# When is it time to call it quits?



## King of Pentacles (10 mo ago)

I’m 51 years old and currently recovering from a bad crash almost 3 weeks ago. I cracked 6 ribs and have been a wreck ever since. My wife was not happy about it, as it’s put a lot of the kid and house duties on her.

I got back into MTB late last year after a 30 year hiatus. I’m one of those guys that rides faster and harder than my age and skill level allow for. As a result, this was my 3rd crash in 9 months, and the second in 2 months. The last one I think I cracked my shoulder, but never went in for X-rays.

Im seriously thinking of selling my bike and giving up riding. I love it so much, but the pain and inconvenience I’ve had from crashes is making me think that it’s not really worth it.

Has anyone else been in this situation? What did you decide?


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

King of Pentacles said:


> I’m one of those guys that rides faster and harder than my age and skill level allow for.


Accepting an owning your limitations would be the smart way of handling this. Specifically taking instruction and practicing on the aspects where you need work would be a good next step.

Most of that is going to be mental, though.


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## 834905 (Mar 8, 2018)

Maybe pick up another form of mountain biking that is a little less prone to destroying your body. Like bikepacking?


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

as fun as it is to push our limits, you need to make yourself constantly aware of yours because the stakes are higher. in all my years of riding bikes from BMX in my teens and 20s to mountain biking now into my 40s, I've never injured myself so badly that I can't do normal tasks for more than a day. I just don't do risky things that would cause that. embrace your limits so you can ride long-term.


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## Rod (Oct 17, 2007)

You know you're riding outside of your comfort and skill level so dial the speeds back a little. Gain some confidence, learn how to tackle these obstacles correctly, and then turn up the speed.

You would do this with any sport. You don't start weight lifting by doing your max without learning proper form. It's a recipe for disaster.


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## FrankS29 (Oct 23, 2019)

Upgrade your brakes, then use them! 

All kidding aside, as Harold said, own your limitations and learn to ride within yourself. 

I've personally been working on this the last year or so after a few bad crashes. While on a MTB trip in Pisgah, I let my more cautious buddy lead on several steep and more technical descents. It forced me to slow down and not act like Ricky Bobby.


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## plummet (Jul 8, 2005)

If you love it, keep doing it. Life is about enjoying life. 

Is there risk involved? Yes.
Does **** happen from time to time? Yes.

You say you have had 3 crashes in 9 months?.... that's not much at all. I probably crash once ir twice a week. But I typically dont injure myself badly, generally it's just bruises or scratches and scrapes. 

What you need to do is interrogate why you crashed and what skills you need to improve to crash less or crash better so you injure yourself less. 

Also do you need to adapt your riding type or style to a less injury prone if you crash. 

As an example I don't spent much time on green/blue trails going mega fast. I ride the blacks and double blacks tech trails which are way more tech, but at the same time they are way slower trails. The tech tracks give me the adrenaline rush and the slower speeds mean I am not injured as badly when I crash.

Speed is not your friend when it comes to crashing.


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## ljsmith (Oct 26, 2007)

As others have said, no need to quit. You can actually slow down or ride easier trails and still have fun. About 8 years ago after a visit to the emergency room I decided to stop riding black diamond trails. I still have fun, just a different kind of fun.


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## nemesis256 (Aug 16, 2014)

plummet said:


> You say you have had 3 crashes in 9 months?.... that's not much at all. I probably crash once ir twice a week. But I typically dont injure myself badly, generally it's just bruises or scratches and scrapes.



That's nuts. In the 8 or so years I've been riding, I've only fallen off the bike once where I would call it a crash.

I'm with @mack_turtle, longevity. It might be less "cool" to not do gap jumps, but at least I won't have to be off the bike.

To the OP, don't give up. Just go easier.


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## s0ckeyeus (Jun 20, 2008)

King of Pentacles said:


> I’m one of those guys that *rides faster and harder than my age and skill level allow for*. As a result, this was my 3rd crash in 9 months, and the second in 2 months. The last one I think I cracked my shoulder, but never went in for X-rays.


This is a problem. I don't think most people should ride harder than 85-90% of their ability. Age probably isn't as big of a factor here as your skill level. Not going 100% doesn't mean you'll be resigned to mediocrity, not improving, and not doing anything cool; it just means you're going to always have a little in the tank. Riding this way will usually mean you don't crash very much, if at all. Overall, you'll probably end up ahead because you're not wasting good riding time recovering from injuries.


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## kapusta (Jan 17, 2004)

King of Pentacles said:


> _*I’m one of those guys that rides faster and harder than my age and skill level allow for. *_


Well, can you do something about that? Like not ride as hard and fast?

Or better yet.... choose your challenges strategically. Some challenges have less consequence for failure.

I'm getting older (mid 50s). I focus on challenging myself on slower, more technical stuff. Rocky-rooty, tight corner, etc. My favorite stuff to challenge myself on are things like rock gardens or log-overs that I need to pedal through, not just ride down. Things that take a lot of strength, skill, and practice. I wreck frequently, and get banged up, but (knock on wood) I am not breaking anything.... so far.

Speed is what really gets you hurt. And falling from heights. I largely avoid big jumps and any sort of gaps (I'm riding without any sort of armor). I only let things rip so fast on the wide open stuff, and I'm done with skinnys.

When I think about all the bad inguries that I personally know of, almost all of them happen on eof three ways: Screwing up big jumps/gaps, wrecking going mach-stupid fast on relatively moderate trails (broken ribs and collarbones), or they fell a few feet off of a skinny (two bad head injuries).


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## DeoreDX (Jul 28, 2007)

One thing I did was move to a single speed. Single speed will top speed limit you on the downs and challenge your manhood on the ups. It naturally speed limits me on the downhills which for me keeps me in the comfort zone.

You jus need to figure out a way to enjoy riding without pushing your boundaries each ride,


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## stiingya (Apr 30, 2004)

King of Pentacles said:


> I’m 51 years old and currently recovering from a bad crash almost 3 weeks ago. I cracked 6 ribs and have been a wreck ever since. My wife was not happy about it, as it’s put a lot of the kid and house duties on her.
> 
> I got back into MTB late last year after a 30 year hiatus. I’m one of those guys that rides faster and harder than my age and skill level allow for. As a result, this was my 3rd crash in 9 months, and the second in 2 months. The last one I think I cracked my shoulder, but never went in for X-rays.
> 
> ...


I've for sure slowed down as I've gotten older. Crashes that used to not even phase me can leave me hobbling around for weeks these days. Gotta say I feel like I've never regained the speed I had before covid? I had a "brown out" near the start of covid and after that rode a LOT more cautious because I didn't want to take up medical resources. (we had a long stint of packed hospitals) I also got in the habit of riding out in the desert where nobody else was around which I enjoy anyway. But since then it's just like I can't quite go like I used to... (course I've always been a hack, so no WC DH courses for me anyway!)

Anyway, so for sure I've chilled. More then I want to ATM. But also I enjoy the chill stuff too and can see myself getting a fatbike or an actual gravel bike too.* BUT as long as I'm able I don't see myself ever giving up mountain biking. *


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## minimusprime (May 26, 2009)

take care of your equipment (bike and rider) and live to ride another day. I am very particular on when I am going to be riding over my comfort zone and only do it when all of the stars align. Specifically that I'm in the right place mentally, my riding is on point, I can see the moves in my head, my line selection is dialed and the bike is in tip top shape. I do big stuff, bigger then anyone in my riding crew, but I also crash less then anyone in my riding crew. For me, the way I balance those is that I only push if everything aligns. For example, I often audible my trail routes/selection depending on how my warm up descent goes. I always slowly ramp up from 70-80% of what I am capable, to 90%. If anything gets sketchy along the way, I dial it back and that's my max for the day. If I'm wanting to push things and things go ok at what feels like my 90%... then I'll maybe try something new or keep pushing a bit to find the edge. 

The key is to listen to the ques, don't let what you should be able to do, or what you want to do drive the bus. This is something that's clear in other sports, skiing or surfing for example. In those sports, you need alignment with mother nature to have an off the chain day. With mountain biking, we fool ourselves thinking that we control the outcome... and while we have more control then most action sports, there is still the universe, woo-woo, trail conditions or better said, something intangible that we don't control that determines the max you're going to get out of it for that day. 

Also, and i'm rambling now... work on getting more out of this sport and your rides then just adrenaline, or pushing the boundaries. The reason that I am happy to pull back off the accelerator and cruise at 70-80% pace even when I want more from it... is that I'm just content getting out, carving a turn or three well, and just being on my bike. 

Rephrase the problem and the sport for yourself. Embrace it as fickle as everything else in life is and enjoy each ride for all of the little things.


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## She&I (Jan 4, 2010)

Perhaps a controversial approach, but I try not to ruin the things I love by being careless with them.


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## mnpikey (Sep 18, 2017)

Get a more XC oriented bike. Get a road or gravel bike (or allroad that does both). Plenty of options to enjoy biking without risking serious injury.


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## mrpizza (Jun 2, 2013)

After breaking my wrist in a big wreck 8 1/2 weeks ago, I am still off the bike (cant even do pushups or anything really), too much pain still. Going max speed through sketchy terrain is fun, but not worth ruining my whole summer of riding. My tolerance for risk is certainly less now.


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## EatsDirt (Jan 20, 2014)

It sounds like you're just getting reacquainted with your limits and those of the new equipment. At a certain point you'll find the balance of fun/risk.

Just tone it down. Work on riding smooth and efficient... which is usually within the range of relative safety/limited risk.


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## chazpat (Sep 23, 2006)

It's gotta be the bike. Buy a new bike.

All kidding aside, I've largely taken the same route as Kapusta. I ride a rigid SS about half the time, it's slower going down but challenging on anything techy. So it helps keep the speed down (makes a great excuse as well), discourages jumping, and presents plenty of challenges. I also have a full suspension but have dialed back my risk taking on it as well. I crashed and broke four ribs, a scapula, and a clavicle a few years ago at the age of 56 (actually on my CX on gravel, it was the speed that did the damage, slammed into a ditch). It really wasn't the pain that was so bad, it was missing work, dealing with insurance, spending time at the doctors and PTs and not being able to ride. Just not worth it and I want to keep riding for a long time. Since my crash, I've crashed 3 or 4 times fairly hard but they were all lower speed and no injuries.


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## TwiceHorn (Jun 18, 2014)

Don't quit. Just chill out. You may ultimately find that not riding "balls out" kills all the fun, but I rather doubt it. That's going to be all about you and your "personality," I guess.

It's good exercise and gets you outside and "in the woods," no matter what or how you ride, so maybe you can find pleasure and satisfaction in that.

Also, it's because you ride a Fezzari. 🤣🤣


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## TCSglTrk (9 mo ago)

It was like reading something I would write about myself....

50 y.o., ride faster than I should, and all the while thinking, "I can't pay the bills with a broken leg" if I crash....again.

Broke ribs summer of '19 - worse pain ever.

With my confidence back, risk/reward is tested each time I ride. But what is different now since '19 is I do slow down on the descents which I hadn't prior.

So, maybe listen to that little voice in your head more. This can be a dangerous sport. Or, a dangerous sport that you may be able to tame.


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## Wrongturn (Jul 17, 2016)

It sounds like you need adrenaline, endorphins, etc. Quitting biking might not be the best thing for your mental health.


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## Gumby_rider (Apr 18, 2017)

I'm older than the OP and had started riding only 4 years ago. I spend just as much (maybe even more) time practicing skills as I do trail riding. Heck, I even learned bunch of skills that I don't use on trail. For me, trail riding is time for performance within my skill set, not for learning new skills. This has helped keeping me from crashing and injuries so far.


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## Noplacelikeloam (Mar 2, 2021)

So a couple of things no one wants to hear.

1. Work on your 'pre-hab'. Keep your body strong, real strong. It will help on the landings. Im 48 and its saved me many times. Think of it like a second suit of armor.
2. Work on your landings. Know how to fall.
3. Step outside of the ego in our sport. All we see is videos of 40' gaps, EWS pros shredding at mach chicken, but very few of us actually ride that way. Find your comfort zone, the one that make you feel good at the end of the ride. Not the one that gets you the insta pic at the expense of not being able to ride for 6 months of the year. Thats a suckers game.


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## Ogre (Feb 17, 2005)

I ride as much as ever at 52. A couple years ago I was between jobs and rode 200 miles a week. 

Being 50 does not mean you stop riding, it means you recognize your limits and ride within them rather than trying to push past them every single ride. Half of my riding buddies are in their 50s and the rest in the 60s.


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## d365 (Jun 13, 2006)

King of Pentacles said:


> I got back into MTB late last year after a 30 year hiatus. I’m one of those guys that rides faster and harder than my age and skill level allow for.


Do you just want permission to quit? I'll give it to you. It's not for everyone. You have responsibilities. Crashing is part of the game, and definitely part of the learning curve. That learning curve is only as steep and painful as you make it...

You could learn to ride within your limits, stay in control of yourself, and slowly build on your skills to get better. You'll still crash sometimes though...


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## BadgerOne (Jul 17, 2015)

What is your goal, and is it a reasonable one? If the goal is to go mach chicken in intimidating terrain with your sack on fire over 50, then yeah, I'd call it quits. None of us make a living, or any money at all, doing this stuff. The only reality is pain and money. The only reasonable excuse for doing things this way it because it's 'fun' (until you kiss dirt anyway) or because you like challenging yourself to a possibly unreasonable level, and your body is getting sick of dating a crazy girl (your brain).

On the other hand, if your goal is really getting out and away, into nature, away from the plague of humanity...well, there are a bunch of ways to do that and have fun. Start thinking about and executing those ideas. I personally find these things more fun, because you truly unwind, life slows down, happiness goes up. The more I can avoid both people and injury, the more I love cycling.

Good luck in either case.


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## unrooted (Jul 31, 2007)

Not exactly the same…but last summer I picked skateboarding back up (42 at the time) and started riding bowls and half pipes. My progression was moving pretty quickly, but I slammed onto my right hip way more than I would’ve thought possible, and required riding with hip pads. 

I started thinking falling onto that hip was just something I’d have to live with…but then all of a sudden I stopped falling. I just needed the time on the board to find my balance points, and learn how to fall with intention. 

I’d suggest investing in, and actually wearing all the protective gear that you think will keep you out of the hospital. Who cares how big of a Star Wars dork you feel like, it’s gotta be less painful than having to do another ER trip. Hopefully this experience will give you the fear to properly respect the inherent dangers of mountain biking and teach you to slow down and avoid features you aren’t confident in riding.


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## plummet (Jul 8, 2005)

nemesis256 said:


> That's nuts. In the 8 or so years I've been riding, I've only fallen off the bike once where I would call it a crash.
> 
> I'm with @mack_turtle, longevity. It might be less "cool" to not do gap jumps, but at least I won't have to be off the bike.
> 
> To the OP, don't give up. Just go easier.


I can't do it. If I stopped doing the fun stuff I'd get bored and do something else. 

I need the adrenaline hit. 

But you can up skill and ride with reasonable low risk of significant injury. In 26 years of riding, racing mtb pretty hard I've only been in a cast once. Well twice but it was for the same injury.


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## kevjob (Jan 25, 2021)

I had my biggest crash in late June in all of my mtb riding. I rode from 1990 to 2002 then picked back up last year. My crash was on an easy trail, clipped rock with pedal and sent me into a boulder on left side of trail. Broke 2 ribs, deep gash in left knee and some ligament damage in right shoulder. 

I usually ride enduro style trails with drops, rock gardens etc... go figure....

I now will be wearing knee pads and full face helmet from here on out. It is a mental challenge to get back on the bike but I enjoy riding so much I will continue to ride with some more precautions. 
Hope you heal up both physically and mentally.


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## Smartattack (8 mo ago)

I'm sure it's been said, find tech trails. Conquering highly tech trails at low speed is way more fun and skill building than just letting off the brakes and ripping everywhere, anybody can do that.


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## FrankS29 (Oct 23, 2019)

kevjob said:


> I now will be wearing knee pads and full face helmet from here on out. It is a mental challenge to get back on the bike but I enjoy riding so much I will continue to ride with some more precautions.
> Hope you heal up both physically and mentally.


Yeah, as time goes on and helmets get better and better, I keep thinking about moving to a full face helmet. 

You've got to protect the money maker!


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## FrankS29 (Oct 23, 2019)

Smartattack said:


> I'm sure it's been said, find tech trails. Conquering highly tech trails at low speed is way more fun and skill building than just letting off the brakes and ripping everywhere,* anybody can do that*.



Well, I think it's pretty obvious just from this thread that not just _anybody_ can do it.


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## King of Pentacles (10 mo ago)

Thanks everyone. Lots of good advice. Like most of you said, I just need to slow down. Bombing green and blue trails at high speeds is what I was all about. However, I’ll be rethinking that riding model. 👍🏻


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## Flyer (Jan 25, 2004)

I'm in my 50s (and I have a 3-year-old) so I have learned (am learning actually) to FORCE myself to back off the speeds DH and also not leave the ground much. It is actually quite liberating to not feel like pinning it on downhills. I had to force myself to fall back when my riding buddies take off. Of course, one of them crashed last week doing that. So I ride pretty hard sometimes but on the rockier downhills, I back off and just have fun with the flow. I also started buying life insurance, just in case. 250K down...750K more to be bought.


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## DoctorJD (Jan 15, 2004)

_"I’m one of those guys that *rides faster and harder than my age and skill level allow for*."_

There's your answer. You have to practice some self-discipline when you reach that age. I know, I'm 59


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## sfride (12 mo ago)

It's all about learning to progress safely. I had a crash and concussion a year and a half ago that led me to think about how I was riding and make some changes. Before that I was riding often a bit out of control and just kind of hoping things would be ok, which led to frequent low level crashes with constant cuts and bruises. After this bigger crash, I realized given how I was riding it was just a matter of time before I was going to seriously hurt myself. Murphy's law. As an orthopaedic surgeon, I've also had the opportunity to see serious injury up close many times. There are many injuries that will alter your life forever, despite the best care. So I have made some changes that have really helped me. I haven't had what I'd call an actual crash since that time, no longer have a bunch of cuts and bruises, and have progressed more in the past 18 months than in the 6 years previous.

1. *Assess risk and consequence, and be willing to walk*. When you are out are on the trail and you start getting nervous about a feature get off your bike, walk, and assess it. Break that feature/challenge down by risk and consequence. Risk being the likelihood you won’t clear it and consequence being what will happen if you don’t. Only push your limits on risky terrain when the consequence is super low. Do you know how to tackle this feature? Is there a chance you won't make it? If you don't, is there a realistic chance of injury? Only go for it if you know you can do it 100 times out of 100 or if the consequence is super low. Sketchy high consequence drop making you nervous? Are you not sure you have the skill needed to clear it every time? Skip it for now, and work on your technique with lower consequence drops until you feel rock solid.

2. *Get high quality reps in low consequence environment*. Trail riding is awesome, but let's face it, not necessarily high yield for developing a particular skill. Using the above example, suppose you're wanting to improve your drop skills, but on your typical trail loop ride there are only a few drops. So for your 1-2 hour ride, you are only getting ~30 seconds of practice. Learn to have fun working on skills, and find ways to session these skills over and over. For me it's taking my bike out in the park by my house, and practicing manuals, bunny hops, drops, etc for hours and hours. It's fun, a great workout, and way higher yield. I can probably do as many bunny hops up onto ledges of various sizes in a 1 hour practice session as I would in a few months of typical trail riding. I've enjoyed this so much that I bought a BMX bike to further dial these skills. Pump tracks, dirt jumps, skateparks, etc are also incredible practice. Want to get better at railing berms? Try dropping into a bowl at a skatepark and pumping through the corners over and over for 15 minutes.

3. *Use good protection every ride*. Contrary to popular belief wearing protection is not about protecting you from horrific injury. Trust me, if speeds and impacts are high enough, that 1/2" of foam will not prevent your bones from snapping (see Gee Atherton's crash last year fully geared up where he was knocked out and broke his femur, forearm, ribs, nose, orbit). But what protection is great at is preventing all the minor injuries that can frequently accompany mountain biking. I wear good knee/shin and elbow pads every single ride (can't recommend Fuse pads highly enough), and use my full face helmet whenever I think there is a reasonable chance of falling. This has stopped the constant cuts and bruises that accompany trying to develop new skills.

Mountain biking is awesome, and opportunity progression is a huge reason for that. But as you progress, optimize for the long term and avoid serious injury, which will keep you on a bike longer, and ultimate, allow you to be a better rider.


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## Rev Bubba (Jan 16, 2004)

Damned if I have an answer except that at 73 I get more joy out of climbing than riding too fast. 

Considering what you said about how your wife feels and that she has to pick up the slack for you, maybe its time to grow up and take responsibility for your actions. Think of that as fatherly advice from someone who could be your father if they really screwed up when they were young.

You are at that age where you think you have something to prove. I'm at the age where I don't have to prove anything to anyone and know better than to write a check I can't cover.


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## centershot (Nov 21, 2008)

There is a little lever in front of each grip. Reach out there with a finger or two and give them a squeeze when you get rolling a bit to fast......(sarcasm font)

You can still have fun, but when you find your 'edge' stay on the comfortable side instead of the wild side. 54 here and hitting the ground hurts a lot more and longer than it used to.......I spend more time on green and blue trails covering miles with my tires on the ground.


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## gdg1 (Apr 10, 2020)

Highlighting two things that were mentioned in the chain above. Hit the gym if you haven't already to help improve overall strength and 2) take some lessons, they will help you control both your bike and your body, and no, it isn't "just like riding a bike", the techniques for modern mountain biking are very different than riding your bike around the neighborhood as a kid.


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## bjcccat (Jul 28, 2009)

Don’t quit!!! Heal!!! The most important thing is ride within the limits of your current ability and willing risk level.

Never give up on the things you love!!! There is balance between family and self,

Happy healing!


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## milehi (Nov 2, 1997)

I was in the ER four times in 2020 from crashing so my wife got me a skateboard for Christmas.

How old is the kid? At your age any kid that needs taking care of is a grandkids.


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## Eric F (May 25, 2021)

I'm 53. Two years ago, I got back on my bike after a 15 year break. About a year ago, I got on a MTB for the first time since about '02. There was a time when I was lean, fast, and took risks. There's too much to lose if I make a big mistake now. It's taken me a bit to figure it out, but I learned how to not constantly push to go faster. I leaned how to ignore the urges of my ego and not ride **** that could hurt me. I don't need to be the fastest jackass on the hill any more. I want to have a good time on my bike AND go home to my family. Find the balance.


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## Monty219 (Oct 26, 2020)

A yearago i had amild/ moderate crash but my (very old and clapped out) knee pad pushed down as i slid over loose rocks, tore up my knee and it took over a month for the stitches to heal. **** can happen anytime/ anywhere. Like others have said: learn the art of riding (and enjoying) ~85% and make sure your safety gear is fresh and solid. I wear knee pads gloves and obviously helmet. Have back protector, elbows, and full face for DH days. Oh and convertible full face for big backcountry decents.

I’m 39 and don’t huck stairsets to flat like i used to in my 20s but i still like to ride hard and dirt jump well made jumps etc

edit: post crash i assembled a custom 1st aid kit i carry in a tiny seatbag andi now carry my satellite texter on every ride instead of only deep back country. Protective gear and emergency supplies might put the wife’s worries at ease a bit? Plus good idea anyway.


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## plummet (Jul 8, 2005)

King of Pentacles said:


> Thanks everyone. Lots of good advice. Like most of you said, I just need to slow down. Bombing green and blue trails at high speeds is what I was all about. However, I’ll be rethinking that riding model. 👍🏻



Yeah, it's kind of counterintuitive. But riding harder tracks (once you built the skill) is actually less risk of significant injury than fast on the easy tracks. 

Also, I guarantee you, you will be getting the same or bigger buzz hitting the double blacks. 
You can't go straight into batshit crazy tracks though. You need to identify and build the skills required to ride those tracks first. Otherwise, you will be visiting the hospital again!

Then go an tell the missis. The internet experts have said I should ride more difficult tracks which will mean I'll be injured less..... hahahhaha. That will go down like a cup of cold sick. But it's true!


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## oab1 (Apr 18, 2018)

Never


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

plummet said:


> Yeah, it's kind of counterintuitive.


It's all about the focus.

You _can_ train yourself to focus and be on top of your game on easier and more moderate terrain. But riding more challenging stuff kinda forces the issue. It's a lot harder to be lazy and let your mind wander.


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## bingemtbr (Apr 1, 2004)

To the OP, you're probably still experiencing some PTSD and anxiety from your recent mishap. Be patient, it'll pass. 

In July 2015, I had a mtb crash resulting in a concussion, 6 ribs broke in 8 spots, two destroyed (70-90% torn labrums) shoulders and apparently also broke my back in 3 spots. I have yet to have any desire to return to black diamond level trails. I have no problem walking a tech section of a trail. 

As therapy, I'd recommend switching to riding gravel until your mojo returns. When in doubt, play it safe. The trail will always be there next time.


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## eri (Sep 4, 2012)

I quit jiujitsu because I kept getting hurt. Sometimes it was poor choice of training partners but I just couldn’t resist. Each time I was off work and in pain for a few weeks and no jiujitsu for 4-6 months plus surgery. After my last injury (detached wrist tendon) I quit and will never go back. I love the sport so much but I’ll feel these injuries forever.

so, my advice: if you can’t dial it back you need to find a different sport. Mtb injuries can be very very severe, not good if you can’t trust yourself.


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## Ogre (Feb 17, 2005)

I'm pretty sure I know where @King of Pentacles is riding and that's likely part of why he gets injured. Lots of (awesome) steep technical trails which can get an out-of-practice rider into trouble near there. 

One of the problems with our sport is there isn't a ton of progression. If most of the trails in your area are steep and sketchy, you are going to get hurt. 

Bend riders wouldn't understand.


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## Drew H. (Oct 6, 2017)

Martyn Ashton


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## plummet (Jul 8, 2005)

Harold said:


> It's all about the focus.
> 
> You _can_ train yourself to focus and be on top of your game on easier and more moderate terrain. But riding more challenging stuff kinda forces the issue. It's a lot harder to be lazy and let your mind wander.


Its less about focus and more about consequences when something goes wrong. The faster you go the bigger the mess. 
So.... easy fast tracks have more actual risk that slower technical tracks. Road cycling has a far greater risk of significant injury than mountain biking.....


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## dysfunction (Aug 15, 2009)

plummet said:


> Its less about focus and more about consequences when something goes wrong. The faster you go the bigger the mess.
> So.... easy fast tracks have more actual risk that slower technical tracks. Road cycling has a far greater risk of significant injury than mountain biking.....


My last road wreck, left me not capable of walking for a couple months. Along with using a whole bunch of tegaderm for a couple weeks.. A's well as a concussion that took some time to recover from. Speed makes things potentially so much worse.

I still do this crap, but I'm just stubborn.


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## keen (Jan 13, 2004)

Kids, job, mortgage & numerous responsibilities means not throwing caution to the wind anymore as much as you want to be a carefree youth.


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## Pmrmusic26 (Apr 21, 2014)

When you quit, you're teaching your kids to quit after 1 bump in the road. It's time to quit when you had enough pizza and beer that you can't see your toes.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

plummet said:


> Its less about focus and more about consequences when something goes wrong. The faster you go the bigger the mess.
> So.... easy fast tracks have more actual risk that slower technical tracks. Road cycling has a far greater risk of significant injury than mountain biking.....


of course the consequences are higher the faster you go.

but riding at speed on less tech terrain requires a skillset, too, and that skillset is different than riding more tech at slower speed.

a big part of it (not the only part) is focus. a whole lot of riders (myself included) let their minds wander on less technical trails. do that and you're going to make a dumb error and go down. the faster you're going when you do that, the more it's gonna hurt. but going down in the first place was a mental lapse. there are other reasons, too. the faster you go, the faster your brain needs to process the trail. and that needs practice and training, too. but it's still mental. 

turning at speed is going to be the biggest hard skill you need for speed on less tech. if you're getting air, there's a whole lot more physical skill requirements to add, but you may or may not be getting air. also with air, you have on top of speed, greater distance from the ground, which also involves higher consequences for failure. 

whereas with increased tech, you'll need a greater variety of physical bike handling skills. the consequences of failure are nothing to shake a stick at here, either. but speed and height are huge ones.


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## Blue Dot Trail (May 30, 2018)

Tone it down a bit, problem solved.


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## eri (Sep 4, 2012)

Pmrmusic26 said:


> When you quit, you're teaching your kids to quit after 1 bump in the road. It's time to quit when you had enough pizza and beer that you can't see your toes.


Triumph of victory or agony of defeat.

The risk here is that you’re the parent that loses balance on a tight sidecut and goes into a mature Doug fir. Get to be brain damaged parent which is no fun at all for anyone. There’s people I know that simply don’t have the coordination to mtb safely and that’s fine. Lots of less risky ways to stay active, like… peloton, or pickleball.


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

I went back to older XC hardtails shortly after I turned 50, partially because they give me the sensation of speed without allowing me to go as fast as I was going on my FS bikes. Riding these on technical terrain at slower speeds means the crashes aren't as bad when I do go down.


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## 2melow (Jan 5, 2004)

King of Pentacles said:


> I’m 51 years old and currently recovering from a bad crash almost 3 weeks ago. I cracked 6 ribs and have been a wreck ever since. My wife was not happy about it, as it’s put a lot of the kid and house duties on her.
> 
> I got back into MTB late last year after a 30 year hiatus. I’m one of those guys that rides faster and harder than my age and skill level allow for. As a result, this was my 3rd crash in 9 months, and the second in 2 months. The last one I think I cracked my shoulder, but never went in for X-rays.
> 
> ...


I'm 47, a business owner of a few small businesses, entrepreneur and father. I broke my collarbone a few years back in a race and my wife basically asked politely wtf are you doing and what are you trying to prove. Now I just ride for fun, walk the sketchy parts and wine and dine my wife whenever possible. Life is good. Scale back and take it easy.


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## Hit Factor (Apr 7, 2021)

My wife crashed (riding MTB) last weekend and ended up with 5 stitches on her chin and several bruises on her rear and thighs. She got the stitches out this morning. Then we took the road bikes out for a 38 mile ride in N. Indiana (about 2000 feet of climb). Tomorrow we will ride MTB again.

We'll do some features on a trail, but it's more likely that we'll take the escape route around the feature. We have noticed that once the senior citizen discounts started kicking in, we don't heal as fast as we did just 10 years ago. Little things, like early arthritis and other age related aches and pains, remind us that we enjoy watching the younger riders shred a trail. We enjoy just being there.

She is 63 and loves to ride bikes. That's what she was doing 37 years ago when I married her.


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## Ogre (Feb 17, 2005)

Harold said:


> … a big part of it (not the only part) is focus. a whole lot of riders (myself included) let their minds wander on less technical trails. do that and you're going to make a dumb error and go down. the faster you're going when you do that, the more it's gonna hurt. …


Quite often some of the nastiest crashes I see are people riding their local trails they ride all the time. They get bored and complacent which leads to distraction. 

Focus is super important on technical trails and when going fast. When I’m in the zone I go so much faster *and its safer* then when I’m not in the zone. Pros are able to bring it up on command. Lots of us weekend warriors are thinking more about stupid job stuff instead of the trail ahead.


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## dvsone81 (Oct 12, 2021)

A very wise man once told me, “ride safe today, ride again tomorrow; ride crazy today, you might not ride tomorrow.” This was 10 years ago when I was 30. 
Mountain biking is definitely my passion and while I don’t consider myself a pro or nearly as good of a rider as those I know, Ive learned to scale it back a few notches so I don’t hurt myself and compromise the future of riding for me. I’ve had plenty of crashes and I don’t ever look forward to the next that will happen. If scaling back a few notches to ensure I can continue to ride as long as possible, I’d rather just enjoy the ride and know I’ll be safe to ride the next one and hopefully as long as I live. I suppose it all comes down to what’s more important to each of us.


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## Prognosticator (Feb 15, 2021)

I am 55 yo. I rode through my 20s and early 30s then had to stop for about ten years due to family obligations. When I returned to riding in my early 40s, I rode like I did ten years earlier. I quickly learned that my skills had deteriorated and I didn't have the balance or strength I had when I quit. I was patient with myself. Now I am better but I'll never be as athletic as I was when I was in my early 30s and took a pause.


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## Bassmantweed (Nov 10, 2019)

Noplacelikeloam said:


> So a couple of things no one wants to hear.
> 
> 1. Work on your 'pre-hab'. Keep your body strong, real strong. It will help on the landings. Im 48 and its saved me many times. Think of it like a second suit of armor.
> 2. Work on your landings. Know how to fall.
> 3. Step outside of the ego in our sport. All we see is videos of 40' gaps, EWS pros shredding at mach chicken, but very few of us actually ride that way. Find your comfort zone, the one that make you feel good at the end of the ride. Not the one that gets you the insta pic at the expense of not being able to ride for 6 months of the year. Thats a suckers game.


i am in the middle of learning this. I am 50. Rode when I was younger back at it now that kids are older. I have lost a lot of my core strength. Been riding trails no problem for last 3 years. Decided to get into downhill with my son.

I can ride down almost any tech but getting air is high pucker factor for me. I over work it, tense up in the air which makes landings brutal. I’m on week 3 of back pain. I am now on prednisone and some muscle relaxers but it’s a sure sign that when I get mobile again I need to work on my core.


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## She&I (Jan 4, 2010)

King of Pentacles said:


> Thanks everyone. Lots of good advice. Like most of you said, I just need to slow down. Bombing green and blue trails at high speeds is what I was all about. However, I’ll be rethinking that riding model. 👍🏻


That’s a lot of fun, no doubt.

Counterintuitively, I’d recommend riding black/rougher/steeper trails that you’ll ride slower. Different buzz, but when you blow it you normally don’t end up ragdolling out of control. Not saying injury can’t occur, but lower speed fails on more techy things are usually just a ninja move off your flats. Walk something if it looks dicey. Get a helmet with a chin bar and session features with a spotter to accelerate your handling skills. Be sane about it. Lots of pucker endorphins to be found at less than blinding speed.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

King of Pentacles said:


> Has anyone else been in this situation? What did you decide?


I ride tech/speed below my skill level so serious injury crashes are rare. It's an easy choice to make. I'm 53 and would rather be riding than waiting in the ER.


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## fredman1085 (10 mo ago)

plummet said:


> If you love it, keep doing it. Life is about enjoying life.
> 
> Is there risk involved? Yes.
> Does **** happen from time to time? Yes.
> ...



Right, if he's crashing so bad because of hitting the big jumps like he did in his youth, then scale it back and live to fight another day. If you're going too fast when you crash, then slow it down. Have fun mountain biking, don't let other's push your limits, don't let ego ruin a great sport.

I'm 63 and took a hit to the head/helmet a few days ago and I'm still seeing double. Never happened to me before, but I've broken my collar bone, separated my shoulder. Dirt biking, I've broken both my left and right tibias on different occasions and hurt my back so bad, I'm sure I cracked a vertebrae. I've cracked a rib at the velodrome, and I've had more road rash than I care to think about, but nothing keeps me from wanting to ride. Just be careful, remember your age, and especially as others have said, remember your limitations. We all grow our limitations as we age, some faster than others, and we add new ones as the years role by as well. Just accept them them, learn them, and be happy you're still riding!!!


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## Monty219 (Oct 26, 2020)

To put it in perspective, at least bikes have brakes. Granted, too much braking/ slow speed can get you into trouble but this is a much different world than other “exteme” sports like whitewater, skydiving, skateboarding, even BMX (brakes suck if they exist at all).

The high risk of whitewater kayaking helped me accept it is okay to swallow your pride/ stoke and walk around stuff that is too dangerous for your skill level.

after a decade of kayaking class V i finally got tired of the very high risk:reward ratio and returned to biking with a safer mindset. Not to mention there is no way i could keep up with the young huckers these days anyway.

thats all said, I encourage you to not quit and enjoy a safe(r) but still fun level of gnar


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## gonzo (Feb 18, 2004)

King of Pentacles said:


> I’m 51 years old and currently recovering from a bad crash almost 3 weeks ago. I cracked 6 ribs and have been a wreck ever since. My wife was not happy about it, as it’s put a lot of the kid and house duties on her.
> 
> I got back into MTB late last year after a 30 year hiatus. I’m one of those guys that rides faster and harder than my age and skill level allow for. As a result, this was my 3rd crash in 9 months, and the second in 2 months. The last one I think I cracked my shoulder, but never went in for X-rays.
> 
> ...


Get a 29er rigid single speed! This will slow you down and you will NEVER get hurt!


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## palerider (Jul 15, 2004)

A man has to know his limitations. Dirty Harry.


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## Gdirrty216 (Nov 23, 2018)

It’s a hard thing accept as a 40 year old, but I try to ride with the mindset that I’m more interested in riding all year versus just this ride. So yeah, I’ll walk super technical sections and go slower than my ability would likely justify if todays ride was my last ride, but that keeps me intact for the most part. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still take my fair share of spills, but they tend to be more minor and superficial. I ride for two reasons, fun and exercise; if I’m injured I can’t have fun and get a hell of a lot less exercise. So keep it low to the ground and slower than you’d like.


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## Clyde Ride (Jun 7, 2019)

King of Pentacles said:


> I’m 51 years old and currently recovering from a bad crash almost 3 weeks ago. I cracked 6 ribs and have been a wreck ever since. My wife was not happy about it, as it’s put a lot of the kid and house duties on her.
> 
> I got back into MTB late last year after a 30 year hiatus. I’m one of those guys that rides faster and harder than my age and skill level allow for. As a result, this was my 3rd crash in 9 months, and the second in 2 months. The last one I think I cracked my shoulder, but never went in for X-rays.
> 
> ...


I reject the false dichotomy of "ride like an idiot" or "don't ride at all."


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## Monty219 (Oct 26, 2020)

gonzo said:


> Get a 29er rigid single speed! This will slow you down and you will NEVER get hurt!


Especially with a slack HTA. No OTB. Worst case scenario is a low speed tip over due to wheel flop. No worse than learning to ride clipless on a cruise to the packie (package store).


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## armyofevilrobots (Oct 4, 2013)

I turn 50 next year. Getting 20 stitches out of my shin on Tuesday from a CLIMBING mishap (knocked a rock loose and slipped a pedal; Daggas are no joke). That's the first real injury I've had in a decade. Still ride blacks and double-blacks every time I go out.

I don't do big air, and I _do_ evaluate everything I ride, and COMMIT to things I can do, and skip those I can't. The trick is knowing the difference.

Do some drills; practice jumps on a BMX track instead of in the sketchy backwoods. Practice hops, trackstands, manuals, drops, somewhere predictable. Lift weights and make sure your core has the strength to back up your decisions.


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## sfride (12 mo ago)

armyofevilrobots said:


> I turn 50 next year. Getting 20 stitches out of my shin on Tuesday from a CLIMBING mishap (knocked a rock loose and slipped a pedal; Daggas are no joke). That's the first real injury I've had in a decade. Still ride blacks and double-blacks every time I go out.
> 
> I don't do big air, and I _do_ evaluate everything I ride, and COMMIT to things I can do, and skip those I can't. The trick is knowing the difference.
> 
> Do some drills; practice jumps on a BMX track instead of in the sketchy backwoods. Practice hops, trackstands, manuals, drops, somewhere predictable. Lift weights and make sure your core has the strength to back up your decisions.


Well said


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## DYORD (Mar 11, 2021)

King of Pentacles said:


> I’m 51 years old and currently recovering from a bad crash almost 3 weeks ago. I cracked 6 ribs and have been a wreck ever since. My wife was not happy about it, as it’s put a lot of the kid and house duties on her.
> 
> I got back into MTB late last year after a 30 year hiatus. I’m one of those guys that rides faster and harder than my age and skill level allow for. As a result, this was my 3rd crash in 9 months, and the second in 2 months. The last one I think I cracked my shoulder, but never went in for X-rays.
> 
> ...


This is one of my greatest fear actually. I'm 40 now. Been riding bikes since I was 5 y.o. My MTB has been hanged on the wall since I crashed 10 years ago while my wife was pregnant with my first child. I wasn't hurt much, but it could have been worst. 

Went back to mountain biking since last year to pickup where I left then realized I'm 10 years older. 😆 Any small accident is dangerous now.

I'm still convincing myself to transition to gravel bikes.  That's one of my options.


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## Gym123 (Dec 4, 2021)

King of Pentacles said:


> I’m 51 years old and currently recovering from a bad crash almost 3 weeks ago. I cracked 6 ribs and have been a wreck ever since. My wife was not happy about it, as it’s put a lot of the kid and house duties on her.
> 
> I got back into MTB late last year after a 30 year hiatus. I’m one of those guys that rides faster and harder than my age and skill level allow for. As a result, this was my 3rd crash in 9 months, and the second in 2 months. The last one I think I cracked my shoulder, but never went in for X-rays.
> 
> ...


Why don't you just change the way you ride, so you don't crash? It doesn't have to be 'ride/won't ride'.

BTW- breaking bones and not having them checked is a really bad idea, even if you think "I'm fine, I'll just put an ice pack on it".


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## pedalinbob (Jan 12, 2004)

There is a ton of excellent advice here--even from an orthopod (I'm anesthesia).
We see many of the nasty crashes. 

I block 'em and / or put them, under, and Ortho fixes them.
I've done countless blocks/catheters for broken limbs, and placed many hundreds of epidurals and ESP catheters for severe rib fractures 2/2 cycling crashes.

And I'm totally with ya. Almost 53, and riding pretty fast on blue trails means hard crashes.

I'm working on cornering faster and a little bit of jumping (flight scares me).
But I have too many responsibilities, so I'm modulating my enthusiasm.
Strangely, I'm riding faster than ever, but I'm more controlled due to better technique. 
But when I do go down, it tends to be pretty hard.

Anyway, I dig your enthusiasm! If your are crashing that much, you have to be nearly fearless.

You clearly love mountain biking. Me too, and I get a little depressed in the winter when I can't ride.

Like many above stated, I don't think you should quit. 
Look at the great advice above. Learn from the crashes, analyze the situation, adapt, maybe back off a bit, and you will be ok.

Bob


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## King of Pentacles (10 mo ago)

Ogre said:


> I'm pretty sure I know where @King of Pentacles is riding and that's likely part of why he gets injured. Lots of (awesome) steep technical trails which can get an out-of-practice rider into trouble near there.
> 
> One of the problems with our sport is there isn't a ton of progression. If most of the trails in your area are steep and sketchy, you are going to get hurt.
> 
> Bend riders wouldn't understand.


Yes, you’re local. I ride up at the Lewisberg Saddle, M-D Forest and Chip Ross park. My crash happened at the easiest of trails: at the very bottom last turn of Vineyard Mtn. IDK what happened exactly. I went into the turn, which I’ve done probably 30 times, and something happened with my front wheel. I was looking ahead to make sure there were no hikers, then BAM, endo…hard. I still don’t know exactly what I did wrong. A split second wrong decision somehow. That’s what unnerves me most, because I was getting to the point where I could ride that trail blindfolded.


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

Ogre said:


> I'm pretty sure I know where @King of Pentacles is riding and that's likely part of why he gets injured. Lots of (awesome) steep technical trails which can get an out-of-practice rider into trouble near there.
> 
> One of the problems with our sport is there isn't a ton of progression. If most of the trails in your area are steep and sketchy, you are going to get hurt.
> 
> Bend riders wouldn't understand.


Yeah, because none of us have the ability to drive anywhere and only ride Phil's. 

Dick.


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## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

9:34PM


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## Drew H. (Oct 6, 2017)

Jayem said:


> 9:34PM


EST or PST?


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## eri (Sep 4, 2012)

Nat said:


> Yeah, because none of us have the ability to drive anywhere and only ride Phil's.
> 
> Dick.


Bunch of golfers and soulless triathletes…


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

I dig the decision making diagram, very scientific 👍

Like a lotta folks in this forum, I’m an adrenaline junkie, or at least you’d suspect that from my choice of sports.

I’m 57 now, over time I’ve become a little more selective about the risks I take, yesterday I skipped a few big hits (5’ boulder drops) because I’ve got a pinched nerve in my back.

In my late twenties I took up whitewater kayaking, a truly amazing sport, over the first few years I progressed to running some pretty serious creeks (Green Narrows, Upper Big, Lower Meadow), then I had a near drowning; got sucked into a rock sieve.

After the accident I had dreams about being underwater, hearing the sound of rushing water, it wasn’t like nightmares, not really PTSD, but I noticed I became a little more cautious which led to mistakes, which led to more caution, etc, etc …

Ultimately I hung up my paddle and got into safer sports like mountain biking 🙄

I’d suggest the OP learn bike handling skills by riding up and down slow tech, esp the ups, build balance and technique at low speeds, not unlike practicing any activity slowly to build muscle memory.

I’d also suggest the OP not talk to his wife about how he rides and the risks he takes, this will only piss her off when he effs up 🤔


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

eri said:


> Bunch of golfers and soulless triathletes…


Don't forget van lifers and Tesla owners. Shouldn't be stingy with the hate.


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## NorCalTaz (Nov 12, 2013)

I am 60 and if I look back two years ago when I had a desire to up my game to do some enduro races. Now, I am content with taking it down a notch, going a bit slower, and not taking on the obstacles like I used to. I did have a really bad OTB last spring that left me with two broken ribs and nerve damage to my thigh, thinking that had much to do with it. Nothing wrong with finding that satisfaction in other aspects of MTB'n, sometimes it sucks to let go of that "Razors Edge".


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## DennisT (Dec 29, 2019)

At our age, we don't so much bounce as shatter. I've had to accept the fact that my improving skills are going to run up against my deteriorating fitness, and that will define the best I'll ever be. But you know what? It's still the most fun you can have standing up. I may or may not ever ride A-Line, but Crank It Up is still plenty of jumping for me, and the surge of joy I get when I hit a jump just right is still just as real.


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## dompedro3 (Jan 26, 2004)

20 years ago I started mountain biking, I was younger, I crashed, I recovered, I went riding the next day. I did drops, jumps, I went downhill as fast as I could. These days I finally have the bike I dreamed about back then but I limit my drops, avoid jumps and instead just pedal around the woods for an hour or so. I rarely crash and avoid risks that me 20 years ago would have been repulsed by my riding. But I'm older, have some additional wisdom, and ride well within my limits. Do I dream of going fast doing drops that I used to? Yes, absolutely, but I want to still be riding in 10, 15, 20 years, so I don't


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## TCSglTrk (9 mo ago)

Many times I have said to myself "Just a chill ride today..." but before I know it I have tunnel vision.

Also, how does one podium if one doesn't train to podium? Conundrum


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## dysfunction (Aug 15, 2009)

Drew H. said:


> EST or PST?


GMT


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

TCSglTrk said:


> Many times I have said to myself "Just a chill ride today..." but before I know it I have tunnel vision.


Lol, I’ve said that to myself too but then next thing I know I’m airborne again.


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

DennisT said:


> At our age, we don't so much bounce as shatter. I've had to accept the fact that my improving skills are going to run up against my deteriorating fitness, and that will define the best I'll ever be. But you know what? It's still the most fun you can have standing up. I may or may not ever ride A-Line, but Crank It Up is still plenty of jumping for me, and the surge of joy I get when I hit a jump just right is still just as real.


Never say never, homie. The first time I rode A-Line I thought I was in way over my head. A few years later and it feels pretty medium to me. Jumping just feels really good.


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## Santoman (10 mo ago)

King of Pentacles said:


> I’m 51 years old and currently recovering from a bad crash almost 3 weeks ago. I cracked 6 ribs and have been a wreck ever since. My wife was not happy about it, as it’s put a lot of the kid and house duties on her.
> 
> I got back into MTB late last year after a 30 year hiatus. I’m one of those guys that rides faster and harder than my age and skill level allow for. As a result, this was my 3rd crash in 9 months, and the second in 2 months. The last one I think I cracked my shoulder, but never went in for X-rays.
> 
> ...


I had a bit of a crash streak 2 years ago (one which included a week in hospital after elbow surgery). Afterwards I got a hardtail. I Have the feeling the less capable bike keeps me honest about my skills. Maybe I have just been lucky, but I have not had a bad off after that, knock on wood (plus I stopped doing drops higher than a meter).


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Drew H. said:


> Martyn Ashton


How is that helpful?

Lots of people get hurt, rarely that seriously, don’t be a wet towel, the OP just needs to chill and learn sone skills.


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## Drew H. (Oct 6, 2017)

Nurse Ben said:


> How is that helpful?
> 
> Lots of people get hurt, rarely that seriously, don’t be a wet towel, the OP just needs to chill and learn sone skills.


How is that being a wet towel? He still mountain bikes, he didn't quit.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

armyofevilrobots said:


> I turn 50 next year. Getting 20 stitches out of my shin on Tuesday from a CLIMBING mishap (knocked a rock loose and slipped a pedal; Daggas are no joke). That's the first real injury I've had in a decade. Still ride blacks and double-blacks every time I go out.
> 
> I don't do big air, and I _do_ evaluate everything I ride, and COMMIT to things I can do, and skip those I can't. The trick is knowing the difference.
> 
> Do some drills; practice jumps on a BMX track instead of in the sketchy backwoods. Practice hops, trackstands, manuals, drops, somewhere predictable. Lift weights and make sure your core has the strength to back up your decisions.


Two words: shin guards


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Drew H. said:


> How is that being a wet towel? He still mountain bikes, he didn't quit.


Come on, the guy rides in a bucket, his injury was severe, he’s lucky he can still function.

The OP is not looking for disaster outcomes, he’s trying to get a grip on managing his risk management.

No one in their right mind would do something “knowing” their outcome would be paralysis.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Nat said:


> Yeah, because none of us have the ability to drive anywhere and only ride Phil's.
> 
> Dick.


Not everything in Bend is flat and dusty … okay, maybe it is 🤣


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## Nat (Dec 30, 2003)

Nurse Ben said:


> Not everything in Bend is flat and dusty … okay, maybe it is 🤣


Only if you want it to be.


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## Drew H. (Oct 6, 2017)

Nurse Ben said:


> Come on, the guy rides in a bucket, his injury was severe, he’s lucky he can still function.
> 
> The OP is not looking for disaster outcomes, he’s trying to get a grip on managing his risk management.
> 
> No one in their right mind would do something “knowing” their outcome would be paralysis.


The point is he didn't quit. No one would do anything knowing the outcome would be paralysis.


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## goldsbar (Dec 2, 2004)

eri said:


> I quit jiujitsu because I kept getting hurt. Sometimes it was poor choice of training partners but I just couldn’t resist. Each time I was off work and in pain for a few weeks and no jiujitsu for 4-6 months plus surgery. After my last injury (detached wrist tendon) I quit and will never go back. I love the sport so much but I’ll feel these injuries forever.


I had to go to PT for a few weeks and my therapist was an older guy into jujitsu. Seemed to get injured once every two weeks. Not horrible, but lots of hobbling from a back injury, shoulder tendon issues, that sort of thing. No thanks. I can’t see trusting a training partner with my joints.


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## armyofevilrobots (Oct 4, 2013)

Nurse Ben said:


> Two words: shin guards


At some point you start trading the risk of injury for the risk of heatstroke. It’s way too hot and humid for shinguards right now, especially with 700m of climbing before the good stuff.


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## Ogre (Feb 17, 2005)

Nat said:


> Yeah, because none of us have the ability to drive anywhere and only ride Phil's.
> 
> Dick.


Genuine LOL.

I like to give Bend riders crap about easy trails… then I drive to Sisters or Bend and ride your stuff. Trail 99 is da bomb Mrasic (sp), and some of the stuff above Phils is rad. 

Given the topic though, having easy trails is fantastic when you are teaching someone to ride or trying to freshen your skills. On this side of the hill not a lot to offer a newb. Thurston Hills… a few places at Whypass.


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## Suns_PSD (Dec 13, 2013)

King of Pentacles said:


> I’m 51 years old and currently recovering from a bad crash almost 3 weeks ago. I cracked 6 ribs and have been a wreck ever since. My wife was not happy about it, as it’s put a lot of the kid and house duties on her.
> 
> I got back into MTB late last year after a 30 year hiatus. I’m one of those guys that rides faster and harder than my age and skill level allow for. As a result, this was my 3rd crash in 9 months, and the second in 2 months. The last one I think I cracked my shoulder, but never went in for X-rays.
> 
> ...


The problem is your maturity, not biking. Teenagers do things with no concerns for the long term risks, that's what makes them good at things. But you are a grown man with responsibilities and frankly very limited experience, so ride appropriately.


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## Gym123 (Dec 4, 2021)

milehi said:


> I was in the ER four times in 2020 from crashing so my wife got me a skateboard for Christmas.
> 
> How old is the kid? At your age any kid that needs taking care of is a grandkids.


I think that if I go to the ER four times in a year, someone might buy a chair for me, telling me "Just sit there!".


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## SkyAboveDirtBelow (Apr 14, 2019)

The OP should tone it down by buying a bike with a name that is not meant to be confused with Ferrari. Maybe a Slowgo or something.


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## King of Pentacles (10 mo ago)

Nat said:


> Don't forget van lifers and Tesla owners. Shouldn't be stingy with the hate.


Yeah, Bend is like an outdoorsy version of PDX: lots of homeless, but they’re adrenaline junkies and not heroin junkies. lol


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## King of Pentacles (10 mo ago)

Thanks for all the replies! Really good encouragement, and some good advice (Some dumb advice/takes too. Gotta love the internet!).

I’m in week 5 of recovery now and will start riding again in a week or two, albeit slower and with more caution.

2 weeks into my recovery, the whole house got COVID or some other SARS. It was complete hell. Coughing constantly with 6 broken ribs, a fever between 99-102 for 2 days and nights, it was brutal. I still can barely taste anything.

Anyways, thanks! 😁🤙🏻


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## FrankS29 (Oct 23, 2019)

King of Pentacles said:


> Thanks for all the replies! Really good encouragement, and some good advice (Some dumb advice/takes too. Gotta love the internet!).
> 
> I’m in week 5 of recovery now and will start riding again in a week or two, albeit slower and with more caution.
> 
> ...


With any luck, you’ll be left with same COVID superpower that I now have.

I’m now impervious to farts.

Go ahead, rip your nastiest fart. I’ll never smell it.


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## King of Pentacles (10 mo ago)

FrankS29 said:


> With any luck, you’ll be left with same COVID superpower that I now have.
> 
> I’m now impervious to farts.
> 
> Go ahead, rip your nastiest fart. I’ll never smell it.


Silver linings…


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## TandemBear (Aug 18, 2013)

NEVER!

Cycling is so good for you when you're not crashing, you should never stop!

Sounds like you need to learn how to tether your inhibitions!

But there are old riders I know who prove that you should never stop. One friend is 76 and still crushes kids half his age.
Knee health is a HUGE benefit of cycling. If you want to be healthy and active in "old age," then cycling is the best choice - but that's assuming you're not crashing every other month!

Now I can fully agree with staying off our crazy roads. A friend and "forever" cyclist (we raced together 35 years ago and he's been a life-long urban commuter) was just hit head-on as he started a descent in the Sierra. A driver turned left into his path and nailed him. He suffered all sorts of serious injury. But not major head trauma and he's doing great (being in great shape, thanks to cycling, helped). So he's the example that turns a LOT of people off from road riding. And for good reason.

Alternatively, I know a couple that refuses to ride off-road because it's "too dangerous." They'll never be swayed otherwise, but I simply cannot agree with this assertion. Sure, mountain biking may present more immediate and frequent risk of crashing, but it's MINOR compared to what dangers lurk on road. One drunk driver and you're DEAD! That's not a very good equation in my book.

Since being hit by an idiot young driver test riding my tandem, I now ride 24/7/365 with front and rear lights. It's just stupid to not ride with lights when intermingling with dumb drivers. And even that's no guarantee! I also use a rear-view mirror (3 on the tandem!) to help sway the odds in my/our favor. I also try to choose sensible routes. But again, there's never a guarantee. Too much is completely out of our control.

But hang it up? No way!

Heck, when I no longer have the ability to balance, I'm lookin' for a tricycle! At least I sure hope I do!

Wear body armor, ride more conservatively and take fewer risks. But keep riding!!!

PS Forgot something and I HAVE to share:
Guess what my most recent (and lingering) injury was?
I road ride single & tandem. I like descending (pretty) fast. I mountain bike. Love flow trails. Realize I CAN jump (nothing major though). I love trials riding up and over things (not a pro, by any means). I mountain tandem on the Whiskeydrome (picture <--). I unicycle a little bit. I hit Sierra single track a fair amount. Love it!

Did I fall riding my bike? NOPE. I fell in the LAMEST place. It's practically a joke, but I did it. I fell in the damn shower! Two years ago I fell and injured my shoulder. Got a LOUD "Pop!" when my arm slid forward after hitting floor. I thought, "Great! Off to the ER I go..." But then I decided not to. I used the RICE approach and my pain subsided. But it lingered. And lingered. And by May, it was doing really well... until I took the unicycle out and fell for the FIRST TIME EVER (Murphy's Law) and re-injured it. Stupid.

So ride sensibly and responsibly and you'll probably be fine. Just wear a helmet in the shower!!! Ha, ha, ha!


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## Gdirrty216 (Nov 23, 2018)

As much fun as downhill is, when I hit 40 it became more about my technical uphill times than fun downhill. I know that might sound boring to some, but I realize that I can't handle big falls (work and family obligations), and I choose to focus my riding skills and fitness objectives to how well and how clean can I ride XYZ section. 

Now I get into sessioning tough technical climbs, focusing on balance and technique vs pure speed and adrenaline. This helps me get to the gym on non-ride days to work on core, balance, and heart strength. Hopefully over time that results in not only fun on the bike, but long term life fitness and longevity .


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## Dawgprimo (Mar 7, 2004)

no one has really said it so I will.........Sorry if I missed it!

Answer: When you are dead!

Otherwise keep on riding!
Slow-fast-short-long-easy or hard......as long as you are healthy and breathing.....and you woke up this this morning.......you got nothing to complain about!

😎


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## GoldenKnightMTB (11 mo ago)

I just ride slower and safe now, I don't need to impress anyone. Maybe you should just chill and ride like I do.


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## mlx john (Mar 22, 2010)

When they pry my cold dead fingers off of my Next R carbon bars.


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