Is Mountain Biking Dangerous?
The uninitiated often ask the question, “Is mountain biking dangerous?” This question often comes from stories and videos of mountain bikers wiping out from impossible-looking terrain and massive jumps.
Mountain biking isn’t exactly the safest of sports, but life would be boring if we didn’t take risks from time to time. But when you think about your day-to-day life, you’re always taking risks, whether crossing the road or even going outside.
Doing Things Is Risky
Pretty much every sport involves some element of risk, but some are more dangerous than others due to their nature, and mountain biking is one of those sports.
In theory, the more experienced the mountain biker, the less risk they face. This is because they should have the skills to react to certain situations and cope with tricky terrain. More experienced riders also know their limits, so they should know when to call it a day and not go silly.
However, the brain doesn’t always work like this. More experienced mountain bikers tend to take more risks by tackling more technical terrain, doing bigger jumps, and going faster. Therefore, more experienced mountain bikers often take more risks than novice riders.
Where You Ride Makes A Difference
The terrain you ride depends on your location. For example, I live in the French Alpes. Here I have access to some incredible bike parks and natural terrain. You can access many trails from the ski lift system, which is excellent, as the mountains around here are super steep.
Most recreational mountain bikers will stick to designated trails and singletrack. These are the safest places to ride, as they are often well-maintained and in areas that are not too tricky. You will often find that these trails are rated like ski slopes:
Green – Suitable for beginners and families.
Blue – Ideal for lower intermediate riders.
Red – These should only be ridden by intermediate to advanced mountain bikers.
Black: Only ride these if you know what you’re doing. There will often be unavoidable features and super steep.
The main dangers of riding these trails is your lack of skill and mindset. But with some due diligence and riding within your ability, you can stay relatively safe.
Things get risky when you take on more natural terrain. Your speeds may be lower than if you were riding in a bike park, but you have to contend with more variations. Much of the natural terrain around where I live consists of hiker’s paths, animal migration routes, hunting paths, and goat tracks. All of which are rocky and rooty, adding a different difficulty level.
So when people ask, “Is mountain biking dangerous?” much of it depends on where you ride. If your local terrain is mellow and flat, you will be much safer than spending all your time riding down a mountainside.
You Don't Need To Be A Hero Every Day
When riding a mountain bike, your mindset is a big part of risk management. If you are gung-ho, there’s a good chance of a big crash. However, much of the time, you need to be committed, as hesitating can get you in trouble. So, there is an element of trusting your bike and quickly getting the tricky sections over with.
But it’s often better to proceed with caution. I remember seeing a guy in a local restaurant a few years ago in a neck brace, with his arm in a sling. He told me he rode a black run on the first day of his holiday at full speed, but there was a jump that wasn’t there the previous year. He broke his pelvis, back, and shoulder and sprained his neck. This guy was in an awful state!
The trails around here can change by the week, so he was a bit foolish to think that the trail diggers would have kept the one he was riding exactly the same as the previous year.
With this in mind, it’s best to dial everything back a touch until you know what’s coming. It’s also important to ride within your limits. It’s good to push yourself, but it takes time to progress, so don’t rush and enjoy the the process.
Managing The Risk Of Mountain Biking
You can do a couple of things to manage the risk of mountain biking. So. let’s get into them:
Wear Protection
It’s rare to see anyone riding without a helmet these days, but those that do still pop up on fail videos from time to time. Nobody should ride without a mountain bike helmet; the risk just isn’t worth it. Here is my overview of the types of mountain bike helmets to suit different riding styles.
So far, I haven’t found anything soft or comfortable to fall on, so I wear knee and elbow pads to soften the blow. They also instill confidence when riding techy terrain, so much so I feel vulnerable when I don’t wear them, which negatively affects my already sloppy riding. Check out my blogs on knee pads and elbow pads to help you find some great ones.
Take Some Mountain Bike Lessons
My mountain bike mojo has been at an all-time low in the past couple of years. This is partly down to lack of time last year and breaking my back a little bit (I wasn’t mountain biking or doing anything cool). My physio told me that I would be fine as long as I didn’t fall off my bike, so naturally, I was weary and didn’t ride as much as I usually would have.
So this year, I’ve had regular mountain bike coaching sessions with RideAbility. Joe, the instructor, took us back to basics to iron out the wrinkles in various techniques. We have worked on super simple things that I never really bother to master while improving other elements of mountain biking.
We have learned to slow everything down and actually think about what we are doing. Previously, we all rode as fast as we could, braking too much and not effectively thinking about line choice. As a group, we all ride much more smoothly, and I have noticed my confidence grow back to its former level. So much so that I often look for the “interesting” way home during fitness rides, which can be pretty ambitious around here.
I will write another blog about taking mountain bike lessons towards the end of summer, documenting progress, and how it has helped me and others in my group. But so far, I can 100% recommend that you find a good mountain bike coach, no matter your skill level.
It is something that I wish I had done more of in the early days. A mountain bike instructor will take all the guesswork out of riding techniques, allowing you to progress faster and stay safer. Even if you’re an experienced mountain biker, a coach can teach you something, even if it is a new place to ride.
Is Mountain Biking Dangerous?- Answered!
As you can see, mountain biking is one of the more dangerous sports. This is down to the high speeds and environments associated with it. But mountain biking is as dangerous as you make it. You can stay relatively safe by sticking to trails within your ability, taking lessons, and wearing appropriate protection.
This danger level is what makes mountain biking fun. It would be boring if it were 100% safe, as you wouldn’t get the thrill or adrenaline rush. It is also worth noting that the human body is pretty resilient. There will be times when you fall off your bike, but you’ll be surprised how much you can get away with unless you have a significantly colossal crash.
