Whether you’re in a cycling event or cycling with friends, bicycle-on-bicycle accidents can happen. Don’t let this scene happen to you. Here’s the 5 most common types of bicycle crashes and how to avoid them.
Wheels Overlapping
This kind of crash happens when your front tire is side-by-side with the back tire of the bike in front of you. Worst-case scenario, when the bike in front of you turns, your front tire will be redirected, causing your bike to veer, and you’ll be thrown over your handlebars.
How to avoid it
Just like in a car, don’t tailgate. Gauge the speed of the person in front of you and adjust accordingly. Watch for signals from the people ahead of you and pay special attention to turns. During turns, the front rider will slow down and, depending on how tight the turn is, may veer unexpectedly.
Road Hazards
You never know when an unexpected pothole, loose gravel, or deep puddle will take someone down. When you’re riding in a big group and you aren’t near the front, other cyclists are almost as dangerous as the road hazard itself. Once one cyclist is down, you can be sure that others will soon follow.
How to avoid it
The best way to avoid road hazards is to stay aware of your surroundings. If you’re near the end of your bike pack, look up every once in awhile to see what obstacles may be ahead. If a crash does happen, quickly find an escape path so that you can avoid being taken down with the pack.
Dangerous Corners
Turns are hazardous because you never know what could be on them to make you fall. Taking a fast turn and your tire hits a patch of loose gravel? You’re going down. Riding in the rain and the roads are slicker than you thought? You’re going down. A pothole you couldn’t see from the road is right in your path? You’re going down.
How to avoid it
If you’re near the front of a large line of bikes, make sure you take your turn wider than you would by yourself. If you’re riding alone, adjust your turns according to the road conditions. If there’s loose gravel, slick roads, or other adverse road conditions, slow down.
Half-wheeling
Half-wheeling is an irritating phenomenon that occurs only in groups. When there’s two lines of cyclists, it is best to make sure that each cyclist is paired up with another cyclist. If the lines are not paired properly, then someone is half-wheeling, and it could become dangerous for the people behind the half-wheeler. Surges in speed cause the lines to become uneven and a crash could occur.
How to avoid it
Stay in line with the person next to you. If you start to drift forward or back, anticipate what the person next to you is going to do or signal to try to get back on track.
Tense Riding
If you’re holding your handlebars in a death grip, you’re more likely to crash. By grasping the handlebars too tightly, you are less able to react to road hazards. When you do react, you may overcorrect to avoid the hazard, also causing you to crash.
How to avoid it
Find a safe place to practice riding with your hands loose. If you’re a mountain biker, find a trail you know well and get used to riding with your hands loose. If you’re a street biker, there’s a velodrome here in Draper to practice your riding.
Make sure you stay safe while cycling whether you’re riding in a pack or alone. If you get injured by someone in your pack who wasn’t cycling smart, feel free to contact us. We are here to get you the right compensation.