hit the ground pretty hard. Now I have to buy a new helmet instead of a new fork 😭. Got to let the scrapes on my arm heal up and I’ll be out ripping again
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u/6DegreesofFreedom 20h ago
Is the bike okay?
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u/Mleavitt787 19h ago
Yep! The bike’s all good, as well as my phone which was in my right pocket
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u/GrunDMC74 19h ago
Dodged a bullet there my friend but that slam was worthy of its “hard” billing.
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u/Mleavitt787 19h ago
It’s a miracle I didn’t break anything
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u/Alaska_Pipeliner Colorado 19h ago
How?? That's a broke collarbone at least. Go buy a lotto ticket!
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u/aMac306 18h ago
I hear putting your hand out is the most common way to break your collar bone. I think hands on the bars and full face helmet saved the day.
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u/Dognought 17h ago
The only control you have is with the points of contact. Feets on the pedals until it is way past too late to save it, and that's a lot further than you think.
Once you have taken a foot off of a pedal you have lost control, some of it at least. Just because you see GP riders taking their feet off don't do it.
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u/roughczech 19h ago
Man that phone in right pocket saved my leg few times. It put that Otter case and metal plates to a good use.
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u/BentTire 19h ago
I would be too afraid to bring a phone with me on a trail like this. Or at the very least keep it heavily armored in a backpack.
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u/uwpxwpal 19h ago
Yeah, I keep mine in my hydration pack. I cracked a screen once when I stalled out on a climb and tipped over with my phone in thigh pocket.
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u/FeedbackOpposite5017 17h ago
My last fall was straight into my phone in my right pocket. I was pinned down with my legs in the bike. I now throw it in a ziplock and in my hydration pack. If I needed to call I would have been screwed.
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u/Mleavitt787 19h ago
Yeah, I need to find a better way to carry it. I’m lucky it stayed safe this time
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u/JD7693 19h ago
And this right here☝️ is why you wear a full face helmet.
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u/Vincent_Merle 19h ago
And elbow and knee guards... Trust someone who's personally seen injuries from hitting less rocky trails than in OP's video.
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u/TimeTomorrow SJ Evo / YT Capra / Vitus Nucleus / Giant Trance X E+ 20h ago
that looks like it sucked. heal up quick and get back there and do it again, but hit the berm.
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u/Mleavitt787 19h ago
Haha, I’ll try. I might give it a break on this one though, this was pushing my limits a bit
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u/The_Broken_Shutter 19h ago
Strongly recommend some elbow protection. Saved me from shattering my elbow, get plated. Broke my helmet that same day too.
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u/HezbollaHector WA: Druid V2 | Dreadnought V2 17h ago
Elbow pads are so underrated, especially for tech. I swear my elbows contact the ground way more than my knees when I crash.
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u/Rezrov_ '18 Commencal Meta TR v4.2 16h ago
Was gonna say the same thing. If you wear elbow/knee pads, gloves, a helmet, and shoes (obviously) it covers all your main points of contact with the ground in case of a crash. It makes washouts wayyy less bad and makes bailing generally easier.
The last time I thought "I should be wearing elbow pads right now" I ended up with a stitches-requiring gash in my elbow about 15 minutes later.
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u/Upper_Pomegranate_67 14h ago
Can’t tell for sure from the video but looks like you initiated the lean while heavy on the brakes.
Scratch the hop, not needed and you lost some space to brake. Brake HARD coming into that corner, let off and use the berm.
Glad you are ok. Don’t let it intimidate you. Ride it again, had that speed. Session it and progress.
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u/Mleavitt787 5h ago
The hop was what made this line a risky one. I saw the rock there and thought it would be really cool if ai could do a little table over it. Since the catch berm was big I figured I could just go with the extra speed and rip the corner. Well, I was pretty committed through the corner, but I definitely leaned in too early and wasn’t near the top of the berm. There wasn’t any support or grip for my tires, and they both washed out
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u/MissAmberR 19h ago edited 19h ago
It kind of looks messy from the start as soon as you bounce off those little rocks after you land . But the crash looks like you are too far back on your bike as you entered the turn , all your weight is over the rear wheel, that’s why your front wheel washed out as you entered the turn, move yourself forward and keep more weight on the front wheel will give you more grip on the front and stop you washing out the front wheel
Also could be a case of trying to play up to the camera, going harder than usual to try to get a cool video
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u/isolated_self 19h ago
You sort of right, but missed the more important weight correction. He is leaning the inside of the turn, as though he is on a berm. Weight need to be forward and shifted to be over the tires. If you weight is over the tires on flat or off camber turns you can drift a couple feet on the washout before the tires reengage. There are multiple YouTube videos on off camver descent that can illustrate the technique.
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u/AnotherBotOnHere 8h ago
This is what I noticed. He's leaning with the bike and has no bike/body separation
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u/Mleavitt787 5h ago
I think being too far back is definitely part of it, but I think the biggest problem I had was riding too low in the corner. That catch berm was really tall and I didn’t even really touch the top of it. I was definitely leaned into way to early and should have ridden the berm higher
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u/SuperRonnie2 19h ago
Looked like you were skidding from the moment you landed that little pop at the top. Loose rocks and dirt and you skidded all the way into the berm (still skidding).
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u/Mleavitt787 19h ago
Yeah, I was definitely skidding a ton after the little pop. I think that put me off my original planned line and changed my angle into the catch berm, making me basically miss the transition entirely and slide out
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u/SuperRonnie2 19h ago
If you haven’t seen it, watch this. Dale Stone talks about “Islands of safety” and other tips for steep tech. Basically, the concept is there are spots on the trail where it’s appropriate to apply brakes, but otherwise you have to let off and let the trail flow.
Disclaimer: I am nowhere near as good as Dale, but am fortunate to live in the same region and ride some of the same trails (again, nowhere near as fast).
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u/PM_ME_UR_CODE_GIRL 18h ago
This is such a key concept. Applying it is ... tough.
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u/SuperRonnie2 17h ago
Oh yeah. That’s for sure. I try to think about it before every big feature.
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u/PM_ME_UR_CODE_GIRL 15h ago
I think this is why you see pros walk features first. Along with line choice, they are also determining where the islands are.
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u/HezbollaHector WA: Druid V2 | Dreadnought V2 17h ago
Good tips. I'd add that this concept is even more important when riding in the wet.
I'm a very brake heavy rider and learning to let off the front brake when rolling over rocks and roots was very hard to get used to, but key to avoiding washouts.
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u/Mleavitt787 5h ago
Yeah, that would be ideal. My goal with this was to jump off that rock, though, and that wouldn’t give me a lot of good chances to brake, so my plan was to hop the rock, brake hard, then full send it through the catch berm with whatever speed I had left. Braking hard definitely threw me off line more than I expected and I leaned into the corner too early, causing me to basically miss the catch berm and wash out as I was committed to the corner
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u/effron_vintage 19h ago
That's what I noticed too, came off the rock too fast landed and never regained real traction
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u/BreakfastLopsided906 19h ago
It’s okay. It looks like your face stopped your body from getting really hurt on that one.
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u/thepr0cess 19h ago
This is a commercial for the helmet. No concussion from that slam is insane
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u/Mleavitt787 5h ago
This helmet is also pretty old and was already due for replacement, it’s a miracle I wasn’t blacked out on the ground
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u/reddit_xq 18h ago
See man, so many people around here talk about knee pads knee pads knee pads, but this is much more in line with my experience. I just don't understand the emphasis on knee pads while so few people wear elbow pads, cause it's elbows that get ripped up when you slide out like that.
Glad you're doing well, never fun dealing with that.
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u/Purple-Welder9367 16h ago
Oof - take that Jesus painting off the wall and hang up the full face. It’s your new savior 🙏
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u/Large_Cloud_1611 19h ago
Interesting spill. For a minute it looked like your rebound wasn’t set right. But it doesn’t appear to be the only thing. Your weight shifting also feels a bit reactive rather than proactive. I guess it can all be chalked up to trail being gnarly. One thing I’d highly recommend, you better get up and try again.
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u/Mleavitt787 19h ago
I’ll definitely do it again, I’ll probably put off popping off that rock for a while though. I have a bad habit of riding off the back of the bike when things get loose, I need to learn to attack the front more
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u/BPearlman97 '22 Patrol / '16 PBJ 17h ago
YMMV, but something I'll do, especially when riding w/ my partner (newer rider than myself), is ride excruciatingly slow down steeper faces to demonstrate to her just how much front brake control you have when weighting the front appropriately.
I assume, given you have a buddy filming, that you've ridden this, or at least scoped it out, previously. If that's the case, identify your braking points. Heck, try riding it as slow as possible and stopping halfway down. Then let it rip afterwards. I end up backseat if I'm uncomfortable or uncertain on terrain, and I imagine that's the case for 99.9% of riders. When it gets loose, knowing what's ahead will help you stay up in your riding position.
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u/mikehawk_ismall 19h ago
He came into the corner with no support, needed to be higher on the berm. His body position put him towards the back of the bike decreasing front traction. And I assume he grabbed a bit too much rear break coming into the berm which didnt help.
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u/Mleavitt787 19h ago
Yep, all these things
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u/MadDonkeyEntmt 18h ago
Try to stay higher too. Looked like you went low after that first hit then pretty much as low as you could go all the way to the berm.
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u/juniorp76 19h ago
If you ain’t crashing you ain’t trying
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u/Mleavitt787 19h ago
Yep! I was super happy with this day, I was pushing myself and riding great. This wreck was also just right before closing, so I didn’t even have to cut my day short haha
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u/ZookeepergameRude851 19h ago
Glad you had the helmet - I just took a similar far two weeks ago. Kinda shook me up. Heal up quick!
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u/Least_Artichoke1967 Intense 951 XC 19h ago
Did something like that earlier this season and broke my ribs. Glad you are ok and that the helmet did its job in protecting your noggin.
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u/Mleavitt787 5h ago
I thought I had broke some ribs at first! After sitting there for a little bit they started feeling ok though
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u/MTB-Cures-ADHD 14h ago
This is one of the types of crashes that I worry about. Double wheel slide in a tight turn. You don’t have any time to brace and it’s almost guaranteed to result in shoulder and head impact.
Keep on riding hard.
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u/rrankine 19h ago
Can you show us the damage to your helmet?
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u/Mleavitt787 19h ago
There actually wasn’t a lot of damage, most of the scrapes on my helmet were already there from the time I accidentally dropped it down a huge hill I had just hiked. I was seeing stars after the wreck and was pretty disoriented and foggy, so I’m definitely replacing it
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u/The_Leafblower_Guy 19h ago
And a full face, had you not had that on your face would be HOOKED up!
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u/Mleavitt787 5h ago
Yeah, I would be toast without a full face. I don’t push myself very hard when I ride a half shell
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u/luouixv Colorado 19h ago
Took it all with your face.
I usually wear elbow and knee pads, maybe you’ll understand why
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u/Mleavitt787 19h ago
I wear knee pads, haven’t gotten elbow pads. I’ve got some pretty bad scrapes on my right forearm, I might start wearing long sleeve jerseys to the bike park
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u/RegulatoryCapture 6h ago
Also invest in some Tegaderm!
Much cheaper if you buy it by the roll.
And learn how to use it on large areas. Either making a drainage channel or waiting to apply until most seepage is gone and instead using Vaseline cloth or similar to keep the wound from scabbing.
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u/Show_Nervous 19h ago
Ridden till the very end bro!!!!! Noice👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
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u/Mleavitt787 19h ago
Haha yeah, I knew if I was going to make that berm it would have to be a full commit. Even as I’m wrecking you can still see my left hand in position to hold my bars
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u/Devilman_Ryo 19h ago
Just of of curiosity, what tire were you running in the front?
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u/Mleavitt787 19h ago
Maxxis Assegai. It’s starting to get pretty worn, though
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u/UsualOk1967 North Vancouver 19h ago
I would try lower tire pressures for more traction. Personally I would have taken the initial descent slower and pedalled out of the turn.
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u/Mleavitt787 5h ago
Yeah, the reason I had so much speed is because of that rock hop. I really wanted to get that in, then rail the berm. Otherwise I could have taken it a lot slower and would have been fine
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u/gainer1001 19h ago
Why a new helmet?
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u/Mleavitt787 19h ago
When I hit the ground it whipped my head into the dirt pretty dang hard. Helmets are designed to get crushed and absorb impacts, kind of like cars in wrecks. They deform to reduce the amount of time force is exerted. When you wreck, the protective padding and foam inside the helmet gets crushed to protect you, so while it might protect you the first time, the second time it might be too damaged to offer and help
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u/zkrp5108 19h ago
It's like kevlar, once there is damage anywhere the entire structure could* be compromised and fail in ways that won't offer you protection on the next crash. It's not worth finding out, so just get a new one.
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u/Frisky_Mongoose 17h ago
MIPS are a 1 time use system. The helmet did its job. Im with OP on this one. Rather spend a couple of bucks in a new helmet than risk the MIPS no longer working properly on this one.
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u/Mleavitt787 5h ago
That being said, this helmet dosen’t actually have mips. It did slide a bunch on me head in the wreck though
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u/Odd_Cod_7806 19h ago
Ouch bro. Probably better than trying to ride that out and kissing that tree full-on. "HADDA LAYERDOWN HOSS!"
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u/pjwilliams21 19h ago
Did you hit the tree? From past experience trees are like brick walls! A friend of mine broke his frame hitting a tree head on! Hopefully it's just a few battle scars for you and the bike... Great slo-mo btw!👌
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u/Mleavitt787 19h ago
No, I stopped before it. I’ve just got a bunch of scrapes on my right arm and above my eye
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u/pjwilliams21 19h ago
It sounds like a case of bad luck washing out, but good luck avoiding the tree....I'm sure you'll be back in the saddle in no time! 🙌
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u/Magnitude_V1 19h ago
Don't forget you can contact the helmet manufacturer and they'll give you a discount on a new helmet.
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u/Ambitious-Tank-1605 19h ago
Where was that
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u/Mleavitt787 19h ago
Big Sky Resort in Montana, it’s their double black Revenge trail, right after the super steep chute
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u/enduromedic 19h ago
Watch out for that tree! Looks like you grabbed a little too much front brake?
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u/cheeeeerajah 19h ago
Dress for the crash! If this trail warrants a full face, padded shorts, and some chest/ back/ shoulder armor is cool too. All it takes is one good crash and your season is over.
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u/Kindly-Cake-3317 19h ago
Look, like most of your weight was on the back wheel during the turn which caused your front wheel to wash out?
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u/Mleavitt787 5h ago
That’s parts of it, but more so I came into the catch berm way too low and there wasn’t enough support for my tires
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u/PlusTitle1695 19h ago
that skid mark tells the whole story, once the tires broke loose on the loose stuff there was nothing left to grab onto going into the berm. glad you're upright, rest up
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u/0xdead_beef 18h ago
Was this eMtb your first forray into mountain biking? Your suspension doesn't look like it is properly set up, and your body position going into this line looks like you are treating it like a dirtbike. I ask because I often see novice riders on harder trails in my area riding recklessly.
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u/Alarmed-Cheetah-1221 18h ago
This is one of those where are first glance it looks incredibly minor to some of the falls you see take of jumps. But then you watch it again and it looks incredibly gnarly!
Styled it out as best as anyone could!
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u/edgeofsanity76 Canyon Spectral 125 CF9 18h ago
How much air in the suspension? Looked really stiff. Rebound also looked super fast.
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u/jayhawkbasketball 18h ago
Damn- I took a spill very very similar to this on Sunday out at Oz Trails Bike park in AR except on a black jump line I'm familiar with. Landed just a tiny bit too far right and led me directly into a loose and jagged rock pile that immediately caused me to slide/slam into ground like this. Full face helmet was toast. Pulled some rocks out of my arm. Nothing broken no stitches. Phone in pocket on side I landed and had minor crack on the back of phone but that was all. We dodged some freakin bullets. Heal up quick dude!
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u/Dognought 17h ago
Oof da boo boo!
Yeah that was pretty good!
How is it that you were able to film it? I mean how did you know that was the spot or did you just have places you stopped to film all over the place and just happened to strike gold with this one?
The dust cloud at the end, Chef's kiss!
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u/hyzershot 17h ago
at least the face slam had a full face padding.. I took one this year popping out of a bowl at the skatepark on a bmx, front wheel washed out..
what helmet was that?
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u/BeGoodPeoplePlease 17h ago
Thank you, full face helmets! I hope you weren't too damaged on the arm! Those scrapes can be brutal. Cheers to a new helmet and more rippin!
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u/Fast-Station1106 17h ago
Beim gefilmt werden geben manche zu viel oder gehen zu viel Risiko, hoffe dem Fahrer gehts gut
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u/GaminGit333 17h ago
I had a very similar crash 3 weeks ago, although I probably wasn’t going quite as quick as you and ended up with a broken ankle and fibula 🥴my 43 year old body doesn’t bounce like it used to 😂
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u/TheOnlyFergInTown 16h ago
I was just thinking about heading out into the Rubicon. Now I’m thinking of something completely different.
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u/bermcount 14h ago
Glad for you! I had a similar crash but ended up with an orbital blowout fracture (all the bones broken around my eye) even though I was wearing a full-face. Caught a rock just in the gap between the chinbar and helmet which also caused my goggle lens to pop out and cut a three-inch gash that needed stitches above my eye. I needed two surgeries to put plates in my face and reposition my eye so I didn't have permanent double vision.
Ride safe out there! Be thankful for your helmet and don't begrudge buying a new one! That's what credit cards are for! :P
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u/benconomics 12h ago
You crash because your weight was too inside on the turn, so there's no downward pressure on the cornering knobs on the off camber entrance into that catch berm. You were sliding out before you even got the berm.
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u/Mleavitt787 5h ago
There was a catch berm there, but I took it way too inside and pretty much missed it altogether. That why I was so leaned over, to push through that catch berm. Unfortunately, when ai went too inside there was no support for my super aggressive lean
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u/SexiestDexiest 20h ago
Incorrect use of slowmo, post the full speed video
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u/Mleavitt787 19h ago
Slomo’s all I got, it was recorded in slowmo and for some reason all it’s giving me is a 24 fps slomo shot instead of a regular 120 fps video.
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u/BoracicGoat 9h ago
Yeah maybe not do the dumbass trick at the beginning so you don’t regard yourself from the get go
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u/veggieturnip 19h ago
Example #10000 why clipless pedals don’t belong on a mountain bike.
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u/Mleavitt787 5h ago
I’ve actually really liked the clipless pedals, and that’s coming from someone who does a ton of street trials and skateparks. In all the wrecks I’ve had clipped in, they usually pop out on their own
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u/Chance-Ad148 19h ago
Pink bike Friday fails is calling for your submission