Touching the brakes is faster than eating asphalt

Just ride the grass bro. This is why we run 28s now days.

Love how the guy lays on the floor for ages.. as if to say “I’m hurt more than you” - so they don’t get as angry that he wiped them out 😂😂

Maybe the rider thought they were on Zwift and could simply ride through the guy...😂🤷🏾‍♂️ I hope he's ok

I'm not defending anyone's decisions here but sometimes in a race or a really hard group ride your brain isn't working at 100% and these things happen. Stay safe out there!

Looks like blue kit dude in the rear camera footage saw that shit coming from a mile away, reacts with a “whoa whoa” and backs off just enough to evade/escape the crash.

"If you no longer go for a gap that exists, you're no longer a Cyclist." Ayrton Senna

Having an escape route is definitely a great point. When he got that wheel that close to the other rider's pedal, it was hard to watch, but it really shows a great lesson and I loved that you included yourself in almost identical situation.

I can imagine why you sat on the submitted footage for so long, it’s reasonable and your focus is clearly on good content coupled with good intent. And big kudos to the rider for submitting the footage to begin with. We’re seeing this today because both you and the anonymous submitter ultimately reached the same conclusion; there’s something to be learned here for all of us. Great commentary, as usual.

I was in that race and saw myself in the footage. That was a wild crash; it ended the race if I remember correctly. The dude didn't get up for like 10 minutes.

How to avoid crashes is as valuable of information as any race tips. Hard to win if you can’t finish because you were taken out by a crash. Great video Jeff. More like this please!

Thanks for posting. I’m learning and this is my biggest fear; not falling rather creating falls for others

Nasty crash but hey, bear in mind its a split second decision, high risk (may) brings high reward. That being said, we should appreciate races without crashes, then everyone is the winner, get to drive back home, drink some beer and spend time with loved ones.

I was in this race....I was the rider in blue/yellow tumbling at the end. The rider that caused this took many bad lines and risk in this race. I don’t think is fair to say the rider in the black and red was in his way. I don’t think your saying he’s at fault but it’s not right to say he was in the was. I do wish the guy that caused this would have said something down the line to the guys it affected. Small race scene here and that put a big damper on things.

I've never seen this type of video. Worthwhile viewing! I'm just getting into road bikes. As a former moto roadracer, this looks more hazardous than motorcycle roadracing. You can get seriously hurt on a motorcycle crash, but we have full leathers, full helmet, gloves, back protector, etc. 100 mph get offs it is common to walk away without any injury.

I think videos/tips like this are great. Races are ultimately a series of moments and decisions that add up to success or failure. I'd like to see more content like this from you. Not necessarily crashes, but short takeaways.

Front wheel must always be protected: Let nothing enter the space between your brake levers. Thanks, great video.

That guy was overlapping wheels like crazy, that was bad riding. That guy should not have made that move. He was boxed in. It was either go right where it slower or you're done.

Thx for sharing this. I realize how bike racing at the end of the day is about making a lot of decisions with small windows of time to make them. While the tactical aspect of decisions is huge, thanks for sharing how decision making is a significant factor of safety in a race which is something all racers should care about first and foremost in my opinion. Love your content. Keep it up!

I appreciate the quick lesson learned, for many cyclists safety for the years on. Especially considering you weren’t planning on ever uploading this footage. Thank you again.

Wow. How could someone choose that line. Incredible. You can see that coming from a mile away. Thanks for sharing. I sincerely hope this video avoids the one or the other crash in the future.

He shouldn’t even be filming if he rides like that 😂

Good analysis. Seems simple but when I first started riding a veteran said to me "protect your front wheel" honestly I did not know what he was talking about for awhile, but I learned, gratefully before falling victim to my own mistakes.

There are 2 types of bike racers. Those who have crashed, and those who are going to crash.

Well put, Jeff! Riding is like driving: Identifying risks, avoiding the risk, n solidifying a contingency plan if the risk *shud* be taken.

TBH the right was not perfectly safe either, as the black-red Felt guy was oncoming as well. He was boxed in and the safest thing to do was to brake.

Thank you for the lesson! I saw about the same advice in the popular book "Cycling" by Jacques Anquetil, Pierre Chany and Michel Scob.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Learnt something. Appreciate the post.

That’s a 180BPM decision if I’ve even seen one!

Ouch. Looks like Waterford Hills in Michigan. Thanks for the tip Jeff!

Yessssssss broooo omg this video has finally informed me to the cause of my recurrent road rash f man sometimes things aren’t that apparent no matter how clever you think you are, honestly thanks for this share man this elevates my cycling to the next level, sometimes noobs need a hand bro, fyi 36 yrs old, road riding 3 yrs, mountain biking since age 5, road riding is a totally different ballgame

Thank you for the better play.. Every time that I watch your video I learn more about biking (salamat bro) it means thank you I'm a filipino from philippines.. 😊🚴‍♂️🚴‍♂️🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️🚵‍♂️🚵‍♂️🚵‍♀️🚵‍♀️

I like having crash footage broken down. I did my first races this season at the college level and every single race someone crashed. I just built a nice bike that I can't afford to replace, so I'm thinking of only doing CX races for this very reason.

Proof that strong legs do not always equal strong Cycling skills. Learning..... one layer of skin at a time.

Thank you. Learning a lot from your analysis.

Cool video and a cautionary moment. Yet, crashes go along with bike races like wheels to tires; it's part of the sport we all love.

lmao you can see the dude behind him watching this unfold going 😲

One aspect of racing here is that you do get tired and your reaction times can be a bit slow - it's very easy sitting here watching it in slow-mo with a heart rate of 60 - I think one of the skills of racing is precisely learning to make allowances because your thinking and perception do start to get a bit blurry when the red mist descends!

Wow, what an analysis, so deep, it blew my mind.

I was racing back in the 80’s as a Cat 3. I was still riding fast training rides just a few years ago. I noticed one big difference when riding these same training rides from decades ago. Riders are strong and fast but don’t know how to ride. I see constant over lapping of wheels and riders getting into tight spots for no reason. I made friends with one of these guys and he use to ask my advice. First thing I taught him was how to draft a wheel. His idea was to ride directly behind the wheel in front of him by inches. He rally had no clue and looked at many KZfaq videos to try to learn the proper way. There aren’t any I don’t think. I showed him how to spend as little energy riding and when to go hard. Just a few novice tips. He started staying in the ride more and not getting dropped as often. Eventually with experience a couple of years later he actually wins racing now. In my day we had more experienced riders help us newbies with the tricks of the trade. We need this sort of thing again to help avoid these dumb crashes.

I literaly can feel the Pain. In one local trainings Crit somebody wanted to take the insid an smashed his Pedal into the Ground and took nearly 5 riders out. Luckily only "some Road rash". Bout still that is quiet intimidating. Hope everybody is now alright.

I really hope that everyone involved in this crash is okay.

Great analysis and comments. I race this track all the time - with cars, obviously a lot faster. And your analysis and comments are exactly the same as we'd describe on four wheels - going for a gap that's no longer there, with no plan of how to get out of the situation when, not if, it goes pear-shaped. Can't just go for open track and hope it all works out: hope is not a strategy.

I have a broken collarbone right now from a crash about a month ago, and I can literally feel the pain all over again when watching this.

1:32 Look at that 🎂🎂 🥵🥵🥵

That beautiful S-Works.

I've had some close calls at Autobahn Country Club in that same corner, except in my race car! LOL! Been wanting to get my bike out on the course this year, however with the COVID that may not be an option this year.

Great advice and absolutely true!

Its always when there is a differential of speed. Slowing riders being passed by accelerating riders. Generally, the faster a race, the safer. I honestly feel like every bicycle racer would benefit from reading motorcycle safety guides. The "escape route" is a common theme for motorcyclists on the highway who often get cutoff by inattentive drivers. Being conscientious of always having a lane to escape to or even a grassy median, is a good habit to develop.

Honestly... only a few guys on that video that look like they knew what they’re doing. !!!

Good advice. I got boxed in a final sprint and went to the outside. Waited for a hole to appear, which didn’t, so then went to the grass and around the field. My teammate was on my wheel and it paid off for us both.

I'd love to see you guys ride motocross. All the best. 👍

As what Ayrton Senna said, “if you no longer go for a gap, you’re no longer a racing driver” 😂

Wish I could have an analysis like this for a crash I had in training solo a week ago that I'm still trying to figure out.

My friend suffered life changing accident which affected his brain in florida years ago while in a pack. Glad he is starting to get his old self slowly but surely

Should be recommended viewing for us all coming off COVID-19 racing hiatuses!

It was helpful to see your similar position as well

As a mountain biker, I never knew that Road biking could be so dangerous.

Im in NorCal (Dublin/Livermore area) next week. Any recommendations where I can rent a bike for the week around the area? :) love the clips btw!

I like the crash videos... always a lesson to be learned.

Competitive state of mind creates this, even in fun activity

oof that's a smack

Crashes make for excellent learning experiences! We SHOULD talk about them, because there's a lot to learn.

cool idea to show and analyse crashes, bravo

It costs me a foot because of my hesistance to pull the brake, regret it my whole life

That was the wrong choice, he should have tapped the brakes and looked for another opening

I distinctly remember my last crash before I quit cycling. It was very rainy and I had a train of about 5 guys in front of me. We were coming out of a corner going around 50k/h. And I saw this guy 2 places in front of me just ride off the road. He could have avoided problems if he just kept rolling out on the grass and stay upright and wait for the rest of the group to pass before going on the road again. Instead what this guy did was steer back onto the road right away, falling right in front of us instead (this all happened in slow-motion of course). And then all I could do was relax my body and accept whatever happened next, as I knew a crash was unavoidable. It was too bad because I felt really strong that day; I was always good in rain and was going to be in the next breakaway. The next thing I remember was I was laying on the ground and as I tried to pick up my bike again and continue the race, I heard somebody scream out "no, no, careful!" and then I realized that another rider's leg was inside one of my wheels, right in-between the spokes. I was stronger than I ever was when I made my departure from the sport at 21. Sadly I moved away to another town to study and didn't look for another team. Studying and racing was not easy enough to combine. I am 30 by now, but who knows I might race again in the future.

I was in a Project Echelon RR a few years ago, I made a pass on the very right edge of the road nearly on the last CM of pavement. My out was onto gravel and the ditch, fortunately I didn't need it. Same race, I was in the same situation on the left side up tight against yellow. In that case my out would have been disqualification, again all went well.

If you ARE going to show crash video have a thoughtful purpose for it, like making it a teaching moment. Good on you NorCal for using the video footage in the correct manner, and not making it just another bit of video entertainment to thoughtlessly consume.

Everything about this screams I'm a giant flog.

I didn't hear any audibles either and I don't know if that isn't a thing in bike racing or not, but it seems like it'd still be useful in cases like these

When a rear wheel comes over like that, you can turn into it, kind of bump it with your front wheel. It will move the wheel over, but will not knock the rider over. Takes good timing. We used to practice it.

It's been a LONG time since I raced road, but now that I race mountain, I'm so accustomed to hearing or shouting "on your left/right". Did that just become passe for road racing?? Yes, small gap, but the quick announcement (wasn't going to lose the race right there) might have gotten a better percentage of success. #justopinion

he should've atleast said something or scream to alert the cyclist in front of him if he decided to do that. no one would expect a dude just trying to squeeze a line like that 🤦🏻‍♂️

Cool. I love watching these Cat 5 race videos.

I'm spetialized in falls, man the footage Is so relatable my left body Is full of scars because of stupid decisions when going down a hill.

Damn I would have been pissed af Some random dude just wipes you out like that lmao I bet he felt like a POS afterwards RIP

This never happens to me as I always go alone, it's competition that ruins everything.

NorCal Cycling. You should have put spikes on your front wheel hub so that you can take out the other rider's wheel spokes (like the chariot race in Ben Hur)!

I did not know they raced bicycles on road courses. Looks fun. I would definitely be wearing more protective gear

You live you learn, everyone does something stupid at some point. I'm sure he was more careful after this. You should mention feathering of brakes. I'm always terrified the guy behind me won't be able to respond, but when you have to brake you have to brake.

One of the first things they teach you in driver's ed class... "Leave yourself an out." It also applies to riding bikes.

I don't race ,but I ride with fast group ( well a smaller group now) .My main focus when riding with them is 1. don't get dropped 2. Don't cause any problems ie crash.. There are so many thing that you can gain by avoiding the crash. You get to finish the ride,you don't have an expensive repair bill and no injuries..

On a very hard circuit up and down mt Penn in reading two guys immediately in front of me locked handle bars at about 45 miles an hour going down the mountain the first lap took out 25 people still mad at them

Need to look ahead for slowing riders, as soon as you see one ... move onto a better line for overtaking ... this can be done gradually with smooth movement so riders around you blend smoothly rather than a last minute jerk of the bike to dart right then left.

Coronavirus has me seeing a lot of stuff

Hey Buddy Coming Up On Your Left! I'm sure Bicycle Racers are polite and courteous and would move right over! LOL

Nice analysis!

WAIT , WAIT there’s bike races on tracks............I’m fascinated.

PROTECT YOUR FRONT WHEEL

Very interesting perspective on the matter

One of the best ads I've ever seen

F1 2020 Jeff: Are You Ok? That Was A Big One. Confirm Your Ok Please.

He slid 2 feet watch motogp races 🤦‍♂️

Glad this was posted. I understand your caution in posting it.

Perfect comments, thank you 👍

Makes it more exciting

just... dont... cross... wheels !

I don't race, and ride mountain bikes, but I think one thing I've learned that would probably carry over to any version of our two wheeled sport is that a judicious use of the brakes actually saves you time in the long run.

Thanks for sharing. The guy should have taken the safer alternative. Unfortunately, if one has been riding a bike for a long time, s/he will eventually have a fall. It's just part of the baptism by fire in riding bikes. Great video.