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how dangerous is is DH mountain biking? very according to whistler

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18K views 17 replies 14 participants last post by  Octanemaniach  
J
#1 ·
cant remember where to find the exact research, but read a study yesterday that showed that injuries per 1000 DH mountain bike riders are approximately 100x higher than ski injuries, which I already thought would be considered a more "dangerous" sport.

which is really pretty nuts. After spending some time in the trauma center with a friend in whistler and then lions gate hospital (not my injury) both places were just full of nasty injuries.

Yeah i know everyone is going to say chicks dig scars, people heal up, if you ***** out and don't do anything cool anymore you are just a *****, etc etc, but really makes you think, is it worth it?

DH mountain biking is ridiculous fun, but is it really 100x more fun than surfing or snowboarding or skiing? I honestly believe regular trail riding on a motorbike is safer than DH mountain biking.
 
#4 ·
jasonjm said:
DH mountain biking is ridiculous fun, but is it really 100x more fun than surfing or snowboarding or skiing?
Click to expand...
abso-fu*****-loutly. Have you ever done any of those things? Ever ridden DH? To ask is to answer.

I mean, hey if you don't think it's worth it, no one is asking you do ride. I'm sure knitting is safer still, and some people find it thrilling.

A hospital near Whistler is full of injuries sustained there, wow... that really makes you think.... Spend some time at a hospital in a big city; it'll be full of nasty injuries sustained from car accidents and workplace accidents and people just trying to live their lives. Does that make you think?
 
#5 ·
It is all a give and take. Eventually you will have to pay the piper it is just a matter of time. I knew this going into biking about 7yrs ago and figured that I would have an annual blood donation to the mountain gods to appease them. Depending on the year sometimes the donation was smaller than others. This year was quite an epic appeasement with an unspectacular crash on some very very buff hardpacked singletrack that resulted in a dual spiral fracture to the fibula, ankle surgery (syndesmotic disruption correction) and now 6wks of recovery time plus another 2-3 months worth coming.

Seriously it is all about variables and understanding what you are getting yourself into. Is DH more dangerous? Well that is really up to you and how you handle the trail. I think the question you were really looking to ask was "Is DH INHERENTLY more dangerous?" There the answer is no as you are the limiting factor. If you are a novice rider bombing double black hills, then of course it is, but if you are novice rider doing the appropriate trails for your skills then no.
 
#6 ·
I love my freeride trails. We have a few in my local park. I finally crashed last Friday on a trail that I piloted several times. We have a couple of jumps that enter a berm and I won't jump those. Instead, I will slow down and roll over the jump and enter the berm. I am not sure what I did but as i went down the back side of the jump, I tipped and went over the bars and crashed on my wrists. I injured both of my wrists and my right arm. Nothing broken and I'm recovering fairly quick. The only thing on my mind is when I can get back out there and try it again.
 
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J
#7 ·
I do all sports I listed in my post. I just spent 10 days nonstop riding in whistler so I think I qualify as having a perspective. I have done some other really risky ones too such as hangliding

The short answer is you only have so much control there is a big element of luck. You run dirt merchant you come up just short on landing the bigger jumps pretty much luck whether you eat **** in a bad way or ride on without even falling.

Blow a berm? Luck whether you slide safely to a stop or catapult head first into a tree.

All I am saying is dh looks incredibly risky compared to other sports. Not saying anyone should stop that is their choice.
 
#8 ·
I come from a road cycling background and started mtb in my late 40's. I started DH at 50. In my experience riding XC/am trail, DH, and road almost every friend (including myself) has had an injury that put them out for 6+ weeks.

I have broken some bones while dh riding. I know other riders who have minor and major injuries riding dh (ribs, femur, back, shoulders). But I have also seen minor injuries trail riding (snapped collarbones, wrists, contusions etc). But the worst injuries and consequence involved road riding + cars. (broken teeth, legs, arms, horrible road rash injuries and death).

I would guess that more cyclists are injured or die on the streets than they do dh (I'm sure there must be stats for this) and yet road cycling is more accessible, and requires less technical skill. I would say that road cycling is more dangerous. (and in my opinion not as fun as dh :) )
 
#9 ·
Riding above your abilities would be one of the larger factors in getting hurt. If you are new to mountain biking and go to Whistler and try to bomb down a double-black diamond, you are very likely to eat poop and get yourself a trip to the medic. My biggest advice is ride within your abilities and learn to advance your skills to where DH is comfortable and in your abilities - the cavaet is even the best riders crash, DH, XC, etc... had a guy break an ankle on a simple XC trail on loose dirt a few years back - guy had years of riding experience and just a bad sequence of events and snap goes the ankle.
 
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J
#10 ·
Well 2 good posts. Definitely something to be said for riding well within your skill level and riding with the best gear and bike you can afford. Will minimize crashes a lot and reduce injuries somewhat.

I never understood roadcycling at all. You crush your nuts for what reason? Zero fun all torture. all you do is pedal. I hate uphill or flat sections. Worst idea for a sport ever.
 
#11 ·
I was a cat 1 road racer a few years ago. The road crashes are brutal. I no longer ride on the road because of distracted drivers and cell phones.

That being said. I had a hip break ~4years ago and I will no longer push my limits on the mtb like I used to. I'm more of a live to ride another day/ next week attitude now. I also ride full crash pads and gear every ride. I think with a few years or some heavy injury you back it off. Its a natural progression.


jasonjm - Road riding really is a team thing. Its hard to explain but it is pretty much the same as your Thursday night crew or your regular ride buddies. Your nuts are no more crushed than with your mtb. Some cherished memories are team road trips and brutally tough races. You are right on a bit of it. Training stinks, but winning is so so sweet and worth every hours spent on the trainer.
 
#13 ·
If every ski hill was an iced over black diamond mogul run, or a tight Rock and tree lined chute, skiing would be extremely dangerous. But most ski runs are wide open and pretty gentle. It would be like riding your bicycle down a wide-open grassy hill. Point being, some skiing is probably as dangerous as serious downhill mountain biking, but most isn't.
 
#16 ·
I think it's the same risks as skiing but people are dumber on their bikes and get on trails too hard, don't manage fatigue, don't improve their skills (just do a hard run, call it good and move on to harder). The risks can be mitigated I have ridden the Whistler bike park 100 days a year for the last 6 summers with out injury.
 
#17 ·
I've been lucky on the bike, but falling on skiing as way less scary then a bike. I've pre-ejected out of my skis and gone tumbling head first down a double black diamond (they really are 'no-fall' I went all the way to the bottom) and I've had way scarier and more painful crashes xc trail riding.

If you're skiing in the woods and you're going to loose control, you just lay down, skis out (or snap out of em if you're strong enough). Not an option on a bike at 15mph, not if you like you're lower bits.

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