Practicing cycling is synonymous with improvement, effort, health… And also falls. Accidents are linked to our sport and we must learn to live with them. If you have not suffered a fall yet, you can rest easy because at some point it will come. Even so, this should not create fear of it happening, it is the nature of this sport and we can only accept it.
However, there are some falls that are common among beginners and you can avoid them if you pay attention to the following aspects. Small details will allow you to spend more time on the saddle and less on the ground during your training.
If there is any unavoidable fall, it is the one in the cove that does not want to come out. Especially when you start to be anchored, it is normal not to have the automaticity of taking your foot off the pedal quickly and that can send us to the ground more than once. Before hitting the road with your new cleats, we recommend you find a flat area where you can’t hurt yourself (somewhere with grass for example) and dedicate yourself to pedalling, removing and putting cleats. So even automate it.
Another common fall (and more painful) is losing the bike in a curve. To maintain balance it is important to make clean lines and to achieve this you must lean your body towards the inside of the turn. Of course, do not forget to lift the pedal on the side in which you lean, because not doing so could touch the ground and unbalance you.
It is not surprising that the initial and final part of the training of many cyclists proceeds through an urban center. Within the city it is very important to keep the five senses attentive so that we do not suffer the mistake of another. Pedestrians who do not take the bike lane into account, drivers who do not see us, doors suddenly open, traffic lights… There are many elements that can cause us to fall. For this reason we will be aware of our surroundings more than ever when we ride through the city.
When you make your first group outings it is quite normal to find yourself somewhat disconcerted. The distance you have to go from the front wheel is very small and until you are able to control it easily it can take a while. Always try to avoid doing the ‘sharpener’ with the partner in front and never brake suddenly so that the one behind you does not ‘sharpen’ you. If you need to slow down or get to the back of the pack, just open up and the wind will do the work for you.
Without a doubt, when we talk about falls, those that occur in descent are usually the ones that command the most respect. It is in these situations when we reach the highest speeds and where it is easier to lose control. You can read some tips on how to better descend on the road to reduce the risk of falling. However, the most important thing will be to be relaxed when facing a descent and not want to do what we don’t know how to do. Loose legs and cold mind when it’s time to descend.
