Mate, life is far too short. I lost about 5 years of my life due to severe mental health issues compounded by disasterous medication choice and neglect by my 'doctor'. I practically did nothing but sleep and work and sleep away entire weekends for 5 years. It feels like no more than 1 year could possibly have passed. Suicide was always in my thoughts, every single day. And during that time I did not set foot on a bicycle, I could barely function as it was. When I finally got back into mountain biking, I felt it's what saved my life. Engaging my mind and body progressing MTB has helped me claw back into functional life. I've never been a risk taker, not even in my youth. I was a wimp and a nerd and poor at sports as a kid. Now approaching my late 30s, I've started doing more technical MTB riding such as smaller jumps and bunny hopping off little trail features. I'm no less of a wimp than when I was younger, but I am now able to mentally plan out and design strategies to safely (as much as possible) progress skills. I don't really get much of an adrenaline rush from jumps or slashing berms. I don't get "stoked" in the way I think others do. I'm not that excitable. But at the end of a ride I feel a sense of productivity and that I took advantage of the day, not just riding and doing cardio but also progressing technical skills in a logical and measured way. Finding new limits has nothing to do with being reckless or stupid if done well. It is about "how can I make this work for me?" given current circumstances. I feel that many who are of the opinion that's it's selfish or irresponsible to continue (or start!!!) mountain biking due to life responsibilities or certain age milestones simply need to bring a more problem solving style approach mountain biking as opposed to throwing up their arms and saying that's it. Living is risky. Disease or non MTB related accidents don't care that you are feeling sorry for yourself and indulging yourself with excuses of responsibilities and life circumstances so you can quit or semi quit MTB. Life's short so make it work. Ride on.
I read every word you wrote. Really good insight and advice, brother. Thank you for sharing. Pinning to the top as I’m sure others will also benefit from it.
I’m 74, an old roadie& love mountain biking. But I know I can’t take the falls on steep sections so I just ride Green Trails now. Not the adrenaline rush, but total enjoy the fun and beauty of the woods. Even on the Green Trails there are sections that are straight for 10 or 20 feet. I love the constant turns and twists & coming back in 1 usable piece
Road riding can be extremely dangerous, too. Avoid roads busy with motor vehicles and no or poor shoulders. Much less stressful and more enjoyable on beautiful, safe, manageable trails.
I'm 67 and want to get it back to it. I fell one September and fractured a bone but healed. I miss it but no longer have a reparable bike or a car to get me to the trails. Is it worth the risk of dying or becoming disabled? It would limit cycling. When we get older there is less to lose. Tough call though when you have a spouse and kids.
@Hafhafnhaf live for as long as it's possible so we can continue to improve, make life safer, more peaceful, less stressful, easier, happier, more meaningful, less expensive, and more fun for every single human being alive on our beautiful planet earth.
I'm 55 and still enjoy mountain biking a great deal. Been riding since the 80's and took many hard crashes in my 20's and 30's that would probably kill me today. Multiple concussions, broken ribs, separated shoulders and a collar bone. I don't regret how I used to ride but I look back and consider myself lucky to have fully recovered from all the injuries and still enjoy riding. My goal is to still be mountain biking in my 80's. My best/fastest riding is behind me but my most enjoyable riding is ahead of me. I cruise now and challenge myself when I feel like it and am not ashamed to get off and walk or take the b-line through a tricky section.
This! I’m almost 51. I do ride a lot still with my sons but don’t take the big chances I use to. Things break a lot easier and heal a lot slower than they did in the 20’s & 30’s. I plan to ride for many more years but gnarly downhill rock gardens are no longer on my menu!
Couldn't have said it better myself sir. I subscribe to the same sentiment. I've been a fan of everything 2 wheels and being outdoors my whole life. My teens and 20's I was a factory Kawasaki rider out of San Diego. Did the whole gambit of hard injuries running the Baja 250 and Motocross circuit. Decided to minimize my risks and made the transition to serious mountain biking after my last motorcycle crash 25 years ago. Somehow my body has not only held up but at 55 I feel stronger and look more fit than I ever have. And I've been a professional athlete my entire life. I too hope to be riding just as hard in my 80's as I do today. Maybe we will pass each other by on the trail one day. If we do you'll be eating my dust! 🚴💨🤠 Happy trails pardner 😂🤙
Honestly this is why I went back to milder trails. My ego hurt at first with the milder trails, but then I ended up falling back in love with what got me started in MTBing to begin with.
getting fit is what got me into mtbing then it just turned into adrenaline seeking and downhill... then i got hurt(broken humerus/collarbome/dislocated arm) and realised this haha
Unfortunately there's a lot of places that put massive ramps and drops with crazy rock features etc. Over fun simple flow trails. It's hard to find them now tbh
It's all about one hardcore track then 100 of mild ones. If one hunts down and only does the hardcore or harder ones, they're just gonna tire out both the body and mind. Think of the hardcore ones as rewards and points. If you did more then 20 hardcore tracks, it's more then enough to proof you have balls haha so now you can just relax.
after 15 years of riding all types of trails, I found that i dont need to impress no one, and im too old to be doing risky jumps or descends. Its all about recognizing the phases that we go through in life stay safe, family always comes first.
Age had caught up and bones don't heal as fast...we have jobs and families amd responsibilities...biking is what keeps us sane...no need to be a fool and risk everything for some short term high
At 55yo I agree, I still ride almost daily but mainly stick to the gravel trails and roads as I've come to accept my bodies limitations. I still look to the single trails that dump out into the gravels and sometimes get the itch to go and run them but I don't, I choose to listen to the not so common common sense.
@@robertseaburg67 At 71 I still enjoy the trails and the thrills just with more respect and the aid of emtn bikes I build. Blues are the max for me with no shame.
When I raced dirt bikes, I remember going as fast as I could to move up to an A rider. While racing at a hare scramble, an A rider passed me and ended up crashing and broke his back and is paralyzed from the waist down. This had a profound effect on me. I slowed down, quit racing and always rode under control. I still ride, but now I ride for my enjoyment. Impressing myself, not anyone else.
I'm 68 and still riding trails and here are my tips: Never ride ANY trail you think you need a DH bike or full-face helmet on. Leave the rough stuff to the kids. There are plenty of other ways adults can challenge themselves without thrill-seeking descents. Maturity insists that you consider a different perspective on the sport. It's part of growing up. I ride the green trails in Bentonville/ Bella Vista and love it! While I have the lungs and legs of a 40 y.o., my joints are all original equipment. Gravel riding has also taken a bigger part of my riding time. Still on dirt, still in the woods, just a much smoother ride. Weight lifting has also helped me stay riding longer.
I’m 67 and I live in Bella Vista AR. One of the nice things about living here is there’s a ton of blue trails. Most of them have a little bit of technical on them but nothing too serious. You still get a little bit of a thrill without the big risk of a major crash. I also ride a lot of the same stuff so I am familiar with them. I don’t do jumps.
67 in AZ. I don't do jumps. Period. There are so many miles of desert mountains to ride I don't have to be bored and I don't have to ride sketch. There is a 4 mile straight slight downhill that we used to call the "trail of a thousand whoops" when we riding motorcycles. Doubles, triples and craziness at speed. But just standing on the pedals and coasting down it is the trail of a thousand rollers and still fun.
I’m 67 and used to ride down a 3 mile downhill stretch with many rock gardens,berms and turns here in the Zuni mountains NM , and was always thankful afterwards that I didn’t crash’n burn. This year I decided not to press my luck and no longer ride that trail. I now concentrate on my cardio and how beautiful it is up here. Live to ride another day! Check my ego at the trailhead.
I'm seeing a lot of comments from guys that are 40, 50, 60 years of age. As a 29 year old, I really respect reading all of your thoughts. Whenever it comes to trails and obstacles that are tougher, I always ask myself "is the juice worth the squeeze?". Oftentimes, I'll end up skipping a feature if I feel like my skill set isn't there. It's great to read through these comments and realize that there's nothing to be ashamed of and that it's better to "live to ride another day" vs pushing it to the extreme. Thank you all for the awesome discussion!!
If I was in my 20's I'd be riding the feature where he crashed. But I started riding when I turned 40, I have a builtin safety margin my brain won't let me pass. It's weird getting older man, when you're in your late 30's and early 40's you can consciously notice how your body recovers slower, your brain ramping up the fear factor and bigger safety barriers. When I started riding I was 100% trying to do and learn everything I could, and it quickly tapered off when my brain was like ok wait, this is actually dangerous. I'm still really serious with my riding, I do a lot of indoor training, road biking, skill work, but I do skill work that makes me better at riding trails and not jumping, I don't do big drops, etc. If I was younger I'd be going full force, but being older you also learn to be comfortable with saying "I don't need to do that, or ride that feature, and that's totally fine with me" Also, part of being older is you generally have a professional job that you can't risk skipping because it's paying your way in life, you probably have a family, married, basically people in your life that it would effect if you had to walk around in a cast for 3 months. There's more at stake when you're older, I think that's another big factor that makes you feel totally ok with not doing big sections on a trail, not doing double black diamonds, etc.
There's never any shame in taking the easier route, heck there's no shame in just not riding single tracks at all! I'm trying to find the video I'm thinking about, but I saw one with two guys riding something a bit wider than a quad trail along the side of a mountain, the view was breathtaking, the flow was awesome and it only required an XC bike and could have been riden on a gravel bike. No big risks and they had just as much fun for sure!
Deciding not to go down that nasty path you know you're not able to handle is something to be proud of. Self-preservation instinct is the main feature that allowed all your ancestors to live long enough so that you are here today. Perpetuating that long-lasting survival tradition is one of your highest prides.
Two suggestions: 1. Go for easier trails so you can still have fun but not getting injured as often. 2. Go with friends that don't give you peer pressure. I see MTB as a way to get some exercises, a little sight-seeing. As soon as I feel any particular trails may put me in harm's way, I re-evaluate the situation before taking my bike there. If it seems it could paralyze me, no thanks. Staying healthy (i.e, not getting spinal injury) is my #1 priority. I've nothing to prove to other riders (friends included). I'm in my mid-40s, been riding for a while now. I've never got myself in any serious crashes or injuries at all. Touch wood.
This as well, Doesn't matter how long you ride for or not sometimes you will get hurt from something you don't think will. All a matter of how you fall. I've just recently gotten back into it and I can say I'm definitely not as brave or possibly stupid as when I was younger. Way more hesitant to jump etc. I got back into it same reason, exercise and just a bit of sight seeing in nature. I have nothing to prove, I'm not competitive with it. End of the day I'm an adult now (sadly) with responsibilities like bills etc. And I work a physical demanding job. Can't really be doing something stupid that would mean I can't work anymore even if it's short term injury.
I'm 51 now, and I've been mountain biking for around 40 years. I've been pretty lucky in the injury department; one shattered wrist that required surgery, one concussion, one torn up shoulder that healed without surgery (though it took months before I was pain-free) and the elbow on the same side, broken hand, sprained jaw (took a couple of weeks before I could eat solid food without substantial pain), lots of cuts and scrapes, and one pretty cool scar where a brake handle ripped a 5" tear into my forearm (same crash that racked up my shoulder). Risk is part of riding, but there comes a point where you start to realise that it's more fun to get out in the fresh air, get some decent cardio in, take in the scenery, ride within your skill level and go home without an injury.
Love the part where you say "I've been pretty lucky in the injury department" and then go on to recite a long list of pretty serious injuries that would make a normal person gasp and pass out....lol. You are a true mountain biker my friend!
I had 4 major surgeries in 2015, all from riding dirtbikes over a very long career, new knee, etc,etc. But Im good now! Nothing hurts and I ride everyday. Somehow I lost the jonesing for the dirtbike. I just lost interest. But 2 new mt bikes are getting used a lot.
My MTB philosophy has been ‘Live to ride another day’. I’m 46 and started riding 6 years ago. Though I’m comfortable riding, I never just ‘Send it’ and would rather walk where I know it may be beyond my comfort zone. To be fearless is to be wreck less. I hope to enjoy many more years this way. All I can say if that if you are OK with bouncing back from injury all the time then have at it. Otherwise act your age and live to ride another day! Be risk conscious, in this case ‘sticks and stones will break your bones’
I'm 39 and just started riding a few months ago and after a few weeks, I got comfortable and then too comfortable and went over the bar lol. Laying there on the ground I realized if I want to keep riding that I had better chill. So now I also ride with that same philosophy. Live to ride another day! Cheers!
@@Zetler when people say “ just send it “ I think it’s basically if you’re gonna hit a big drop or jump you can’t just call time out mid air , you have to commit, I remember when Dave Jenvey did a drop at Forest of Dean and he was going so slow he went over the bars if he’d of been going faster he probably would’ve cleared it he also broke his collarbone 🥵
As a high performance skier(racing and backcountry steeps), rock and ice climber, a class V white water kayaker, and a mountain biker of over 25 years there is a point where you need to pull back and assess. You only get so good, at a point its a game of odds. I've known many people that are full throttle no brakes sending 50+ ft waterfalls, drop-ins, and jumping huge gaps. Most get career ending life altering injuries eventually. You can get away with it for so long and then that day comes where a broken back or trashed shoulder happens. Its simply numbers, more crazy hucks more chances to make that little mistake that leads to a whumping. I've found that staying just slightly below your performance threshold and not pushing it too far has kept me in the game. You need to decide if that rapid, that huck, that drop-in is worth the chance you won't be able to do your sports anymore. We have a joke in white water kayaking. "The number one injury of boaters is mountain biking". There seems to be something about mtb that encourages more risk taking. I stopped doing big jumps, slowed down on flow trails, and I don't do really steep technicals. Fast flow and jumps is where I got hurt the most. I still do it but I keep it slower and Idon't do big jumps. You hit a tree at 30mph and it's like a motorcycle wreck. It's easy to get too fast, decisions happen fast on a mtb and it's easy to lay off the brakes and send to hard. I teach skiing and whitewater boating and I advise my students to make prudent decisions about conditions and risks. I had a former student drown in a kayak this last winter because they didn't make a proper assessment on conditions and skill level. I wouldn't quit, I'd just assess what am I capable of and then leave yourself a margin of saftey on the trails and drops you run.
Agreed. I’ve also skied at a reasonable level. I think that the difference is that with skiing, a level of technical ability is needed to get into exposed situations, because without that ability you’re just going to fall before you get there. On a mountain bike, it’s easy for confidence and speed (and let’s be honest, often weed) and the ability of the bike to catch people through. This means that when they do run out of luck the consequences can be very high, on an unforgiving surface.
yeah, I've been a climber and a kayaker since I was a kid but I deliberately haven't taken up mountain biking because I know I would injure myself badly at some point - I like the speed and thrill so much I'd be very lucky to make it past the "unconscious incompetent" stage.
^ this comment right here... theres an optimum, fun level to risk, for your current ability. upto ~80% your, skill level/risk graph, you accrue 20 units of fun... but the last twenty risk percentage points you only accrue about 3 units of fun. e.g. from a guy who was skiing alone in the Backcountry... skied over a fairly tall maple sapling, bounced off of a large tree at 30 mph and flew 20 feet out of the woods, then down 15 feet into the ditch on the access road. had I not been near the edge of the woods, I'd have flown into another tree head first for sure. that extra 3 units of fun, isn't worth it.
I had a similar experience when I was 42. Went MTBing with a group who were all younger than me with nearest being 36 and the rest all younger down into their mid-20’s. We were riding on some pretty technical trails. One of the guys wrecked early in the ride and seemed kind of proud of being the first to go own; kind of a badge of honor. I eventually wrecked too. I got up, backtracked and tried to ride through the same section again only to wreck again. I had wrecked several times B4 over the years when I was younger and it had never bothered me. But that time it did and what I concluded was that tolerance to risk for most people (not all) drops as we older. That’s why countries recruit or draft only young men and women to go off and risk their lives fighting in wars. As for the 40+ folks, when shit happens, it has a greater affect on our psyche. I think it’s natures way of reminding us as we get older to slow down and stop and smell the roses. I’m 62 now and still riding. Do I ride the same trails as I did when I was 42 . . . absolutely not! But I still love what riding I do which is mostly cross country single track with plenty of good climbs. My motto ever since I wrecked at 42 is “better to live to ride another day.” Most of my friends who are my age or older are not in as good a shape as I am. I’m not trying to brag and I’m definitely no Adonis by any stretch of the imagination. But I am grateful that I love to do something that keeps me in shape and young at heart. And, I don’t have many of the health issues that plague a lot of 62 year olds who choose not to be as active. And my continued riding has kept me in decent enough shape to do other things I love. Backpacking, traveling, hiking, goofing off with my wife and keeping up with my grandson. So my advice would be to keep riding, listen to Mother Nature, lower your risk tolerance and live to ride another day. Do your best and be careful. And above all, may peace, love, and gratitude be with you and your family. Cheers mate!
I'm 71 - yours are words of wisdom. When I was younger than 40, bikes were not near as capable as they are now and trails were relatively scarce. I regret being too old to experience the wide selection of trails now available, with bikes that can handle them. It is what it is. The old days were good enough for John Tomac and Ned Overend, so shouldn't complain. Keep on riding, but be safe.
Well said @ucdChe. Just separated my shoulder, two months ago AGAIN. Now both sides have the clavicle sticking up. I turn 62 in two months. I am suffering more mentally than I am physically as I contemplate ending my 33 year run as a mountain biker. Even on green trails there is danger. I don't know...I am real sad about this possibility. Mountain Biking is such a huge part of my life.
Im 66 and riding almost every day, roadbike or mt bike. Basically none of the people I grew up with are doing anything like this, they all got old. Even though they're the same age. I think, they think Im nuts out doing what Im doing. And yeah I could get hurt, but I really try to keep it on the sane side of fun. Still love it or I wouldnt do it.
I've been riding for 25 years and am now 61. I raced XC in Colorado from age 40 to 50. Since I turned 50 I've carefully reduced the risk to stay within what is acceptable for me. I am now retired and ride about 10 hours a week, all on trails. I never ride trails as difficult as what you were riding in the video. I enjoy blues, but am pretty careful about learning the trails before I ride them very quickly. I haven't had more than a washed out tire fall in ten years now. And, I have a blast still riding my mountain bikes.
57 here. That's the thing, if riding more-carefully-selected runs was not fun, it might be a difficult decision. But you can still go out and have a blast ripping through relatively easier, less-dangerous trails. It's a matter of dealing with the ego.
Me too, I'm 54 and I only ride blue trails. I'm not trying to get air or anything. Just getting out and muscle my way up intermediate inclines and enjoy the outdoors while getting exercise. I have a light hardtail bike with only 100mm of travel and I don't need anymore than that. I got a family.
after riding motorcycles for a bit i've gotten way to confident on bicycles. even on my roadbike with literal race tires the amount of grip i have on sand/gravel/dirt is unreal(at least compared to a motorcycle on 50/50 tires). not a good thing, i'm sure it will bite me soon.
When I was stationed in Korea and somewhat new to riding, I always found myself trying to keep up with the experienced guys. We went to a downhill bike park and I was riding a borrowed trail bike. Again I was trying to keep up when I took a decent spill. Went off a 15-17 foot cliff and rolled a couple of times on some boulders until I was stopped by a tree. I broke two ribs, punctured a lung, broke my tail bone and tore my rotator cuff. That put me in the hospital for two weeks with a tube in my chest. During those long two weeks, I contemplated if I really enjoyed mountain biking enough to ride again. After I got out of the hospital, my only means of transport was my mountain bike and about a week later, I knew I still wanted to ride. Went back on the same trail 2 months later, but went at my own pace. A couple of months went by, riding almost every day, I found myself starting to keep up with these guys! We rode almost everyday until we all were sent somewhere else. Still meet up and ride with them every now and again! Moral of the story: riding fast will come with experience. Learn at your own pace and enjoy the ride!
Do you ride for the adrenaline high? Or to increase your skill? Get out in the woods, enjoy. I bought a new bike with 29" wheels and caught my new longer handle bar while passing a familiar tree on a trail I know very well - how dumb is that? I'm 79 and been on green and blue for years, but forget the rocks and cliffs. My shoulders got torn and still a year later with some muscle reattachment have two painful shoulders to live wth. You just can't shake it off as you age. Now fun for me is getting outdoirs and staying off that dangerous stuff.
I am a your person, and I am addicted to mountain biking (or dirt jumping). Only about 3 months ago, I had my fist serious bike crash. I went over e bars and ended up with a concussion, a broken collarbone, a broken left wrist and slight dislocation of my shoulder. I was out for over 2 and a half months, and almost wanted to forget about biking. Let me tell you, it won’t just get erased from our memory. What I have learned is that you should only do what you are comfortable doing, you should look at the features before riding, and take it slow. I would say something like do less hard things, but that will just make you want so do bigger things more, so I say just do what your comfortable with, good luck.
Definitely a personal choice. If you decide that you want to continue to ride gnarly trails, then you have to make a mental commitment to it. If you go in timid and afraid of the consequences, you will probably crash more frequently. Confidence is absolutely critical on the gnarly tech.
Watching the weekend crash videos on UA-cam shows a huge portion that are people being tentative... Breaking before jumps, etc. You have to be confident and committed or you will be crashing.
Thank you for being honest about your experience, and I hope you make the right decision. I am 54 years old and just recently crashed at Spyder Mountain (DH trails in Texas), and dislocated my shoulder. after my fall y decided that I was going to completely quit MTB, but instead I decided that I was just going to do green and blue trails. No more gnarly trails for me. I am just going to be safe, have fun, and get some cardio. Peace
@@boblatkey7160 I actually had an EMTB for a week. Didn't keep it because it was either EMTB or my Meta Sx. I chose the SX. But soon enough I hope to get an EMTB
Same thing happened to me. After riding downhill for years I suffered a broken collarbone and then I broke my shoulder on a really steep drop which I flipped over my handlebars on. The pain of my broken shoulder for about a week was unbearable. I eventually recovered and thought the same exact thing and I questioned it also. Purchased a nice 140mm bike and made the move to trail riding with some nice speed but avoided all the pitfalls of downhill.
After 40 years of MTBing and multiple accidents, I had a downhilling accident last year which resulted in a subdural hematoma (brain bleed) that caused multiple physical and mental issues for me. Recovery took over four months to be back on my bike. Only into trailing these days...And, still love the sport!
@@blurglide Not an original. They started in the seventies with Klunkers; but, I joined in soon after production mtbs became available in 1983. My first mtb was a Ross Indian; but, all my race bikes were by Tom Ritchey.
I have been mtb for about 5 years,I started at 61, I swear it puts a smile on my face from ear to ear. After crashing many times and getting hurt I started to take lessons and I have gotten pretty good. Another thing I learned is when your tired and had enough, it means your tired and had enough, it's the best time to stop. He (or she) who puts their bike away has a better ride another day. Keep riding. Cheers.
I started Emtb riding at age 63. Last year I rode 2100 miles and 230,000 verticle feet (I did the math and Strava had it right). I can think of a time or two when I knew I was getting way too tired or should have paid more attention. It ended badly those days. I now slow way down at those times and make it home just fine. BTW, IF you get tossed on the top of your femur, the hip breaks. (That one took me out for 12 weeks) and you are NOT a pussy for wearing safety equipment. Shit happens and it allows you to walk away unscathed.. Still riddin'. I liked the "Ride like Lightening, Crash like Thunder" comment.
As you get on in years, as am I, look at some of the electric bikes, they're a little heavier but the suspension is all made for them, it let's me play longer before i get to that "I'm too tired ' phase. And F all the people that think it's cheating.
@@jwall62 cheating? Against who? Everybody thinks something anyway. It’s all about your own joy that you put in your hobby on your own terms. I crashed recently as well (61) not on those trails but just on a flat pavement. I decided to wear a full face mips helmet and extra protection for knee and elbows. But my face and neck was pretty messed up for a while. Now everything is ok again on my electric MTB. Will do my first ride after the accident soon again. But only on forrest routes. I didn’t liked the close up study of the pavement for the 3-4 seconds of scraping.
Hi and glad you’re ok 👌 my 2 cents. I’m 63 and have threw myself uphill and down since my teens, including rock climbing, mountains, mtb, scuba, ice hockey etc. My knees, back and shoulders remind me every day of what I have done. It didn’t matter, until, KIDS!!! I now know fear. Not for myself but because I have dependants who need me to be around. Personally, I believe you’ve been given your message. After a few nonsense moments I stopped and re-evaluated, I still have fun but it’s at a much easier pace with less catastrophic potential. You need to be a provider not a burden, it’s not just about you anymore. Take care.
I'm 73, I was hard riding MB's before they had shocks. Lots of crashes over the years (only one broken bone). Sometime in my late 50's I had a crash and that was it. Wasn't my hardest crash or worst crash but it was the one that put doubt in my mind. That's all it took. I continued to ride but a lot less aggressively and on a lot milder trails.. I discovered safe thrills were more than thrilling enough. With each passing year the trails I ride have gotten easier and easier (I'm guessing in a year or two it'll be the equivalent of a Sunday morning stroll trail) but I'm still having fun and still in one piece.
Nice response. I'm 54, riding since 20s. Lots of crashes. Last couple of years 2 concussions and a broken finger. I did the www.transnz.com 2 years ago and signed up for a repeat. Was a bit relived when it cancelled to to Covid. Most of the days fine, but one day was just v really bigger then my comfort zone, and racing it. Time to tone it down.... I'm a doctor age see the injuries... Happy to ride, but nothing to prove
I am older too, and I bike a couple of times a week. At my age I don't want to get racked up for a lengthly recovery, and maybe even limit my mobility in the future. I do some off road because it is actually safer than being on the road in some cases. But those dirt roads are easy and present just enough challenge for me. Good judgement on your part. It's smart.
Started at 56, now 64 and loving it. Some of the initial crashes I'm VERY lucky to have escaped with only bruises. I thoroughly enjoy the physical and technical challenges, but there's enough sanity to avoid pushing it too far. The real potential problem for me, and anyone for that matter, as Miltonator said: "Third lap and feeling confident"
@@JohnSaccoccio Good for you. I can understand pushing one's body. I love to get on my bike, but no way am I doing that kind of riding. The big thing is that at my age I don't want a serious injury. My 'off road' are dirt roads and farm access paths. There are some moderate ruts and gravel, but that is it. Good luck and keep riding.
I had a crash that broke my clavicle and scapula a couple years ago, it got in my head bad. I had an epiphany during my healing though, I have literally invested blood sweat and bones to this hobby, I’m not going to quit or regress. The next season I went out and hit that feature that fucked me up three straight times and now I know to just trust my skill, it was a fluky crash and it happens. Im still out here chasing my next thrill and pushing harder and harder trails. Just need to work on my jump confidence.
MTB is inherently dangerous and getting fucked up is most certainly part of the game. There isn't a rider in the history of the sport that hasn't crashed. So how is it not a part of the sport?
@@jonnie2bad Never say “everyone”. I’m 43, been mountain biking for 25 years, and never crashed. In fact I’ve never even wore a helmet on a ride. I know my skill and don’t take unnecessary risks. Ride trails of all difficulty and my friends have crashed countless times and broken bones.
I’m in my 40s, love mountain biking. I have a career, a girlfriend, and a kid to watch out for. Ergo - I like to go out on trails, and gently come back down those trails. Ain’t doing tricks, ain’t flying over stuff, ain’t going off ramps and all this other stuff. I still love it, I just don’t have an appetite for injuries or the time to be seriously injured. I use my brakes probably more than 75 percent of MTBers, ha. I was on a trail the other day and saw a guy that had to be 55ish years old flying super fast down hills and jumping in the air and what have you. In my head I’m like it’s awesome you can do that but ho-lee hell those aren’t risks I want to take. I actually walked my bike down trails he was flying over.
At 59 I have transitioned (several years ago) from weekend racing taking risks that push my skill level to simply riding for the cardio. This decision came after two collar bones fractures and the big downhill race wreck where I fractured by L2 vertebra, cracked three ribs and collapse a lung. I have decided that racing places me mentally in a dangerous mind set so no more racing and no more down hill riding. I live in the Blue Ridge mountains and a typical ride is 8-10 miles with 1000 ft of climbing a few time a week which is all I need and no more fractures...the older you are longer it takes to heal which is also a larger percentage of you remaining years.
I'm one of those guys who are doing statistics, models etc. for insurance companies and such and i'm pretty shre that no one wants to hear it, but mountain biking is terribly dangerous. The risk of getting paralysed or getting killed is absolutely ridiculous.
good to know 👍 I would like to know about other sports I do: what about dirtbike hardenduro riding? fully geared what about freediving? what about skiing?
@@midlan6 Freediving (if you know what you are doing and do not dive into caves) is relatively safe. Skiing is not as safe but only moderatly risky. dirtbike hardenduro is a liability, even geared up.
As i turned 60 this year and retiring, I came to the realization that even some of the smaller crashes could do some serious damage to me now. I do a lot more hike a bikes than I would have even 5 year ago. Now, my decisions to ride trails are ones that if I crash, it's because the bike fell apart and not because of a skill issue. I enjoy the scenery a lot more and 'full send' happens infrequently. Better to be smart and safe and pedal another day than to risk it. Also, my 30 year old nephew was in a MTB crash 2 years ago and is now paralyzed from the waist down.
So said for your nephew. Really sucks. There is light though. If he is bright and astute the science is progressing and he may walk again before to long. Perhaps pursue the science and research and discover a way to re fire and grow those neurons.
@@Rzagski He’s actually taking it quite well, started his own business and is a rep for a company that specializes in motorized mountain bikes and three wheelers for handicap people. He never once let it get him down, As soon as he got his halo off he was doing pull ups with his wheelchair attached to him, getting ready for whatever came next. He actually made runs down Whistler on his motorized bike, he hasn’t given up MTBing, just does it differently now.
@@psoon04286 he just finished a 3 day 37 mile 8000 foot elevation gain trek on his new hand pedaled 3 wheeler. No motors, no electric, all arm powered.
@@jwall62 I’d have a hard time keeping up, but it would be exhilaratingly to photograph his trek. It would be an inspiration to lots of other folks struggling with similar physical impairments👍😃
I‘m 58 and started MTB in 1996. my summary so far: scattered collar bone, broken wrist, left knee injury (legaments) and shoulder surgery. Will I quit-never. I ride about 3000 - 5000 (approx 1800 to 3000 miles) km a year, so you need to put this in context. And I live in Switzerland there‘s some tricky trails😂 Live free or die as one says in New Hampshire…
You may want to limit your injuries from this point on. I'm 70 and all my old injuries are coming back to haunt me. I slowed my speed a little bit to stay under control. In the last 5 years of riding under control - one sprained finger.
@@thelakeman5207 thanx for your advise -I know that you‘re probably right. But is is in my genes to live life to the fullest and I guess therefore will have to pay my dues sooner or later. Take care buddy!
The trend is to take it easier as we get older. Riding is still fun with a terrifically adjusted full suspension mtb even if it is more capable than you will use. I enjoy my surroundings more now. I am 70.
Same here. I'm 72 and still ride full suspension mtbs. Just ordered my first MIPS helmet and a flak jacket to take me into my 90's! Oh, and I bring my classic rock collection along with my headphones. It's so much easier these days with Bluetooth and smartphones lol.
Thanks for the video. 48 years old, crashed at a cross country mtb race on April 23, 2022. Nothing hard about the course, just clipped my handlebar on a tree and went down knee first into a rock that broke off inside my knee. Two knee surgeries, a serious infection, a week in the hospital and three weeks of IV antibiotics. I'm just now able to pedal a bike on a trainer and still have problems walking 8 weeks later. Hoping for a full recovery by late August. Already had to cancel one family hiking vacation at Glacier NP, probably another in late August with a friend. I'm still thinking about what I'm gonna do as far as mtbing in the future is concerned.
@@rafael_13 Well, you guys tend to wear more padding. A simple pair of knee pads would have saved me a lot of trouble. I"m back to riding, but with knee pads!
Just getting into MTB and took my first fall a few days ago. I think what I took from it is, just be cautious when it’s a steep trail and wear knee/elbow pads and maybe a chest protector for those harder and faster trails where a fall could spell an injury.
Sometimes those pads and helmets make people feel indestructible, so be careful with that! Definitely wear them, as they prevent the common but small injuries, but the really big injuries are to the spine and there's no protection for that short of thing short of common sense.
The crazy thing about the sport is that sometimes a perfect storm of random things puts you on the ground. It's so weird. I have had a few spills where I never figured out exactly what happened. I think this is more of an issue with the longer travel FS bikes.
I cased a double at a bike park 3 years ago. My back end bounced me off the seat and I lost control. Basically hugging the handlebars as I headed toward the side of the trail. I ran into a big rock where my foot took the brunt of the impact. I was lucky nothing major happened, but it took me off the bike for 3 months. I told myself after the crash that it's not worth it. But, I was soon back on the bike , mostly trail riding, and of course as the years turn you go back to the bigger mountains. But, I don't take unnecessary risk now and haven't crashed since then. Knock on wood, but I have nothing to prove, just happy to be up there on the mountain.
@@alfredot2739 That's the key, enjoy the ride. Why suffer and endanger your life. Take it a little slower and ride completely under control. Your body will thank you for it when you get into your 60's.
So, I am 55. I switched from MTB to road due to a skiing accident that resulted in 4 surgeries and a partial fusion of my wrist. I enjoyed road riding but my family was not happy with how long I was gone on my rides. Then one day while sprinting down a hill gaining momentum for the next climb, I was taken out by a large mule deer. I don’t remember anything except the deer. Then, 3-4 hrs later, I was home. I apparently got back on my bike and kept going another 17 miles back to my house. Result was a massive TBI and months of recovery. I bought a new MTB during recovery and now just ride cross country trails. A couple of blacks but mostly blues. Where I used to look for the most technical and challenging trails, multiple runs through the Portal in Moab. Now I know that I am not that same person. I have just adjusted my style of riding so I can still get out and enjoy it, but not give it up. Nothing is more therapeutic than being on my bike outside in the beautiful Colorado Rockies. Don’t give it up, just know your limits. :) I have chosen to take a few battle scars from getting outside and living over a bad neck and poor posture from staring at a computer all day.
I'll follow up on this comment. I think road biking is much more dangerous than mountain biking, especially since the hazards are often out of your control. Cars, animals, gravel (on those skinny tires), potholes, etc. With mountain biking there are dangers but crashes usually happen due to something we did as the rider. The people I know that road bike seem to have all sorts of close calls or bad accidents due to someone else's actions. They also wear much less protective helmets and I don't think spandex does much to cushion a fall or protect from road rash. :-)
Mid 40s and started riding 4 years ago. I don't do jumps or massive drops. Have had my share of spills and a few crashes. Nothing broken, thank goodness. But hell, I still love it. Glad you were okay. 🔥🔥🔥 🤘🤘🤘
Thanks for sharing. I separated my clavicle and it kept me off the bike for a long time. I like you have a family and questioned continuing. I made a decision if I continue (which I did) I would only ride trails within my comfort zone and be content with that. Features on new trails that seemed too crazy I would often pass. I want to progress, but if the risk is too high, the progression is not worth it to me. Hope this helps and God bless.
Did the same thing about 10 years ago on a jump staged three’d it, completely blew the ligament to pieces. Ended up having to have surgery to hold it together was off work for nearly six months wasn’t nice. Don’t do jumps anymore just trails with hops and stuff.
That trail is crazy. I went over the handlebars on a flat curvy trail 17 years ago because of a small root. That was enough for me to say I'm good with nice wide manicured trails.
That happened to me a couple days ago. Didn’t even last on my left shoulder but how I moved it when falling caused it to pop and it hurt quite a bit. Thought I tore something but feels fine today.
Been there. My most severe crashes were when I was pushing my limits, when I was trying to learn something new. This is an extreme sport, and lets not lie about it. We tend to go over terrain that no one in their right mind would attempt, and keep calling it a normal Thursday. After crashes - I get up, get down and if I can, ride the rest of the day. Then when back home - I put the damn thing into the garage all dirty and leave it there for a week, not getting near. Then I get to terms with the bike and service it, clean it and go back on trails. Once I start going down I get this feeling of bliss and notice how I missed it all. Funny thing is - I ride a hardtail trail 29er with 140mm travel up front on most of the trails, including black ones. This bike doesn't give me a false sense of security and lets me know when I screwed up. It humbles me in a way, making me reconsider taking the trail and if I dare to do it, forces me choose my route carefully. I will eventually upgrade to a full sus bike, but only when I feel I mastered this one.
I think you have to try to think what memories you’ll have when you are older. A lot of what most people do in life is building memories that you look on fondly when you are older. Call it reminiscing. Personally most of my great memories don’t involve huge risk, it’s more about being in fabulous remote scenery or overcoming the elements, ideally with a bunch of great guys for company. Riding a really technical difficult trail doesn’t do it for me, so I don’t do it, or if I do it I’m slow and very careful. Everyone’s different, but adrenaline is a short term effect drug.
I’ve been there. I questioned myself the same question after having rib fracture, and both arms fractured on different occasions in my 40’s. I’m now 50 yrs old. The answer to your question is, it’s not worth it esp when family and work comes into play. It’s being selfish. However, I still ride my bike responsibly by riding to easy trails and not taking risks.
Great video, solid edit! As a guy who has hit the ground, really hard, several times, and even had surgery that kept me off the bike for nine months, I can attest the mental struggle can sometimes be very difficult to deal with. My advice is to go with the flow, some days you’ll feel like sending every feature in the park and other days not so much. Rely on those instincts, take it easy when you feel like it and don’t beat yourself up over not joining your mates on the black diamonds if it’s just not your day. 🤘
I remember my last nasty crash. It took some time to regain confidence. It was a sobering reminder to just have fun and be safe. No need to impress others as they're not paying those hospital bills
Hi i think i have some tips that can help you. Srry for my english. 1st you don't have to be scared when riding that type of tracks (also i think thats a too rocky track and its not something enjoyable), if you are scared you lose momentum and your forward momentum is obligatory if you want to ride above that rocks and complicated tracks. Also i've noticed your position when riding is not agressive, is really helpful to take an agressive riding position, leaning your body forward to gain control over the bike and to have more control of how the weight is distributed on the different points on the bike, so you gain balance and control.
I've been riding mountain bikes for almost 30yrs & I can say that I had my share of crashing but none of them have ever taking me out of the game. But last October that changed. While riding back to my car after awesome shuttle laps all day I took a nasty fall & tore my MCL and fractured my tibia & it put me out of action for about 5 months & I'm just now getting back on the bike again. It's not about if you fall but when you fall because you are going to fall again. I'm 51 & I don't plan on quitting mountain biking anytime soon but I'm definitely changing my game when out on them trails. I don't know what that will consist of but I'll be a little bit more chill while playing with my bike. Keep shredding my dude🤘🏿
@@AM-yb1ez I ride clipped in. But when I tore up my knee I was unclipped & off my bike when my leg hit the ground. Funny you ask because my orthopedic doc ask me the same question😅
Know the feeling man, I crashed up Greer 3 weeks ago and broke my collarbone. I’ve ridden some of the gnarliest trails over the years I’ve been riding and have came away with a few scratches. But this recent crash was purely from not paying attention and it caught me out on a trail I’ve ridden hundreds of times. I run my own company and it immediately made me think is it worth it for the risk. But it’s too hard to get a feeling that lives up to doing something so fun and yet so dangerous. A break from riding may help you and pick trails you are comfortable on and enjoy. That’s just my thoughts as I know I’ll never stop riding 😂
Oh man, that’s at least six weeks recovery. Heal well brother. I just finished my first recovery ride just now. Chill ride but it was awesome nonetheless 👊
Thanks for your personal story. I'm a 57 year old female, started mtb'ing 4 years ago. I have noticed that I push myself more when I'm with people, esp guys. Crashed badly once going too fast following friends (only badly bruised, nothing serious.) I ride hard trails by myself now. I am such a conservative rider when I'm alone, even when I session steep or loose or rocky etc trails, I can keep myself safe. It takes me longer to progress my riding in this fashion but I've been able to push the difficulty level of the trails I ride very slowly over the past 4 years. When I do fall, it's small and inconsequential. I'm not sure I would suggest riding alone for everyone. It's worked well for me because I am very aware of the limits of my skills and my confidence level at the moment. I was surprised to find that when I rode these difficult trails with friends, I blast down them at top speed and it's super fun, cuz I've done the trail alone so many times and know it so well. Sorry if this post is very long. Stay safe, keep posting !
@@kvl2516 thanks for chiming in. I’ve since (this video) have been riding A LOT more on my own. This has kept me in check by removing the temptation to wanna keep up. I’m okay with slow progress 🙂
Glad you’re ok. As I get older I question the same things. I went OTB on a gnarly trail recently and landed softly but I cracked my new intense frame. I was following younger, faster riders on a blind double black trail I’ve never ridden before. I was caught up in the moment instead of riding sensibly and within my skill level. Time to be smarter now, but still seek out a challenge. That’s the hard part. Good luck in the future and I wish you nothing but safe fun rides.
@@MILTONATOR Thanks Milton. Yes, I'm using Intense's crash replacement policy but it's still going to cost over $500 and more importantly, time away from my new bike LOL
For me it’s always worth it! Just always progress within your means. To me, those moments where you lose control are so exhilarating, everything goes to slow motion and you quickly choose the best possible move to protect yourself as much as possible. Living on the edge is what makes life meaningful to me, the rest of the time I’m just waiting to get back to the hill, or track, or rink or field or whatever it is. Also get you some pads dude!!! Motorcycle jacket, padded shorts, they make padded shorts for hockey that go under the bigger padded hockey shorts, and they work really well for other sports. And knee pads and some actual mountain bike gloves that are padded. Most importantly, know when to quit, or when to go for it. When you get caught in the middle, that’s a crash every time. Confidence is key!!! If you start thinking, don’t crash, what do I have to do to not crash, your brain is just hearing, crash, crash, crash. But if you think, stay on top, adjust, get to the next flat section, control the chaos, things of a positive nature, your brain will tell your body how to make that happen. That is what I do for all sports, riding, hockey, skating, and my new favorite, downhill, off-road skating!!! You’ve got it dude!!!
I was going 35 right after a trail couldn't stop, went over my handlebars and slammed into a tree on the side of the road. Ever since then I stopped show boating and am more careful. Trail riding is where its at, tempting fate on rock doesn't seem like a long term plan.
Can definitely feel your pain literally!! I had a very similar crash 3 weeks ago. I was riding a trail that I know like the back of my hand with no problem, then I spotted my friend riding another part of the trail. That moment of inattention caused my to catch my left handlebar on a small tree. Basically I did what they call in motorcycling a "highside". Straight up into the air over the bike and smashed my whole right side into the ground. My arm was smashed into my chest instant searing agony, completely winded. I staggered up took about 2 steps then collapsed and passed out. Anyway we got it sorted, I fortunately didn't hit my head. I was able to SLOWLY ride back to the car with only the occasional hit of searing agony from my right chest area. The first week was a nightmare, searing agony every time I got out of bed or even moved in bed. Medical diagnosis was badly bruised ribs. Not much I could do other than painkillers and rest. 3 weeks later it still hurts like hell but I am getting there. I can do things slowly without major pain. It will be a while longer but I will definitely be back on the bike. I guess the main thing I will take away from this is CONCENTRATE on what you're doing and not what others are. I do try to ride within my capabilities (i.e. don't get sucked into racing people or trails that are above what I can do). I will also be upgrading my protective gear. I was wearing knee pads and my legs barely got a scratch but no Elbow pads and of course my elbow was a mess. I have fixed that up already with some new elbow pads purchased this week. I can't wait to get out again, although I will wait till I'm ready. I love just riding the bike, being outside enjoying nature. Letting the kangaroos and wombats go their way when I come across them (yes I'm Aussie). Great being out there with good friends too. Rest get over your injuries and get out there again. BTW I'm 61 so if I can do it you can too 👍😉
I'm older and not willing to get hurt. My adult son was seriously injured after a failed jump with a broken rib, punctured lung and dislocated shoulder in his latest crash. So, yes, I agree with you that it's not worth that type of risk especially when family members depend on us to be healthy. I am more satisfied to do more cross country type of trails where it's less technical and if I do fall, it's not like falling down a set of concrete stairs with shards of concrete there to impale hips and bones. It's a great sport, but like Clint Eastwood said, "a man's got to know his limits." Stay safe.
Looks like a great trail! It appeared you were riding near the edge of your capabilities and maybe even a little spent after now being on a third lap. All things that lead to nasty crashes. I’ve been in similar circumstances many times and the two things that helped me were 1: learn how to fall. It’s natural to reach out to catch ourselves but that’s a quick trip to the ER- glad you didn’t break anything. There are ways to tumble that allow you to disperse that energy and get back up with minimal issue. I liked to have basic chest and back protective gear with a backpack (holding gear, water, etc.) to help take the blows. 2: keep building muscle. Not sure if there’s science behind it, but I sure noticed a difference in injuries (lack of) when I lifted regularly. I ate dirt a fair share and could take the hits a lot better.
I agree with this assessment. It looks like you were getting tired there towards the end. Gnarly tech sections require you to be at your best lest you pay the price. Glad you were okay.
It's a fine line between pushing yourself to develop your skills, and riding in ways that are beyond your skillset. Don't ride sketchy stuff if you're not ready for it. Don't try to keep up with your friend who's been riding mtb since the age of 2...you won't have the skills to bail yourself out of situations like what happened in this video. Use caution ⚠️ when trying to build up your skills, be realistic about your abilities.
Totally understand where you're coming from. My riding has progressed a lot over the past 2 years since I got back to riding. After a couple of hard tumbles, with the last one nearly ending in concussion had it not been for a lucky water bottle bounce that cushioned my head from a rock. I had to re-assess my riding and dial it down a notch, especially where I am now with my career, a new house under construction, and a pre-schooler and a 1st grader I have to support.
The adrenaline rush you get is totally crazy, at times you feel invincible tackling all those obstacles and wants you to chase even harder paths, makes you deliberately reckless, it’s there when you are most vulnerable!!
This is partly why I've been riding rigid almost exclusively for 5 years plus: fun, cheap, and you are not often going the sorts of crazy speeds at which a crash can maim you for life
I think we all get caught up on that "the gnarlyer the better" mind set, we can't go away from the good feeling of conquering those kinda of trails but when we find ourself on this kind of accidents we arealized that at our age, our families depend on us and 5 minutes of adrenaline rush can put all the people around us in a tough place. Thanks for the video I glad you are ok and you walked away from that one. 🤙👍🔥
Big crash and I am glad you are relatively OK. I just bought a bike as I have been out of MTBing for at 25 years and I learned my next door neighbor has multiple broken bones. I am at the age that any semi serious injury is going to mess up my life big time so while I have gone on a few relatively easy rides, I have been asking myself the same question knowing my thirst for adventure and pushing my limits.
@@Bavafa1 thanks! There are things we can do to mitigate risk and injury, some of which I’m now doing… such as: being selective of which trails to ride, when to ride and when not to ride (I.e. fatigued) I also started gravel riding and that’s turned out to be a whole more fun than I anticipated. All the best to you
Your naked elbows tell the whole story here, at least in my opinion. After breaking my ribs racing dual slalom a few years ago, I got some real protection - troy lee padded top (shoulders and ribs too), and padded shorts, as well as dainese knee and elbow armor. The terrain you just hurt yourself on is unforgiving, and why you aren't taking advantage of the protection available is the real question. Sure, I typically only ride with my knee armor (sometimes also elbow pads too) for my local trails, as I don't always wear my full armor kit (a bit ridiculous for amped up xc trails), but save the battle gear for when I'm really going into the octagon. If you're going to ride these technical trails, with big error consequences, wearing armor at least gives you a fighting chance of showing up for work the next day........Shuttle required trails typically are a red light that I might wanna wear my full protection kit.
Great advice, I thought watching that video to. The bloke in front was wearing all the kit, FF , vest -back and shoulders and elbows (can see it under his shirt)
Was wondering the same. I never ride DH without proper protection. Maby i wont need it but i dont want to be in a crash and wish i had more protection to prevent the outcome. Its a cheap insurance. To each his own.
I totally agree. I have been through some stuff that if I hadn't, I wouldn't have upgraded my gear. The comment I made yesterday pretty much sums up what you said here. I know some some of us let our self consciousness override logic and choose to wear less gear, but after some bad crashes, I couldn't give a hoot what anyone thinks and gear up as I need to. The medical bills and time from work isn't worth it. Most of my rides are on Sunday mornings, where I have to work the next day and they were quite a few times I was unable to work the Monday or even the Tuesday.
I'm with you! I do the knee and elbow pads, steel toed shoes and a chest/ribs protector. My hydro pack acts as back protection. And of course padded gloves.
Had several painful crashes and It played on my mind too. Work and kids, mortgage to pay. I changed up my riding to more leisure rides, parks and riverways and I dont regret it. Still fun and gets me out the house. I do miss the mountain biking from time to time but my last crash had brand new armour on and it shattered on impact. It saved me but scared me a lil too much lol
Appreciate this video. Shout out to the older folks who keep riding and taking it easy. I’ll be right there with you on the green runs and blue XC trails.
I can relate .I crashed my bike and ended up having rotator cup surgery .after about 3 weeks of recovery I fell again on the same shoulder .thought I reinjured it again but luckly I just bruised everything .starting riding again but now I look at riding as live for another day .I take less chances and enjoy the ride .for now its been working for me .no crashes so far .wife is happy and no doctor bills .👍👍👍👍
I've never been on these downhill rides, alway gone cross country, trails or loops. I know downhilling isn't for me, I'm risk averse. Some folks love the risk. It's a choice on what you think is more fun: high risk and high adrenaline, or low risk and just plain happiness and health from the ride. I see the downhilling as rollercoasters where it hasn't passed the safety inspection, all the risks on are you. P.s. I think some advice and practice on riding skills may give you more confidence in bike handling e.g. riding out of seat, brake application, etc to avoid these minor crashes.
General rule is, you have to be 100% committed to the feature. it's easy to couch comment so take it for what it is but it looks like you were going a bit slow and it was harder to stay on the right line and maintain momentum. I would get proper pads and ride it until you nail it.
I ended up in the hospital with a sever concussion two weeks ago. I was on the street headed to the trail. Nothing fancy or technical. It just happened. The “Live to ride another day” idea is very important. As you said, it always has the chance to happen every time you get on the bike but working to keep the risk down and the severity low is the key to a long life of MTB enjoyment. I’m 62. My trail choice now matches my age. This needs to be the case.
I got into mtn biking 20 years ago (age 40) and enjoyed it, trying to pop over logs, etc in the pacific northwest rain forests. Since then, as others have mentioned, the equipment has gotten very sophisticated. I ride a 27 enduro. It can do lots more than I can. Mtn biking, at the same time, has gotten BMX'd. Gap jumps, bridges, drops, huge berms that encourage ever faster riding, etc... I was riding with younger folks, and feeling like I need to learn this stuff too, until I shook my head and remembered why I got into the sport: fitness, fun. I don't need to risk my health to achieve either of those. My yardstick: if this goes wrong, will I be able to make my tee time tomorrow? If not, then nope. I still crash occasionally, it can happen at the stupidest times.
Thanks for sharing your ride and thought process. I started mountain biking in the early 90's. Where I lived, it was pretty much all flat and the trails were smooth. I also was a road rider and racer and competitive runner. The fun of mountain biking to me was being away from the roads, challenging myself on the climbs and going long distances. I never really got into the thrill of going downhill fast or overcoming very technical terrain. As I got more skilled, I definitely liked to challenge myself on intermediate terrain for short periods. But I was (am) mostly into endurance and fitness. I never enjoyed trails like in your video. I recently upgraded to a carbon fiber 29er bike with dual suspension from my 26" hardtail. With that, I felt pressured to ride more technical terrain and faster than I had ever done before. Well, I pushed myself beyond my skill level and crashed pretty hard in June. I was shaken up, and went through a similar soul searching experience. We all need to make our own decisions about what we enjoy, how big our ego is, how much risk we are willing to tolerate, and how much time we're willing to dedicate towards improving our skills. I personally decided to go back to riding my hardtail on the easier trails that I know and enjoy. I can push myself with endurance and fitness, but not so much with technical finesse. I'm at peace with that.
I keep shuttle laps and lift service to minimal, I mean, minimal to lesson the odds of getting hurt. I have been enjoying powering up heavy climbs and getting super strong just as much as sending downhill.
You get to a point in your life when you realize that doing a thing can take away a lot more than the thing itself. I ride for the fun of it, not the challenge. I stay away from big drops and jumps and just ride easy and that keeps it fun for me. You can be on a trail you've done 100 times and hit a spot that has never given you a thought before and suddenly there's a rock or tree branch or a squirrel or something you don't expect and down you go. A simple fall can be nothing or a lifetime in a wheelchair. I see guys taking dumb risks all the time, 10 miles from a trailhead and reasonable expectation of getting help...no thanks... If you want an adrenaline rush, take your 17 year old out with her driving the car. Stay safe out there!
My last 2 rides ended with 2 broken arms (the only broken arms I ever sustained on the MTB) and a head knock so bad that they put me in a coma. The doctors told me I had to stop which was super hard at the time, but I'm loving what I do with my time instead
@@gurusson That really sucks, sorry to hear about that, but glad you're recovering. As I get older, I take fewer risks, there are plenty of off road trails out there that aren't dangerous or risky, flow trails without jumps, etc where you still get a nice day out in the woods. You can still ride a bike, though maybe you need a motorcycle helmet :).
excellent response...i agree 100%... why risk what you enjoy and suffer downtown time and potential disability when you spend the rest of your remaining good time pedaling away?!
I think it's worth it. The happiness it brings is important to me. The people I know who've had bad accidents, have it happen when they're going down too fast on a trail they're unfamiliar with or aren't fully committed. You have to earn the trails you ride through practice and repetition. You have to step outside of your comfort zone, but only when that step is the smallest step possible under perfect conditions. Do this consistently and the difficult stuff today, will be easier in a few months.
@@Ryancady010 The real problem is that ten or fifteen years after an injury, you start feeling the pain. The older you get, the more pain you feel from old injuries, so be careful.
When I was just starting out I had a similar crash. Not carrying a lot of speed I went off trail into some tall foxtails. Instead of going off straight, slowing down then getting back on trail I turned the bike to get back on trail and lost traction. I high sided, over the bars. Maybe 10 miles per hour over the bars directly face planted onto a rock. I had zero time to react. A kin to jumping off a diving board minus the water, add a rock!! I shattered the bone in my nose, broke the cartilage, deep laceration on the upper left side of my nose by my eye, sent my teeth straight through my upper and lower lip, tore my right nostril, chipped about 10 teeth. I lost feeling in my front teeth for about a month. Immediately after crashing blood was pouring out of my mouth and nose like a river. I instinctively felt my face and noticed my nose felt like a flag flapping in the wind. I grabbed my nose and reset it myself knowing if I waited it was going to be far worse when the swelling started. My buddy who was with me was roughly 25 yards ahead and when he came back his face as he saw me said everything. I flushed out my nose and mouth as best I could with water and let the blood drain out of my broken face. I didn’t want to let the blood drain back into my throat due to the dirt and bacteria which lives in your nasal passage. I was able to ride back to the car slowly. Each person I passed had the look of terror as they saw what the crash did to my face. Straight to the ER. As we walked into the ER, the receptionist looked at me and said,” Broken nose!” Since I had reset my nose post crash it was looking pretty straight and centered. Took me about 6 weeks to heal up. The evening I was in the ER I actually had it in my mind to buy a full face helmet. I was already telling myself that I was going to get back out on the trail asap. MTB is a release for me. Focusing my concentration, forgetting about all the stress of daily life not in the trails. Complete freedom to test one’s ability. Slow starting back but now being 6 months post crash I have gained more understanding of the finer details of handling a bike properly. What to do if I can sense an imminent crash before it happens. Now I wear a full face, goggles and a few other pads then I previously did. Take it slow and it all comes back. Suffer Now, Summit Later!!! Cheers brotha!!!
I hear you completely. I have a few riding philosophies now. 1. No injuries 2. No air time. I. Ow ride a full suspension fat bike on XC trails because I figured that was the safest that I could get and still allow me to enjoy the forests and biking. Since my last concussion I realized that it is DEFINITELY not worth the risk to me. Thank you for the honest questioning.
I’m 54, and last year I had a near miss - climbing! (This makes me sound like a noob, but I’ve been riding since I was 14 (bmx, some road racing and mtb since 1987 - started on a Marin Pine County, and did the Fox Antifreeze Enduro in Wales 3 years ago) It was a simple switchback climb, pretty steep and unused so there’s a lot of debris builds up (small rocks and twigs) and it’s fairly isolated, but honestly nothing difficult. The incident: I turned right on a switchback climb so that the slope ‘up’ was to my left, and the drop to my right, when my front tyre ran over a small rock I hadn’t seen (size of a golf ball) coming out of the turn. My front wheel rode up and over the rock to the left ‘up’ the slope. The wheel lifted slightly (as it does when you pedal hard on a steep slope) making it worse, and dropped back down too far to the left side and I just fell to the right. No big; except the slope to my left was steep so I could put my hand on it, and on the drop to my right where I fell the ground was about 18 inches lower than my cranks so I slammed hard by the time I hit the ground where my head landed. The tip of my helmet smacked a rock the size of a coconut, I wasn’t wearing a full face helmet but I was OK. The thing is, if I’d been just 3 inches further down, that rock would’ve smashed the side of my face/cheek bone/jaw bone. Could’ve been nasty - and off of such a dumb easy thing. I decided to ride more flow trails and leave the steeper stuff alone from now on.
So you're a vey skilled rider and you guys are riding some rowdy terrain. You can back it off quite a bit and still enjoy riding without risking serious injury.
I remember sending trail features and gnarly drops on my crappy hardtail in my early 20s that I would think twice about now with my $4000 dual suspension bike (15y later). It's not that I can't do it or haven't done harder trails since, it's just that I don't see a point pushing my luck anymore. Sometimes I'll do them, when I'm feeling good going up to it. If I'm doubting myself, I walk it. Looks like that's how you felt going up to that section, you took it way slower than your first pass when you cleared it, like you were already trying to avoid it in your head. Edit: One thing I've noticed is bikes with long wheel bases and steep rakes have really clumsy front ends at low speed, the loss of control can really surprise you
I used to ride some trails by mount Rainier and I always found I had the most fun on the smoother trails that I could just fly down, zigzaging through the woods like a fighter jet. That trail you are on had some good sections, but also a lot of boulders that not only beat on you and your bike, but would be brutal to crash on. It's kind of like skiing, going down the easy runs are boring, the blue runs are the most fun because you can go fast, and the black diamond runs aren't very fun because you have to spend so much time on the brakes.
I feel you on this one. I spilled super hard last year and it took me a long time to get back that, “I can ride that” feeling. Also, funny how the GoPro calms a trail down. All of my videos are the same, they look easy when in reality it’s gnarly!
@@MILTONATOR Between the shocks, your neck acting as a gimbal and the anti-shake tech in the camera, it is almost always going to look smoother than it actually is. A chest or shoulder mount would show is more accurately or rather more how it feels but with less control over where is aimed. A bike mount would be unusable.
Its super hard to see someone dealing with this and I’m still young so it’s easy for me to say but part of what helped me progress and have an even better time was just slowing down and having fun it seems so obvious and kinda dumb but it works
You can see on my profile the crash that got me questioning it. I sold all my gear afterwards but ended up getting a bike this year. My body is simply not where it used to be. My brain still knows how to tackle features, but my body doesn't let me. Not sure if this is it for me. Been on MTBs my entire life since age 5, and while I've never been a great jumper, I'm pretty fast and can throw down some good ass corners. But given the consequences of MTB I'd rather get into fighting, ar least I stand a chance against something that isn't the ground.
I'm really glad that you are essentially okay from this accident--your wife and kids need you. I'm an avid rider in my 50's and I'm going to tell all you other fellow riders out there: ALWAYS wear helmets, elbow pads, and knee pads. It's also a very good idea to wear a chest protector and protective shorts on trails like these. You may be a world-class MTB rider, but you can still wreck. Do you want to shatter your elbow, knees, hips, or ribs? Gear up....better safe than sorry.
This. My rib/wrist/elbow fractures were on 'easy' sections and going slow. Now I wear better protection every ride, and would feel naked without elbow and knee pads any time I get on my bike.
@@jemez_mtn I also feel naked without my elbow/knee pads, protective shorts, and helmet! My Fox D3O Pro pads are so comfortable that I forget that they're even there. It helps me ride more relaxed. What I also have in common with you is that I seem to be more likely to wreck on simple stuff. I guess it's because I get too relaxed and even cocky. I almost had 2 wrecks the other day on really easy stuff!
@@mesabmanyeah once you get used to it you don't even know they're there anymore, so why would you not. Like you said, more relaxed. I'll have to check out your pads, love my 7iDP shorts.
Damn man, when you were going down it looked pretty chill, when you were going back to get your bike it really illustrated how sketch that was. It's tough with UA-cam, I can tell from some of the things you do hit and the speed that you are substantially higher than my level riding, but when you were doing that part it really didn't look bad. Glad you came out OK. Had a couple of tumbles since I picked up riding again, stopped at like 24, took it back up at 35, and holy shit is crashing a different thing than it used to be.
Haha! Thanks man. This was my first time here and when I got invited, I watched a few videos of the trail and thought “that don’t look that bad” Yea, I was wrong. Anyway, thanks for stopping by man 👊
I'm 51 and recently crashed hard in almost the same way you did. Went over a drop, landed on a steep root mound and was bucked over the handlebars. Cracked my Giro, got a black eye, got knocked out, and broke some ribs. If not for the helmet, I'd surely have died right there. I am still questioning everything about riding. It wasn't a challenging trail and I wasn't testing my limits. I landed wrong. It could happen anywhere and at any time. It'll be a few more weeks, but I can't wait to get back on my bike. Only now I'm thinking about sticking to easier trails, or just rolling slower, or bypassing obstacles. I think I was closer to being killed than I want to admit. So, I get it, is it worth it? I still want to ride, but damn.
Advice from an almost-60 rider: never stop riding. Sure, you slow down, take fewer risks and learn to listen to that voice in your head that’s saying, “nope, not that one” more. Fact - it takes a RIDICULOUS amount of time to heal from injuries that wouldn’t have even sidelined us in our 30’s (I’m still feeling an ankle sprain from a crash that happened in July of 2021). But…if you quit, you’ve given up and stopped living. You’ve reserved your spot on the couch for the remainder of your life, and have punched your ticket for obesity and hypertension. Rest, recover and heal, my friend - but never, NEVER quit. I look forward to riding with you when I’m in my 80’s!
@@MILTONATOR +1 on that from a 58 yr old rider who broke his collar bone in early 2020. Dial it back a bit, but never stop. I still jump and ride some blacks, but riding doesn't have to be at full capacity to have a great day.
Roger that. I'm 59 and planning to keep riding - road and MTB - as long as I'm able. The couch is for watching Star Trek ... after you've been out for a ride! Cheers
Bro, those thoughts hit me when I had a crash that caused a fracture in my elbow. It just made me choose my trails better and take it slower a bit. I have 10 employees counting on me and a wife and aged parents who need me. Just be careful…and smart. It’s the adrenaline your seeking and that’s what will kill you at some point…
I'll try to keep this short....lol. Riding by myself August 10, 2019 I went down at approximately 6:30AM (yes I go early), heard a sound like a broomstick being broken over your thigh, and when I rolled over my left foot was facing outward at about 70 degrees and I had a huge lump on the inside of my leg. I went for my phone and then quickly realized that I was in a dead zone...sad face. I was worried about the bone coming through the skin so I twisted my foot back around to the front to (somewhat) align the bones to keep the bleeding risk of broken skin at bay. Lucky me, no shoe laces to make a splint (clipless) i did have pruning shears in my pack and cut the straps off of it to crank down a splint with a couple of sticks. Yelled for help for just over 3 hours before somebody found me. 2 plates, 21 screws put in a day later. Had to have Fibula hardware taken out on October 23rd of 2019 due to pain, got MRSA (another sad face). I had to learn to walk again basically as I had a 3rd surgery on 2/22/20 (just before the Covid shutdown thank god) but the entire time I was struggling with learning to use my foot/leg again I was already thinking about whether I could run a 5mm shorter crank on the left side if I couldn't get full ROM back and one month after that 3rd surgery on April 1 of 2020 I was back on my bike in the woods. I never struggled with whether I'd ride, just how I'd ride. My taste for risk has subdued a bit since my accident but 5 years post accident I'm on track for roughly 500 miles of rocky, rooty New England Singletrack this year with approximately 150,000' of climbing. I was 50 when I broke my leg (2 weeks after my birthday) and at 55 now I can't imagine my life without MTB. I've bee riding for almost 30 years and have broken a bunch of ribs, bones in my hands, cracked sternum, etc. but I refuse to live in fear. Thankfully my wife, who rides with me a lot, only had one request if I was going to ride alone and that was that I carry an InReach with me which I do. I ride approximately 80-85% of what I did before I broke my leg and I do so every time knowing what can happen; the question is whether you can live with the consequences and whether riding at a lower level/easier terrain is going to take the fun out of it for you. GL Miltonator!
Great video, been there myself. The older i get i just do less gnarly stuff. I walk sections if need be. I still have a blast riding but ive stop worrying about “should i send something i used to be able to do but it feels outta reach now” Riding mtb is about fun and the love of it, be it flat flow trails or steep gnar .
I'm 36 now, but I lost 200lbs in 2020 thanks to eating less and riding my hardtail MTB on pavement. Towards the end of 2020 I went for my first 'off road' MTB with some friends after work. There was a small drop on a massive rocky surface, I panicked and grabbed my front brake and went OTB and landed face first into the rock. I was mildly concussed, and it stole my confidence bigtime. After that, I was very slow and overly cautious. My friend said behind my back that I was slower than his wife downhill etc, not maliciously, moreso just they couldn't understand why I was so slow since I was a lot fitter than them due to all my riding on pavement. Anyway one day I randomly stumbled across a local MTB club ride and they invited me to join. That group ride built my confidence back up and since then I now have gained the local downhill record time on both trailforks and strava. BUT. Having said that, even though I got the KOM, I'm officially 'retired' from that shit. It's literally not worth being paralyzed to get a KOM. It just takes one wrong rock or something and boom you're into a tree at 40kmph and your spine is shattered. I love riding and hope to never stop, it saved my life by helping me lose weight, to that end, I would rather ride subdued for another 40yrs than not be able to ride at all. Accidents happen for sure, but it is possible to mitigate the risk. It's why I'm never going to learn how to do jumps etc. I'm sure it's exhilarating but I know it's not worth the risk of being permanently disabled. That drop where you stacked it is a very steep big drop. If you rotated and landed on your spine you could have literally broken your back. I think it's pretty easy to conclude that, no, it was not worth the risk in this case. I've had a bunch more crashes since, but luckily none have been severe because I'm a very cautious rider and try my best to mitigate risks. If I'm going for any KOM's on the MTB in the future, it's for uphill KOM's because they are a lot less risky and it's down to fitness and weight loss.
When you bought your bike the salesperson said, " the question is Not if you're going to crash the Question is how hard and how many times". Right? Mountain bikers and Motocrossers and off road enthusiasts all face injury and death every time they ride. You're alive, You not paralyzed from the neck Down. You're one of the lucky ones. God bless.
Keep riding for sure just ride trails that are within your skill level. I am in my 40s and just love going out and enjoying trails that are for beginners and I am totally cool with that, Sure I would love to clear doubles and do more tech trails but my skill or experience is not there yet and I am totally cool with that, Another words do what is best for you and your family. I think you ride pretty well IMO.
scrub whipping and throwing cutties on flowy greens and blues is just as fun as sending it through a rock garden. there's always something to do if ya need to reset from the gnarly stuff, and it's just gonna make you a better ride. end of the day, do what makes you happy homie
Maybe don't go so hard so quickly...knowing your limits and skill set is everything when it comes to reducing adverse risk outcomes. Being over prepared is key. I've never seen you do any skill lessons or work with a coach to build a solid skill foundation... But don't give up mountain biking! It's too amazing of a sport! 😉
No need to quit, you love it. May just need to reassess the stuff you’re willing to ride at your age and with your current skill set. The risk eward ratio may need to be adjusted some to keep you out there, smiling like you always are, and healthy. No shame in that at all, riders ride.
I’m 74 years young and have been mtn biking for years. I’ve had numerous crashes (including impaling myself on my own brake lever) but I’ve NEVER once thought of quitting completely. Two years ago (age 72) I had a wipeout that seriously made me think about WTF I was doing. It made me suddenly realize that I’m no young guy anymore and that I needed to reevaluate why I continued to do the highly technical riding that I was doing. I was lucky that this wipeout only caused a concussion, extremely sore neck and lower back, contusions to my head (tree branches going through the openings in my helmet), and both arms requiring stitches, as well as other bruises and scrapes. Enough was enough. For the first time I thought beyond my own self-gratification. I needed to get smarter. I needed to slap myself upside my head and come to my senses. I did this. I continue to ride but now I ride mostly non-technical (green) trails only. I also walk my bike if I’m not sure (there is no shame in walking my bike I found out). I’ve also stopped riding with my much younger buddies that continue to encourage me to “follow them”. So my friend, thanks for your video - I completely understand where you are coming from and your dilemma. My advice: keep on keeping on. Ride smart. Ride safe. No more “dumb” stuff. Falling hurts and we don’t like hurts.
Guess it come down to “who” you are and where you are in life. A young person (18-40) without family responsibilities and in good health can take bigger risks than a married man with a family. A rider with family and major responsibilities have much more at stake then just his own health and his career. His child or children depends on him/her. Being out for 10-12 weeks have huge consequences. Financially, socially and mentally. I no longer take unnecessary risks on my ride after breaking my hand. It has changed my perspective. Its not worth it. Still ride and have fun but no crazy routes.
Dang, I don't ride stuff that gnarley and I have full body armor from sixsixone. I would highly recommend looking into more body protection. Keep on riding!
65 years old and I have just made adjustments as far as sections that are technical and I have hurt myself in the past I just walk through. It is disappointing but at this stage of life while riding there is always a risk vs. reward decision to make and whether it’s worth injury and keeping me from other activities to recover.
That's a fun trail but definitely can get you. I OTB at almost the same spot on my first time. It is part of the game but sucks when you crash hard. Luckily if you don't get physical hurt your ego is definitely bruised. Keep up the progression and great videos. 😃👍💯🇺🇸
Mate, life is far too short. I lost about 5 years of my life due to severe mental health issues compounded by disasterous medication choice and neglect by my 'doctor'. I practically did nothing but sleep and work and sleep away entire weekends for 5 years. It feels like no more than 1 year could possibly have passed. Suicide was always in my thoughts, every single day. And during that time I did not set foot on a bicycle, I could barely function as it was.
When I finally got back into mountain biking, I felt it's what saved my life. Engaging my mind and body progressing MTB has helped me claw back into functional life.
I've never been a risk taker, not even in my youth. I was a wimp and a nerd and poor at sports as a kid. Now approaching my late 30s, I've started doing more technical MTB riding such as smaller jumps and bunny hopping off little trail features. I'm no less of a wimp than when I was younger, but I am now able to mentally plan out and design strategies to safely (as much as possible) progress skills.
I don't really get much of an adrenaline rush from jumps or slashing berms. I don't get "stoked" in the way I think others do. I'm not that excitable. But at the end of a ride I feel a sense of productivity and that I took advantage of the day, not just riding and doing cardio but also progressing technical skills in a logical and measured way.
Finding new limits has nothing to do with being reckless or stupid if done well. It is about "how can I make this work for me?" given current circumstances.
I feel that many who are of the opinion that's it's selfish or irresponsible to continue (or start!!!) mountain biking due to life responsibilities or certain age milestones simply need to bring a more problem solving style approach mountain biking as opposed to throwing up their arms and saying that's it.
Living is risky. Disease or non MTB related accidents don't care that you are feeling sorry for yourself and indulging yourself with excuses of responsibilities and life circumstances so you can quit or semi quit MTB.
Life's short so make it work. Ride on.
I read every word you wrote. Really good insight and advice, brother. Thank you for sharing. Pinning to the top as I’m sure others will also benefit from it.
Wow, I'm so glad I scrolled down to the comments. Thank you for this, and best wishes.
@@MILTONATOR Thank you and thanks so much for the video! (sorry for the late reply, I forgot I had notifications turned off!)
I could relate bro..amen to this.
Preach 🤝
I’m 74, an old roadie& love mountain biking. But I know I can’t take the falls on steep sections so I just ride Green Trails now. Not the adrenaline rush, but total enjoy the fun and beauty of the woods. Even on the Green Trails there are sections that are straight for 10 or 20 feet. I love the constant turns and twists & coming back in 1 usable piece
Like they say, "Drive like lightning, crash like thunder!"
Road riding can be extremely dangerous, too. Avoid roads busy with motor vehicles and no or poor shoulders. Much less stressful and more enjoyable on beautiful, safe, manageable trails.
Love the inspiration. May I ask what mountain bike you like to use on green trails, how much suspension do you need ?
I'm 67 and want to get it back to it. I fell one September and fractured a bone but healed. I miss it but no longer have a reparable bike or a car to get me to the trails. Is it worth the risk of dying or becoming disabled? It would limit cycling. When we get older there is less to lose. Tough call though when you have a spouse and kids.
@Hafhafnhaf live for as long as it's possible so we can continue to improve, make life safer, more peaceful, less stressful, easier, happier, more meaningful, less expensive, and more fun for every single human being alive on our beautiful planet earth.
I'm 55 and still enjoy mountain biking a great deal. Been riding since the 80's and took many hard crashes in my 20's and 30's that would probably kill me today. Multiple concussions, broken ribs, separated shoulders and a collar bone. I don't regret how I used to ride but I look back and consider myself lucky to have fully recovered from all the injuries and still enjoy riding. My goal is to still be mountain biking in my 80's. My best/fastest riding is behind me but my most enjoyable riding is ahead of me. I cruise now and challenge myself when I feel like it and am not ashamed to get off and walk or take the b-line through a tricky section.
B-line squad represent.
😂👊👊
This! I’m almost 51. I do ride a lot still with my sons but don’t take the big chances I use to. Things break a lot easier and heal a lot slower than they did in the 20’s & 30’s. I plan to ride for many more years but gnarly downhill rock gardens are no longer on my menu!
Couldn't have said it better myself sir. I subscribe to the same sentiment. I've been a fan of everything 2 wheels and being outdoors my whole life. My teens and 20's I was a factory Kawasaki rider out of San Diego. Did the whole gambit of hard injuries running the Baja 250 and Motocross circuit. Decided to minimize my risks and made the transition to serious mountain biking after my last motorcycle crash 25 years ago. Somehow my body has not only held up but at 55 I feel stronger and look more fit than I ever have. And I've been a professional athlete my entire life. I too hope to be riding just as hard in my 80's as I do today. Maybe we will pass each other by on the trail one day. If we do you'll be eating my dust! 🚴💨🤠 Happy trails pardner 😂🤙
Agreed. I am 62. Saling it. Well, it goes bad that the ground comes up fast and hard.
Honestly this is why I went back to milder trails. My ego hurt at first with the milder trails, but then I ended up falling back in love with what got me started in MTBing to begin with.
well said.
Totally. Unfortunately, too many people don't know the value of the knees, shoulders, or spine until it's too late.
getting fit is what got me into mtbing then it just turned into adrenaline seeking and downhill... then i got hurt(broken humerus/collarbome/dislocated arm) and realised this haha
Unfortunately there's a lot of places that put massive ramps and drops with crazy rock features etc. Over fun simple flow trails. It's hard to find them now tbh
It's all about one hardcore track then 100 of mild ones. If one hunts down and only does the hardcore or harder ones, they're just gonna tire out both the body and mind. Think of the hardcore ones as rewards and points. If you did more then 20 hardcore tracks, it's more then enough to proof you have balls haha so now you can just relax.
after 15 years of riding all types of trails, I found that i dont need to impress no one, and im too old to be doing risky jumps or descends. Its all about recognizing the phases that we go through in life stay safe, family always comes first.
So very true.
Age had caught up and bones don't heal as fast...we have jobs and families amd responsibilities...biking is what keeps us sane...no need to be a fool and risk everything for some short term high
At 55yo I agree, I still ride almost daily but mainly stick to the gravel trails and roads as I've come to accept my bodies limitations. I still look to the single trails that dump out into the gravels and sometimes get the itch to go and run them but I don't, I choose to listen to the not so common common sense.
@@robertseaburg67 At 71 I still enjoy the trails and the thrills just with more respect and the aid of emtn bikes I build. Blues are the max for me with no shame.
When I raced dirt bikes, I remember going as fast as I could to move up to an A rider. While racing at a hare scramble, an A rider passed me and ended up crashing and broke his back and is paralyzed from the waist down. This had a profound effect on me. I slowed down, quit racing and always rode under control. I still ride, but now I ride for my enjoyment. Impressing myself, not anyone else.
I'm 68 and still riding trails and here are my tips: Never ride ANY trail you think you need a DH bike or full-face helmet on. Leave the rough stuff to the kids. There are plenty of other ways adults can challenge themselves without thrill-seeking descents. Maturity insists that you consider a different perspective on the sport. It's part of growing up. I ride the green trails in Bentonville/ Bella Vista and love it! While I have the lungs and legs of a 40 y.o., my joints are all original equipment. Gravel riding has also taken a bigger part of my riding time. Still on dirt, still in the woods, just a much smoother ride. Weight lifting has also helped me stay riding longer.
I would wear a full face no matter the trail safety is important and jaw surgery is $16k
I’m 67 and I live in Bella Vista AR. One of the nice things about living here is there’s a ton of blue trails. Most of them have a little bit of technical on them but nothing too serious. You still get a little bit of a thrill without the big risk of a major crash. I also ride a lot of the same stuff so I am familiar with them. I don’t do jumps.
67 in AZ. I don't do jumps. Period. There are so many miles of desert mountains to ride I don't have to be bored and I don't have to ride sketch.
There is a 4 mile straight slight downhill that we used to call the "trail of a thousand whoops" when we riding motorcycles. Doubles, triples and craziness at speed. But just standing on the pedals and coasting down it is the trail of a thousand rollers and still fun.
I’m 67 and used to ride down a 3 mile downhill stretch with many rock gardens,berms and turns here in the Zuni mountains NM , and was always thankful afterwards that I didn’t crash’n burn. This year I decided not to press my luck and no longer ride that trail. I now concentrate on my cardio and how beautiful it is up here. Live to ride another day! Check my ego at the trailhead.
I like this, good advice.
I'm seeing a lot of comments from guys that are 40, 50, 60 years of age. As a 29 year old, I really respect reading all of your thoughts. Whenever it comes to trails and obstacles that are tougher, I always ask myself "is the juice worth the squeeze?". Oftentimes, I'll end up skipping a feature if I feel like my skill set isn't there.
It's great to read through these comments and realize that there's nothing to be ashamed of and that it's better to "live to ride another day" vs pushing it to the extreme.
Thank you all for the awesome discussion!!
Thanks for chiming in man. Some crazy stories shared in the comments
If I was in my 20's I'd be riding the feature where he crashed. But I started riding when I turned 40, I have a builtin safety margin my brain won't let me pass. It's weird getting older man, when you're in your late 30's and early 40's you can consciously notice how your body recovers slower, your brain ramping up the fear factor and bigger safety barriers. When I started riding I was 100% trying to do and learn everything I could, and it quickly tapered off when my brain was like ok wait, this is actually dangerous. I'm still really serious with my riding, I do a lot of indoor training, road biking, skill work, but I do skill work that makes me better at riding trails and not jumping, I don't do big drops, etc. If I was younger I'd be going full force, but being older you also learn to be comfortable with saying "I don't need to do that, or ride that feature, and that's totally fine with me"
Also, part of being older is you generally have a professional job that you can't risk skipping because it's paying your way in life, you probably have a family, married, basically people in your life that it would effect if you had to walk around in a cast for 3 months. There's more at stake when you're older, I think that's another big factor that makes you feel totally ok with not doing big sections on a trail, not doing double black diamonds, etc.
There's never any shame in taking the easier route, heck there's no shame in just not riding single tracks at all!
I'm trying to find the video I'm thinking about, but I saw one with two guys riding something a bit wider than a quad trail along the side of a mountain, the view was breathtaking, the flow was awesome and it only required an XC bike and could have been riden on a gravel bike. No big risks and they had just as much fun for sure!
Deciding not to go down that nasty path you know you're not able to handle is something to be proud of. Self-preservation instinct is the main feature that allowed all your ancestors to live long enough so that you are here today. Perpetuating that long-lasting survival tradition is one of your highest prides.
The Lucky think they're smart.
The Smart know they're lucky
Two suggestions:
1. Go for easier trails so you can still have fun but not getting injured as often.
2. Go with friends that don't give you peer pressure.
I see MTB as a way to get some exercises, a little sight-seeing. As soon as I feel any particular trails may put me in harm's way, I re-evaluate the situation before taking my bike there. If it seems it could paralyze me, no thanks. Staying healthy (i.e, not getting spinal injury) is my #1 priority. I've nothing to prove to other riders (friends included).
I'm in my mid-40s, been riding for a while now. I've never got myself in any serious crashes or injuries at all. Touch wood.
This as well,
Doesn't matter how long you ride for or not sometimes you will get hurt from something you don't think will. All a matter of how you fall.
I've just recently gotten back into it and I can say I'm definitely not as brave or possibly stupid as when I was younger. Way more hesitant to jump etc.
I got back into it same reason, exercise and just a bit of sight seeing in nature.
I have nothing to prove, I'm not competitive with it. End of the day I'm an adult now (sadly) with responsibilities like bills etc. And I work a physical demanding job. Can't really be doing something stupid that would mean I can't work anymore even if it's short term injury.
I'm 51 now, and I've been mountain biking for around 40 years. I've been pretty lucky in the injury department; one shattered wrist that required surgery, one concussion, one torn up shoulder that healed without surgery (though it took months before I was pain-free) and the elbow on the same side, broken hand, sprained jaw (took a couple of weeks before I could eat solid food without substantial pain), lots of cuts and scrapes, and one pretty cool scar where a brake handle ripped a 5" tear into my forearm (same crash that racked up my shoulder).
Risk is part of riding, but there comes a point where you start to realise that it's more fun to get out in the fresh air, get some decent cardio in, take in the scenery, ride within your skill level and go home without an injury.
Love the part where you say "I've been pretty lucky in the injury department" and then go on to recite a long list of pretty serious injuries that would make a normal person gasp and pass out....lol. You are a true mountain biker my friend!
Well said.
I had 4 major surgeries in 2015, all from riding dirtbikes over a very long career, new knee, etc,etc. But Im good now! Nothing hurts and I ride everyday. Somehow I lost the jonesing for the dirtbike. I just lost interest. But 2 new mt bikes are getting used a lot.
Kestrel, that's what it's all about! Speed is for the younger guys who haven't learned that crashes can take you out of action for a long time.
Lucky hahahaha that is ridiculous!!
My MTB philosophy has been ‘Live to ride another day’. I’m 46 and started riding 6 years ago. Though I’m comfortable riding, I never just ‘Send it’ and would rather walk where I know it may be beyond my comfort zone. To be fearless is to be wreck less. I hope to enjoy many more years this way. All I can say if that if you are OK with bouncing back from injury all the time then have at it. Otherwise act your age and live to ride another day! Be risk conscious, in this case ‘sticks and stones will break your bones’
Truth. I just sent it and now I wish I could take it all back. This eMTB isn't cheap, and my elbow isn't cheap.
I'm 39 and just started riding a few months ago and after a few weeks, I got comfortable and then too comfortable and went over the bar lol. Laying there on the ground I realized if I want to keep riding that I had better chill. So now I also ride with that same philosophy. Live to ride another day! Cheers!
What's the saying? there are old riders and there are bold riders, but there are no old bold riders.
@@Zetler when people say “ just send it “ I think it’s basically if you’re gonna hit a big drop or jump you can’t just call time out mid air , you have to commit, I remember when Dave Jenvey did a drop at Forest of Dean and he was going so slow he went over the bars if he’d of been going faster he probably would’ve cleared it he also broke his collarbone 🥵
Great comment Bro
As a high performance skier(racing and backcountry steeps), rock and ice climber, a class V white water kayaker, and a mountain biker of over 25 years there is a point where you need to pull back and assess. You only get so good, at a point its a game of odds. I've known many people that are full throttle no brakes sending 50+ ft waterfalls, drop-ins, and jumping huge gaps. Most get career ending life altering injuries eventually. You can get away with it for so long and then that day comes where a broken back or trashed shoulder happens. Its simply numbers, more crazy hucks more chances to make that little mistake that leads to a whumping. I've found that staying just slightly below your performance threshold and not pushing it too far has kept me in the game. You need to decide if that rapid, that huck, that drop-in is worth the chance you won't be able to do your sports anymore. We have a joke in white water kayaking. "The number one injury of boaters is mountain biking". There seems to be something about mtb that encourages more risk taking. I stopped doing big jumps, slowed down on flow trails, and I don't do really steep technicals. Fast flow and jumps is where I got hurt the most. I still do it but I keep it slower and Idon't do big jumps. You hit a tree at 30mph and it's like a motorcycle wreck. It's easy to get too fast, decisions happen fast on a mtb and it's easy to lay off the brakes and send to hard. I teach skiing and whitewater boating and I advise my students to make prudent decisions about conditions and risks. I had a former student drown in a kayak this last winter because they didn't make a proper assessment on conditions and skill level. I wouldn't quit, I'd just assess what am I capable of and then leave yourself a margin of saftey on the trails and drops you run.
Agreed. I’ve also skied at a reasonable level. I think that the difference is that with skiing, a level of technical ability is needed to get into exposed situations, because without that ability you’re just going to fall before you get there. On a mountain bike, it’s easy for confidence and speed (and let’s be honest, often weed) and the ability of the bike to catch people through. This means that when they do run out of luck the consequences can be very high, on an unforgiving surface.
Yea I broke my collarbone and scapula. Skiing this year
yeah, I've been a climber and a kayaker since I was a kid but I deliberately haven't taken up mountain biking because I know I would injure myself badly at some point - I like the speed and thrill so much I'd be very lucky to make it past the "unconscious incompetent" stage.
The cliffs caught up to me in skiing. Tore my lcl and probably will never ski at a high level again
^ this comment right here... theres an optimum, fun level to risk, for your current ability. upto ~80% your, skill level/risk graph, you accrue 20 units of fun... but the last twenty risk percentage points you only accrue about 3 units of fun. e.g. from a guy who was skiing alone in the Backcountry... skied over a fairly tall maple sapling, bounced off of a large tree at 30 mph and flew 20 feet out of the woods, then down 15 feet into the ditch on the access road. had I not been near the edge of the woods, I'd have flown into another tree head first for sure. that extra 3 units of fun, isn't worth it.
I had a similar experience when I was 42. Went MTBing with a group who were all younger than me with nearest being 36 and the rest all younger down into their mid-20’s. We were riding on some pretty technical trails. One of the guys wrecked early in the ride and seemed kind of proud of being the first to go own; kind of a badge of honor. I eventually wrecked too. I got up, backtracked and tried to ride through the same section again only to wreck again. I had wrecked several times B4 over the years when I was younger and it had never bothered me. But that time it did and what I concluded was that tolerance to risk for most people (not all) drops as we older. That’s why countries recruit or draft only young men and women to go off and risk their lives fighting in wars. As for the 40+ folks, when shit happens, it has a greater affect on our psyche. I think it’s natures way of reminding us as we get older to slow down and stop and smell the roses. I’m 62 now and still riding. Do I ride the same trails as I did when I was 42 . . . absolutely not! But I still love what riding I do which is mostly cross country single track with plenty of good climbs. My motto ever since I wrecked at 42 is “better to live to ride another day.” Most of my friends who are my age or older are not in as good a shape as I am. I’m not trying to brag and I’m definitely no Adonis by any stretch of the imagination. But I am grateful that I love to do something that keeps me in shape and young at heart. And, I don’t have many of the health issues that plague a lot of 62 year olds who choose not to be as active. And my continued riding has kept me in decent enough shape to do other things I love. Backpacking, traveling, hiking, goofing off with my wife and keeping up with my grandson. So my advice would be to keep riding, listen to Mother Nature, lower your risk tolerance and live to ride another day. Do your best and be careful. And above all, may peace, love, and gratitude be with you and your family. Cheers mate!
I'm 71 - yours are words of wisdom. When I was younger than 40, bikes were not near as capable as they are now and trails were relatively scarce. I regret being too old to experience the wide selection of trails now available, with bikes that can handle them. It is what it is. The old days were good enough for John Tomac and Ned Overend, so shouldn't complain. Keep on riding, but be safe.
Well said @ucdChe. Just separated my shoulder, two months ago AGAIN. Now both sides have the clavicle sticking up. I turn 62 in two months. I am suffering more mentally than I am physically as I contemplate ending my 33 year run as a mountain biker. Even on green trails there is danger. I don't know...I am real sad about this possibility. Mountain Biking is such a huge part of my life.
Good thoughts. As for me, I am going to enjoy extreme mountain biking the UA-cam way.
Im 66 and riding almost every day, roadbike or mt bike. Basically none of the people I grew up with are doing anything like this, they all got old. Even though they're the same age.
I think, they think Im nuts out doing what Im doing. And yeah I could get hurt, but I really try to keep it on the sane side of fun. Still love it or I wouldnt do it.
Great advice!
I've been riding for 25 years and am now 61. I raced XC in Colorado from age 40 to 50. Since I turned 50 I've carefully reduced the risk to stay within what is acceptable for me. I am now retired and ride about 10 hours a week, all on trails. I never ride trails as difficult as what you were riding in the video. I enjoy blues, but am pretty careful about learning the trails before I ride them very quickly. I haven't had more than a washed out tire fall in ten years now. And, I have a blast still riding my mountain bikes.
57 here. That's the thing, if riding more-carefully-selected runs was not fun, it might be a difficult decision. But you can still go out and have a blast ripping through relatively easier, less-dangerous trails. It's a matter of dealing with the ego.
Me too, I'm 54 and I only ride blue trails. I'm not trying to get air or anything. Just getting out and muscle my way up intermediate inclines and enjoy the outdoors while getting exercise. I have a light hardtail bike with only 100mm of travel and I don't need anymore than that. I got a family.
after riding motorcycles for a bit i've gotten way to confident on bicycles. even on my roadbike with literal race tires the amount of grip i have on sand/gravel/dirt is unreal(at least compared to a motorcycle on 50/50 tires). not a good thing, i'm sure it will bite me soon.
When I was stationed in Korea and somewhat new to riding, I always found myself trying to keep up with the experienced guys. We went to a downhill bike park and I was riding a borrowed trail bike. Again I was trying to keep up when I took a decent spill.
Went off a 15-17 foot cliff and rolled a couple of times on some boulders until I was stopped by a tree. I broke two ribs, punctured a lung, broke my tail bone and tore my rotator cuff. That put me in the hospital for two weeks with a tube in my chest.
During those long two weeks, I contemplated if I really enjoyed mountain biking enough to ride again. After I got out of the hospital, my only means of transport was my mountain bike and about a week later, I knew I still wanted to ride.
Went back on the same trail 2 months later, but went at my own pace. A couple of months went by, riding almost every day, I found myself starting to keep up with these guys! We rode almost everyday until we all were sent somewhere else. Still meet up and ride with them every now and again!
Moral of the story: riding fast will come with experience. Learn at your own pace and enjoy the ride!
Very true. Skill will come to you slowly. you have to earn it, practice will make you a better rider
Oh your command must have loved you. Destruction of government property (you) is very much frowned upon, especially when it causes you to miss duty.
Do you ride for the adrenaline high? Or to increase your skill? Get out in the woods, enjoy. I bought a new bike with 29" wheels and caught my new longer handle bar while passing a familiar tree on a trail I know very well - how dumb is that? I'm 79 and been on green and blue for years, but forget the rocks and cliffs. My shoulders got torn and still a year later with some muscle reattachment have two painful shoulders to live wth. You just can't shake it off as you age. Now fun for me is getting outdoirs and staying off that dangerous stuff.
I am a your person, and I am addicted to mountain biking (or dirt jumping). Only about 3 months ago, I had my fist serious bike crash. I went over e bars and ended up with a concussion, a broken collarbone, a broken left wrist and slight dislocation of my shoulder. I was out for over 2 and a half months, and almost wanted to forget about biking. Let me tell you, it won’t just get erased from our memory. What I have learned is that you should only do what you are comfortable doing, you should look at the features before riding, and take it slow. I would say something like do less hard things, but that will just make you want so do bigger things more, so I say just do what your comfortable with, good luck.
Definitely a personal choice. If you decide that you want to continue to ride gnarly trails, then you have to make a mental commitment to it. If you go in timid and afraid of the consequences, you will probably crash more frequently. Confidence is absolutely critical on the gnarly tech.
Nailed it! Defensive riding, in my opinion leads to more crashes.
I think you need a balance, I've had some pretty ugly crashes while being over confident.
Watching the weekend crash videos on UA-cam shows a huge portion that are people being tentative... Breaking before jumps, etc. You have to be confident and committed or you will be crashing.
@@MILTONATOR when that little voice starts tugging at the panic cord, you are doomed!
@@jokermtb ain’t that the truth 😂
Thank you for being honest about your experience, and I hope you make the right decision.
I am 54 years old and just recently crashed at Spyder Mountain (DH trails in Texas), and dislocated my shoulder. after my fall y decided that I was going to completely quit MTB, but instead I decided that I was just going to do green and blue trails. No more gnarly trails for me. I am just going to be safe, have fun, and get some cardio. Peace
Thanks man
Hola Abraham! Qué sorpresa verte por aquí, buena rodada el domingo! échame un grito cuando vengas a Houston e irnos a rodar 👍
@@alexanz2101 ya dijiste! Gracias!
@@boblatkey7160 I actually had an EMTB for a week. Didn't keep it because it was either EMTB or my Meta Sx. I chose the SX. But soon enough I hope to get an EMTB
@@boblatkey7160 or get a dirt bike
Same thing happened to me. After riding downhill for years I suffered a broken collarbone and then I broke my shoulder on a really steep drop which I flipped over my handlebars on. The pain of my broken shoulder for about a week was unbearable. I eventually recovered and thought the same exact thing and I questioned it also. Purchased a nice 140mm bike and made the move to trail riding with some nice speed but avoided all the pitfalls of downhill.
Have to say i.have no.enjoyment riding over all those rocks..but love down hill
After 40 years of MTBing and multiple accidents, I had a downhilling accident last year which resulted in a subdural hematoma (brain bleed) that caused multiple physical and mental issues for me. Recovery took over four months to be back on my bike. Only into trailing these days...And, still love the sport!
40 years? MTB barely existed 40 years ago. Were you one of the Mt. tam originals?
@@blurglide clunkers pal, look em up!
@@blurglide Not an original. They started in the seventies with Klunkers; but, I joined in soon after production mtbs became available in 1983. My first mtb was a Ross Indian; but, all my race bikes were by Tom Ritchey.
I have been mtb for about 5 years,I started at 61, I swear it puts a smile on my face from ear to ear. After crashing many times and getting hurt I started to take lessons and I have gotten pretty good. Another thing I learned is when your tired and had enough, it means your tired and had enough, it's the best time to stop. He (or she) who puts their bike away has a better ride another day. Keep riding. Cheers.
I started Emtb riding at age 63. Last year I rode 2100 miles and 230,000 verticle feet (I did the math and Strava had it right). I can think of a time or two when I knew I was getting way too tired or should have paid more attention. It ended badly those days. I now slow way down at those times and make it home just fine. BTW, IF you get tossed on the top of your femur, the hip breaks. (That one took me out for 12 weeks) and you are NOT a pussy for wearing safety equipment. Shit happens and it allows you to walk away unscathed.. Still riddin'. I liked the "Ride like Lightening, Crash like Thunder" comment.
As you get on in years, as am I, look at some of the electric bikes, they're a little heavier but the suspension is all made for them, it let's me play longer before i get to that "I'm too tired ' phase. And F all the people that think it's cheating.
Exactly sometimes you're body doesn't react the same after so many miles and you don't realize it since you're having so much fun
@@jwall62 cheating? Against who? Everybody thinks something anyway.
It’s all about your own joy that you put in your hobby on your own terms.
I crashed recently as well (61) not on those trails but just on a flat pavement.
I decided to wear a full face mips helmet and extra protection for knee and elbows. But my face and neck was pretty messed up for a while. Now everything is ok again on my electric MTB. Will do my first ride after the accident soon again. But only on forrest routes. I didn’t liked the close up study of the pavement for the 3-4 seconds of scraping.
Hi and glad you’re ok 👌 my 2 cents. I’m 63 and have threw myself uphill and down since my teens, including rock climbing, mountains, mtb, scuba, ice hockey etc. My knees, back and shoulders remind me every day of what I have done. It didn’t matter, until, KIDS!!! I now know fear. Not for myself but because I have dependants who need me to be around. Personally, I believe you’ve been given your message. After a few nonsense moments I stopped and re-evaluated, I still have fun but it’s at a much easier pace with less catastrophic potential. You need to be a provider not a burden, it’s not just about you anymore. Take care.
I'm 73, I was hard riding MB's before they had shocks. Lots of crashes over the years (only one broken bone).
Sometime in my late 50's I had a crash and that was it. Wasn't my hardest crash or worst crash but it was the one that put doubt in my mind. That's all it took.
I continued to ride but a lot less aggressively and on a lot milder trails.. I discovered safe thrills were more than thrilling enough.
With each passing year the trails I ride have gotten easier and easier (I'm guessing in a year or two it'll be the equivalent of a Sunday morning stroll trail) but I'm still having fun and still in one piece.
Nice response. I'm 54, riding since 20s. Lots of crashes. Last couple of years 2 concussions and a broken finger. I did the www.transnz.com 2 years ago and signed up for a repeat. Was a bit relived when it cancelled to to Covid. Most of the days fine, but one day was just v really bigger then my comfort zone, and racing it. Time to tone it down.... I'm a doctor age see the injuries... Happy to ride, but nothing to prove
I am older too, and I bike a couple of times a week. At my age I don't want to get racked up for a lengthly recovery, and maybe even limit my mobility in the future. I do some off road because it is actually safer than being on the road in some cases. But those dirt roads are easy and present just enough challenge for me. Good judgement on your part. It's smart.
Started at 56, now 64 and loving it. Some of the initial crashes I'm VERY lucky to have escaped with only bruises. I thoroughly enjoy the physical and technical challenges, but there's enough sanity to avoid pushing it too far. The real potential problem for me, and anyone for that matter, as Miltonator said: "Third lap and feeling confident"
@@JohnSaccoccio Good for you. I can understand pushing one's body. I love to get on my bike, but no way am I doing that kind of riding. The big thing is that at my age I don't want a serious injury. My 'off road' are dirt roads and farm access paths. There are some moderate ruts and gravel, but that is it. Good luck and keep riding.
I had a crash that broke my clavicle and scapula a couple years ago, it got in my head bad. I had an epiphany during my healing though, I have literally invested blood sweat and bones to this hobby, I’m not going to quit or regress. The next season I went out and hit that feature that fucked me up three straight times and now I know to just trust my skill, it was a fluky crash and it happens. Im still out here chasing my next thrill and pushing harder and harder trails. Just need to work on my jump confidence.
It’s not just “part of the game” I just seriously injured my back for the rest of my life in a spill no worse than the ones you showed here.
my mate did the same. he WILL NEVER work again
MTB is inherently dangerous and getting fucked up is most certainly part of the game. There isn't a rider in the history of the sport that hasn't crashed. So how is it not a part of the sport?
@@jonnie2bad Never say “everyone”. I’m 43, been mountain biking for 25 years, and never crashed. In fact I’ve never even wore a helmet on a ride. I know my skill and don’t take unnecessary risks. Ride trails of all difficulty and my friends have crashed countless times and broken bones.
@@phoenixrising441 yes show me riding leogang worldcup downhill or hotshots trail with no helmet, you wouldnt even start rolling on to there :D
@@jonnie2bad i think hes saying its more serious than "just part of the game"
I’m in my 40s, love mountain biking. I have a career, a girlfriend, and a kid to watch out for. Ergo - I like to go out on trails, and gently come back down those trails. Ain’t doing tricks, ain’t flying over stuff, ain’t going off ramps and all this other stuff. I still love it, I just don’t have an appetite for injuries or the time to be seriously injured. I use my brakes probably more than 75 percent of MTBers, ha.
I was on a trail the other day and saw a guy that had to be 55ish years old flying super fast down hills and jumping in the air and what have you. In my head I’m like it’s awesome you can do that but ho-lee hell those aren’t risks I want to take. I actually walked my bike down trails he was flying over.
Dude. That’s a gnarly trail. Thanks for sharing. Definitely puts things in perspective for us 40+ youngsters
🤙🤙
At 59 I have transitioned (several years ago) from weekend racing taking risks that push my skill level to simply riding for the cardio. This decision came after two collar bones fractures and the big downhill race wreck where I fractured by L2 vertebra, cracked three ribs and collapse a lung. I have decided that racing places me mentally in a dangerous mind set so no more racing and no more down hill riding. I live in the Blue Ridge mountains and a typical ride is 8-10 miles with 1000 ft of climbing a few time a week which is all I need and no more fractures...the older you are longer it takes to heal which is also a larger percentage of you remaining years.
So well said. At our age, time takes on a whole new dimension. I am 61
I'm one of those guys who are doing statistics, models etc. for insurance companies and such and i'm pretty shre that no one wants to hear it, but mountain biking is terribly dangerous. The risk of getting paralysed or getting killed is absolutely ridiculous.
good to know 👍 I would like to know about other sports I do:
what about dirtbike hardenduro riding? fully geared
what about freediving?
what about skiing?
@@midlan6 Freediving (if you know what you are doing and do not dive into caves) is relatively safe. Skiing is not as safe but only moderatly risky. dirtbike hardenduro is a liability, even geared up.
Yeah. I see a lot of broken backs.
As i turned 60 this year and retiring, I came to the realization that even some of the smaller crashes could do some serious damage to me now. I do a lot more hike a bikes than I would have even 5 year ago. Now, my decisions to ride trails are ones that if I crash, it's because the bike fell apart and not because of a skill issue. I enjoy the scenery a lot more and 'full send' happens infrequently. Better to be smart and safe and pedal another day than to risk it. Also, my 30 year old nephew was in a MTB crash 2 years ago and is now paralyzed from the waist down.
So said for your nephew. Really sucks. There is light though. If he is bright and astute the science is progressing and he may walk again before to long. Perhaps pursue the science and research and discover a way to re fire and grow those neurons.
@@Rzagski He’s actually taking it quite well, started his own business and is a rep for a company that specializes in motorized mountain bikes and three wheelers for handicap people. He never once let it get him down, As soon as he got his halo off he was doing pull ups with his wheelchair attached to him, getting ready for whatever came next. He actually made runs down Whistler on his motorized bike, he hasn’t given up MTBing, just does it differently now.
@@jwall62 I’ll look out for your nephew next trip to Whistler with my grandkids👍👍😄
@@psoon04286 he just finished a 3 day 37 mile 8000 foot elevation gain trek on his new hand pedaled 3 wheeler. No motors, no electric, all arm powered.
@@jwall62 I’d have a hard time keeping up, but it would be exhilaratingly to photograph his trek. It would be an inspiration to lots of other folks struggling with similar physical impairments👍😃
I‘m 58 and started MTB in 1996. my summary so far: scattered collar bone, broken wrist, left knee injury (legaments) and shoulder surgery. Will I quit-never. I ride about
3000 - 5000 (approx 1800 to 3000 miles) km a year, so you need to put this in context. And I live in Switzerland there‘s some tricky trails😂 Live free or die as one says in New Hampshire…
You may want to limit your injuries from this point on. I'm 70 and all my old injuries are coming back to haunt me. I slowed my speed a little bit to stay under control. In the last 5 years of riding under control - one sprained finger.
@@thelakeman5207 thanx for your advise -I know that you‘re probably right. But is is in my genes to live life to the fullest and I guess therefore will have to pay my dues sooner or later. Take care buddy!
The trend is to take it easier as we get older. Riding is still fun with a terrifically adjusted full suspension mtb even if it is more capable than you will use. I enjoy my surroundings more now. I am 70.
Same here. I'm 72 and still ride full suspension mtbs. Just ordered my first MIPS helmet and a flak jacket to take me into my 90's! Oh, and I bring my classic rock collection along with my headphones. It's so much easier these days with Bluetooth and smartphones lol.
Thanks for the video. 48 years old, crashed at a cross country mtb race on April 23, 2022. Nothing hard about the course, just clipped my handlebar on a tree and went down knee first into a rock that broke off inside my knee. Two knee surgeries, a serious infection, a week in the hospital and three weeks of IV antibiotics. I'm just now able to pedal a bike on a trainer and still have problems walking 8 weeks later. Hoping for a full recovery by late August. Already had to cancel one family hiking vacation at Glacier NP, probably another in late August with a friend. I'm still thinking about what I'm gonna do as far as mtbing in the future is concerned.
Did you wear knee pads?
@@HarryKuloh No, I didn't.
Bro bpc 157 look it up
my gosh, all those injuries caused by an XC race?
as a downhill rider this scares me damn
@@rafael_13 Well, you guys tend to wear more padding. A simple pair of knee pads would have saved me a lot of trouble. I"m back to riding, but with knee pads!
Just getting into MTB and took my first fall a few days ago.
I think what I took from it is, just be cautious when it’s a steep trail and wear knee/elbow pads and maybe a chest protector for those harder and faster trails where a fall could spell an injury.
Should've definitely been wearing a chest protector down this trail.
Sometimes those pads and helmets make people feel indestructible, so be careful with that! Definitely wear them, as they prevent the common but small injuries, but the really big injuries are to the spine and there's no protection for that short of thing short of common sense.
And don’t go too fast….or too slow!
The crazy thing about the sport is that sometimes a perfect storm of random things puts you on the ground. It's so weird. I have had a few spills where I never figured out exactly what happened. I think this is more of an issue with the longer travel FS bikes.
@@robertgraham3559 bikes are getting to big imo i would not trail a 29er myself i ride a 26er but getting a 27.5CF Trance 😎
I cased a double at a bike park 3 years ago. My back end bounced me off the seat and I lost control. Basically hugging the handlebars as I headed toward the side of the trail. I ran into a big rock where my foot took the brunt of the impact. I was lucky nothing major happened, but it took me off the bike for 3 months. I told myself after the crash that it's not worth it. But, I was soon back on the bike , mostly trail riding, and of course as the years turn you go back to the bigger mountains. But, I don't take unnecessary risk now and haven't crashed since then. Knock on wood, but I have nothing to prove, just happy to be up there on the mountain.
My moto: When you ride like lightning, you crash like thunder!
Enjoy your video,but I think with family keep riding,but dont push so hard enjoy the ride
@@alfredot2739 That's the key, enjoy the ride. Why suffer and endanger your life. Take it a little slower and ride completely under control. Your body will thank you for it when you get into your 60's.
@@thelakeman5207 Oh my god, that's such a good line. I'm gonna steal that
So, I am 55. I switched from MTB to road due to a skiing accident that resulted in 4 surgeries and a partial fusion of my wrist. I enjoyed road riding but my family was not happy with how long I was gone on my rides. Then one day while sprinting down a hill gaining momentum for the next climb, I was taken out by a large mule deer. I don’t remember anything except the deer. Then, 3-4 hrs later, I was home. I apparently got back on my bike and kept going another 17 miles back to my house. Result was a massive TBI and months of recovery. I bought a new MTB during recovery and now just ride cross country trails. A couple of blacks but mostly blues. Where I used to look for the most technical and challenging trails, multiple runs through the Portal in Moab. Now I know that I am not that same person. I have just adjusted my style of riding so I can still get out and enjoy it, but not give it up. Nothing is more therapeutic than being on my bike outside in the beautiful Colorado Rockies. Don’t give it up, just know your limits. :) I have chosen to take a few battle scars from getting outside and living over a bad neck and poor posture from staring at a computer all day.
I'll follow up on this comment. I think road biking is much more dangerous than mountain biking, especially since the hazards are often out of your control. Cars, animals, gravel (on those skinny tires), potholes, etc. With mountain biking there are dangers but crashes usually happen due to something we did as the rider. The people I know that road bike seem to have all sorts of close calls or bad accidents due to someone else's actions. They also wear much less protective helmets and I don't think spandex does much to cushion a fall or protect from road rash. :-)
Mid 40s and started riding 4 years ago. I don't do jumps or massive drops. Have had my share of spills and a few crashes. Nothing broken, thank goodness. But hell, I still love it.
Glad you were okay.
🔥🔥🔥
🤘🤘🤘
Thanks for sharing. I separated my clavicle and it kept me off the bike for a long time. I like you have a family and questioned continuing. I made a decision if I continue (which I did) I would only ride trails within my comfort zone and be content with that. Features on new trails that seemed too crazy I would often pass. I want to progress, but if the risk is too high, the progression is not worth it to me. Hope this helps and God bless.
It does help. Appreciate you taking the time to share from your experience.
100% with you on this. That’s my approach too.
Same! Family and livelihood are very important and if you work on your feet and with your hands it has to be a factor!
Spot on.
Did the same thing about 10 years ago on a jump staged three’d it, completely blew the ligament to pieces. Ended up having to have surgery to hold it together was off work for nearly six months wasn’t nice. Don’t do jumps anymore just trails with hops and stuff.
That trail is crazy. I went over the handlebars on a flat curvy trail 17 years ago because of a small root. That was enough for me to say I'm good with nice wide manicured trails.
That happened to me a couple days ago. Didn’t even last on my left shoulder but how I moved it when falling caused it to pop and it hurt quite a bit. Thought I tore something but feels fine today.
Been there. My most severe crashes were when I was pushing my limits, when I was trying to learn something new. This is an extreme sport, and lets not lie about it. We tend to go over terrain that no one in their right mind would attempt, and keep calling it a normal Thursday. After crashes - I get up, get down and if I can, ride the rest of the day. Then when back home - I put the damn thing into the garage all dirty and leave it there for a week, not getting near. Then I get to terms with the bike and service it, clean it and go back on trails. Once I start going down I get this feeling of bliss and notice how I missed it all.
Funny thing is - I ride a hardtail trail 29er with 140mm travel up front on most of the trails, including black ones. This bike doesn't give me a false sense of security and lets me know when I screwed up. It humbles me in a way, making me reconsider taking the trail and if I dare to do it, forces me choose my route carefully. I will eventually upgrade to a full sus bike, but only when I feel I mastered this one.
I think you have to try to think what memories you’ll have when you are older. A lot of what most people do in life is building memories that you look on fondly when you are older. Call it reminiscing.
Personally most of my great memories don’t involve huge risk, it’s more about being in fabulous remote scenery or overcoming the elements, ideally with a bunch of great guys for company. Riding a really technical difficult trail doesn’t do it for me, so I don’t do it, or if I do it I’m slow and very careful. Everyone’s different, but adrenaline is a short term effect drug.
I’ve been there. I questioned myself the same question after having rib fracture, and both arms fractured on different occasions in my 40’s. I’m now 50 yrs old. The answer to your question is, it’s not worth it esp when family and work comes into play. It’s being selfish. However, I still ride my bike responsibly by riding to easy trails and not taking risks.
Great video, solid edit! As a guy who has hit the ground, really hard, several times, and even had surgery that kept me off the bike for nine months, I can attest the mental struggle can sometimes be very difficult to deal with. My advice is to go with the flow, some days you’ll feel like sending every feature in the park and other days not so much. Rely on those instincts, take it easy when you feel like it and don’t beat yourself up over not joining your mates on the black diamonds if it’s just not your day. 🤘
Solid and practical advice man. Thank you.
Oh man, so glad you’re okay! And I think you’re right… it’s not about IF you should ride, it’s to what degree you decide to push your own limits. ✌🏼🤟🏼
Thanks Adam
I remember my last nasty crash. It took some time to regain confidence. It was a sobering reminder to just have fun and be safe. No need to impress others as they're not paying those hospital bills
“Are you paying my hospital bill?”Thats gonna be my answer to the next person who yells out just send it! On a sketchy feature 😂
Hi i think i have some tips that can help you. Srry for my english. 1st you don't have to be scared when riding that type of tracks (also i think thats a too rocky track and its not something enjoyable), if you are scared you lose momentum and your forward momentum is obligatory if you want to ride above that rocks and complicated tracks. Also i've noticed your position when riding is not agressive, is really helpful to take an agressive riding position, leaning your body forward to gain control over the bike and to have more control of how the weight is distributed on the different points on the bike, so you gain balance and control.
I've been riding mountain bikes for almost 30yrs & I can say that I had my share of crashing but none of them have ever taking me out of the game. But last October that changed. While riding back to my car after awesome shuttle laps all day I took a nasty fall & tore my MCL and fractured my tibia & it put me out of action for about 5 months & I'm just now getting back on the bike again. It's not about if you fall but when you fall because you are going to fall again. I'm 51 & I don't plan on quitting mountain biking anytime soon but I'm definitely changing my game when out on them trails. I don't know what that will consist of but I'll be a little bit more chill while playing with my bike. Keep shredding my dude🤘🏿
Oh man, on the ride back to the van. That blows! Hopefully you’ve healed well. Appreciate the encouragement 🤘
were you riding with clip ins pedals or flats?
@@AM-yb1ez I ride clipped in. But when I tore up my knee I was unclipped & off my bike when my leg hit the ground. Funny you ask because my orthopedic doc ask me the same question😅
@@AM-yb1ez Flats. Don't even wanna think how this would've ended had I been clipped in.
Know the feeling man, I crashed up Greer 3 weeks ago and broke my collarbone. I’ve ridden some of the gnarliest trails over the years I’ve been riding and have came away with a few scratches. But this recent crash was purely from not paying attention and it caught me out on a trail I’ve ridden hundreds of times. I run my own company and it immediately made me think is it worth it for the risk. But it’s too hard to get a feeling that lives up to doing something so fun and yet so dangerous. A break from riding may help you and pick trails you are comfortable on and enjoy. That’s just my thoughts as I know I’ll never stop riding 😂
Oh man, that’s at least six weeks recovery. Heal well brother. I just finished my first recovery ride just now. Chill ride but it was awesome nonetheless 👊
Thanks for your personal story. I'm a 57 year old female, started mtb'ing 4 years ago. I have noticed that I push myself more when I'm with people, esp guys. Crashed badly once going too fast following friends (only badly bruised, nothing serious.) I ride hard trails by myself now. I am such a conservative rider when I'm alone, even when I session steep or loose or rocky etc trails, I can keep myself safe. It takes me longer to progress my riding in this fashion but I've been able to push the difficulty level of the trails I ride very slowly over the past 4 years. When I do fall, it's small and inconsequential. I'm not sure I would suggest riding alone for everyone. It's worked well for me because I am very aware of the limits of my skills and my confidence level at the moment. I was surprised to find that when I rode these difficult trails with friends, I blast down them at top speed and it's super fun, cuz I've done the trail alone so many times and know it so well. Sorry if this post is very long. Stay safe, keep posting !
@@kvl2516 thanks for chiming in. I’ve since (this video) have been riding A LOT more on my own. This has kept me in check by removing the temptation to wanna keep up. I’m okay with slow progress 🙂
Glad you’re ok. As I get older I question the same things. I went OTB on a gnarly trail recently and landed softly but I cracked my new intense frame. I was following younger, faster riders on a blind double black trail I’ve never ridden before. I was caught up in the moment instead of riding sensibly and within my skill level. Time to be smarter now, but still seek out a challenge. That’s the hard part. Good luck in the future and I wish you nothing but safe fun rides.
Thanks John. Sucks to hear about your frame. Hopefully you got a crash replacement
@@MILTONATOR Thanks Milton. Yes, I'm using Intense's crash replacement policy but it's still going to cost over $500 and more importantly, time away from my new bike LOL
For me it’s always worth it! Just always progress within your means. To me, those moments where you lose control are so exhilarating, everything goes to slow motion and you quickly choose the best possible move to protect yourself as much as possible. Living on the edge is what makes life meaningful to me, the rest of the time I’m just waiting to get back to the hill, or track, or rink or field or whatever it is.
Also get you some pads dude!!! Motorcycle jacket, padded shorts, they make padded shorts for hockey that go under the bigger padded hockey shorts, and they work really well for other sports. And knee pads and some actual mountain bike gloves that are padded.
Most importantly, know when to quit, or when to go for it. When you get caught in the middle, that’s a crash every time. Confidence is key!!!
If you start thinking, don’t crash, what do I have to do to not crash, your brain is just hearing, crash, crash, crash. But if you think, stay on top, adjust, get to the next flat section, control the chaos, things of a positive nature, your brain will tell your body how to make that happen.
That is what I do for all sports, riding, hockey, skating, and my new favorite, downhill, off-road skating!!!
You’ve got it dude!!!
I was going 35 right after a trail couldn't stop, went over my handlebars and slammed into a tree on the side of the road. Ever since then I stopped show boating and am more careful. Trail riding is where its at, tempting fate on rock doesn't seem like a long term plan.
Can definitely feel your pain literally!! I had a very similar crash 3 weeks ago. I was riding a trail that I know like the back of my hand with no problem, then I spotted my friend riding another part of the trail. That moment of inattention caused my to catch my left handlebar on a small tree. Basically I did what they call in motorcycling a "highside". Straight up into the air over the bike and smashed my whole right side into the ground. My arm was smashed into my chest instant searing agony, completely winded. I staggered up took about 2 steps then collapsed and passed out. Anyway we got it sorted, I fortunately didn't hit my head. I was able to SLOWLY ride back to the car with only the occasional hit of searing agony from my right chest area. The first week was a nightmare, searing agony every time I got out of bed or even moved in bed. Medical diagnosis was badly bruised ribs. Not much I could do other than painkillers and rest. 3 weeks later it still hurts like hell but I am getting there. I can do things slowly without major pain. It will be a while longer but I will definitely be back on the bike. I guess the main thing I will take away from this is CONCENTRATE on what you're doing and not what others are. I do try to ride within my capabilities (i.e. don't get sucked into racing people or trails that are above what I can do). I will also be upgrading my protective gear. I was wearing knee pads and my legs barely got a scratch but no Elbow pads and of course my elbow was a mess. I have fixed that up already with some new elbow pads purchased this week.
I can't wait to get out again, although I will wait till I'm ready. I love just riding the bike, being outside enjoying nature. Letting the kangaroos and wombats go their way when I come across them (yes I'm Aussie). Great being out there with good friends too.
Rest get over your injuries and get out there again. BTW I'm 61 so if I can do it you can too 👍😉
I'm older and not willing to get hurt. My adult son was seriously injured after a failed jump with a broken rib, punctured lung and dislocated shoulder in his latest crash. So, yes, I agree with you that it's not worth that type of risk especially when family members depend on us to be healthy. I am more satisfied to do more cross country type of trails where it's less technical and if I do fall, it's not like falling down a set of concrete stairs with shards of concrete there to impale hips and bones. It's a great sport, but like Clint Eastwood said, "a man's got to know his limits." Stay safe.
Looks like a great trail! It appeared you were riding near the edge of your capabilities and maybe even a little spent after now being on a third lap. All things that lead to nasty crashes. I’ve been in similar circumstances many times and the two things that helped me were 1: learn how to fall. It’s natural to reach out to catch ourselves but that’s a quick trip to the ER- glad you didn’t break anything. There are ways to tumble that allow you to disperse that energy and get back up with minimal issue. I liked to have basic chest and back protective gear with a backpack (holding gear, water, etc.) to help take the blows. 2: keep building muscle. Not sure if there’s science behind it, but I sure noticed a difference in injuries (lack of) when I lifted regularly. I ate dirt a fair share and could take the hits a lot better.
I agree with this assessment. It looks like you were getting tired there towards the end. Gnarly tech sections require you to be at your best lest you pay the price. Glad you were okay.
It's a fine line between pushing yourself to develop your skills, and riding in ways that are beyond your skillset. Don't ride sketchy stuff if you're not ready for it. Don't try to keep up with your friend who's been riding mtb since the age of 2...you won't have the skills to bail yourself out of situations like what happened in this video. Use caution ⚠️ when trying to build up your skills, be realistic about your abilities.
Totally understand where you're coming from. My riding has progressed a lot over the past 2 years since I got back to riding. After a couple of hard tumbles, with the last one nearly ending in concussion had it not been for a lucky water bottle bounce that cushioned my head from a rock. I had to re-assess my riding and dial it down a notch, especially where I am now with my career, a new house under construction, and a pre-schooler and a 1st grader I have to support.
The adrenaline rush you get is totally crazy, at times you feel invincible tackling all those obstacles and wants you to chase even harder paths, makes you deliberately reckless, it’s there when you are most vulnerable!!
This is partly why I've been riding rigid almost exclusively for 5 years plus: fun, cheap, and you are not often going the sorts of crazy speeds at which a crash can maim you for life
I think we all get caught up on that "the gnarlyer the better" mind set, we can't go away from the good feeling of conquering those kinda of trails but when we find ourself on this kind of accidents we arealized that at our age, our families depend on us and 5 minutes of adrenaline rush can put all the people around us in a tough place.
Thanks for the video I glad you are ok and you walked away from that one. 🤙👍🔥
Thanks Daniel🙏
Big crash and I am glad you are relatively OK. I just bought a bike as I have been out of MTBing for at 25 years and I learned my next door neighbor has multiple broken bones. I am at the age that any semi serious injury is going to mess up my life big time so while I have gone on a few relatively easy rides, I have been asking myself the same question knowing my thirst for adventure and pushing my limits.
@@Bavafa1 thanks! There are things we can do to mitigate risk and injury, some of which I’m now doing… such as: being selective of which trails to ride, when to ride and when not to ride (I.e. fatigued) I also started gravel riding and that’s turned out to be a whole more fun than I anticipated. All the best to you
@@MILTONATOR Stay safe and make it fun.
Your naked elbows tell the whole story here, at least in my opinion.
After breaking my ribs racing dual slalom a few years ago, I got some real protection - troy lee padded top (shoulders and ribs too), and padded shorts, as well as dainese knee and elbow armor. The terrain you just hurt yourself on is unforgiving, and why you aren't taking advantage of the protection available is the real question. Sure, I typically only ride with my knee armor (sometimes also elbow pads too) for my local trails, as I don't always wear my full armor kit (a bit ridiculous for amped up xc trails), but save the battle gear for when I'm really going into the octagon. If you're going to ride these technical trails, with big error consequences, wearing armor at least gives you a fighting chance of showing up for work the next day........Shuttle required trails typically are a red light that I might wanna wear my full protection kit.
Agree 💯
Great advice, I thought watching that video to. The bloke in front was wearing all the kit, FF , vest -back and shoulders and elbows (can see it under his shirt)
Was wondering the same. I never ride DH without proper protection. Maby i wont need it but i dont want to be in a crash and wish i had more protection to prevent the outcome. Its a cheap insurance. To each his own.
I totally agree. I have been through some stuff that if I hadn't, I wouldn't have upgraded my gear. The comment I made yesterday pretty much sums up what you said here.
I know some some of us let our self consciousness override logic and choose to wear less gear, but after some bad crashes, I couldn't give a hoot what anyone thinks and gear up as I need to. The medical bills and time from work isn't worth it.
Most of my rides are on Sunday mornings, where I have to work the next day and they were quite a few times I was unable to work the Monday or even the Tuesday.
I'm with you! I do the knee and elbow pads, steel toed shoes and a chest/ribs protector. My hydro pack acts as back protection. And of course padded gloves.
Had several painful crashes and It played on my mind too. Work and kids, mortgage to pay. I changed up my riding to more leisure rides, parks and riverways and I dont regret it. Still fun and gets me out the house. I do miss the mountain biking from time to time but my last crash had brand new armour on and it shattered on impact. It saved me but scared me a lil too much lol
Appreciate this video. Shout out to the older folks who keep riding and taking it easy. I’ll be right there with you on the green runs and blue XC trails.
I can relate .I crashed my bike and ended up having rotator cup surgery .after about 3 weeks of recovery I fell again on the same shoulder .thought I reinjured it again but luckly I just bruised everything .starting riding again but now I look at riding as live for another day .I take less chances and enjoy the ride .for now its been working for me .no crashes so far .wife is happy and no doctor bills .👍👍👍👍
Secret to happiness right there: happy wife and no Doc bills 😅 Seriously though, glad you’re riding on and enjoy the rides.
I've never been on these downhill rides, alway gone cross country, trails or loops. I know downhilling isn't for me, I'm risk averse. Some folks love the risk. It's a choice on what you think is more fun: high risk and high adrenaline, or low risk and just plain happiness and health from the ride.
I see the downhilling as rollercoasters where it hasn't passed the safety inspection, all the risks on are you.
P.s. I think some advice and practice on riding skills may give you more confidence in bike handling e.g. riding out of seat, brake application, etc to avoid these minor crashes.
General rule is, you have to be 100% committed to the feature. it's easy to couch comment so take it for what it is but it looks like you were going a bit slow and it was harder to stay on the right line and maintain momentum. I would get proper pads and ride it until you nail it.
Appreciate the straightforward advice. It’s been over a year and haven’t gone back… yet
I ended up in the hospital with a sever concussion two weeks ago. I was on the street headed to the trail. Nothing fancy or technical. It just happened. The “Live to ride another day” idea is very important. As you said, it always has the chance to happen every time you get on the bike but working to keep the risk down and the severity low is the key to a long life of MTB enjoyment. I’m 62. My trail choice now matches my age. This needs to be the case.
With a helmet?
I got into mtn biking 20 years ago (age 40) and enjoyed it, trying to pop over logs, etc in the pacific northwest rain forests. Since then, as others have mentioned, the equipment has gotten very sophisticated. I ride a 27 enduro. It can do lots more than I can. Mtn biking, at the same time, has gotten BMX'd. Gap jumps, bridges, drops, huge berms that encourage ever faster riding, etc... I was riding with younger folks, and feeling like I need to learn this stuff too, until I shook my head and remembered why I got into the sport: fitness, fun. I don't need to risk my health to achieve either of those. My yardstick: if this goes wrong, will I be able to make my tee time tomorrow? If not, then nope. I still crash occasionally, it can happen at the stupidest times.
Thanks for sharing your ride and thought process. I started mountain biking in the early 90's. Where I lived, it was pretty much all flat and the trails were smooth. I also was a road rider and racer and competitive runner. The fun of mountain biking to me was being away from the roads, challenging myself on the climbs and going long distances. I never really got into the thrill of going downhill fast or overcoming very technical terrain. As I got more skilled, I definitely liked to challenge myself on intermediate terrain for short periods. But I was (am) mostly into endurance and fitness. I never enjoyed trails like in your video. I recently upgraded to a carbon fiber 29er bike with dual suspension from my 26" hardtail. With that, I felt pressured to ride more technical terrain and faster than I had ever done before. Well, I pushed myself beyond my skill level and crashed pretty hard in June. I was shaken up, and went through a similar soul searching experience. We all need to make our own decisions about what we enjoy, how big our ego is, how much risk we are willing to tolerate, and how much time we're willing to dedicate towards improving our skills. I personally decided to go back to riding my hardtail on the easier trails that I know and enjoy. I can push myself with endurance and fitness, but not so much with technical finesse. I'm at peace with that.
I keep shuttle laps and lift service to minimal, I mean, minimal to lesson the odds of getting hurt. I have been enjoying powering up heavy climbs and getting super strong just as much as sending downhill.
You get to a point in your life when you realize that doing a thing can take away a lot more than the thing itself. I ride for the fun of it, not the challenge. I stay away from big drops and jumps and just ride easy and that keeps it fun for me. You can be on a trail you've done 100 times and hit a spot that has never given you a thought before and suddenly there's a rock or tree branch or a squirrel or something you don't expect and down you go. A simple fall can be nothing or a lifetime in a wheelchair. I see guys taking dumb risks all the time, 10 miles from a trailhead and reasonable expectation of getting help...no thanks... If you want an adrenaline rush, take your 17 year old out with her driving the car. Stay safe out there!
z3ro panic bro u mentally screwed yourself
your a good rider dude u had it
My last 2 rides ended with 2 broken arms (the only broken arms I ever sustained on the MTB) and a head knock so bad that they put me in a coma. The doctors told me I had to stop which was super hard at the time, but I'm loving what I do with my time instead
@@gurusson That really sucks, sorry to hear about that, but glad you're recovering. As I get older, I take fewer risks, there are plenty of off road trails out there that aren't dangerous or risky, flow trails without jumps, etc where you still get a nice day out in the woods. You can still ride a bike, though maybe you need a motorcycle helmet :).
excellent response...i agree 100%... why risk what you enjoy and suffer downtown time and potential disability when you spend the rest of your remaining good time pedaling away?!
I think it's worth it. The happiness it brings is important to me. The people I know who've had bad accidents, have it happen when they're going down too fast on a trail they're unfamiliar with or aren't fully committed. You have to earn the trails you ride through practice and repetition. You have to step outside of your comfort zone, but only when that step is the smallest step possible under perfect conditions. Do this consistently and the difficult stuff today, will be easier in a few months.
If your still riding when you are over 50, your young man comment will not be the same.
@@mountainbikingfortherestofus Haha maybe so!
@@Ryancady010 The real problem is that ten or fifteen years after an injury, you start feeling the pain. The older you get, the more pain you feel from old injuries, so be careful.
When I was just starting out I had a similar crash. Not carrying a lot of speed I went off trail into some tall foxtails. Instead of going off straight, slowing down then getting back on trail I turned the bike to get back on trail and lost traction. I high sided, over the bars. Maybe 10 miles per hour over the bars directly face planted onto a rock. I had zero time to react. A kin to jumping off a diving board minus the water, add a rock!! I shattered the bone in my nose, broke the cartilage, deep laceration on the upper left side of my nose by my eye, sent my teeth straight through my upper and lower lip, tore my right nostril, chipped about 10 teeth. I lost feeling in my front teeth for about a month. Immediately after crashing blood was pouring out of my mouth and nose like a river. I instinctively felt my face and noticed my nose felt like a flag flapping in the wind. I grabbed my nose and reset it myself knowing if I waited it was going to be far worse when the swelling started. My buddy who was with me was roughly 25 yards ahead and when he came back his face as he saw me said everything. I flushed out my nose and mouth as best I could with water and let the blood drain out of my broken face. I didn’t want to let the blood drain back into my throat due to the dirt and bacteria which lives in your nasal passage. I was able to ride back to the car slowly. Each person I passed had the look of terror as they saw what the crash did to my face. Straight to the ER. As we walked into the ER, the receptionist looked at me and said,” Broken nose!” Since I had reset my nose post crash it was looking pretty straight and centered. Took me about 6 weeks to heal up. The evening I was in the ER I actually had it in my mind to buy a full face helmet. I was already telling myself that I was going to get back out on the trail asap. MTB is a release for me. Focusing my concentration, forgetting about all the stress of daily life not in the trails. Complete freedom to test one’s ability. Slow starting back but now being 6 months post crash I have gained more understanding of the finer details of handling a bike properly. What to do if I can sense an imminent crash before it happens. Now I wear a full face, goggles and a few other pads then I previously did. Take it slow and it all comes back. Suffer Now, Summit Later!!! Cheers brotha!!!
I hear you completely. I have a few riding philosophies now. 1. No injuries 2. No air time. I. Ow ride a full suspension fat bike on XC trails because I figured that was the safest that I could get and still allow me to enjoy the forests and biking. Since my last concussion I realized that it is DEFINITELY not worth the risk to me. Thank you for the honest questioning.
Thank you for sharing you experience
Concussion with a helmet on?
@@LilyWillow22 did you really just ask that? 🤦🏻♂️
I’m 54, and last year I had a near miss - climbing!
(This makes me sound like a noob, but I’ve been riding since I was 14 (bmx, some road racing and mtb since 1987 - started on a Marin Pine County, and did the Fox Antifreeze Enduro in Wales 3 years ago)
It was a simple switchback climb, pretty steep and unused so there’s a lot of debris builds up (small rocks and twigs) and it’s fairly isolated, but honestly nothing difficult.
The incident:
I turned right on a switchback climb so that the slope ‘up’ was to my left, and the drop to my right, when my front tyre ran over a small rock I hadn’t seen (size of a golf ball) coming out of the turn. My front wheel rode up and over the rock to the left ‘up’ the slope.
The wheel lifted slightly (as it does when you pedal hard on a steep slope) making it worse, and dropped back down too far to the left side and I just fell to the right.
No big; except the slope to my left was steep so I could put my hand on it, and on the drop to my right where I fell the ground was about 18 inches lower than my cranks so I slammed hard by the time I hit the ground where my head landed.
The tip of my helmet smacked a rock the size of a coconut, I wasn’t wearing a full face helmet but I was OK.
The thing is, if I’d been just 3 inches further down, that rock would’ve smashed the side of my face/cheek bone/jaw bone.
Could’ve been nasty - and off of such a dumb easy thing.
I decided to ride more flow trails and leave the steeper stuff alone from now on.
So you're a vey skilled rider and you guys are riding some rowdy terrain. You can back it off quite a bit and still enjoy riding without risking serious injury.
@@torreyintahoe thanks! It’s exactly what I’ve done 🤙
I agree with the comments noted below. Just need to be selective about where you ride so that you feel good about it and have fun.
I remember sending trail features and gnarly drops on my crappy hardtail in my early 20s that I would think twice about now with my $4000 dual suspension bike (15y later). It's not that I can't do it or haven't done harder trails since, it's just that I don't see a point pushing my luck anymore. Sometimes I'll do them, when I'm feeling good going up to it. If I'm doubting myself, I walk it. Looks like that's how you felt going up to that section, you took it way slower than your first pass when you cleared it, like you were already trying to avoid it in your head.
Edit: One thing I've noticed is bikes with long wheel bases and steep rakes have really clumsy front ends at low speed, the loss of control can really surprise you
I think there's an argument that most bikes are to slack, and over suspension travelled for what most riders need to enjoy there local trails
I used to ride some trails by mount Rainier and I always found I had the most fun on the smoother trails that I could just fly down, zigzaging through the woods like a fighter jet. That trail you are on had some good sections, but also a lot of boulders that not only beat on you and your bike, but would be brutal to crash on.
It's kind of like skiing, going down the easy runs are boring, the blue runs are the most fun because you can go fast, and the black diamond runs aren't very fun because you have to spend so much time on the brakes.
I feel you on this one. I spilled super hard last year and it took me a long time to get back that, “I can ride that” feeling.
Also, funny how the GoPro calms a trail down. All of my videos are the same, they look easy when in reality it’s gnarly!
Hopefully the GoPro Hero99 will won’t mellow out the gnar and show it for what it truly is 🤞 😅
@@MILTONATOR Between the shocks, your neck acting as a gimbal and the anti-shake tech in the camera, it is almost always going to look smoother than it actually is. A chest or shoulder mount would show is more accurately or rather more how it feels but with less control over where is aimed. A bike mount would be unusable.
Its super hard to see someone dealing with this and I’m still young so it’s easy for me to say but part of what helped me progress and have an even better time was just slowing down and having fun it seems so obvious and kinda dumb but it works
You can see on my profile the crash that got me questioning it. I sold all my gear afterwards but ended up getting a bike this year. My body is simply not where it used to be. My brain still knows how to tackle features, but my body doesn't let me. Not sure if this is it for me. Been on MTBs my entire life since age 5, and while I've never been a great jumper, I'm pretty fast and can throw down some good ass corners. But given the consequences of MTB I'd rather get into fighting, ar least I stand a chance against something that isn't the ground.
I'm really glad that you are essentially okay from this accident--your wife and kids need you. I'm an avid rider in my 50's and I'm going to tell all you other fellow riders out there: ALWAYS wear helmets, elbow pads, and knee pads. It's also a very good idea to wear a chest protector and protective shorts on trails like these.
You may be a world-class MTB rider, but you can still wreck. Do you want to shatter your elbow, knees, hips, or ribs? Gear up....better safe than sorry.
This. My rib/wrist/elbow fractures were on 'easy' sections and going slow. Now I wear better protection every ride, and would feel naked without elbow and knee pads any time I get on my bike.
@@jemez_mtn I also feel naked without my elbow/knee pads, protective shorts, and helmet! My Fox D3O Pro pads are so comfortable that I forget that they're even there. It helps me ride more relaxed.
What I also have in common with you is that I seem to be more likely to wreck on simple stuff. I guess it's because I get too relaxed and even cocky. I almost had 2 wrecks the other day on really easy stuff!
@@mesabmanyeah once you get used to it you don't even know they're there anymore, so why would you not. Like you said, more relaxed. I'll have to check out your pads, love my 7iDP shorts.
Damn man, when you were going down it looked pretty chill, when you were going back to get your bike it really illustrated how sketch that was. It's tough with UA-cam, I can tell from some of the things you do hit and the speed that you are substantially higher than my level riding, but when you were doing that part it really didn't look bad. Glad you came out OK. Had a couple of tumbles since I picked up riding again, stopped at like 24, took it back up at 35, and holy shit is crashing a different thing than it used to be.
Haha! Thanks man. This was my first time here and when I got invited, I watched a few videos of the trail and thought “that don’t look that bad” Yea, I was wrong. Anyway, thanks for stopping by man 👊
I'm 51 and recently crashed hard in almost the same way you did. Went over a drop, landed on a steep root mound and was bucked over the handlebars. Cracked my Giro, got a black eye, got knocked out, and broke some ribs. If not for the helmet, I'd surely have died right there.
I am still questioning everything about riding. It wasn't a challenging trail and I wasn't testing my limits. I landed wrong. It could happen anywhere and at any time.
It'll be a few more weeks, but I can't wait to get back on my bike. Only now I'm thinking about sticking to easier trails, or just rolling slower, or bypassing obstacles. I think I was closer to being killed than I want to admit. So, I get it, is it worth it? I still want to ride, but damn.
Advice from an almost-60 rider: never stop riding. Sure, you slow down, take fewer risks and learn to listen to that voice in your head that’s saying, “nope, not that one” more. Fact - it takes a RIDICULOUS amount of time to heal from injuries that wouldn’t have even sidelined us in our 30’s (I’m still feeling an ankle sprain from a crash that happened in July of 2021).
But…if you quit, you’ve given up and stopped living. You’ve reserved your spot on the couch for the remainder of your life, and have punched your ticket for obesity and hypertension.
Rest, recover and heal, my friend - but never, NEVER quit. I look forward to riding with you when I’m in my 80’s!
Rest, recover and heal. Appreciate the encouragement David. Making adjustments but not quitting 🤙
@@MILTONATOR +1 on that from a 58 yr old rider who broke his collar bone in early 2020. Dial it back a bit, but never stop. I still jump and ride some blacks, but riding doesn't have to be at full capacity to have a great day.
Roger that. I'm 59 and planning to keep riding - road and MTB - as long as I'm able.
The couch is for watching Star Trek ... after you've been out for a ride!
Cheers
Bro, those thoughts hit me when I had a crash that caused a fracture in my elbow. It just made me choose my trails better and take it slower a bit. I have 10 employees counting on me and a wife and aged parents who need me. Just be careful…and smart. It’s the adrenaline your seeking and that’s what will kill you at some point…
Thanks for sharing man! 👊
I'll try to keep this short....lol. Riding by myself August 10, 2019 I went down at approximately 6:30AM (yes I go early), heard a sound like a broomstick being broken over your thigh, and when I rolled over my left foot was facing outward at about 70 degrees and I had a huge lump on the inside of my leg. I went for my phone and then quickly realized that I was in a dead zone...sad face. I was worried about the bone coming through the skin so I twisted my foot back around to the front to (somewhat) align the bones to keep the bleeding risk of broken skin at bay. Lucky me, no shoe laces to make a splint (clipless) i did have pruning shears in my pack and cut the straps off of it to crank down a splint with a couple of sticks. Yelled for help for just over 3 hours before somebody found me. 2 plates, 21 screws put in a day later. Had to have Fibula hardware taken out on October 23rd of 2019 due to pain, got MRSA (another sad face). I had to learn to walk again basically as I had a 3rd surgery on 2/22/20 (just before the Covid shutdown thank god) but the entire time I was struggling with learning to use my foot/leg again I was already thinking about whether I could run a 5mm shorter crank on the left side if I couldn't get full ROM back and one month after that 3rd surgery on April 1 of 2020 I was back on my bike in the woods. I never struggled with whether I'd ride, just how I'd ride. My taste for risk has subdued a bit since my accident but 5 years post accident I'm on track for roughly 500 miles of rocky, rooty New England Singletrack this year with approximately 150,000' of climbing. I was 50 when I broke my leg (2 weeks after my birthday) and at 55 now I can't imagine my life without MTB. I've bee riding for almost 30 years and have broken a bunch of ribs, bones in my hands, cracked sternum, etc. but I refuse to live in fear. Thankfully my wife, who rides with me a lot, only had one request if I was going to ride alone and that was that I carry an InReach with me which I do. I ride approximately 80-85% of what I did before I broke my leg and I do so every time knowing what can happen; the question is whether you can live with the consequences and whether riding at a lower level/easier terrain is going to take the fun out of it for you. GL Miltonator!
Great video, been there myself. The older i get i just do less gnarly stuff. I walk sections if need be. I still have a blast riding but ive stop worrying about “should i send something i used to be able to do but it feels outta reach now”
Riding mtb is about fun and the love of it, be it flat flow trails or steep gnar .
Thanks man. There’s definitely all kinds of fun to be had on all trails
And there's a lot of skill in riding UP gnarly hills.
I'm 36 now, but I lost 200lbs in 2020 thanks to eating less and riding my hardtail MTB on pavement. Towards the end of 2020 I went for my first 'off road' MTB with some friends after work. There was a small drop on a massive rocky surface, I panicked and grabbed my front brake and went OTB and landed face first into the rock. I was mildly concussed, and it stole my confidence bigtime. After that, I was very slow and overly cautious. My friend said behind my back that I was slower than his wife downhill etc, not maliciously, moreso just they couldn't understand why I was so slow since I was a lot fitter than them due to all my riding on pavement. Anyway one day I randomly stumbled across a local MTB club ride and they invited me to join. That group ride built my confidence back up and since then I now have gained the local downhill record time on both trailforks and strava. BUT. Having said that, even though I got the KOM, I'm officially 'retired' from that shit. It's literally not worth being paralyzed to get a KOM. It just takes one wrong rock or something and boom you're into a tree at 40kmph and your spine is shattered. I love riding and hope to never stop, it saved my life by helping me lose weight, to that end, I would rather ride subdued for another 40yrs than not be able to ride at all. Accidents happen for sure, but it is possible to mitigate the risk. It's why I'm never going to learn how to do jumps etc. I'm sure it's exhilarating but I know it's not worth the risk of being permanently disabled. That drop where you stacked it is a very steep big drop. If you rotated and landed on your spine you could have literally broken your back. I think it's pretty easy to conclude that, no, it was not worth the risk in this case. I've had a bunch more crashes since, but luckily none have been severe because I'm a very cautious rider and try my best to mitigate risks. If I'm going for any KOM's on the MTB in the future, it's for uphill KOM's because they are a lot less risky and it's down to fitness and weight loss.
Hey man, a huge congratulations to you for losing 200lbs in 2020. What an accomplishment. Thanks for chiming in.
When you bought your bike the salesperson said, " the question is
Not if you're going to crash the
Question is how hard and how many times". Right? Mountain bikers and
Motocrossers and off road enthusiasts all face injury and death every time they ride. You're alive,
You not paralyzed from the neck
Down. You're one of the lucky ones.
God bless.
The older we get , hopefully the wiser we get. Us older guys don’t heal as fast. Don’t stop riding but be smart!!
This wisdom make me wanna fart loudly in harmony.
Keep riding for sure just ride trails that are within your skill level. I am in my 40s and just love going out and enjoying trails that are for beginners and I am totally cool with that, Sure I would love to clear doubles and do more tech trails but my skill or experience is not there yet and I am totally cool with that, Another words do what is best for you and your family. I think you ride pretty well IMO.
Thank you! Switching out the bike and making other adjustments for sure.
scrub whipping and throwing cutties on flowy greens and blues is just as fun as sending it through a rock garden. there's always something to do if ya need to reset from the gnarly stuff, and it's just gonna make you a better ride. end of the day, do what makes you happy homie
Maybe don't go so hard so quickly...knowing your limits and skill set is everything when it comes to reducing adverse risk outcomes. Being over prepared is key. I've never seen you do any skill lessons or work with a coach to build a solid skill foundation... But don't give up mountain biking! It's too amazing of a sport! 😉
No need to quit, you love it. May just need to reassess the stuff you’re willing to ride at your age and with your current skill set. The risk
eward ratio may need to be adjusted some to keep you out there, smiling like you always are, and healthy. No shame in that at all, riders ride.
Yeah man, I’m pushing 49 later this year. Appreciate you man👊
I’m 74 years young and have been mtn biking for years. I’ve had numerous crashes (including impaling myself on my own brake lever) but I’ve NEVER once thought of quitting completely. Two years ago (age 72) I had a wipeout that seriously made me think about WTF I was doing. It made me suddenly realize that I’m no young guy anymore and that I needed to reevaluate why I continued to do the highly technical riding that I was doing. I was lucky that this wipeout only caused a concussion, extremely sore neck and lower back, contusions to my head (tree branches going through the openings in my helmet), and both arms requiring stitches, as well as other bruises and scrapes. Enough was enough. For the first time I thought beyond my own self-gratification. I needed to get smarter. I needed to slap myself upside my head and come to my senses. I did this. I continue to ride but now I ride mostly non-technical (green) trails only. I also walk my bike if I’m not sure (there is no shame in walking my bike I found out). I’ve also stopped riding with my much younger buddies that continue to encourage me to “follow them”. So my friend, thanks for your video - I completely understand where you are coming from and your dilemma. My advice: keep on keeping on. Ride smart. Ride safe. No more “dumb” stuff. Falling hurts and we don’t like hurts.
Guess it come down to “who” you are and where you are in life.
A young person (18-40) without family responsibilities and in good health can take bigger risks than a married man with a family.
A rider with family and major responsibilities have much more at stake then just his own health and his career. His child or children depends on him/her. Being out for 10-12 weeks have huge consequences. Financially, socially and mentally.
I no longer take unnecessary risks on my ride after breaking my hand.
It has changed my perspective. Its not worth it.
Still ride and have fun but no crazy routes.
Yup!!!! I also take in to account my health insurance deductible.
Dang, I don't ride stuff that gnarley and I have full body armor from sixsixone. I would highly recommend looking into more body protection. Keep on riding!
65 years old and I have just made adjustments as far as sections that are technical and I have hurt myself in the past I just walk through. It is disappointing but at this stage of life while riding there is always a risk vs. reward decision to make and whether it’s worth injury and keeping me from other activities to recover.
That's a fun trail but definitely can get you. I OTB at almost the same spot on my first time. It is part of the game but sucks when you crash hard. Luckily if you don't get physical hurt your ego is definitely bruised. Keep up the progression and great videos. 😃👍💯🇺🇸
Oof, same spot huh. Worse place to OTB for sure. Thanks 👊