# I enjoy going over the handlebars



## awf170 (Jul 15, 2008)

Really, I must enjoy it since in the past week I have done it over 10 times.  I'll stare at something for a while, think to myself that I'm probably going to do an endo since the transition is flat, then finally convince myself to do it.  Right when I hit the transition I go flying over my handlebars.  Obviously I never lower my seat, that would make far too much sense.  On the plus side I'm getting very good at coming out of clipless peddles, and now occasionally I jump the handlebars before going over forward and land on my feet.

Anyone else enjoy going over the handlebars as much as I do?


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## Marc (Jul 15, 2008)

Try getting your ass out over your rear wheel and get as low as you can when you go down something steep.  You're going to need that skill at K.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Jul 15, 2008)

You and your wipeouts..


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## wa-loaf (Jul 15, 2008)

Marc said:


> Try getting your ass out over your rear wheel and get as low as you can when you go down something steep.  You're going to need that skill at K.



x2 get your weight back. What little you have anyway.


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## deadheadskier (Jul 15, 2008)

Your challenges in sticking landings knows no season for you eh?


On this subject as a young kid I used to ride my bike down my parents driveway and put my shoe between the fork at the bottom of the driveway, which would send me flying into the grass where I'd try and do a somersault landing.


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## awf170 (Jul 15, 2008)

Marc said:


> Try getting your ass out over your rear wheel and get as low as you can when you go down something steep.  You're going to need that skill at K.




Pfft, you don't know anything.  I didn't say that I wanted to stop doing endos.



deadheadskier said:


> Your challenges in sticking landings knows no season for you eh?



Nope, neither does my ambition to try stuff way above my skill level that will most certainly end in a wreck.


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## Marc (Jul 15, 2008)

awf170 said:


> Pfft, you don't know anything.  I didn't say that I wanted to stop doing endos.



Good man.  Should make for some good vid material at Killington.

BTW, we should ride somewhere this weekend... meet halfway.  I hear Leominster State Forest is pretty good.  It's right near Wa.


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## awf170 (Jul 15, 2008)

Marc said:


> Good man.  Should make for some good vid material at Killington.
> 
> BTW, we should ride somewhere this weekend... meet halfway.  I hear Leominster State Forest is pretty good.  It's right near Wa.



Sunday afternoon (2ish or later) good for you?


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## Marc (Jul 15, 2008)

Yeah, should be.  I'll see who else I can drag along.


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## Greg (Jul 15, 2008)

I haven't gone OTB fully since I started back on the mountain bike. I did it a few times back in my earlier days and I don't recall enjoying it very much. Ah......to be young again. Austin - someday you're body is not going to heal as quickly as it does now so you might actually need to become a bit more conservative...


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## Marc (Jul 15, 2008)

I still go over the bars now and again.


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## bvibert (Jul 15, 2008)

I've done a couple pseudo OTB moves this year.  Other than that I haven't done a true OTB since I was a kid riding one of my parent's 10 speeds for the first time (never rode a bike with front brakes before that).  Going OTB in the middle of our street at the bottom of a small downhill was enough to teach me to be a bit more cautious of the front brake.


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## gorgonzola (Jul 15, 2008)

http://forums.alpinezone.com/30909-when-whoooo-hooooo-turns-into-oh-sh-3.html#post283270


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## tjf67 (Jul 15, 2008)

I went over the bars Sunday afternoon.   When in doubt go faster


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## marcski (Jul 15, 2008)

Marc said:


> Try getting your ass out over your rear wheel and get as low as you can when you go down something steep.  You're going to need that skill at K.



Also besides getting the weight back as already noted, you can try to extend your arms out and down on the landings....almost pushing them forward, which also helps. 

I've definitely done a good number of endo's in my biking career...I'm just praying that I keep them out on the trails and that they don't venture off onto the road.  Did you see some of those crashes from the tour lately?  ouch!


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## Marc (Jul 15, 2008)

marcski said:


> Also besides getting the weight back as already noted, you can try to extend your arms out and down on the landings....almost pushing them forward, which also helps.
> 
> I've definitely done a good number of endo's in my biking career...I'm just praying that I keep them out on the trails and that they don't venture off onto the road.  Did you see some of those crashes from the tour lately?  ouch!



Just like the commercial says-

Jump out of a moving car at near free way speeds in nothing but your underwear- then you'll know what's it's like to crash during a professional bike race.


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## bvibert (Jul 15, 2008)

Marc said:


> Just like the commercial says-
> 
> Jump out of a moving car at near free way speeds in nothing but your underwear- then you'll know what's it's like to crash during a professional bike race.



I haven't seen that commercial, sounds funny..  What is it a commercial for?


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## Marc (Jul 15, 2008)

bvibert said:


> I haven't seen that commercial, sounds funny..  What is it a commercial for?



I think it's just a commercial for VS's coverage of the tour.  That they play on VS.  So that makes sense.  I guess it's just like a promo.


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## bvibert (Jul 15, 2008)

Marc said:


> I think it's just a commercial for VS's coverage of the tour.  That they play on VS.  So that makes sense.  I guess it's just like a promo.



Gotcha.  Wish I got that channel... 

I'm not a huge Tour follower, but I used to enjoy catching bits and pieces of it.  I haven't caught any news or clips at all this year...


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## marcski (Jul 15, 2008)

Marc said:


> Just like the commercial says-
> 
> Jump out of a moving car at near free way speeds in nothing but your underwear- then you'll know what's it's like to crash during a professional bike race.



Yeah, great commercial, I laughed the first time I heard it.  Still smile each time.  The worst thing about the tour on vs. is that they repeat the same commercials so often.  They need a different set for weeks 2 and a third for week 3. 

Did you see the crash the other day involving the yellow jersey..who was it, Shumaker went down and his teamate, went right into him and over his bars.


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## Greg (Jul 15, 2008)




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## cbcbd (Jul 15, 2008)

If you aren't hurting yourself you ain't tryin hard enough 

I like my shinguards.

My best falls were riding at night... I guess it helps when you can't see where you are landing, its kinda relaxing in a way.



Greg said:


>



man, that really sucks @ 1:52


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## Trekchick (Jul 15, 2008)

C'mon, even I posted pics of a bruised and beaten body!


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## Marc (Jul 15, 2008)

marcski said:


> Yeah, great commercial, I laughed the first time I heard it.  Still smile each time.  The worst thing about the tour on vs. is that they repeat the same commercials so often.  They need a different set for weeks 2 and a third for week 3.
> 
> Did you see the crash the other day involving the yellow jersey..who was it, Shumaker went down and his teamate, went right into him and over his bars.



Well up until yesterday Kim Kirchen was in yellow for quite a few stages... but no, I missed that crash unfortunately.  When I'm working and training I generally only catch the TT's and the mountain stages.  Those are the most fun anyway.


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## GrilledSteezeSandwich (Jul 15, 2008)

Trekchick said:


> C'mon, even I posted pics of a bruised and beaten body!



times two


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## severine (Jul 15, 2008)

I think the AZ MTB crew should have a requirement of body armor before heading out for your rides. :lol:


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## awf170 (Jul 15, 2008)

Greg said:


> Austin - someday you're body is not going to heal as quickly as it does now so you might actually need to become a bit more conservative...



I haven't gotten hurt on any of my falls.  My one little injury so far since I started biking was when I slipped on some wet rock walking the bike uphill.  No other falls has resulted in anything more than a couple minutes of discomfort. 


Yeah, I think is now safe to say that I'm going to get badly hurt on my next fall. :dunce:


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## mondeo (Jul 15, 2008)

Pfft. You guys need terrain for OTB maneuvers?

I can do it on the road.


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## awf170 (Jun 10, 2009)

Bump...

It's pretty amazing in under a year I went from a complete idiot on a bike to being pretty conservative.

I have gone over my handlebars once in my last 30ish rides.

I have not even given myself the smallest bruise or cut in about the same amount of rides.

In my 10ish rides this season I think I have only fallen once.


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## mondeo (Jun 10, 2009)

awf170 said:


> Bump...
> 
> It's pretty amazing in under a year I went from a complete idiot on a bike to being pretty conservative.
> 
> ...


Lame. Stop getting old.


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## Greg (Jun 10, 2009)

awf170 said:


> Bump...
> 
> It's pretty amazing in under a year I went from a complete idiot on a bike to being pretty conservative.
> 
> ...



Opposite here. I've gone OTB a bunch this year already and I'm getting pretty beat up on most rides. Most have been slow speed, but the one going through the Scoville Orchard was at a pretty good clip. That was not fun. I went OTB on Sunday after I hit a small log covered by a fern on a rarely traveled trail. The best OTBs are the ones you don't see coming. They somehow hurt less - more relaxed maybe.


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## marcski (Jun 10, 2009)

I go over the bars now and then.  Last time was about a 5 weeks ago.  I went over so quickly the last time, that the only thing I was able to brace the fall with was my face!  I thought the neck would be a lot worse but I was ok. 

I've gone OTB on a pre-work ride and cut my face a bit....showed up at work..."Oh sorry, I cut myself shaving this morning!"  

However, despite my OTB episodes, I don't really enjoy it as much as Austin does!


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## 2knees (Jun 10, 2009)

havent gone over the bars yet.  like austin last year, its probably just a matter of time since i'm trying things that my skill level doesnt come close to matching.  my biggest problem has been shoulder checking trees.  both my shoulders are black and blue from only 2 1/2 rides this year.  i gotta figure that one out before i do some serious damage.


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## Talisman (Jun 10, 2009)

awf170 said:


> Anyone else enjoy going over the handlebars as much as I do?



Go over the handel bars is fun especially when going fast down hill and you can fly like superman with a camelback instead of a cape.  The landings I don't like.


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## awf170 (Jun 10, 2009)

Going over the handle bars really scares me now.  All it takes is one sharp rock in your landing area and you have a broke nose, tooth, elbow, wrist, etc.  My solution?  Just get so far back on your bike that it is impossible to go over.  I routinely hit my ass on my back tire since I get so far back.  Worst that can happen is that I jump off the back of my bike.  Way better than flying over the bars.


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## Greg (Jun 10, 2009)

2knees said:


> i'm trying things that my skill level doesnt come close to matching.



:lol:



2knees said:


> my biggest problem has been shoulder checking trees.  both my shoulders are black and blue from only 2 1/2 rides this year.  i gotta figure that one out before i do some serious damage.



Look ahead. Try to anticipate the flow of the trail more....just gotta smooth it out. Lean the bike when/where appropriate. Standing sometimes helps, as does putting the cranks so the pedal on the inside of the turn is up and the one on the outside is down. Pedal placement comes with practice. I've found clipping a pedal on something can send you into a nearby tree.

I whacked my shoulder hard a few rides ago. It's just starting to feel better.


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## RootDKJ (Jun 10, 2009)

Last time I went OTB, I landed face first in a poison ivy patch....yeah that sucked two days later.


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## bvibert (Jun 10, 2009)

I've been doing a lot less shoulder checking trees this year than last.  Usually happened when I was too tired to be going as fast as I was through tight ST.


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## tjf67 (Jun 10, 2009)

awf170 said:


> Going over the handle bars really scares me now.  All it takes is one sharp rock in your landing area and you have a broke nose, tooth, elbow, wrist, etc.  My solution?  Just get so far back on your bike that it is impossible to go over.  I routinely hit my ass on my back tire since I get so far back.  Worst that can happen is that I jump off the back of my bike.  Way better than flying over the bars.



Or you get thrown foward and pinch your penis against the back of your seat.


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## Marc (Jun 10, 2009)

awf170 said:


> Going over the handle bars really scares me now.  All it takes is one sharp rock in your landing area and you have a broke nose, tooth, elbow, wrist, etc.  My solution?  Just get so far back on your bike that it is impossible to go over.  I routinely hit my ass on my back tire since I get so far back.  Worst that can happen is that I jump off the back of my bike.  Way better than flying over the bars.



Funny... the same guy now professing this sentiment also did this not long ago:







Yeah, yeah... snow's soft, it was a steep landing... blah, blah, blah


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## Greg (Jun 10, 2009)

Did he stick it?


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## awf170 (Jun 10, 2009)

Marc said:


> Funny... the same guy now professing this sentiment also did this not long ago:



That was a very calculated risk.  So calculated that I hit the completely wrong drop.

BTW, you never responded to my email.  Jerkface.



Greg said:


> Did he stick it?



If by stick it you mean double eject upon landing, execute a perfect somersault or two, then slide down half of Tuckeman Ravine on my ass, then yes I did.

Here's a pic a little lower down of my "stuck" landing:


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## Marc (Jun 10, 2009)

Oh yeah.  I'm busy Sunday.

The following weekend would be better.


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## awf170 (Jun 10, 2009)

Marc said:


> Oh yeah.  I'm busy Sunday.
> 
> The following weekend would be better.



Vietnam on Father's Day?  Try not to taco your rim on the first 2 ft. drop this time.  Thanks.


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## Marc (Jun 10, 2009)

awf170 said:


> Vietnam on Father's Day?  Try not to taco your rim on the first 2 ft. drop this time.  Thanks.



I wuz actually thinking Saturday since I gotta do a 70 mile road ride Sunday.  Then again maybe I should just continue not mountain biking at all until _after_ the PMC so I don't kill myself before it.


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## Trev (Jun 10, 2009)

2knees said:


> havent gone over the bars yet.  like austin last year, its probably just a matter of time since i'm trying things that my skill level doesnt come close to matching.  my biggest problem has been shoulder checking trees.  both my shoulders are black and blue from only 2 1/2 rides this year.  i gotta figure that one out before i do some serious damage.




Don't lean as much!  tilt the bike more and keep yourself 'standing' straight.

I've done some tree skimming... with a bit of bark rash here n there..


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## bvibert (Jun 10, 2009)

I had 'bark rash' a good part of the season last year.  I think sometimes I used bouncing off the trees to keep me upright when I was tired.


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## Mildcat (Jun 11, 2009)

awf170 said:


> That was a very calculated risk.  So calculated that I hit the completely wrong drop.
> 
> BTW, you never responded to my email.  Jerkface.
> 
> ...



I vote Austin the most entertaining person on Alpinezone. :lol:


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## jarrodski (Jun 11, 2009)

awf170 said:


> Really, I must enjoy it since in the past week I have done it over 10 times.  I'll stare at something for a while, think to myself that I'm probably going to do an endo since the transition is flat, then finally convince myself to do it.  Right when I hit the transition I go flying over my handlebars.  Obviously I never lower my seat, that would make far too much sense.  On the plus side I'm getting very good at coming out of clipless peddles, and now occasionally I jump the handlebars before going over forward and land on my feet.
> 
> Anyone else enjoy going over the handlebars as much as I do?



there's a certain degree of enjoyment i get out of the rush... how much closer to serious injury does it get?  really...  

when i first began down hilling i'd go over twice a day, easy.  some were as simple as jumping the bars and running down the trail, others were down right spectacular.  

It didnt take long for me to obtain the full body armor suit and then the crashes really started to happen haha.  after about 20, i think, i almost lived for the feeling i had immediatly after i made sure i could walk and move my toes.  its like i felt alive!  haha.  wierd.  

seriously though, its not that bad of a way to crash.  i prefer it 10-1 over catching a handle bar on a tree, or having a chain bind up / break and causing the pedal to gorge my legs.  I also prefer flying helplessly through the air to losing traction in a turn and sliding out into trees or having my brakes fail (never buy hayes 9 brakes) and bombing diablo like i'm wearing a starter jacket.


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## jarrodski (Jun 11, 2009)

awf170 said:


> I routinely hit my ass on my back tire since I get so far back.  Worst that can happen is that I jump off the back of my bike.  .



watch out for the dingle berries.... 

imagine a kona style 4 bar suspension design and a "seat" that is too far back... oh my god... the humanity


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## bvibert (Jun 11, 2009)

ishovelsnow said:


> watch out for the dingle berries....
> 
> imagine a kona style 4 bar suspension design and a "seat" that is too far back... oh my god... the humanity



Where the hell ya been shovel man?  We thought you didn't like us anymore...  I was up in your neck of the woods at Penwood yesterday, nice riding up there!

I hope the moving stuff is going ok...


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## Johnskiismore (Jun 11, 2009)

Haven't gone over the handlebars this season yet, just give me some time and I will!  The last doozy was late last summer in Berlin, NH on a steep snow machine corridor.  Hit it too fast, knew I was screwed, did the best I could, hit a rock just right, OTBs, crash/roll/stop, bike hits me, then to top it all off girlfriend flies by me laughing!


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## o3jeff (Jun 11, 2009)

Only otb once this year, coming up Hinmans trying to keep up with Greg, I was coming up through the small rocky area/garden and another biker stopped at the side to let us by, just as I passed him, over I went. I never saw it coming until I was laying there.


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## Trev (Jun 12, 2009)

I 'almost' had a nasty OTB on my Monday run out in Nass.

Toward the last bit of the Cometary twisties there is that sharp corner->downhill->little board jump at the base.

Generally I cut it hard and take the right most(heading down the hill) portion of the trail. I drifted/bounced a bit too far right as I headed down and hit that little jump. I wasn't 'out of control' but I wasn't ready for the bump.. kinda sorta.

Anyhow...  front tire down first... sandy..   back tire was way up there for a bit..

Funny as hell really...  but.. with the rocks up and coming.. could been messy.


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## WoodCore (Jun 13, 2009)

Went OTB big time on a larger log up and over at Brooksvale last Sunday. Thankfully the landing was soft!


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## bvibert (Jun 14, 2009)

My mom got me this shirt for my birthday, seemed fitting for this thread:




http://lifeiscrap.shop.musictoday.com/Product.aspx?cp=12709_13460&pc=5LCT017


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## o3jeff (Jun 14, 2009)

bvibert said:


> My mom got me this shirt for my birthday, seemed fitting for this thread:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



lol, got white wheels just like you!


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## bvibert (Jun 14, 2009)

o3jeff said:


> lol, got white wheels just like you!



:lol: Didn't even notice!


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## Trev (Jun 14, 2009)

That shirt is awesome...  gotta get one...!


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## o3jeff (Jun 14, 2009)

bvibert said:


> :lol: Didn't even notice!



This one could work for you too:smile:
http://lifeiscrap.shop.musictoday.com/Product.aspx?pc=5LCT007#

Wasn't it you that told me you did something similar?


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## bvibert (Jun 14, 2009)

o3jeff said:


> This one could work for you too:smile:
> http://lifeiscrap.shop.musictoday.com/Product.aspx?pc=5LCT007#
> 
> Wasn't it you that told me you did something similar?



Yup, been there done that too...


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