Does bulk help in a crash?!

[ChrisCurvyS]

Anyone have any opinions/anecdotal evidence on whether muscularity/general bulk helps or hinders you in a bike crash?

I always thought the heavier you are, the worse off you're going to be as whichever bit of you hits the ground/car/tree impacts with more force. As in the difference between a feather and a brick falling from the same height.

However, saw the aftermath of some bike crashes on an air ambulance show this week and one of the paramedics was saying how bigger and more muscular riders tend to fare better than skinnier ones as the bulk cushions the impact and reduces breaks/internal injuries. I've heard it said before in general pub talk but dismissed it as nonsense.

If it's true, I'm well on the way to invincibility at 16+ stone...

[widepants]

can you get that curvy over 30 with all that resistance

[Mr Speirs]

Makes sense really. An unprotected stick will break a lot easier than a stick wrapped in bubble wrap.

Although I think it's a pretty weak excuse for being a big fat ****er

fat absorbs shock better than bone and that my friend id a 4 fingered fact
but a glass tube wrapped in a pillow and throw it at the ground
then wrap it in 2/3/4 pillows what do you think will help the glass tube survive

[ChrisCurvyS]

Ha - it struggles a bit but I've got an aftermarket exhaust and air filter, so it's probably putting out 50/60hp over standard...

[ChrisCurvyS]

Originally Posted by davepreston

fat absorbs shock better than bone and that my friend id a 4 fingered fact
but a glass tube wrapped in a pillow and throw it at the ground
then wrap it in 2/3/4 pillows what do you think will help the glass tube survive

Yeah but what about your glass tube having a f*cking anvil glued to the back of it?! Wouldn't that extra weight pushing it forwards cancel out the extra cushioning?!

Always thought skinny people would fare better in bike crashes as they'd bounce more....

[ChrisCurvyS]

Prob a better way of putting it - if I come off and land on my shoulder, aren't I more likely to break my collarbone than someone of the same frame with less weight cos of the extra force pushing down? Ditto if I come off and land on my hands - aren't I more likely to break my wrist?

more pillows more weight, more fat more weight, more pillows more shock absobsion more fat more shock absorsion ,tis all relitive my friend
and trust me i dont bounce better than you
signed skinny barsteward

more direct shock with skinny people eg say 4mm to bone while fat people it would be 7mm the extra 3mm will help disapate more of the shock

[Fallout]

I think that's too general mate. A big blubbery fellow will have a lot of elasticity to decelerate his mass more slowly which is good, but also have more inertia. I'd rather be chunky in a stop dead impact, but if I was going to hit something with a glancing blow the skinny bloke will change direction much more easily.

In summary:
Right into the side of a car = best to be fat
Glance it with your knee or shoulder or hip = best to be skinny!