A bicycle accident is a certain conclusion for anybody who rides a bike, regardless of whether you are a cyclist or mountain biker. Crashing is less common among cyclists with more expertise, although even experienced riders do so from time to time. So what are the things to do after crashing your mountain bike?
The first and foremost thing is to check yourself properly for any injuries as it could be a severe accident. After that, call someone if you need any assistance. But most importantly, don’t panic and think with a calm head.
However, if you’re after mountain biking and want to know what are the next steps if you crash your bike, then you’re at the right place. So scroll down to know more about the aftersteps of crashing a mountain bike.
Things To Do After Crashing Your Mountain Bike
There are certain steps you have to do after having a mountain biking injury. Some of them are given below.
1. Check Yourself
No matter how rough the bike crash is, the first step is to check yourself properly and slow down immediately. That’s what an experienced cyclist does. At first, you might not feel anything, but as you’re in a swift motion, it’ll hurt you very badly.
That’s why you must stop in a safe area and breathe for several minutes. Then after checking the injuries, think properly about whether you need to call somebody to take you home safely or you can go by yourself.
If you think you can go home by riding your bike, be very gentle and check for any significant puffiness. I’d suggest checking whether you can bend and weight-bear a sore wrist or ankle. A severe injury, like a fracture, may be uncomfortable and make cycling risky.
As a precaution, you can carry sports medicine if you face a crazy bike accident.
However, go for an easy ride on a sloping portion of the route initially. If everything is OK, you may now continue on your bicycling journey.
2. Do A Thorough Checkup of Your Bike
When you return to your house, you should inspect your bike carefully before putting it away. Use a work stand to raise it off the ground if you have one. Make sure the lighting is good enough to see everything clearly.
You should look for signs of wear and tear such as cracks, dents, and bends. Keep an eye out for any fresh scratches, which indicate that the bike was hit in that region. Take your bike to the shop if you aren’t familiar with working on your own bike or if you aren’t sure whether it needs a fast tune-up and inspection.
If you inform them about the cycling accident, they’ll be able to inspect the vehicle for any possible damage. When you get the all-clear from an expert, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy your journey.
3. Take Time to Heal
Take care of your wounds as soon as possible. If you’ve been involved in a serious vehicle accident, it’s usually a good idea to seek immediate medical attention. There are many things they’ll find that you won’t, such as x-ray images to check if there is any major damage, like head injury, traumatic brain injury, etc.
So make sure your body is rested before you go back on your bike again since you aren’t being paid to do it. Exercising right after an injury has been sustained may put undue strain on the body, leading to long-term problems and even the inability to ride at all.
I feel it’s extremely vital for concussion victims to get their minds back in order and follow the approved concussion protocol before riding again. Life-threatening consequences may result from further brain injuries that have not yet healed.
4. Make The Trail Clear
Keep your concentration on clearing the track after it’s evident that there’s no imminent threat. Crash debris, including your bike, gear, and other debris, might cause further crashes if it gets in the way of others.
Be on the lookout for any path modifications made by your mountain bike crash. For instance, sometimes a huge boulder is dislodged, or a bike frame is protruding from the route.
You don’t want to injure anybody else, so be cautious about looking around for any possible dangers to another rider. Ensure the bike path is crystal clear.
Conclusion
So far, you got to know what are the things to do after crashing a mountain bike. The ultimate thing to do is never panic about the situation and be careful while riding.
However, if you’re riding on a trail in the middle of nowhere, you’ll want to be prepared in case of a bike collision.
From my experience, to be on the safe side, I’d say always have a few essential bike tools and first aid supplies on hand, such as a multitool, spare chain link, spare inner tube, and a mini pump at the very least.
I am Ryan Ford, a mountain biking enthusiast who loves to explore the outdoors. I also like to go on adventures with friends and anything else that involves being outside. I love my bike because it gets me out of the house and gives me an opportunity to enjoy nature.
