We had someone die on one of our trails yesterday

[thekarens]

Let me preface this by saying Houston isn't known for it's mountain biking. We have a handful of trails and they are all considered beginner to intermediate. There's nothing super gnarly, no downhill. In fact, to up the difficulty most people (not me) just go faster.

Up until this point when I think of biking injuries I think of my MTB community and when I think of biking deaths I'm always thinking about my roadie community. This is the first time I've heard of someone locally dieing while MTBing. He was wearing his helmet and he was on one of our intermediate trails and from what I've heard he went off one of the bridges. They Life Flighted him out, but he died en route. I didn't know him, but I still ache for his family.

It really makes you think.....go out, enjoy your ride, but be safe!

[Catrin]

Very sad to read this, thinking of his family. Be safe!

[indysteel]

Wow; I'm really sorry to hear that. This is why I get pretty anxious each time we mountain bike.

[zoom-zoom]

I really WANT to love mountain biking, but after breaking my wrist in 2 places last Nov. on my longest ever ride (only 18 miles, but on some fairly challenging, twisty terrain)...and having 2 friends who also busted their wrists <6 months before my injury (one for the 2nd time) I'm not sure how much of a future I have in the sport. I'm 40, which is totally not old, but maybe it's too old to teach THIS dog new tricks. I have friends who have hopped on mountain bikes and taken to it like it was the most natural thing ever. But I never felt confident. The most confident I ever felt was the day I busted myself. Now I'm totally gunshy with a beautiful bike that has only 102 trail miles (I put a few hundred on a low-rent 26er bike. We felt like I was ready to upgrade to a better quality 29er and it was awesome to not work so hard to keep up with others or die on minor hills). Contributing to my apprehension is the fact that my right wrist still doesn't have full function, so I'd not be able to have the best control over my bike that I would with a non-bum wrist.

I suspect that I am really too short to be comfortably piloting a 29er (I'm just under 5'4"), too, but there were almost no 650b options when we bought my Salsa El Mariachi. Even now, the shop we frequent has only ONE 650b option that would fit me and it's easily a grand more than what we would willingly spend (not sure why Jamis makes the $2900 Dragon in a tiny size, but not the $1900 Nemesis).

I'm registered for a 30ish mile mountain bike race in Nov., but I suspect I will be transferring my registration to someone else. Maybe I'll feel better about getting back to it in 2014, but I'm not holding my breath. In the next couple of years my 12 year old son will likely fit my bike well, so maybe I'll pass it off to him...or sell it and upgrade my CX bike!

[TigerMom]

Poor Zoom Zoom. Maybe you are just racing too hard/too fast on your MTB rides?

Sad to hear about the Mountain Biker falling off of a bridge.

In my cycling club (I wasn't there that morning), we recently had a road biker fall off of the road and down a cliff. His bike hung in a tree and he had huge gashes on his face. But, surprisingly, he survived.

[Catrin]

Zoom Zoom, I hear you! As much as I loved mountain biking, and as hard as it was for me to decide to quit, the decision brought a measure of relief. While it looks like my mountain bike crashes left some permanent physical consequences (neck) for me, I am very lucky compared to some I know of. CNS damage can be far worse than what I experienced. It is a great sport - but certainly on the edge! My problem last year was that I kept second guessing myself which didn't help the soft tissue damage that I am currently dealing with - I KNEW I should have stopped before I did but darn it, when it worked for me it was so much fun! In retrospect, it was a bit much to take on at 51-52 years old but I HAD to try it

[indysteel]

Zoom, have you taken a skills clinic? If you haven't, I strongly recommend that you do. I really want to do the Women's clinic next year. Care to join me?

[tealtreak]

I really WANT to love mountain biking, but after breaking my wrist in 2 places last Nov. on my longest ever ride (only 18 miles, but on some fairly challenging, twisty terrain)...and having 2 friends who also busted their wrists <6 months before my injury (one for the 2nd time) I'm not sure how much of a future I have in the sport. I'm 40, which is totally not old, but maybe it's too old to teach THIS dog new tricks. I have friends who have hopped on mountain bikes and taken to it like it was the most natural thing ever. But I never felt confident. The most confident I ever felt was the day I busted myself. Now I'm totally gunshy with a beautiful bike that has only 102 trail miles (I put a few hundred on a low-rent 26er bike. We felt like I was ready to upgrade to a better quality 29er and it was awesome to not work so hard to keep up with others or die on minor hills). Contributing to my apprehension is the fact that my right wrist still doesn't have full function, so I'd not be able to have the best control over my bike that I would with a non-bum wrist.

I suspect that I am really too short to be comfortably piloting a 29er (I'm just under 5'4"), too, but there were almost no 650b options when we bought my Salsa El Mariachi. Even now, the shop we frequent has only ONE 650b option that would fit me and it's easily a grand more than what we would willingly spend (not sure why Jamis makes the $2900 Dragon in a tiny size, but not the $1900 Nemesis).

I'm registered for a 30ish mile mountain bike race in Nov., but I suspect I will be transferring my registration to someone else. Maybe I'll feel better about getting back to it in 2014, but I'm not holding my breath. In the next couple of years my 12 year old son will likely fit my bike well, so maybe I'll pass it off to him...or sell it and upgrade my CX bike!

Zoomzoom- you may have answered/ heard this before....but have you done any physical therapy for your wrist? Mine is arthritic but I have regained most strength and range of motion with PT (though my break was kayaking not biking....pain is the same!)

[zoom-zoom]

Zoomzoom- you may have answered/ heard this before....but have you done any physical therapy for your wrist? Mine is arthritic but I have regained most strength and range of motion with PT (though my break was kayaking not biking....pain is the same!)

I have -- and it really made a huge difference in the early months of healing. I know from my experience with a grade 2 ankle sprain 3 years ago that I can expect at least a full year to 2 years before it will likely feel anywhere near pre-injury condition. It's only in the past year that I've contemplated a return to trail running after that injury. Soft tissue/ligament damage stinks!

How long since your injury? How bad is your arthritis? I'm good on the road bike on the hoods or drops, but rotating my hand 90º medial is still uncomfortable...ie the tops on a road bike or mtn. bike handlebars. It's only in the past month that my SRAM road/CX shifters weren't really requiring major effort to operate. I'm about back to shifting without giving it much thought.

[tealtreak]

I have -- and it really made a huge difference in the early months of healing. I know from my experience with a grade 2 ankle sprain 3 years ago that I can expect at least a full year to 2 years before it will likely feel anywhere near pre-injury condition. It's only in the past year that I've contemplated a return to trail running after that injury. Soft tissue/ligament damage stinks!

How long since your injury? How bad is your arthritis? I'm good on the road bike on the hoods or drops, but rotating my hand 90º medial is still uncomfortable...ie the tops on a road bike or mtn. bike handlebars. It's only in the past month that my SRAM road/CX shifters weren't really requiring major effort to operate. I'm about back to shifting without giving it much thought.

My wrist and finger demolition incident was August 2008, so yes....now that you have refreshed my memory...it did take a while to heal....I mentioned the PT because even now I do the wrist strength exercises when I am at the gym and feel it helps..Please don't assume you will have arthritis, mine may be from years of martial arts and other craziness rather than a specific injury (:

As far as biking goes my experience is not super relevant because I didn't start mountain biking until 2010. Interestingly (and in contrast to many comments above) I feel way safer mt biking than on the road. Maybe the drivers here in VA are particularly awful toward cyclists but on the trails its just me, the rocks and the trees (: Any wreck I have had was my fault, not some lunatic going 60 around a narrow curve pulling a horse trailer!

[thekarens]

I love MTBing, and I used to think I wanted to start trying harder trails, but I've since decided I'm happy at the level I'm at and I'll stick to those types of trails that I'm ok at and just enjoy the ride.

[tealtreak]

so sorry to hear about this....): thinking about his family and your entire biking community...

[thekarens]

Amen SheFly! :-)

[indysteel]

Thanks for the pep-talk, SheFly. I needed to hear that. This thread has reinforced for me that I should go to another clinic or otherwise get some more instruction. I feel like I'm doing relatively well as a new-ish rider, but I'm letting some anxiety get the better of me. Having some additional instruction will hopefully reinforce what I think I'm already doing pretty well, and help me correct some of the things that I'm not. Because I really do love riding in the woods.

[SheFly]

Thanks for the pep-talk, SheFly. I needed to hear that. This thread has reinforced for me that I should go to another clinic or otherwise get some more instruction. I feel like I'm doing relatively well as a new-ish rider, but I'm letting some anxiety get the better of me. Having some additional instruction will hopefully reinforce what I think I'm already doing pretty well, and help me correct some of the things that I'm not. Because I really do love riding in the woods.

You're welcome Trust me - I get anxious too, so I GET IT. But I still love it, and I still go out and push myself to do even better every time I ride. My anxiety about all of the rocks at Nationals actually helped me to ride some rocky sections of a race course BETTER yesterday than I might have previously. I still dabbed in places where I was nervous, but I had a terrific race, and LOVED being out there. That's what it is about.

Indy - do you have an MTB group local to you? Are there any women local who ride A LOT and would be willing to take yo out with them for a ride? I do that often here - I love to teach and share my passion for riding in the woods with others. I've also been on the receiving end of some great tips from other women. It's a great way to get out there!

SheFly