We had someone die on one of our trails yesterday

[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?

[zoom-zoom]

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?

I'd really like to do that, next year. I did one short clinic nearby a few months back, but really haven't been back on my bike, since then. My wrist is still quite weak, plus fairly stiff and often sore, so it makes me feel like it's limiting my control of the bike. I figure next Spring I'll hopefully be in a better place to give it another go.

[emily_in_nc]

When I first started mountain biking (in my mid-40s), I tried doing some more technical stuff (which was still very easy by experienced MTBer standards), but to me the roots, rocks, and twisty switchbacks were just too much. I fell enough that I ultimately decided "enough". I know I could have gotten better with practice and clinics, but I decided I much more enjoyed the less technical stuff than singletrack, unless it's very easy singletrack. So now I pretty much stick to unpaved rail-trails and very easy trails, and when something starts getting a bit sketchy, I don't hesitate to get off and walk a bit. I also enjoy riding my MTB for urban rides on crappy, cracked, potholed paved roads -- it's just more comfortable with the wider tires and suspension. We've been riding our MTBs a lot more than our roadies here in the Kansas City area (plus the Katy Trail and our recent trip to New Mexico).

I have had both a hardtail and two full-suspension MTBs and prefer the full-suspension. Much more comfy, but then again, I'm not doing anything technical.

[Crankin]

I'm another one who made the decision to stop mountain biking. I was in love with the idea of it, and of being in the woods. I had one year, where I attempted and did fair on some hard stuff, but mountain biking is something you have to practice a lot to do well, and I hated taking time away from my road bikes. I am not naturally a risk taker and since I was also in my early fifties when I started, I decided it wasn't worth it. We sold both of our mountain bikes about 5 years ago, after we rode them on dirt roads up in Maine. Even that was harder than I thought, although I would do it again. There's very little in the way of mountian bike trails here that aren't rooty or rocky and when I started, I still hadn't found a medication I could take for my osteoporosis. That is now being reversed, but I just couldn't risk falling, which I did some, but mostly, I didn't try anything too risky.
I am not that kind of scared at all on the road.

[Jolt]

When I first started mountain biking (in my mid-40s), I tried doing some more technical stuff (which was still very easy by experienced MTBer standards), but to me the roots, rocks, and twisty switchbacks were just too much. I fell enough that I ultimately decided "enough". I know I could have gotten better with practice and clinics, but I decided I much more enjoyed the less technical stuff than singletrack, unless it's very easy singletrack. So now I pretty much stick to unpaved rail-trails and very easy trails, and when something starts getting a bit sketchy, I don't hesitate to get off and walk a bit. I also enjoy riding my MTB for urban rides on crappy, cracked, potholed paved roads -- it's just more comfortable with the wider tires and suspension. We've been riding our MTBs a lot more than our roadies here in the Kansas City area (plus the Katy Trail and our recent trip to New Mexico).

I have had both a hardtail and two full-suspension MTBs and prefer the full-suspension. Much more comfy, but then again, I'm not doing anything technical.

I feel pretty much the same way...this summer I took a mountain biking lesson, to try it out (it was free, with a Meetup group that I am part of), and it was too scary to be fun. The trails weren't even that hard, by MTB standards, but the tight turns and steep downhill sections were nerve racking, particularly in a group and with somebody yelling instructions while one is trying to concentrate. When I almost did an endo going down a short steep section, I decided it was not my cup of tea! Rail trails, fire roads and the like are fun to ride; singletrack is best appreciated on foot as far as I am concerned.

[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!

[zoom-zoom]

Ahhh...drivers are generally pretty courteous around these parts. I think in large part because cycling is really popular and growing at a crazy rate in West MI. I do tend to avoid more congested/busy roads, though. We have so many nice, quiet ones that it's not hard to do so.

Yeah, I don't know whether arthritis will end up an issue -- my ortho and PT mentioned the possibility. My ankle generally feels pretty good. Where I do have arthritis is my tailbone after busting it a few times as a kid. My knees used to be semi-arthritic during certain weather conditions, but have been much happier since I started running >7 years ago (use it or lose it).

[SheFly]

So sorry to read about the MTBer. That is truly sad. That said, we don't very often hear of MTB deaths, as thekarens mentioned.

I ride in the woods A LOT. I have fear. I ride technical and non-technical terrain. I ride with groups, I ride with DH and I ride alone. I have never had a serious MTB injury (my most serious cycling injury happened in a CX race, which, amazingly, everyone thinks is safer). Don't let this news deter you - if you love being in the woods - go out and enjoy being in the woods. Want to get better? Find someone locally who can show you how to ride (NOT your SO!). Find a clinic that will teach you skills. Ride WITHIN your comfort zone! There are still LOTS of things I won't ride. Just last weekend, racing as a Cat 1 at MTB Nationals, I walked a good portion of the descent because it scared me.

My point? If you don't love it, I get it. If you do, keep doing it. Do what you love - you could get run over by a mail truck going out your front door...

SheFly

[Wahine]

So sorry to read about the MTBer. That is truly sad. That said, we don't very often hear of MTB deaths, as thekarens mentioned.

I ride in the woods A LOT. I have fear. I ride technical and non-technical terrain. I ride with groups, I ride with DH and I ride alone. I have never had a serious MTB injury (my most serious cycling injury happened in a CX race, which, amazingly, everyone thinks is safer). Don't let this news deter you - if you love being in the woods - go out and enjoy being in the woods. Want to get better? Find someone locally who can show you how to ride (NOT your SO!). Find a clinic that will teach you skills. Ride WITHIN your comfort zone! There are still LOTS of things I won't ride. Just last weekend, racing as a Cat 1 at MTB Nationals, I walked a good portion of the descent because it scared me.

My point? If you don't love it, I get it. If you do, keep doing it. Do what you love - you could get run over by a mail truck going out your front door...

SheFly

Exactly. And let's be realistic, how many deaths do you hear about from mtn biking at an intermediate level do you hear about? Not many. But how many deaths or severe brain injuries occur when roadies get hit by cars? When you're out mtn biking, it's OK to get off and walk stuff. I do it all the time. I get off and walk stuff that I would normally ride on days when I just feel a little off of my A game. But don't let your ego rule your decision making. That's when bad things happen. I'd much rather take my chances with the dirt and the trees where I am in control of what happens to me by making smart choices than rolling the dice with cars on roads.

Just my 2 cents.