Reading this while lying in bed injured. 10 stitches across the kneecap and so have to keep the leg straight for 10 days. Its very depressing. Iv been through the incident 100 times and im pretty sure it was unavoidable.

Don’t beat yourself over it, I did the same – the last thing I clearly remember before setting off was throwing my elbow pads into the van because it was hot, 60 mins later, elbow hanging out of my arms smashed to bits.

There’s a level of danger in all types of cycling, the only way to avoid risk is to stay at home and sod that, I reckon too much sofa will kill you fast than too much mountain bike.

Shit happens as they say and deaths and permanent, serious  life-changing injuries are incredibly rare thankfully.

I had a couple of fairly innocuous crashes about 9 years ago. No massive injuries etc, chipped tooth, cuts and bruises, they were 3 days apart. Totally wiped out my confidence on anything techy to the point of total fear on stuff I would not have even thought about before.

Took a good 2-3 years riding to get it back. I found riding with better riders helped.

Good luck mate. It will come back, but at our age, we dont bounce as much as we used to.

I had an over the bars off on the Beast in the Peaks back in April and I’ve not recovered my confidence fully. I chose to use the point of my elbow on which to land on a sharp edge of rock. I thought I’d broken my arm to start with as the shots of pain going down into my hand were agonising. I hadn’t broken it luckily, but I hit the point hard enough to split the skin through a couple of layers of clothing.

Ever since then, my reaction to finding myself in a bit of a squirrely situation, especially at speed, has changed from ‘loosen up and ride it out safely’ to ‘stiffen up and hit the brakes’. As you can imagine, this is not a good recipe for building up confidence again as it leads to more brown-trouser moments rather than less.

In a couple of weekend’s time I am going back to the Beast to see if I can slay the demons……..

I had a mate who is (I won’t say was) a great rider and went through something very simlar to you over 10 years back and now never rides anything which might have consquences. He still has the skill to ride any type of terrain well (with way above average style) but will rarely ever leave his comfort zone now. I see it as such a shame.

That’s less about mojo and more about attitude to risk though.

I almost drowned in a sailing race aged 10, I got the mainsheet looped around my neck, capsized and couldn’t hold my head up, the safety boat thought I was overacting until they tried to pull me out anc realised I was actually being dragged down by the mast! I was back in a bot 30min later, mojo and attitude to risk undented, but with the daft collar of my life jacket cut off so it couldn’t catch on ropes. I identified the problem, too actions that meant it wouldn’t happen again, and was happy with the residual levels of risk. Naivety probably played a part too, I was only 10 and probably got back in a boat before the safety crew bumped into my parents!

Riding bikes is a bit less predictable. It’s fine to say “I know what I did wrong and won’t do it again”, but that makes no allowances for either the unexpected (slippery root, loose stone, whatever) or mistakes (which just happen, either consciously you do the wrong thing or through lack of experience/skill). One minute you’re one of the best riders in the world riding your backyard trails, same as every day, the next……….

It’s fair to say your attitude to risk shouldn’t change after an accident, get back in the saddle etc.  Which is fine, and probably healthy after a normal crash where you get up, dust yourself off and accept that what just happened was within the envelope of risks you had accepted.

But not every crash is like that. Sometimes stuff happens that wasn’t part of the risk you accepted.  Breaking my arm riding home from work was a whole lot more mentally traumatic than doing it riding DH, the latter hurt but I was my usual self and resigned to a few months rest. The road crash pissed me off to the point of breaking down in tears despite not being any worse (if anything there was no actual pain). And sometimes the consequences of the risk you accepted turn out to be much worse, e.g. a nice floaty tabletop with mellow transitions that you only ever consider to be a risk of cuts and bruises in the unlikely event it went wrong, then one day your front wheel washes out, you hit a tree and die (happened to a guy at Swinley). It’s then human nature to try and find how he was different (was he ATGNI, a weekend warrior, a newbie, a super gnarr shredder pushing the limits of physics) anything you can latch onto to justify why he crashed and your next run poses no risk. That’s healthy in terms of keeping you from never leaving the house for fear of fatal car accidents or pianos falling on your head. But isn’t healthy if all risk assessment goes out the window in favour of constant ‘progression’ or you fail to accept the risks and consequences of an activity.

At the end of the day plenty of people get the same buzz turning up somewhere having ridden a 80 miles of tame-ish XC towing a weekends luggage to be given a plate of paella and a beer (cheers Muddy @rse) and adulation for doing something a bit stupid as others do from doing a big drop, being handed a beer and adulation for being a bit stupid. I’m happy doing either if the mood takes me, but I’ve reached the point where my left forearm is bent, I can no longer hold a barbell at the gym because my hand won’t rotate flat, I can’t do overhead presses as my right shoulder is torn, my lower back is weak due to a slightly prolapsed disk, my right thumb tendons are torn, and I’ve got knee issues. And that’s before we all reach middle age and repeated crashing leads results in CTE.

Crashing sucks, passing 30 sucks, cumulative injuries suck.

Hardliners will scoff at this but in the latest edition of Cyclist magazine, Frank Strack the self-appointed arbiter of road cycling style and etiquette claims that in the days before suspension, mountain bikers had to pick a line and exercise skill and judgement in a descent whereas today they can blast down any line on anything, confident that the bike will soak it up. Could this be the reason why cyclists are crashing at greater speeds and causing themselves injuries similar to those suffered by motorcyclists?

Could this be the reason why cyclists are crashing at greater speeds and causing themselves injuries similar to those suffered by motorcyclists?

It’s undoubtedly why we go faster for a given skill level. Partially because suspension is faster, partially because it lets you take lines you can’t without it.  I doubt you’d see 40ft+ gaps on DH tracks if thy were on rigid bikes, but it still takes skill to go fast though.

2oo3 of my broken arms were on rigid bikes, and going not much quicker than a brisk jog on the faster one, the other was sub walking pace!

Thanks everyone for the input, i had the stitches out today and am feeling far more up beat about riding, infact i can’t wait to get out on the trails again, will just have to see how i feel, this is certainly a lesson in not being too complacent.

in the days before suspension, mountain bikers had to pick a line and exercise skill and judgement in a descent whereas today they can blast down any line on anything, confident that the bike will soak it up. Could this be the reason why cyclists are crashing at greater speeds and causing themselves injuries similar to those suffered by motorcyclists?

Definitely an issue.  I got a newfangled long n slack full sus last year after five years of mainly fatbikes.  The suspension these days is so capable, stiff and well damped compared to my last full sus.

Couple that with stable geo and all of a sudden speeds are way higher on the same trails.  I do worry that a proper crash will be very hurty indeed.

7 years after nearly breaking my neck on a double I took blind, I feel the pain every day.

It’s given me a mental block that means it takes me quite some time to attack a significant obstacle.

Today went well. I did a few doubles and bigger jumps that had eluded me for a while. Shame I put a few dings in my leg on ‘invisible hazards later on the ride!!

My riding is, through the learning process that is A&E, much better nowadays at 45 than ever before. I analyse, practice, walk obstacles and really work up to things.

Looking at my leg, I’m lucky today 😬😂

My major back breaking off was a bit weird. Was on a drop and before the incident I had hang ups about drops, and after the incident I had hang ups about drops. For some odd reason, that day I decided to give it a go, and obviously it went comically wrong. As landing on my head resulted in no memory of it, I didn’t any more fear them than I did before. Just that day I seemed to have a brief confidence boost, despite lack of skills.

40-something now and I know my limits and inabilities, and that stuff hurts when I crash. Jumps and drops were never my thing anyway though I still give small ones a go, but my mojo really is about getting out there and riding trails and exploring. So injury didn’t stop me there.

Having had a few more offs and each time I’m off the bike for a bit, if anything I go stir crazy and desperate to ride again. It doesn’t really matter what riding though, just anything.

Mainly my mojo goes a bit when we lose trails. I try to fix that by expanding my roaming area and try new places, or different styles of riding.

A relatively innocuous off in 2012 exacerbated an existing issue (which came & went) to one of constant pain to varying degrees.  Chronic SI Joint Dysfunction can be a real bitch.

It was ‘strongly suggested’ that my riding days should be over as another incident would probably worsen the situation & there is no fix for the condition, especially once fully developed on both sides.

I still love to ride but the constant reminder I have tends to make me over think situations and often ‘bottle’ rather than just riding through.  For some time I used to just say it was a loss of mojo but it’s not that – more a case of risk analysis gone mental.

Not sure if it’s improving over time but I still try & get out as much as I can & ride the trails I’ve always used – just with a bit of caution.

It’s a yes for me, not a riding accident, i fell at work and broke my ankle quite badly.

i’m left with slightly reduced mobility in my ankle joint, and although I still have the desire to ride, I’m more wary than I used to be.

It won’t stop me riding, but I’m a little more careful than i used to be.

I think the point about suspension and more capable bikes is very true.  As bikes get more capable trails get more radical to make the level of thrill and risk of crashing the same – but the consequences of those crashes are now higher as speeds are higher.  Full face helmets and body armour contribute to this as well.  risk homoeostasis.  Feel safer – take more risks

When I first went to Glentress I am sure the trail obstacles were smaller than they are now as the trails have been developed further with bigger more difficult obstacles

For me at 57 I just ride within my comfort zone and things that could cause big crashes are avoided.  I’ll push it a bit harder at a trail centre as this does develop skills but out in the countryside?  Nope.  Crashing hurts, I don’t bounce very well these days and I don’t want to do it.

this is part of the reason I don’t wear a helmet when out in the wilds.  I want to feel vulnerable so I don’t take risks.  After all a plastic hat will not save you from a broken arm.  It does mean on occasion I will get off and walk an obstacle that would be ridable

I said it in another thread about something I can’t remember but, I too am of the belief that a lot of crashes and nasty offs are as a result of the bike being too good.

That’s not to say riders are inadequate or lacking in skill (although a lot at popular trail centres are imho), it’s just that the bikes give a sense of real undefeatable nowadays.

I’ve also been riding a lot of years (30+) and whilst I originally had a few crashes and offs that I bounced back from, the same crash now would be at much higher speed thanks to the bike.

Personally I went away from a full suss plus tyred bike as I thought it made me too dangerous riding it. Everything was easy and to get the slightly on the edge feeling that I love about mtb riding meant I was going too fast (for me) so put skinny wheels back on and the threshold between squeaky bum and crashing has been brough back down a bit.

Not sure if this entirely makes sense really but it works for me.

Mojo wise never had a problem, despite numerous injuries and body failures as I get older. Just get back on and ride with more thought for a while.

I’ve never lost my mojo as such after a crash. However I seem to have developed a habit of cracking (or just badly bruising) ribs the past few years when I come off. The fact that can then keep me off any sort of exercise for anything up to a month has meant I don’t do nearly as much mountain biking as I used to. That month off usually means missing lots of stuff I’ve really been looking forward to and have been planning towards. Am much more out on the road or cross bike than mountain bike. One of the crappier things about getting older I guess.

The thought of training for ages for something like the Fred, then missing it because of a silly crash, means I’m very much erring on the side of caution these days.

Two crashes in the last two years. One fairly massive stack results in lots of damage but nothing permanent, the minor one 13 weeks ago needed permanent metalwork and I still can’t ride. Have I lost my mojo though? Hell no, chomping at the bit to get out. Will I ride slightly more cautiously, of course. Well for the first 10 minutes anyway.

For perspective, my worst off ever (TM) was January, on the road bike. Double s bends at maybe 23 mph on the drops, really was not doing anything at all, front wheel went and I was on the deck sliding into a hedge.

Nothing broken but left a lot of skin flesh and confidence on that road, barely rode the bike for the rest of the year. Coming back now after a nice few days on holiday on the mtb and cross season so just take your time

Mojo for the road has gone.  Was mainly a roadie for the last 30 years, but two big accidents whilst riding to work within 2 months finished it.  Breaking ribs was sore, helmet saved me from a nasty headache, but 12 months after it, breaking 4 ribs and 2 vertebrae and nearly being parylised finished road for me. No matter what you do, where you ride, how careful, there is an idiot near by in a metal box that doesn’t look.  I broke my spine with the deceleration from just 13 mph to zero instantly.

I was off the bike for a good 5 months.  I hate going near the road now, and just ride a few hundred yards to the nearest canal or farm track.  I do mainly XC and trail centres and natural Peaks stuff.  Don’t fancy downhill, as I’d probably only do blue.  I am cautious now, as I don’t want a major injury, plus my MTB skills aren’t fab, I can climb well, but downhill I’m much slower than the lads who have lots of MTB experience. It’s getting better as I learn.

I’m still only doing a 5th of the miles I used to, and a fair amount is on Zwift in the winter.  I recon I get out a couple of times a week at best (Zwift or out and about) compared to every day in all weathers going to work, and then at weekend,

No more nobs in cars.

I’ve got 3 rather nice road bikes and two sets of spare wheels hung up.  I have two MTB’s as well. fortunately.

After general injuries, then I’ve always got back quickly, including when run over by drivers, except this time, the reality of a wheelchair and a nappy was a huge scare – it was close. Had I moved when I was lying in the road, or not done exactly what I was told for over 6 weeks whilst bed ridden in hospital, that would have been it.  All for just 13 mph.

I’d rather take the bigger risks of MTB, but balance that without being stupid, or going too fast for my skill.  I’ve come off but been fine.  But, on the road, you can’t really protect yourself from a driver who doesn’t look.

It took me ~3.3 years for me ride a drop bar bike again after my Xmas RTA 2013, I felt so head-vulnerable on a road bike for such a long time after. Managed to do a few rides on my old nice road bike, but the combination of a rather low front end and rim brakes pushed me to buy a hydraulic braked road bike to continue exploring north east of Southampton. So glad I did, discovering the South Downs after ~25 years living here were typically less than a hour’s ride to the top of the first cat4 summit these days, I need my regular fix of fresh air and traffic free roads!

I’m still a very cautious descender and corner taker compared to others I’ve ridden with over the last ~20 months, but nothing for me beats pushing my heart and legs to the max on those climbs.