Biking injuries. At what point do you say enough is enough.

I just ride a bit slower and on mellower trails.

They who have most fun, win.

Your 3 mates - did these crashes involve other vehicles? Mechanical failure? Skill issue?

For MTB I accept that there's an "environmental" risk and hope to ride within my abilities. I am aware of the possibility of injury though and have dialled things back as (a) age makes recovery longer and (b) age means a reducing number of years I'll be able to do such things and I don't want to waste any.

Nope...I'm old enough to be aware injuries take a lot longer to heal, but I'm also daft enough to not consider this so I'll keep doing what I enjoy.

Not quit, just re-evaluated the risk/reward, which basically pushes most of the enduro stuff away now, i've had the shoulder dislocation, collarbone breaks, holes where there shouldn't be, concussion, broken ribs, etc, but it was last year and the slipped disc in my neck that kind of made me rethink, about 3 months of having limited feeling in my left arm and the pain of a slipped disc and it's kind of made feel less willing to risk anything that can lead me to land on my head again!

Still enjoy going out and doing XC and wheels on ground stuff, little jumps and so on, just not the drops, jumps or trails that can make that spine injury come back again.

much as others have said, I find myself at age 57 and doing much more gravel than MTB riding now.  I used to love a trail centre black route day, now, if on MTB it's natural more mellow xc big scenery stuff.  I have also slowed down a lot on road descents - 50mph used to be exhilarating, now it's scary, 35 mph will do me fine !

If you start to make mistakes because your confidence isn’t what it once was then I’d say it might be time to either slow down a bit or look for another hobby.
However…..I’m still recovering from a crash and couldn’t even think about not keeping on mountain biking, so feel free to disregard any of my advice😀.

No, but as a doctor I’m careful to ride within my limits, and gradually expand them by having lessons and effective practice.

I also try not to ignore injuries and end my day if I bang my head.

I always wear knee and elbow pads. More body armour if I’m in the bike park.

It’s shocking how many people on YouTube aren’t wearing body armour at all, or minimal at best.

I do worry that the “just send it, bro” crowd aren’t aware of the risks that they’re taking. Drones and action cams have made it far easier to get spectacular shots of massive jumps and drops, without needing to do the risk assessment of a professional production.

Similarly people trying to do inverts. I saw a video yesterday of someone trying to teach a six year old to do an invert on an airbag. Crazy.

And all that’s before we even get into the “get stoned and ride a mountain bike” culture.

This’ll be a contentious opinion, but I don’t think kids should be racing downhill or enduro until they’re sixteen plus, possibly older. I suspect that just like we’re seeing currently with the cumulative effects of multiple minor head injuries in rugby, we’ll see the same in kids who’ve been racing downhill.

I just take fewer risks these days - not because I'm worried about anything life-changing, just cos the smaller knocks and injuries hurt more and take longer to recover from. That's off-road. I'm still a bit stupid on the road (commuting) and definitely need to reign it in a bit.

Your 3 mates – did these crashes involve other vehicles? Mechanical failure? Skill issue

2 of them were direct result of pot holes

my crash was a lapse in concentration. I was literally bimbling along, caught my handlebar, and was catapulted over the bars down a ravine. That’s the bit that has has put me off a bit, I wasn’t riding fast, or doing anything remotely technical.

I've stopped the really stupid stuff since having kids but having been nearly killed by a motorcyclist during the first lockdown when I was walking over a zebra crossing, I had a realisation that it's not worth completely dialling back your fun because you could lead a joyless existence and get wiped out anyway.

I've always gone for slow progression, ride just outside your comfort zone then the next time it's within your comfort zone and you're more prepared.

I have been on and off the bike for the past 13 years when I'm on it I cane it when I'm not I don't ride for long periods. In that time I've had maybe 4 crashes, few grazes and cuts but nothing broken as I was riding stuff that was just outside of what I consider outside my comfort zone. If you progress fast it usually means lots of crashing so it depends I guess really on what you want out of your riding.

Bones mend press send.

In seriousness, I think mountain biking is a relatively low risk sport all things considered, in 10 years of riding mostly sketchy off-piste in the welsh valleys I've been to A&E twice (broken ribs & a pedal-induced laceration). I don't think that's entirely different to any other relatively physical sport (football, rugby etc). Out of a bunch of around 10 mates I think the probability of a broken bone is around 1 a year.

I think there's a strong element of risk management though, decent protective gear and knowing when to maybe give something a miss (e.g. riding alone). For example I feel safer riding champery in a full face, pads and neck brace than a red trail centre in just an open face helmet.

I also strongly think that there's a correlation that most of the 'nasty' injuries occur on relatively tame trails. Launchpad in FoD or Sixtapod at bike park both get a bunch of nasty crashes every year due to the speed and sense of confidence, whereas slower speed techy stuff is also safer in a way in that you crash more often, but at slower speeds.

 I was literally bimbling along, caught my handlebar

But that sort of accident can happen anywhere at any time, and at any speed.

Sorry to hear that tp - hope you get better soon.

Crashing off-road is not something I can take in my stride so I just ride steady - it means giving up on progressing a certain type of riding but so be it. I am very relaxed about not being able to ride some hard trail feature, but back in the day would feel like it was a failure that needed to be addressed.

Ironically we are all far better MTB riders now than when we were younger because our bikes no longer suck. I can probably ride more things, more safely, than when I was less risk-averse.

On road it's a different calculus because it's out of your hands more often than not. The hazards are obvious but my commute feels low-risk. If that changed for whatever reason then for sure you have to think carefully about it.

Some things that have helped me reduce my propensity to crash:

- Getting lessons - and then concentrating on the basics like position on the bike, foot position etc.

- Getting a bike with the correct effective reach for me. Yes, smaller bikes are more fun and manoeuvrable, but they will try and kill you when you’re not on it.

- Recognising and calling it when I start to feel tired. I quite often let my riding buddy go round for one more lap whilst I sit in the cafe.

- Dialling it back a notch when I’m getting carried away. As soon as I start to think that I’m nailing something, I deliberately slow down a bit, because from experience, that means I’m about to have a crash.

I've definitely slowed down over the years and take far fewer risks. As above, injuries are more easily acquired and recovery takes longer. Certainly wouldn't stop altogether though. Lost a fried a few weeks ago to a heart attack, 4 years younger than me and an awful lot fitter and healthier. Things like that remind you that life is too short.

I also strongly think that there’s a correlation that most of the ‘nasty’ injuries occur on relatively tame trails. Launchpad in FoD or Sixtapod at bike park both get a bunch of nasty crashes every year due to the speed and sense of confidence, whereas slower speed techy stuff is also safer in a way in that you crash more often, but at slower speeds.

I went through a period of “rescuing” people off the mountain at Antur Stiniog because I’m a doctor. Talking to the first aider there, he said it was more often than not the blue or green route, open faced helmet riders, getting over excited on their second run down.

Definitely need to warm up, and ignore any Willy waving.

You don't have to ride so hard and aggressively that you pick up serious injuries on a regular basis.

I had a few worse crashes when I was a bit younger, now I still topple off on occasion but it's mostly a failure to unclip quickly enough that turns a rapid unplanned dismount into an actual fall.

Skinned both my elbows playing chess this weekend (rough wooden tables, I obviously lean hard on them when concentrating!). It's a dangerous world out there.

Out of a bunch of around 10 mates I think the probability of a broken bone is around 1 a year.

I take it that's between you rather than each?

Probably similar with the guys I ride with, bit more maybe, and not counting bashes that might mean missing a ride or two. And I was thinking I'd not broken anything but was forgetting my thumb, which meant forearm in a cast for six weeks, and v probable ribs. My speciality though is infected cuts/grazes which happen maybe once a year. Not good, I'm somehow 60 (ffs) andI do wonder if it's worth it. Luckily the power of denial and overoptimism mean I'm unlikely to weigh this objectively.

(Most fate tempting post ever)

Maybe the bimbling was the issue. Familiarity breeds contempt and all that!

Don't most road traffic crashes happen when people are near home on familiar roads and lose concentration?

I sometimes question my participation in road cycling - pretty much every road crash is horrible, and half the time its not the riders fault. But on the other hand I've ridden probably 40'000 miles on the road with only one major incident (guy in front of me in a chain gang went down at 25mph).

To mitigate risk, I now avoid flat out chaingang rides with less experienced riders.

With MTB I now ride a less capable bike than I used to, which encourages less rowdyness. MTB feels less risky to me, as you are mostly in control of your own destiny.

But that sort of accident can happen anywhere at any time, and at any speed

exactly..if I was trying something outside my comfort zone I’d just dial it back a bit. But I’m not sure you can mitigate 100% against losing concentration for a moment.

one moment I was gently riding along a flat section of trail, the next I was over the handlebars plummeting 7 meters down a cliff and ended up being carried off the hill by mountain rescue.

Nearly ten years on from spontaneously deciding I needed to lose some weight by having four teeth knocked out, knocking myself out and semi-mangling my right hand on my old Tricross Singlecross, I'm still very selective where I'll tuck in and not feather the brakes.

South Downs lanes are great for typically having barely any motor traffic, but there's always other hazards to look out for such as an increasing number of potholes; gravel from field run-off following a storm; branches down from wind; bonkers suicidal pheasants dashing across the road in front of you etc.

I've found that most of my injuries can be traced back to the fact I sit behind a desk 8 hours a day and the reduced mobility that comes from that.

Apart from mobility work I've also worked on building some overall muscle in the last couple of years.  Last time I went to the doctor for an injury he recommended I built some more muscle as it would protect the bones and joints better.  So far I would say that's the best advice I've had.  Not only am I harder to injure but I've found I can maintain position and control of the bike even when I 'm blowing out my arse.

It’s shocking how many people on YouTube aren’t wearing body armour at all, or minimal at best.

I tend to decide whether to wear body armour or not based on how warm it is.

Could be I'm especially sensitive to temperature, but I find once it gets much above 20 degrees I feel like I overheat far too much to the point my chances of crashing increase dramatically.

My thinking always tends toward it being better to reduce your chances of crashing rather than increase the likelihood in order to reduce the severity of the crash.

I tend to decide whether to wear body armour or not based on how warm it is.

I used to risk assess like that. Then I crashed on the Beast at Coed Y Brenin and grazed my elbows badly because I’d decided that I didn’t need my elbow pads. Now I always wear knee and elbow pads and don’t notice them. Upgraded body armour (heavier pads and trunk protection) if I’m doing bike park uplift and wearing a full face.

I was literally bimbling along, caught my handlebar

@iainc was witness to me doing quite similar. We'd just done the Lairig Ghru descent and were on the easy track to Rothiemurchus when my bike "flipped" and I ripped a hole in my elbow. I've still no idea what happened. That's a great example of how even the simplest thing can cause a fall. Luckily, it was a wide, gravelly track at an easy pace and no boulders or tree trunks were involved.

I'm not sure quite how you dial out those stupid errors but at least you're unlikely to do "serious" damage in that scenario.

I fell while running on Saturday - foot caught a tree route and I went down hard on my hip - so there's scope for injury off the bike too 😂

I find once it gets much above 20 degrees I feel like I overheat far too much to the point my chances of crashing increase dramatically.

Of course. Heat increases fatigue. Fatigue increases the chances of an error. I hate to bang on, but it's another reason for staying as fit as possible.

2 of them were direct result of pot holes

So was this down to lack of observation, or perhaps group riding where riders are always unsighted?

Yesterday I had descended Hope Brink and came down the lane to Aston. I picked up too much speed, attempted to brake, but the front wheel locked on the wet Road. I went down hard like it was ice and slid for about 10 metres - I am now sporting a big dose of road rash.

Feeling sore and embarrassed by wiping out as I did - I will be very careful with wet Road descending in future

Having received a few broken bones from drivers, last was badly broken spine, I'm cautious where I ride. Took me 6 years to get back to cycle commuting, but it's mostly off road or on good cycle lanes - this has boosted my fitness. Road rides tend to be mainly when we are down at the caravan, or off peak at home - i.e. mid day.  At home, I've just got a CX bike so that saves the FS for proper MTB. My commuter is an old MTB.

I've slowed down a lot on descents - just too risky, especially where built up - you don't know who might pull out on you. I take my time on off road descent's as my skills aren't great, so let the bike sort it out.

Quite a few of us have been injured. One hasn't stopped riding like a loon - always has, and continues to do so - it's the way he is wired. One has said he'll be taking it easy on our two day adventure shortly, as he smashed himself up last year on a MTb ride - last descent before we got back to the car - four bust ribs and a punctured lung.

For me it's time off work - someone always comments. I was out of the office for a week last year (still working, but from home rather than home/office) as I twisted my knee whilst sleeping - someone then put 2 and 2 together and mate 20 and said I'd fallen off my bike again to about 15 senior managers. I was rather unhappy about that. Literally woke up and couldn't bend my knee !

I used to risk assess like that. Then I crashed on the Beast at Coed Y Brenin and grazed my elbows badly because I’d decided that I didn’t need my elbow pads. Now I always wear knee and elbow pads and don’t notice them. Upgraded body armour (heavier pads and trunk protection) if I’m doing bike park uplift and wearing a full face.

Yeah, but there's little point in wearing body armour if it's going to make you more likely to crash.

Even when I was riding regularly in Åre in Sweden I would only wear armour if the temperature was below 25 degrees at the bottom of the hill.  Any higher than that and I found the heat and discomfort was affecting my concentration and I would crash more often.

Bumbling along, not really concentrating. That’s the problem. If you were riding something more difficult or faster then you’d have been paying more attention. I know lots of people who hurt themselves just cruising on something easy/familiar and every time it was because they were not paying attention on something familiar that they were super comfortable with and they’re not prepared for when they do crash.

The amount of pro racers that have said they’re more likely to crash if they’re just going a a steady pace is pretty high (usually it’s in response to a question about how dangerous they feel race pace is).

It’s the same for other sports. Complacency is the danger, not biking.

In my early 50's and definitely slowing down on stuff I'm not confident with - a bad crash on the MTB a few years ago knocked my confidence a bit too and it's still always in the back of my mind.

On tracks I'm familiar with though, I still tend to go for it, which will probably be my downfall. Bagged a few KOM's lately, which ironically was what I was attempting to do when I crashed, so lesson not fully learnt.

FF helmet, or Fox Dropframe on all but the most sedate rides now though

You have to do what you want and what you feel comfortable with, I don't push myself very often these days but I wouldn't like to think of giving up because of injuries. I'll give up when I'm not enjoying it anymore.

I guess, when it comes to mountain biking but maybe even road biking as well, part of the problem is that most of us are already riding the trails in the safest way possible?

By that I mean, as you go faster you generally become more stable.  So long as you can still brake and turn in control then going slower isn't really going to make things safer as now you'll just be thrown off balance by bumps you barely noticed before.

Saying that, if you do crash it'll probably be less severe but it comes back to the question of, is it better to reduce your chances of crashing or reduce the severity of the crash even if it increases the likelihood.

I guess the only way to make yourself ride more safely is to 'overbike' yourself.  Get a more stable bike with more suspension and bigger brakes.  That way you keep doing the same speed but with more control than before.

Sounds like some bad luck on your crash - I too have had a couple of 'how the heck...?' crashes. On and off-road.

The potholes - were they riding in a group? Or just not noticing? Mrs_OAB and I were 'beeped' on Saturday just avoiding the potholes on a local road here - some of them would unseat you if you didn't take note. Bimbling, in a group or on your own, is when you can 'switch off'.
The last factor with potholes it seems chatting to mates - a skinny 25mm tyre on a 'race geometry' (read: twitchy) bike will unsettle far easier than my 36mm, relaxed geometry bike...

I had a big crash a few years ago which made me re-evaluate my offroad riding. Instead of just trying to go faster, I worked on bike placement – getting wheels, body position, weight all in the right place and not worry about the speed. It took a couple of years but now at 90% effort I’m faster than I was before when I was trying to go 100%.

I’m 51 now and doing bigger features than I’ve ever done, including pretty big gap jumps. Key for me has always been practicing features over and over again then only doing new stuff when I’m really confident it is well within my comfort zone. If there is stuff I know I can do but feel there is a real element of risk, even if not that likely, I just don’t do it, I have a number of things on that list and I also make sure I don’t beat myself up about it 🙂

Most of the serious injuries in friends seem to come from stupidly low risk stuff. A few weeks ago, a friend bimbling along a flat bridleway, moved to the edge to give someone more room, lost the front wheel in mud = hip shattered and reconstructive surgery.

I’m 50 and also still making progress.

Definitely reigned it in having now turned 60 and starting to wonder if my current full-sus might last me out in the muscle-bike department.

i recall the one that @scotroutes mentions earlier, totally innocuous piece of wide gravel trail, a few moments after completing some fairly fast techy singletrack. one of those random things I guess..

<p style="text-align: center;">Being diagnosed with Osteoporosis in 2009 and told I had crushed vertebrae in my spine and should never ride off road again puts a different light on things .The next year I did a season in Whistler 🤔since then I've ridden in Spain, Slovenia , back to BC , Tahoe Moab Sedona , COVID got in the way but in August I'm off to Norway 👍I'm a bit of a bimbler and I ride accordingly most of the time . I know any broken bones for me would take much longer to heal of at all , I've been on medication ever since and my bone density has improved massively.</p>

Ive reigned things in abit since turning 50

More local riding rather than proper hills.

This years holiday without the wife is fishing in france rather than mountain biking in the alps.

As with others, I can't help but calculate the penalty for failure.  When It's too high, I slow down, ride around or just stop.

I realised perhaps 15 years ago that if I kept up riding the way I was doing I was prob guaranteed a very serious injury

I had a similar realisation with climbing (I was a pretty strong boulderer from age 8yo or so, but my fingers were giving up on me before I hit 21yo)

So, I stuck to hardtails, moved towards longer rides. Then rode fully rigid for many years, largely single speed. Now I'm still single speed, but have some Reba's to save the hands that bouldering already knackered. Don't think I've ever broken a bone on my bike, and haven't had a bad crash for ages. Still have a lot of fun and still go way too fast sometimes. But I know myself pretty well, and if I had a modern enduro bike I'd ride like a total lunatic and it'd only be a matter of time before something happened

I would sack off road riding if it wasn't for our shi**y winters, as that feels the least safe thing I do

As for climbing, instead of bouldering, I stuck to easy mountaineering and long distance offroad running. That's ended up giving me more injuries than anything else and nowadays even a few miles walking down the canal can flair up my ankles (I'm not 40 yet, so nowhere near old enough to put something like that down to old age)

50's and I'm the best I've ever been on an MTB, faster, gnarlier features, bigger jumps. Progress has been epic this year.
I did say would stop at 50, then that passed so I decided when I broke more bones, then that happened and I'm still riding.
If I woke up morning with the urge to ride a road or gravel bike, I would consider that life over.