Mountain biker performs flawless tuck-and-roll wipe out

Mountain biking can be a relaxing sport, allowing a person to cover a lot of distance through the wilderness. They will get to see beautiful scenery and wildlife while getting some fresh air and exercise at the same time. But for many, the sport is more about pushing the limits and testing their skill. They purposely seek out technical trails and challenge themselves to stay on the bike while navigating rough terrain. For these individuals, going over the handlebars is inevitable and frequent. They will come back from a ride with bruises, scrapes, and bumps. They will often be covered in mud as well.Show more

This mountain biker is that kind or rider. He has set off on a little adventure along a hydro road in a remote part of Ontario, Canada. The terrain is a mix of rock, mud, rough road made for construction equipment, and an occasional deer path. He's not afraid of a rough ride though. He's lucky enough to be on a full suspension Rocky Mountain bike, complete with a seat that adjusts on the fly and disc brakes to help him stop on a dime. His shoes are locked into the pedals to make it easier to stay on the bike over the rough stuff too. It's far more bike than he deserves, supplied by the good folks at Shimano Canada. He even has a GoPro on his helmet and he's determined to get some great footage of the ride.

He's about to reach an especially technical section with a steep downhill and a corduroy section made out of logs and rocks. Excited to capture this on video, he reaches up to turn on the camera. Unfortunately for him, this means taking his hands off the handlebars for a moment to push the button. In the time that it takes him to get his hands back in position and his full focus back on the trail, our camera man hits a soft spot and his front tire stops dead. This pitches him forward and he knows in a split second that he's not going to be able to stay on the bike.

The camera records his right hand reaching out to meet the trail and we see him execute a perfect tuck and roll. The truth is, Dave was paying attention in judo class a few years back when he learned to do a break fall. These lessons have paid off for him in this moment and he bends his arm instinctively to roll over his right shoulder, onto his back and then onto his side. With a final touch of flair, he even slaps the ground as a judo student is taught to do to lessen the impact. Dave is over 50, so his bones are not as flexible as they once were and it's lucky for him that he was able to get through this completely unscathed.

But Dave also realizes that he just rolled over his back pack that contained his new iPhone 7 and his other GoPro camera. Getting his priorities right, he checks his phone screen and the camera as well, looking to see if they survived the mishap as well as he did. Reassured, he gets back on the bike and continues over the trail with his camera rolling. This isn't his first flip over the handlebars, and it's surely not his last. But it might just have been his best.