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There was an air ambulance out collecting someone from the top of BKB today. I heard the rider had taken a tumble over the bars close to the top and subsequently couldn't feel their legs.
Does anyone know the outcome? Hope they are OK.
IMO BKB is not that well suited to newbies, even tho it's getting a lot of focus as one of the main trails for the area. Lots of roots+ the bombhole after the first couple of corners comes up quickly and would phase most inexperienced riders IMO. Braking at the top of that gives you a long way to fall..
So I guess we're going to see more of this. Especially if we do well in the Olympics...
The accident happened at that first bombhole. Let's hope they're OK.
Also an elderly chap fell off his bike today at New Brighton, Wirral, off the raised cycle track over a low wall about 12 inches high and then 3 foot drop onto concrete, paramedics arrived five mins latter.
Oh and a cyclist was killed in a hit and run by an audi driver in london, police have him in custody.
Swinley's jump gulley had a precession of ambulances today too. Hope everyone is ok.
BKB is tame.
the bombhole is the only remotely sketchy bit and there isn't exactly a long drop to it, the rest only gets hard if you go fast, and even then there isn't the gradient to make you go too fast.
The hole at the top of BKB was recently filled to make it less severe, it would still be possible to ride in quickly and go over the bars hard into the upslope. I hope the person concerned is ok.
Hope the chap is ok. 🙁
[i]BKB is tame.[/i]
...and your point is? 😕
[Edit] Ignore as it sounds like its been filled in a bit so my point is not valid anymore [/edit]
Hope he's going to be ok.
...and your point is?
just countering brooess' point.
still hope the guy's ok.
Fall badly on the lamest trail and the consequences can be severe.
Hope he is ok - I passed him and he was talking so fingers crossed. BUT who was the cyclist with the two dogs, because letting the dogs run on BKB whilst others are riding is lethal. One of the dogs ran across the trail, I had to slam the anchors on to avoid hitting the dog, Not very clever. Infact the whole of holmbury and pitch is not great at the moment. .
IMO BKB is not that well suited to newbies
Where would you start, on the road?
Its hardly difficult!
The bombhole isn't/ never was sketchy. I think people are referring to the roll in to the main trail which can be dangerous for an inexperienced rider who didn't see it coming.
[i]just countering brooess' point.[/i]
Fair enough although Brooess does have a point...'tame' is relative to experience and I'm taken many a rider down BKB who would consider it far from tame.
Yep, that's the one I meant, the drop into the main trail.
It was getting sketchy before they filled it in a bit.
It had quite a sharp transition to flat & if you didn't have your weight far enough back it could catch you out 😯
It was bone dry up there today, people riding fast. Hope the guy on BKB is ok, doesn't matter what trail he was on, always sad to see someone hurt when out riding.
@mashiehood - I've never enjoyed the hills more, could be that's as I'm only riding midweek !
Before hole was filled I gave myself a moment, hadn't ridden it for a while and went in fast to find it deeper and more severe than it had been worked on. Even if BKB is "tame" you can still hit a tree.
Rode yesterday. Pitch and winterfold were quiet. The trails were running fast do no surprise there have been accidents.
Even if BKB is "tame" you can still hit a tree.
Which is exactly what I've done in the past. Pre-jumped into the bowl, didn't quite getting the line on the exit right and smacked my shoulder into the tree that is no longer there!
Just had a text from Howard at Pedal & Spoke saying that the guy has been paralysed. 😥
That is awful! Is there any chance of a recovery?
Just had a text from Howard at Pedal & Spoke saying that the guy has been paralysed
Oh man!!!! Thats terrible, my thoughts are out to him, similar thing on pitch hill happened to a friend of mine!!
keep safe guys..and gals
Er, hold on...
Why not wait for some accurate first hand information rather than second hand alarmist gossip?
It may be true, but then again there may be more to his condition than you are aware of, and this kind ofthing on a public forum might not be what he or his family wish to see.
That is not a good outcome.
Hope its wrong and hes just bruised his spine or summit like.
Be careful out there .
Sympathy to him and his family.
Perhaps we can leave off the 'BKB is rad' + 'BKB is tame ' now ?
That's a mighty quick diagnosis! I'd want to make sure that was a fact before posting it up on the net.
Sorry who are we talking about?
Have a word and give over until you know the details properly.
The person posting on the net that the bloke was paralysed.
I mean if Howard was busy massively overcharging someone and got the wrong end of the stick, and now you are posting it on the net, it's a bit disturbing for anyone that might know him!
Especially as paralysis diagnosis are seldom made within hours!
If the person had been named I could understand the moral outrage, but since he hasn't, I think some of you are over reacting a little. Maybe he isn't paralysed, let's hope he's not.
[i]Maybe he isn't paralysed,[/i]
So stop suggesting it, is that so hard for you to understand?
we were there shortly after it had happened - and asked the bloke who was trying to help the injured guy if he'd called an ambulance....which he hadnt (!!!??)
The other riders in their group said that they were on a 'guided ride' - not sure who is leading these?
Whilst the 'guide' was then on the phone to the ambulance service, the injured man was starting to panic that he couldn't feel his legs - my mate was trying to re-assure him, and keep him positive.
hopefully its not a permanent injury?
How many people were airlifted off Surrey hills today? Even without a name it's pretty bloody obvious.
I'm sure we'll find out the facts at some point in the near future.
Get well soon rider.
Fingers crossed that he makes a full recovery
Very worrying that someone had their dogs of a lead there as well.
I was hammering down Yogurt Pots the other week and came across some guy teaching his two kiddies (4 to 6 year old) how to cycle down steep hills
I managed to slow down, but once of my mates slammed in to the back of me
I was really annoyed, as 'Dad' seemed to have the kit, so really should have known that someone might just be hammering down the track and his kiddies were in major danger
I couldn't even imagine how i'd cope if i killed a kid when downhilling - beggars belief really
Saw this today too, hope the guys ok!
Very worrying that someone had their dogs of a lead there as well.
I was hammering down Yogurt Pots the other week and came across some guy teaching his two kiddies (4 to 6 year old) how to cycle down steep hills
Got to be a wind up surely!? its just some woods, with bridleways and permissive unsigned cycle paths, not a DH course.
You were "downhilling" on yoghurt pots????
I've taken my 6 year old down there - it's a nice easy trail for kids. Also none of the trails are solely mtb trails - there could be walkers around any corner. If you can't stop in time on yoghurt pots you need to have a word with yourself and look further up the trail.
I know only too well the concern when you have a smash that affects the spine from experience.
Anyway, was there after the air ambulance took this guy away and the ambulance guy there on the ground was talking of concern about the spine obviously. In this case they will be extremely cautious, keep absolutely immobilised, neck brace, back brace, the lot and certainly the air ambulance is a necessity.
Paralysis is not a certainty, but a concern. All depends on any damage to the spinal nerve, the extent if any and if and how it heals. Complex stuff.
Regardless of the trail and experience, anyone can have this kind of injury. You could have it falling out of bed, tripping up in the street, anything.
We simply wish him the best and hope he's okay.
You should be able to stop in the distance you can see ahead. Isn't that obvious? If you hit something slow/stationary on a trail, because you couldn't stop in time, it's your fault. Small kid, fallen tree, crashed rider, whatever.
As i said, i managed to stop - but you'd think that someone who rides would know the dangers of having youngsters sat on their bikes in the middle of a fast flowing track with a number of blind corners and rises
And yes, i ride within my limits and ensure that i've got a safety margin for such instances
I also know that the tracks are not MTB specific - but i also know that not everyone rides with my mindset
So, if your kids get clouted by some rad DH teenager riding well outside of his limits on yogurt pots, i hope they don't get hurt bad
Common sense really - like if i was walking my dog in a place with lots of bikers going fast - i'd keep it on a lead
I go full pelt on yoghurt pots (on the rare occasion that I do ride it), and am quite sure that there is no chance I would mow anyone down. There are no blind corners on it, and plenty of opportunity to see people/obstacles/wild animals/ aliens if you look in the right places (not a couple of feet in front of your wheel).
As i said pal, i seen the hazard and i stopped in time
My issue is why would a mountain biker put his kids in such a hazardous place?
Awkwardangle - cheers for the air ambulance link - signed up and shared
I've taken my 6 year old down there - it's a nice easy trail for kids. Also none of the trails are solely mtb trails - there could be walkers around any corner. If you can't stop in time on yoghurt pots you need to have a word with yourself and look further up the trail.
this^
in fact today there were a couple of kids on small wheeled bikes riding the shorter yoghurt pots (i call it petit-filou) i stopped behind one as despite riding 'briskly' i spotted him in plenty of time to stop.
told him to go on ahead but he said not to as "i'll only slow you down"
was good to see them out riding so young.
Its not a hazardous place boltonjon - it's yoghurt pots for christs sake.
I think a number of you are missing a much wider and more serious point here, beyond that trail being rideable or not and who with and who not. So put your testosterone down, handbags away and think of both the injured rider and wider implications.
Surry Hills is under increasing pressure (from all parties) regarding use and anything that highlights the danger or not of trails is not good for those that use the area, those that live there, and those that also get injured there.
Proper trail grading, maintenance and ROW's is what the nimby's will call for and the attitude displayed by some on this thread only hastens this.
Lucien, well put.
Fingers crossed for the injured rider, too.
healing vibes to the guy 🙁
Healing vibes to the chap
Surrey air ambulance is a chairty couldn't survive without voluntary donations
[url= http://www.kssairambulance.org.uk/ ]Please donate[/url]
Scary
Last time I rode BKB my son had an OTB incident at the top end and broke his arm.
Scares me thinking about how much worse things could have been 🙁
[i]My issue is why would a mountain biker put his kids in such a hazardous place?
[/i]
I've got to agree with you, and have always ridden behind my kids - basically to slow/stop anyone coming past them. And even at places like GT have said to anyone setting off behind, to give us time as I will not allow them past (until the bottom of the 'section').
As for the BKB accident, unfortunately MTBing (anywhere) can be dangerous - hope he recovers.
And even at places like GT have said to anyone setting off behind, to give us time as I will not allow them past
No offence, but that sounds a bit ****ish - it's a public area, not your kids' private playpark. Hire somewhere privately if you want it all to yourself surely?
As Mega said Kent/Surrey/Sussex Air Ambulance is a charity.... Donate some money 'cos you never know when they may save your life or you can even join their lottery like I did!
[url= http://www.kssairambulance.org.uk/Lottery/lottery_home ]Linky[/url]
Out of interest where did the chopper land? only place i can think of is up by the resevoir
Surrey air ambulance is a chairty couldn't survive without voluntary donations
or sign up for a monthly donation with a chance to win on their lottery!
I did a while ago, couldn't say no to the little old lady who knocked at the front door.
And even at places like GT have said to anyone setting off behind, to give us time as I will not allow them past
That does sound a bit ****ish - surely you would let the faster riders past at a suitable opportunity, or would you feel happy blocking the trail up for the 1/2 hour it takes your kids to get down it?
Any update on the chaps condidtion? Hope it's not as serious as it sounds. MTB can be a little dangerous but this does sound very unfortunate especially given the easy going nature of the trail involved. Hope he is OK.
Fingers crossed for the rider. Donation done. There but for the grace of (your choice of celestial tooth fairy here) go any of us.
Hope the guy is OK and that the damage isn't permanent.
So sad to read these threads, a reminder of how lucky the majority of us are.
Healing vibes. To be honest, I never really tell anyone any more that a specific trail is easy unless I know how they ride pretty well (i.e. they're a regular riding buddy) or have seen them ride enough earlier on the ride to know they can take care of themselves (if they're a random or a new person who tags along). Between people saying "It's easy, you'll fly down" and others saying "Watch out for this part, it's a man-eater", you get people panicing far too easily or committing to sections that they wouldn't ordinarily try and things can go wrong easily at that point. The roll-in on BKB regularly stops newer riders in their tracks as it looks far steeper and rootier than it feels when ridden and I always tell them to walk it if they're not feeling confident as it'll be there the next time they want to try it.
Healing vibes to this bloke and although I won't be riding in the UK much, I'll donate too. I've had several friends call regular ambulances over the last year and I'm glad they're around.
it's not a case of hard, technical, easy, blue, red , black. Shit can happen (see the thread on worst tyres) , and sometimes on a bike it happens so quickly you just don't get time to react.
I'd just like to apologize if anyone was offended by my misrepresenting the facts. You're right, there is no way anyone could know the outcome this early on. But the thread has highlighted a few important points. One the importance of the air ambulance and the charitable donations it relies on.
Two, all trails can be dangerous. Here a video of someone going down hard on Deliverance for example:
[i]That does sound a bit ****ish - surely you would let the faster riders past at a suitable opportunity, or would you feel happy blocking the trail up for the 1/2 hour it takes your kids to get down it? [/i]
No, its not been awkward, just sinples - wait 2 mins before you leave as you ain't coming past - and the kids aren't that slow...
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
Got to say, deliverance is one trail I never ride. The risk-reward for it never really seems to balance out well in my mind. I've seen people perfectly capable of riding it bin it because of a root or loose surface. It's not that hard, it just doesn't seem fun enough for the potential damage. There's plenty of other places around more dangerous but more fun.
Impressive google skills geetee. Good work.
I have done exactly that on deliverance too!
I concur with atlaz these days
It's not that hard
All these trails are has easy or has hard as you want to make them. If you launch Deliverance by pre-jumping down the first section it's pretty hard. It can be quite tricky on night rides too. Etc...
It's about riding within the limits of your ability not about whether a trail is easy or hard or whatever.
This is the best deliverance vid if we're going down that road....
10pmix - you know what I mean. rolling it isn't difficult but the opportunity to do yourself a mischief seems higher than the 5s of fun you get out of it (or 5s of abject terror).
Anyway, the point is, we're all aware that MTB is pretty dangerous at times and all of us have done stupid stuff (I fell of my bike riding around a stick at Jedi's place, only my pride was damaged) and it's a matter of luck (and a million variables) that makes us different to the poor chap yesterday.
Actually, that was one of those crashes which make you wince but didn't hurt at all. Would have helped if I had put my saddle down though. Not quite sure why a 5 year old video of me crashing is relevant, but there you go.
As I said earlier in the thread though, you can crash seriously on the tamest of trails - my worst crash was in Richmond Park when I broke my collar bone and wrist and was off the bike for months. I have crashed since on much more exciting and dangerous places but got away with it.
Crashing is a learning experience (provided you are able to walk away eventually).
wait 2 mins before you leave as you ain't coming past
that sounds like fighting talk...
What if the kids were slow - I assume they used to be slow.
Did you block the trails in the same manner then?
Impressive google skills geetee. Good work.
I just thought your comment about Howard over charging people was uncalled for. He's a fantastic guy who really looks after his customers and deserves to do well. He's also done a lot for the local scene in my view, providing a great focal point for Surrey Hills riding.
I just thought your comment about Howard over charging people was uncalled for.
+1 No one forces you to buy anything, Peaslake is a better place with Howard running P&S
What has the fact that I find Howard's prices high got to do with me crashing on a trail 5 years ago?
I think if somneone asks if you would mind just very quickly removing a crown race from a pair of forks for instance, that you should agree to do it, "No problem", and then ask them for £7.50 less than 3 minutes later (after you have done it), you have to kind of suck it up when they may claim that you overcharge, no matter how many times Dirt magazine may claim that you are the beating heart of the hills.
I also don't think that he should text around that a guy is paralysed when it cannot be possible for anyone to know that, just as I don't think you should have posted that up on the internet.
Not looking to fall out with anyone over this, just pointing out that maybe you should have checked the facts before posting on the net. I know we often share the same trails, rather than getting petty on here, happy to discuss it over a pork and leak slice at Peaslake bus stop. Or we can go and google each other's names and see if we can dig up any dirt.
There are lots of ways to crash on Deliverance, bottle out at top (as above), go left and hit tree at speed, go right and wipe out off camber, go straight with too much speed and come a cropper in holes at bottom (complete with bits of metal and other rubbish) assuming you miss the big tree right in the centre. I've been on a ride where we've as group ticked the box on 3 of those. There is a lot more dangerous stuff about but most of it most riders wouldn't even attempt, myself included.
I'm all for supporting the LBS but Pedal and Spoke is the newcomer, the longer established shops have done way more for the area.
Hopefully the guy is OK and the air ambulance was a precaution.
Why do people attempt trails like that with the saddle up high and themselves sat upright like they're enjoying a ride along Brighton promenade?
The only times i've gone over the bars is when i've been lazy and attempted steep stuff with the seat up my arse....painful experience taught me to drop the seat and get my weight back....hope the bloke is ok, some of my colleagues work on the Surrey Air ambulance so i'll ask around....but looking at the videos just posted it seems half the riders on the Surrey Hills would fall off riding around a football pitch.
The only times i've gone over the bars is when i've been lazy and attempted steep stuff with the seat up my arse....painful experience taught me to drop the seat and get my weight back
but looking at the videos just posted it seems half the riders on the Surrey Hills would fall off riding around a football pitch
So, by your own admission, you are guilty of the same errors, but you are happy to make a claim like that?
Can you see why I made a Joey Deacon face when I read your post?
The only times i've gone over the bars is when i've been lazy and attempted steep stuff with the seat up my arse....
Why did you put the seat up your arse? I don't think i could concentrate with anything up my arse, especially something as large as a saddle.
Healing vibes to the rider.
Christ Scott - why are you so intent in winding as many people up as possible with your comments on this post?
I also think the guy in Pedal & Spoke does a good job. He's perfectly within his rights to charge for his services - supply & demand. It'd cost a lot more than £7.50 to drive home or go to your LBS
I bet he wouldn't have charged you if you'd bought some equipment from him
Why all the angst - where you not allowed to go out and play during the nice weather over the weekend?