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Check that helmet mount...DANGER!


Hans's picture

By Hans - Posted on 01 April 2009

Statistically it was overdue - 8 months without a crash Smiling and now had 2 crashes in 2 days - Sad

The first one is worth mentioning as it might save you from a similar fate...

I was riding the upper part of Duckholes (been there a dozen times before)- the nice rocky / bushy sniggle singletrack, following 2 mates at quite a good click - when suddenly I received a massive blow to the head and was knocked clean of my bike ...finding myselves laying in the bushes, seeing stars and nursing a massive seething pain in my neck from the jolt!

It took me a couple of seconds to recover and figure out what happened: I had knocked/caught my head/helmet on a low hanging solid tree branch (more like a trunk). Now this tree trunk surely hadn't been there before...the recent wet weather has caused some of the trees on this "familiar" track to become unrooted and lean right into the track - much lower than ever before...still I couldn't figure out what had caused the helmet to catch on the branch.

I actually went back two days later to check and I noticed scrape marks on this solid branch matching marks on my raised Ayup helmet-light mount. The raised profile of any helmet mount (commercial or home-made) creates a perfect (and dangerous) "catch" for anything above your head - I recommend removing them completely for any tight singletrack ride. (I've since switched to the new removable velcro-dot mount from this supplier - they must be aware of this problem and recommend it over the older style, permanently cable-tied mount)

So beware a) trees could now hang lower in (familiar) trails due to recent rains, and b) check the profile of your helmet mount - it might decapitate you! Sad

The second crash was on the next day at the infamous Ourimbah rollercoaster "carpeted corner/drop" during last Sunday's training ride - a nice OTB resulting in a sprained wrist. Not caused by equipment - pure rider error Sad

Or as someone said - good things come in three's - bring on the Mont! Eye-wink

Rgds, Hans

=========================
"I thought of that while riding my bike"
Albert Einstein, on discovering the theory of relativity...

kiwiboy's picture

carpet corner is my nemesis. Smashed my wrist there in the 2007 Fat Tyre festival and nearly OTB again two weeks ago. Its a doozey. Lucky to escape with wrist intact, Hans.

Mark
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if at first you don't succeed, try not to look astonished.

anke13's picture

I know I shouldn't laugh, but the first crash sounds comical (Schadenfreude?) Eye-wink

I hope you didn't hurt yourself too badly.

I wouldn't even attempt that carpet corner, so well done for trying. Next time... Smiling

unclebullbar's picture

Conveyor belt tip for Dorks like me.....

Go slow (duh), lock the back wheel up on the astro turf and steer your front wheel through the rut to the left. The back wheel will slide around perfectly.

BWOAR!

hawkeye's picture

Hans, Not surprised you crashed again the next day after a blow to the head hard enough ot take you off your bike.

I knocked my head on the pavement in a crash on Spit Rd (oil on road) a bit under two years ago. I found it difficult to concentrate properly at work the next day and may well have seemed a few sheep short in the top paddock to my colleagues. Sticking out tongue

Good advice on the helmet mount and low branches. I've moved my old-style mount foward on my new helmet, but have still managed to clip a few branches with it even with no lights fitted. Shocked

My concern with the gecko mount (which I also have) is losing the lights altogether.

Carlgroover's picture

I have a helmet with my lights permanently on it and another for day use, so no mount on the day one of course.

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