Just reading the thread regarding swinley below, both sound nasty accidents, is riding as dangerous as you want to make it! I know that's sounds boring but sometimes should you perhaps ride the jump or go all out. Faster or slower? I do like to go full on at times but just lately seem to be getting closer to my edge. Speed and air are good but snapped bones are bad!!!

After Swinley yesterday I'd say its as bad as you want it to be. most of the injuries you see at Swinley are kids at the sandy cutting not wearing helmets then landing head first.

I was pushing my luck on some sections and tiredness played a part in at least one of my trips into the undergrowth, feeling very sore today as a result!

Its as dangerous as you make it – and deaths are very rare in any form of MTBing

I've seen one serious accident in decades of riding in the hills.

Do lots of downhill racing and jumping type riding and you have a fair chance of breaking something

not as dangerous as chainsaw juggling, more dangerous than fuzzy felt animals

Its always as risky as we want to make it.

On the way home yesterday my lad said he did not want me doing the jumps as "I dont want you to end up like those guys"

I explained that his old Dad does jump but never very high and only when wearing a helmet etc, but at the end of the day he needs to and does understand that a little risk in life in generally a good thing, when managed correctly.

fuzzy felt animals

yer but you gotto watch if you get glue and then felt all over your fingers… hairy/fuzzy palms is not a cool look 😉

Generally it's pretty safe as long as you are on the bike…

I've seen a broken neck in the Alps and a very badly concussed young lady in the Surrey hills but other than that it's all breaks, scapes and gravel rash.

It not that dangerous but it can be if you don't ride within your limits and skill level.

One thing that bugs me is the desire for some old timers to trip up newbies on stuff that they really shouldn't be on, seen a fair few people come a cropper like that.

As the OP answers, as dangerous as you make it.

I'm still surprised at some folk's lack of knowledge of their own limits.

less dangerous than sitting on your arse eating pies, drinking and smoking

It's everything from perfectly safe to very dangerous and only a matter of time before you get a serious injury. Depends on what and how you ride. Emphasis on airtime and gnar has increased immensely probably since Innerliethen and Spooky Wood opened here, and Whistler bike park over there, Alps riding down there etc. Never saw airtime as a goal in mtb so just haven't learned to jump, but finding if I visit a trail centre that's where the emphasis often lies, so might have to learn to jump or give up on trail centres.

more dangerous than fuzzy felt animals

That depends upon which animal you're trying to stick the fuzzy felt onto.

After a couple of pretty nasty crashes, both caused randomly (i.e. not sure what happened to can't "correct" whatever went wrong) and a tendency to slip and fly off the bike, I'm pretty cautious – hammer it up hills and on the flats but take it easy downhill. A broken limb or worse would be totally awful – run a business, got a little boy, etc so I avoid it. Leave being a big "mad" for surfing which tends not to snap limbs.

What midlifecrashes said.
Plus modern full sus bikes which, although allow you to ride at ease over stuff that you couldn't before, also mean that you tend to be going a lot faster when you finally get caught out.

i find the comments about the jumps being rubbish odd because i thought they were good, you could take them small or large.

I was at swinley on friday and got to the jump gulley literaly 5 seconds are some kid (i say kid but about 16-18) face planted the floor. His face was a bit bloody and he looked like he took a hard hit on the floor. I rode the jumps whilst my brother was talking to them and he said the guy had short term memory loss. I cant help but feel atleast the memory loss could have been avoided by the wearing of a helmet.

I seem to have had a few "big" crashes for riding xc like falling in holes and being sent over the front of the bike a few metres but never actually hurt myself in the few years ive done it. Cant help feeling one day ill get caught out 😕

I've noticed that one crash tends to lead to another, at least for me recently. I've had a few spills and now find myself braking when I should be keeping the speed up which has led to a load of sketchy moments. I suppose I have to accept that I'm 40 and won't bounce as well as I used to.

IMO some of the jumps at trail centres are making the sport a lot more dangerous.

The jumps that are built at many trail centres are far too small for the speed that the trail allows you to carry. 10 foot long tables where speed would determine a landing 25+ foot away.

Don't get me wrong I love riding trail centres but a little more thought needs to be applied in the design of many of the jumps.

Plus modern full sus bikes which, although allow you to ride at ease over stuff that you couldn't before

This, plus the increasing amount of people on bikes.

Long travel suspension(not only full sus)is to biking what the advent of the snowboard and large sidecut skis are to the mountains in winter. The learning curve is accellerated to the point that you get acces to terrain well beyond your experience and skill levels far too early.

Main reason I ask is I don't do a lot of trail centres but off up to Scotland mid august. I rode the monkey trail at Cannock recently and thought some of it would push the boundaries of novice riders who "think they can jump." I'm a returning mtb'er after 15 years out of the sport. Been back 10 months and feel I'm not near my old levels of gnar! That's probably just down to no fear back then!!

About doing the Monkey;

Done it a few times at my own pace and been fine – not done it wet yet – damp at worst.
However – I have seen two types of rider – fast and padded / armoured up.
or
Nothing in the way of protection – not even a helmet and also fast.
Its as safe as you want it to be I suppose – although I had a big spill by doing nothing stupid – it still bloody hurt –

I'm with Surf-Mat et al, in that I've had a few stacks that I "got away with" and a couple of others that really hurt (cracked ribs). I've never had the balls to try and be better/faster/gnarlier than several riders I know, so I go as near to the limit as I feel I can and that's (usually) it.

I'm certainly less 'core these days, and much prefer getting miles on the clock in a XC-stylee as opposed to nailing some of the stuff I used to.

I also sit high on the bike (6' 4") so some of the steep stuff can be right horrible.

The only time my bike gets both wheels off the ground is when I lift it over gates.
I get the odd bramble scratch now and then.

not as safe as climbing but safer than horseriding.
With climbing the perceived risks are greater than the actual risks whereas horseriding the opposite is true. I'd say that MTB is somewhere inbetween because you have more control than you have over a horse but you can't always eliminate the risks assoctiated with bike riding even on a man-made trail.

Problem is with lead climbing is that gear placement is a big issue… it can all go horribly wrong and very badly. If you fall off your bike your unlikely to die. Fall off a cliff and it's almost certainly curtains.

I'm not denying that the consequences are greater if you fluff up on a lead. I'm talking percieved risks Vs Actual risks. I tend to be more cautious climbing because I know that if I fall I could potentially die and as a result, I am more cautious and hence why injuries tend to be fewer than people (who aren't climbers) think their ought to be because its seen as more dangerous than riding a bike.

I have never hurt myself climbing (nearly 8 years): I have hurt myself mountain biking (18 months).

I've certainly only heard of one person ever killing themselves whilst mtbing.

In my immediate riding group, we've had two fractured skulls (one was coma/nearly dead), one broken back, a couple of legs, a good few broken wrists and collarbones, and countless stitches/concussions.

MTB is dangerous, but probably still only comparible to football/rugby/skiing/DIY.

I'd reckon on more people dying trailside of over-exersion/heart failure/heat exhaustion than due to traumatic injuries though.

Edit: I can't speel at all today, sorry.

I think there have been a few heart attacks and whatnot at 24hr races.

looking at the yearly reports from the Mountain Rescue, it would appear that Climbing and mountain biking are roughly equal in the statistics (only looked at 2005-2008 so far).

you are more likely to be injured in the car on the way to where you are going!

http://www.mountain.rescue.org.uk/publications/annual-statistics-reports

I would say football, rugby etc much more dangerous. Seen many more nasty injuries in footy than with any other sport i've played, including my own broken ankle!

Touch wood not had any major offs on the MTB, only a broken arm on a drop years ago. Don`t really know anyone who has had any big offs either, nothing other than bruises and dented egos.

I guess the thing about biking is generally if you come off your to blame so the level of risk is entirely up to you.

I know several people who have had lifechanging injuries from MTBing – from very nasty shoulder breaks to busted necks. Partly why I'm cautious!

I like that quote above. " If you come off you're to blame" . That all stems back to riding at the right speed and level!

I think I'll take up knitting soon.

Its only as Dangerous as you make it!
If you think or worry about falling off you will more than likely end up crashing, just relax and go with the flow and you will spend more time on your bike than on your ass

I think I'll take up knitting soon.

Watch those needles – veeery dangerous…

It hasn't killed me yet but not through lack of trying.