# Consequences for your future when taking big risks on your Mountain bike.



## thegefster (Jan 17, 2019)

Curious as to how many 50 plus still do jumps and downhills, Risky riding and consider consequences of a Nasty MTB accident


----------



## Eric Malcolm (Dec 18, 2011)

Cotton wool is for sissy's. If you're going to MTB, you're gonna take risks. Goes with the territory. If you get to 50, you should have already crashed often enough to understand the consequences.

Eric


----------



## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

At 73 and on bloodthinners, the consequences of it all going wrong don't appeal. 

My body has enough problems already caused by a young idiot* on a motorbike many years ago. I've also lost too many friends to crashes which limit and ultimately end their riding.

That said, in a couple of days I'm doing a solo 24 hour on a course which is likely to be sheet ice if the race's past history and the forecast is right. 



*Me


----------



## ravewoofer (Dec 24, 2008)

2018 was the first year since I started mountain biking in 1996 where I did not have ONE SINGLE crash. 

Don’t know if it’s because I am a better rider, slower rider, riding on a better bike, whatever, I’ll take it. 

This season I’ll be 57 and hope for the same crash free season. 

FWIW, I still get air from time to time and still ride as fast and hard as possible always. 

Keep on trucking. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## leaguerider (Sep 6, 2010)

I still get air, but I stay off the really big jumps.


----------



## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

She said I've seen you ride here before,
I said I've been here a time or two,
She said hello my name is Bobbi Jo
Meet my twin sister Betty Lou
And we're both feeling kinda wild today,
You're the only cowboy on this trail,
If your up for a rodeo,
I'll put a big Texas smile on your face.
I said girls,
I ain't as good as I once was,
I got a few years on me now,
But there was a time,
Back in my prime,
When I could really lay it down,
If you need some love tonight,
Then I might have just enough,
I ain't as good once was,
But I'm as good once, as I ever was.
I still hang out with my best friend Dave,
I've known him since we were kids at school.
Last night he had a few shots,
Got in a tight spot
Hustling a game of pool,
With a couple of red neck boys,
And one great big fat biker man,
I heard David yell across the room,
Hey Buddy how bout a helping hand.
I said Dave!
I ain't as good as I once was,
My how the years have flown,
But there was a time,
Back in my prime,
When I could really hold my own,
But if you want a fight tonight,
Guess those boys don't look all that tough,
I ain't as good once was,
But I'm as good once, as I ever was.
I used to be hell on wheels,
Back when I was a younger man
Now my body says "Oh, You can't do this boy",
But my pride says "Oh yes you can"
I ain't as good as I once was,
That's just the cold, hard truth, (huh)
I still throw a few back,
Talk a little smack,
When I'm feeling bullet proof,
So don't double, dog dare me now,
Cause I'd have to call your bluff,
*I ain't as good as I once once was,
But I'm as good once, as I ever was.
May not be good as I once was,
But I'm as good once, as I ever was.*


----------



## mtbcat47 (Jan 2, 2019)

I’m not one to crash. Ever. But last year I overshot a small gap (5 feet, last one of the run) and somehow ended up on the ground. 5 broken ribs. One messed up shoulder. 2 weeks off work. 2 months sleeping in the recliner. I will still catch air where the trail affords it, but seeking air on gap jumps is a thing of the past. And no, I wouldn’t have learned this lesson otherwise...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

The older you get, the less you have to loose.


----------



## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

Velobike said:


> At 73 and on bloodthinners, the consequences of it all going wrong don't appeal.
> 
> My body has enough problems already caused by a young idiot* on a motorbike many years ago. I've also lost too many friends to crashes which limit and ultimately end their riding.
> 
> ...


Solo 24 @ 73? Nice!!! Good luck and report back.


----------



## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

The speed and excitement are too addictive to give up. We've made it this far...


----------



## honkinunit (Aug 6, 2004)

I'm trying to keep going at Winter Park, but the last three times I was there, I hurt something weird. Not even crashes. Last August I cased a small jump and got a severe high ankle sprain that I am *still* feeling if I step just wrong. 

It sucks to get old, I'm telling you. And I'm only 59.


----------



## thegefster (Jan 17, 2019)

Eric Malcolm said:


> Cotton wool is for sissy's. If you're going to MTB, you're gonna take risks. Goes with the territory. If you get to 50, you should have already crashed often enough to understand the consequences.
> 
> Eric


I think it totally depends on the type of mtb one chooses to do. You are more likely to get hurt worse getting air and/or riding out of control than going over technical terrain at a moderate pace.


----------



## thegefster (Jan 17, 2019)

Travis Bickle said:


> The older you get, the less you have to loose.


Totally the opposite when it comes to your body.


----------



## jimPacNW (Feb 26, 2013)

thegefster said:


> I think it totally depends on the type of mtb one chooses to do. You are more likely to get hurt worse getting air and/or riding out of control than going over technical terrain at a moderate pace.


2 good local Cat1 XC masters guys I race with got pretty badly hurt last summer mis-judging their jumps. One broke both wrists, the other nearly severed his bowel and almost died. My opinion is that actual jumps are for the younger guys, but you can still ride very fast with some risk of crashing onto the edge of the trail, - just avoid impacting trees etc. 
Be really careful on the road too, I suppose one could argue about the dangers of road riding being just as bad.


----------



## thegefster (Jan 17, 2019)

Someone please tell me how to unsubscribe from this site. Too many idiots here.


----------



## thegefster (Jan 17, 2019)

Travis Bickle said:


> The older you get, the less you have to loose.


Opposite


----------



## kevhogaz (Sep 28, 2005)

I'm 51, and still do drops, small jumps, transitions, and most of the stuff in Sedona. However, I do walk a few things now. I'm a mechanic, and can't afford broken bones, so I have slown down a little.

However, buying my Transition Scout has got me going bigger and bigger, so hopefully no serious injuries are in my future!!


----------



## 2old (Aug 31, 2015)

No guts.....no story

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


----------



## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

Would you rather have a catastrophic life changing injury when you are 20 or 70?


----------



## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

2old said:


> No guts.....no story
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


I was given a shirt that said that at age 17 from a family member on a ski trip. It was a downhill skier launching off a jump at Steamboat. That's because that's been my personality since day one. I go all out even in my older age with numerous broken bones and injuries in my past from MX, skiing, stand up jet skiing, slalom water skiing and mtbing, etc. give it your all or you're just cheating yourself.


----------



## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

thegefster said:


> Someone please tell me how to unsubscribe from this site. Too many idiots here.


One less wouldn't make much difference.


----------



## Catmandoo (Dec 20, 2018)

Travis Bickle said:


> Would you rather have a catastrophic life changing injury when you are 20 or 70?


When I was 20. I wasn't married when I was 20. I am at 63. Do I really need my wife reminding me how stupid I am for a 63 year old ?. And it's not just me she'll be reminding. She'll be telling everyone we know and a lot we don't.


----------



## UpTheAnte (Mar 7, 2018)

" Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run then outright exposure. the fearful are caught as often as the bold. "

Hellen Keller

That blind, deaf and dumb girl.


----------



## chazpat (Sep 23, 2006)

UpTheAnte said:


> " Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run then outright exposure. the fearful are caught as often as the bold. "
> 
> Hellen Keller
> 
> That blind, deaf and dumb girl.


Sure plays mean pinball.


----------



## gerryl (Aug 10, 2014)

In my whitewater kayaking days (1980s & 90s), before marriage and kids, my friend's motto (he was a bit crazy, single, and would try just about everything):

"it is always easier to avoid trouble than to get out of trouble" usually in reference to a dangerous rapid. 

At 57, with teenagers, I would much rather ride / ski / exercise / train with my kids before they move on from mom/dad - which is fast approaching. I can't do that from the couch recovering from an injury. 

For me, moderation is key after being out of action two months this summer with a fractured calvicle.


----------



## thegefster (Jan 17, 2019)

Travis Bickle said:


> Would you rather have a catastrophic life changing injury when you are 20 or 70?


Neither


----------



## thegefster (Jan 17, 2019)

Lone Rager said:


> One less wouldn't make much difference.


So, when are you leaving then?


----------



## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

thegefster said:


> Someone please tell me how to unsubscribe from this site. Too many idiots here.


I was sitting here wondering why you had the red chicklet and then I saw this.

If you don't like it, don't click on the site. It's pretty simple really.


----------



## thegefster (Jan 17, 2019)

DIRTJUNKIE said:


> I was given a shirt that said that at age 17 from a family member on a ski trip. It was a downhill skier launching off a jump at Steamboat. That's because that's been my personality since day one. I go all out even in my older age with numerous broken bones and injuries in my past from MX, skiing, stand up jet skiing, slalom water skiing and mtbing, etc. give it your all or you're just cheating yourself.


See I don't like broken bones.... Being smart keeps my doctor and hopital bills down


----------



## thegefster (Jan 17, 2019)

chuckha62 said:


> I was sitting here wondering why you had the red chicklet and then I saw this.
> 
> If you don't like it, don't click on the site. It's pretty simple really.


Red chicklet....? I prefer dentine


----------



## thegefster (Jan 17, 2019)

gerryl said:


> In my whitewater kayaking days (1980s & 90s), before marriage and kids, my friend's motto (he was a bit crazy, single, and would try just about everything):
> 
> "it is always easier to avoid trouble than to get out of trouble" usually in reference to a dangerous rapid.
> 
> ...


You are a smart man! Nothing wrong with XC and you can still ride over technical terrain carefully and enjoy it as well.


----------



## DIRTJUNKIE (Oct 18, 2000)

thegefster said:


> See I don't like broken bones.... Being smart keeps my doctor and hopital bills down


Well it's all about going all out but learning your skill and capabilities and not going past that. It does happen with age, but I've always kept my all out within my capability and skill level. As you age you tend to get more tuned in to it. Most of my injuries in the sports I mentioned above were within my capabilities but happened due to not being mentally prepared or fatigued.


----------



## Velobike (Jun 23, 2007)

Travis Bickle said:


> Would you rather have a catastrophic life changing injury when you are 20 or 70?


The point is you're more likely to have it a 70 than 20.

When I think back to my crashes, there's quite a few of them I wouldn't be able to recover from now. Also as I mentioned, riding injuries have culled the activities of most of my age group.

I'd rephrase your question to "If this goes wrong, is it worth giving up the rest of your riding years for it?"

That doesn't mean giving up exciting riding, but the parameters of the risk assessment are much narrower (slower reactions, less strength, less bounce and longer - if ever - recovery times).

I'd say the danger years for injuries are your 50s. If you're fit, you still feel young, and unwilling to surrender to age, so you'll keep doing the exciting stuff while ignoring that the consequences of the risks have grown greater. Once you hit your mid 60s, you realise your reactions and strength have gone to the same place as your hair. 

Ye gods, I sound like a right fun damper - don't take what I have said as meaning stop having fun, just be aware of the cost (says the old man doing an icy 24 hour tomorrow  )


----------



## fredcook (Apr 2, 2009)

Crankout said:


> The speed and excitement are too addictive to give up. We've made it this far...


:thumbsup:


----------



## fredcook (Apr 2, 2009)

I ride just as aggressively and risky, maybe even more so, then I have in the past (been riding since the 70's). Especially on trails I know. I admit some of that has to do with new bike geo and tech, and how it leads to more stability and confidence (real or perceived). At least for me. Two years ago, I was put on blood thinners. Last year, I had the doc take me off of them. It was just getting too messy. He agreed, in my case, the risk outweighed the benefit. Small cuts looked like massive contusions. Crazy.

Last year, at 57, I had a crash that had the potential of being my worst. A semi (off to one side) OTB that sent me over a 5' ledge back first (flat fall) as the back of my head was bouncing of the ledge wall as I dropped. I'm pretty sure my helmet saved my head, and my full hydration pack saved my back. As stupid as it sounds, _and is_, it was exhilarating! After another rider helped pull me out of that little ravine, I finished my day of riding with a bigger smile than usual.

I like the risk, or more accurately, I like the thrill risk provides me. It keeps me alive, and keeps me young. I've accepted that my level of risk and aggressiveness will only be held back by my physical ability. So, I accept the "_Consequences for your future when taking big risks on your Mountain bike_".


----------



## Ladmo (Jan 11, 2013)

I want to ride. I want to be out in the woods. I want to hang out with my riding friends. I want to cut out downed trees and help build new trail. I want to get the benefits of regular workouts. 

I can't do any of those things if I am recovering from significant injury.

I find that safety is compromised by far the most in the last 5 - 10% of speed increase, if you know what I mean. Also when I am significantly fatigued. I have great fun riding in the 70 - 90% of my max speed range. It is not necessary for me to go that last bit to have a good time. 

I am very tuned in to how I am feeling. When I get tired, which is when I have most of my crashes, I slow it way down for safety's sake.

The other thing is, I know quite a few guys my age that are significantly impeded by sporting injuries. I don't want that to happen to me. I want to ride until I'm a way old man, and after I decide I can't ride any more, I still want to be out hiking in the hills.

This is way more important to me than some adrenaline rush from going fast and jumping far.


----------



## toomanyhobbies (Jul 25, 2014)

I'm 52 and I've been mountain biking since the early 90s. However, I never tried lift-assisted DH until about 6 years ago, and I've been totally addicted ever since. Part of that addiction is due to how much I enjoy getting air even though I totally suck at it. Mountain biking has always made me feel like a kid again, and DH just takes that to a whole new level. I have a pretty good sense of self-preservation, but I still push the envelope occasionally. Sometimes I succeed, which just feeds my addiction. More often than not, I fail miserably. Failing just ends up pissing me off because it means I usually have to stay off the bike for a while because I take lot longer to heal now. For me personally, the rewards of riding (and jumping) far outweigh the risks.


----------



## sturge (Feb 22, 2009)

I'm 59 and have had many 'incidents' in my physical activities over the years (bikes, motorcycles, skiing, hoops, etc) but I still ride just as hard as I ever did. I like to think my experiences (injuries AND riding expertise combined) have increased my chances of success for whatever activity I'm engaged in. 

Lets face it...some have that adrenaline gene and can't give it up. I still have the confidence and ability to rip any rocky, knarly downhill that I ever did but it's all XC type terrain with a few small/mid-sized hits here and there vs shuttle/lift serviced downhill with huge gap jumps. I love the challenge of technical sections with consequences and that's what keeps my interest. Just DON'T CRASH because it's not going to go well when you bounce off a tree and end up in a pile of rocks.


----------



## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

turning 50 this year. Had my first heart attack 2 years ago....still ride moderately aggressive, though I never did DH and crazy tech cause the opportunities were not around. That kind of riding never really appealed to me anyways...not really interested in high speed stuff...

I still hit jumps, and am trying to learn new tricks on my BMX...my MTB is more for flow riding, snow riding, and bike packing.

still play hockey at 50 as well after many injuries from that sport.

Honestly, I fear the day when I am not going to be able to do things like this as readily as I can now, so I am going to push until that day comes. I am lucky that I have - so far - avoided things like chronic back problems, joint problems and other movement inhibiting issues. I did have to take a year off of hockey - to avoid head injuries - while my blood thinner regimine found it self, but I am now allowed to play again


----------



## La Nada (Mar 1, 2017)

The way I look at it, I get 90% enjoyment riding without the big risks. I get 0% if I'm injured and can't ride or do all the other physical things I do. No brainer for me. Life is too miserable without that 90% for me.


----------



## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

I've never been into the jumps / DH / lift served riding in my 34 years of mountain biking, but I don't shy away from challenging rides and I haven't slowed significantly in the past few years since turning 50. 

I have gone back to primarily riding hard tails and rigid bikes to keep myself in check, as I was finding that more capable bikes were encouraging me to push the limits more than seemed prudent.


----------



## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

I've been riding since the Summer of 1989 and I ride more aggressively now in my 50's than I ever did. I don't do "monster" drops or most gap jumps but I'll send some lengthy tabletops in the right situation....like riding 'A Line' in Whistler and I still do about 80% of the features in the terrain park at Snow Summit, our closest MTB park. 

You can get hurt at any speed. I've told this story 20 times on here but my worst injury ever was in August 2014 at my local riding area (Calavera in Carlsbad, CA), an area I've ridden 200+ times. My buddy did a small drop on a line I don't normally take so instead of dropping in blindly, I rolled up **AT WALKING SPEED** as in LESS THAN 1 MPH and went to roll down. My front tire pivoted in the soft dirt at the bottom and I 'lawn darted' head first, cracking my helmet in (5) places and fracturing the C1 & C2 in my neck. 

Bottom line...you can get hurt anywhere, anytime, at any speed. I've never once got hurt in almost 30 years while hauling the mail.


----------



## chazpat (Sep 23, 2006)

Ladmo said:


> I want to ride. I want to be out in the woods. I want to hang out with my riding friends. I want to cut out downed trees and help build new trail. I want to get the benefits of regular workouts.
> 
> I can't do any of those things if I am recovering from significant injury.
> 
> ...


This is pretty much where I am. I'll give up that 5% in speed to lower my risk but still go fast enough for the rush. I'm more concerned with endurance over speed, I'd rather be able to ride far than just ride fast for a short distance.


----------



## kuuk (May 26, 2008)

Still sending it at 50 but I'm very calculated on what I think I can do but stuff happens, one of my worst injuries was from a broken chain of all things.


----------



## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

kuuk said:


> Still sending it at 50 but I'm very calculated on what I think I can do but stuff happens, one of my worst injuries was from a broken chain of all things.


Nice....I wouldn't do a gap that large. Gaps have always bothered me whether it be on a snowboard or mountain bike. I prefer drops, especially on a snowboard on a powder day.


----------



## bdundee (Feb 4, 2008)

I still send it some, takes a little longer to recover from falls but whatever.


----------



## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

kuuk said:


> Still sending it at 50 but I'm very calculated on what I think I can do but stuff happens, one of my worst injuries was from a broken chain of all things.





bdundee said:


> I still send it some, takes a little longer to recover from falls but whatever.


yeah...I don't mind sending it like that at the skatepark b/c the landing area is more "forgiving" if I bail...smooth cement is more freindly than the stuff alongside the trails...still am working at getting distance back, so now, it is just out of quarter pipes


----------



## natas1321 (Nov 4, 2017)

I usually don't consider the consequences of the concious decisions I make during a ride unless I have an incident and I try to figure out what went wrong, and how it could have been avoided. Most of the time I am just trying to pick a good line for my ride and looking forward to the next ride. 

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk


----------



## YJ Bill (Jul 16, 2013)

Just getting into downhill at age 61. Trying to avoid the jump lines and big risks but having a great time.


----------



## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Ain't that the truth brother 

All these worry wart threads are fundamentally the OP trying to validate their level of risk and effort, as if they can't decide for themselves if they are okay.

Just do what you do and live your life, don't worry about other people, just focus on yourself and doing what makes you happy.

I could give a rats arse what other people do, that's their life.



Travis Bickle said:


> The older you get, the less you have to loose.


----------



## misanthrope (Mar 30, 2009)

Nurse Ben said:


> I could give a rats arse what other people do, that's their life.


You've got about 5000 posts speaking to the contrary of that claim. Kind of like the above post, telling people what to do.


----------



## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

thegefster said:


> Neither


People have different tolerances for risk.


----------



## bjeast (Oct 29, 2017)

There's some difficult stuff I try (by my standards), but at 57, I am getting more risk averse. I don't mind drops of four or five feet, but anything bigger makes me more than nervous! As for steep stuff, it took me all season to work up to this! It wasn't too bad, but I won't ever take doing something like this lightly.









In the old days (the mid to late nineties) I rode stuff like the pic below on the North Shore. That ain't ever happening again. Not that it's super high or scary (not for some people, at least), but the consequences of falling are too great! Sometimes I look at that, did I really do that? I actually think my buddy is sitting down in the picture making it look like I'm higher off the ground than I was.....









Oh and jumps? Never really been a fan. Drops yes, but jumps - not really.


----------



## paramount3 (Jul 13, 2014)

Riding bikes, running, hiking, walking--these are the things that add quality to life, keep me fit and engaged. A big accident has the potential to take all of these things away. I want to keep doing these things for many more years (I'm 54 now). So I walk a lot of stuff that other people will ride. I don't do drops or jumps, I don't do things that are likely to send me over the bars. Call me a *****, doesn't bother me. I know a few people my age who have led a life of danger and are still going strong. Good for them. I've encountered more who have had to accept limited mobility due to injuries.


----------



## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

There is a balance that lies at different points for different people. Pushing the envelope, testing your skills and taking some risks can add to quality of life and keeping engaged. Pretty much everybody gets more risk averse as they age, and it takes longer to heal, but I'd argue getting permanently disabled at 30 would be way worse than getting permanently disabled at 65, even though I fear it more now than I did back then.


----------



## Legbacon (Jan 20, 2004)

Unusually for me I drove to another network to meet some friends. Just fun DH, barely black diamond trails. The only part that concerned me was the drive which is 10X more dangerous than any riding I do. On the trail I only have me and gravity to be concerned with.


----------



## JackWare (Aug 8, 2016)

paramount3 said:


> Riding bikes, running, hiking, walking--these are the things that add quality to life, keep me fit and engaged. A big accident has the potential to take all of these things away. I want to keep doing these things for many more years (I'm 54 now). So I walk a lot of stuff that other people will ride. I don't do drops or jumps, I don't do things that are likely to send me over the bars. Call me a *****, doesn't bother me.


This ^^^, I'd rather walk for ten minutes knowing I'm going to get back to the car in one piece and ride again the next day.


----------



## gwlee (Jan 22, 2018)

I ride alone in remote, steep, mountain terrain, and I am hoping to reach 70 in a few weeks and continue riding for a few more years, so I ride conservatively.

Update: when I wrote this post, wasn’t aware that a 51 year old rider local rider that I know crashed last weekend and was airlifted to the nearest ICU with major injuries. If he survives, spinal cord injuries will prevent him from wiping his own ass for the remainder of his life.

Update 2/18: This local rider died of his injuries last week.


----------



## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

gwlee said:


> I ride alone in remote, steep, mountain terrain, and I am hoping to reach 70 in a few weeks and continue riding for a few more years, so I ride conservatively.


Yep, that's where I'm at.

Nothing to prove, lots to celebrate.


----------



## palerider (Jul 15, 2004)

As someone once said, a man has to know his limitations.


----------



## bjeast (Oct 29, 2017)

gwlee said:


> I ride alone in remote, steep, mountain terrain, and I am hoping to reach 70 in a few weeks and continue riding for a few more years, so I ride conservatively.
> 
> Update: when I wrote this post, wasn't aware that a 51 year old rider local rider that I know crashed last weekend and was airlifted to the nearest ICU with major injuries. If he survives, spinal cord injuries will prevent him from wiping his own ass for the remainder of his life.


Well, that is indeed sobering. I wish him well, though it doesn't sound good at all...


----------



## fredcook (Apr 2, 2009)

The more I think about this subject, the more I think... what are the consequences of _not_ taking risks?

As I look back, some of my best memories and experiences were a result of taking a risk. Some big, some painful, all good, no regrets. Does this outweigh possible negative consequences of taking risks? Eh... too much to think about and over analyze.


----------



## Phillbo (Apr 7, 2004)

www.youtube.com/embed/OOgd9hitEAE?rel=0


----------



## k2rider1964 (Apr 29, 2010)

palerider said:


> As someone once said, a man has to know his limitations.


Yeah....Harry Callahan said that


----------



## gwlee (Jan 22, 2018)

bjeast said:


> Well, that is indeed sobering. I wish him well, though it doesn't sound good at all...


Sobering enough to suck some of the bravado out of this thread.


----------



## cmg (Mar 13, 2012)

one of the consequences of my age are that l dont bounce anymore, and not bouncing hurts, usually for days, so l take "calculated" risks, but even these dont always turn out right


----------



## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Gosh, and to think of the risks I take each day when I drive to work. Maybe I should stay home on my couch and be safe ?

You guys kill me, always worrying about the what if's, you see an example of a bad outcome and use that to guide your choices. For every bad outcome they are far more good outcomes, does that even register?

I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees.

Don't be that guy who watches other people live.



gwlee said:


> I ride alone in remote, steep, mountain terrain, and I am hoping to reach 70 in a few weeks and continue riding for a few more years, so I ride conservatively.
> 
> Update: when I wrote this post, wasn't aware that a 51 year old rider local rider that I know crashed last weekend and was airlifted to the nearest ICU with major injuries. If he survives, spinal cord injuries will prevent him from wiping his own ass for the remainder of his life.


----------



## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

You miss the point. Life is for living.



misanthrope said:


> You've got about 5000 posts speaking to the contrary of that claim. Kind of like the above post, telling people what to do.


----------



## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Exactly.

Live your sig



fredcook said:


> The more I think about this subject, the more I think... what are the consequences of _not_ taking risks?
> 
> As I look back, some of my best memories and experiences were a result of taking a risk. Some big, some painful, all good, no regrets. Does this outweigh possible negative consequences of taking risks? Eh... too much to think about and over analyze.


----------



## gwlee (Jan 22, 2018)

Bravado is a bold manner or a show of boldness intended to impress or intimidate.
synonyms: boldness, bold manner, swagger, swaggering, bluster, swashbuckling.

Example: “I’d rather die one my feet than live one my knees.” This is a grand and memorable line, but perhaps best saved for the day you decline the blind fold as you are about to be shot by the firing squad. 

Here it just seems a touch overblown because there is a big difference between riding conservatively to avoid injuries and “staying home on the couch to be safe”, “watching other people live,” or “dying on your knees,” which no one here is advocating.


----------



## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

thegefster said:


> Someone please tell me how to unsubscribe from this site. Too many idiots here.


You're a hoot!

I love you too.


----------



## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

Travis Bickle said:


> On the trail I only have me and gravity to be concerned with.


And cougars.


----------



## bjeast (Oct 29, 2017)

So, I've been given some thought to this thread and how it applies to me. I do like steep things, but skinnies way off the ground, definitely not. Never happening. And I've definitely made my peace in the last week or so at not being great at jumps. Watching a few pinkbike epic fails cemented that for me. But, I do think that sometimes too much caution is not a good thing. Riding a gnarly rooty section too slow can be worse than letting the bike do its thing....


----------



## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

bjeast said:


> So, I've been given some thought to this thread and how it applies to me. I do like steep things, but skinnies way off the ground, definitely not. Never happening. And I've definitely made my peace in the last week or so at not being great at jumps. Watching a few pinkbike epic fails cemented that for me. But, I do think that sometimes too much caution is not a good thing. Riding a gnarly rooty section too slow can be worse than letting the bike do its thing....


I don't watch bike crashes on Pinkbike or other sites. I don't want that fear to seep into my head.

I like steeper stuff and wheels on the ground like you do. Your ride pictures always look like a ton of fun to me. Downright inspiring, I'll say.


----------



## bjeast (Oct 29, 2017)

Curveball said:


> I don't watch bike crashes on Pinkbike or other sites. I don't want that fear to seep into my head.
> 
> I like steeper stuff and wheels on the ground like you do. Your ride pictures always look like a ton of fun to me. Downright inspiring, I'll say.


They are a ton of fun, that's for sure. As for inspiring, good thing you can't see the fear in my eyes in some of those pics (or just before).


----------



## JimmyAsheville (Oct 21, 2018)

Just turned 64. Retired. Survived a very dangerous form of blood cancer, which will eventually get me. Had 15 surgeries, mostly orthopedic. Missing half my L1 vertebra from cancer. Doctor told me not to ride which I am pretty sure meant not to crash. Not running for anything. Nothing to prove. I could care less if the 20 year old who just rode by without speaking knocks all his teeth out on his handlebars so he can spin a post ride/hospital yarn over a microbrew. Do I go fast and get my wheels off the ground. Yes. Do I ride ladders and gap jumps? No.


----------



## Osco (Apr 4, 2013)

I've eased up a bunch these days,
Some screwy test my VA Eye doctor gave me said I'm likely to detach a retina on my next head smack, I dented a helmet pretty bad last year.

I like to suffer, like to climb, got lots of steep gravel roads all around me.
These Fat tire tadpole trikes have got my attention, More like rock crawling I think.
Time will tell.
IMO I'm In great shape at 60 and Mountain biking had a lot to do with getting me here in my current physical condition.

I cannot justify a nasty Injury just because I'm an old fart and have less to loose.

Came across a really large black bear while hiking this past december, Seems they don't hibernate In my neck of the woods.
Hey, It was thrilling to me.

Keeping my Mtb In top shape just Incase the withdrawls get the better of me


----------



## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

bjeast said:


> So, I've been given some thought to this thread and how it applies to me. I do like steep things, but skinnies way off the ground, definitely not. Never happening. And I've definitely made my peace in the last week or so at not being great at jumps. Watching a few pinkbike epic fails cemented that for me. But, I do think that sometimes too much caution is not a good thing. Riding a gnarly rooty section too slow can be worse than letting the bike do its thing....


I am pretty much in agreement with everything here...

I find that my worst spills are when I take something too slow..the rocky/rooty thing made me think of that...I will not do skinnies that are higher up than the seat of my bike...we really don't have any "high" skinnies around here anyway;

scratch the jump itch at the skatepark on BMX on quarterpipes and ramp features there. More of a "controlled arena" for me there

I have always enjoyed riding MTB more for "distance and terrain covered" than for tricks, though I do love a fast, flowy descent...

I guess right now my mindset is ride as much as I can, just in case something comes along that could possibly inhibit that as I age.


----------



## gwlee (Jan 22, 2018)

There are inherent risks to mountain biking as there are to other activities such as hiking, sking, snowshoeing, canoeing, rock climbing, motorcycling, flying, ocean sailing, etc, but the risks are usually manageable if you want to manage them.

Good luck often compensates for bad management, but can’t be counted on, and bad luck exists in equal measure. If you live long enough, bad luck will eventually catch up with you, but bad judgment, which is often mistaken for bad luck, will probably catch up with you sooner, “probably” because there are no guarantees. 

Bravado seems to comfort some people, like whistling in the graveyard. It might actually benefit some people by giving them a little extra confidence that prevents their fears from impairing their performance, but it’s probably not as dependable as good judgement. Like good bike handling, good judgment is a learnable skill.


----------



## M-80 Rider (May 26, 2011)

paramount3 said:


> Riding bikes, running, hiking, walking--these are the things that add quality to life, keep me fit and engaged. A big accident has the potential to take all of these things away. I want to keep doing these things for many more years (I'm 54 now). So I walk a lot of stuff that other people will ride. I don't do drops or jumps, I don't do things that are likely to send me over the bars. Call me a *****, doesn't bother me. I know a few people my age who have led a life of danger and are still going strong. Good for them. I've encountered more who have had to accept limited mobility due to injuries.


+ 1


----------



## Big50 (Feb 10, 2019)

Not to give a full bio, but I’m 51 and after a 15 year hiatus, a year ago I started mountain biking again! Last fall I finally upgraded my 1997 Cannondale to something modern and I’m tackling terrain I never thought possible!

Along with that has come some nasty falls, the usual cuts and bruises, and a dislocated finger . 

Three weeks ago my front tire washed out on an innocuous off-camber turn while I was building speed for a drop. I went down harder than I ever have in my life. The impact knocked me out briefly, but luckily I was able to walk out with only bruised ribs and bruised ego. 

Glory story (aka stupidity) aside, it’s got me thinking about slowing down. I’m just not sure I can reign it in mentally. When I see a jump or something gnarly, I want to hit it. If it’s out of my league, I want to build up into it.

Much of my 15 year absence from the sport was due to illness and injury and, honestly, I never thought I’d be in the saddle again. I’d like to stay there for a while.


----------



## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

I was riding slowly on my backyard trails, trails I know very well, slipped out on a snowy off camber turn and landed knee first on a rock, oww! Got some soft tissue swelling, of course I wasn't wearing knee pads, probably would have been better with padding.

Bottom line: Biking crashes happen.

If you don't want to crash on your mountain bike, you should pick a different sport.



Big50 said:


> Not to give a full bio, but I'm 51 and after a 15 year hiatus, a year ago I started mountain biking again! Last fall I finally upgraded my 1997 Cannondale to something modern and I'm tackling terrain I never thought possible!
> 
> Along with that has come some nasty falls, the usual cuts and bruises, and a dislocated finger .
> 
> ...


----------



## mtbcat47 (Jan 2, 2019)

Nurse Ben said:


> I was riding slowly on my backyard trails, trails I know very well, slipped out on a snowy off camber turn and landed knee first on a rock, oww! Got some soft tissue swelling, of course I wasn't wearing knee pads, probably would have been better with padding.
> 
> Bottom line: Biking crashes happen.
> 
> If you don't want to crash on your mountain bike, you should pick a different sport.


Nah. This is silly talk. Bike crashes do happen, but they don't just randomly happen on 15 foot drops and 20 foot gaps. One can ride fast, have fun, and choose risk...

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Big50 (Feb 10, 2019)

Nurse Ben said:


> Bottom line: Biking crashes happen.
> 
> If you don't want to crash on your mountain bike, you should pick a different sport.


Oh, I know they happen. Same as a lot of us, I learned that lesson a long, long time ago!

I guess my point is, convincing myself to throttle back half a notch would be the wise thing to do....unfortunately, in my case, advancing age has yet to bless me with advancing wisdom!


----------



## Sparticus (Dec 28, 1999)

fredcook said:


> The more I think about this subject, the more I think... what are the consequences of _not_ taking risks?
> 
> As I look back, some of my best memories and experiences were a result of taking a risk. Some big, some painful, all good, no regrets. Does this outweigh possible negative consequences of taking risks? Eh... too much to think about and over analyze.


"We regret the things we don't do more than the things we do."
- Mark Twain

My girlfriend told me that quote. She's 63, I'm 65. We met at a mountain bike event 2 or 3 years ago.

I learned how to jump a bicycle two years ago. I mean how to really jump a bicycle. Thought I knew before that... nope.

I know now. It's fun.
=sParty


----------



## rmac (Oct 26, 2004)

Sparticus said:


> "We regret the things we don't do more than the things we do."
> - Mark Twain
> 
> My girlfriend told me that quote. She's 63, I'm 65. We met at a mountain bike event 2 or 3 years ago.
> ...


+1. 57 and have taken bigger drops (2-3 feet - ha) in the last year than ever before. Taking a weekend skills class a year ago changed my riding and encouraged me hugely to keep improving technically. This year I have focused on endo turns and am making one that I had only attempted a couple of times in 20+ years of riding that trail - feels great. Also had a bad crash last October and broke both hands (not on a drop or an endo turn attempt though) but that hasn't dampened my desire to improve and ride hard. In many ways I am more focused on skills improvement now rather than aggressive downhill and it is giving me great satisfaction - not sure if that is age-related or just the continuation of the skills class.


----------



## tim208 (Apr 23, 2010)

I do a lot of backcountry snowmobiling. Just lost a friend in an avy. I may not climb like I use to, but I will still climb. But he was in my thoughts when I was out sledding on Saturday.


----------



## Daydreamer (Aug 27, 2018)

I'm more willing to take risks now then I was even 10 years ago. This includes work related items, speaking my mind about a variety of subjects and of course recreationally. 

Last year I rode lines on the bike that I never tried in the past. If I don't do it now, in a few years I'll start to age out of the ability to do it. It's why I decided to get a new bike this year with bigger tires and a full squish. 

Both my wife and I are more accepting of risks these days. In a few days we will go para sailing for the first time. In the past we would have passed on something like that. Why? Kiddos. They are now old enough to fend for themselves if something happens to us. 

FWIW, I'm 53 and my dearly beloved is 62. 

My mother was severely risk adverse. Never did anything risky. It's true that she never banged up her body, but in the end it's failed her anyway. Now she sits at home unable to do much of anything and no memories or satisfaction of mountains conquered to look back on.


----------



## fredcook (Apr 2, 2009)

Daydreamer said:


> ... speaking my mind about a variety of subjects...


My wife tells me I do that a lot these days...


----------



## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

fredcook said:


> My wife tells me I do that a lot these days...


Comes with age!


----------



## waltaz (Oct 14, 2004)

I stay away from "high-risk, high-reward"-type riding these days. Not worth it to - at all. I don't have anything to prove. I stick to moderate tech, and pushing my limits fitness-wise, which is plenty to keep me happy. Don't need to risk serious injury if I screw up.

That said, Over the past 9 years, I've torn two rotator cuffs (badly) and a triceps tendon (completely torn off) in mountain bike crashes on "easy" stuff. Partially a function of accumulated wear-and-tear, and partially a function of "**** happens". I try to moderate the risks, however.


----------



## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Big50 said:


> Oh, I know they happen. Same as a lot of us, I learned that lesson a long, long time ago!
> 
> I guess my point is, convincing myself to throttle back half a notch would be the wise thing to do....unfortunately, in my case, advancing age has yet to bless me with advancing wisdom!


Yeah, I have the wisdom, but don't always listen to my inner voice. I'm real bad about wearing knee pads, stoopid!

I have found that choosing the right bike makes a huge difference in preventing accidents.

For example, I was on my XC bike this morning, it's got a steeper head tube angle, a bit more upright riding position, so when I started down a rock strewn slope, I started slow and immediately realized I was on the wrong bike, so I stopped and got back on the flow trail.

If I had been on my enduro bike, I wouldn't have even thought about it.

.... and I wore my knee pads this morning!!


----------



## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

mtbcat47 said:


> Nah. This is silly talk. Bike crashes do happen, but they don't just randomly happen on 15 foot drops and 20 foot gaps. One can ride fast, have fun, and choose risk...
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Really?

I crash a lot, big crashes and little crashes. Sometimes I crash because I'm pushing limits, sometimes I crash because I screwed up, sometimes I crash due to bad luck.

One of my crashes last sumer I clipped a tree at speed and broke my Tibia on a boulder. Was it bad luck, poor judgement, or a combination of things?

What if it's a section you ride all the time and never crashed? What if it's on a section that is benign? What if a crash is normally fine on the section because there are few obstacles? What if you just happen to hit one of those few obstacles on your body where you happend to be unprotected?

Of the four major crashes I had last season, only one was due to making a bad choice (jump off a large boulder without spotting), the rest were normal riding, not pushing limits, just riding along and shite happens.

So yeah, crashes happen "randomly", unexpected, and not always because you screw up or make bad choices. Have you ever tripped?

I guarantee I have had more crashes than anyone on this forum, unless there is another ex-muni guy hiding in the bushes, and can say for sure that if you don't want to get hurt riding a mountain bike, not riding is your only preventative action


----------



## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

I hate crashing but sometimes $hit happens. Every crash I can recall in recent years happened because I was pushing my limits. A benign section of smooth singletrack can be very dangerous @25mph. A otherwise simple technical piece of trail can break your collarbone when you're gunning for a kom.

I'm pretty sure that throttling back would eliminate 90% of my diggers, and probably 99% of the really bad ones.


----------



## mtbcat47 (Jan 2, 2019)

Nurse Ben said:


> Really?
> 
> I crash a lot, big crashes and little crashes. Sometimes I crash because I'm pushing limits, sometimes I crash because I screwed up, sometimes I crash due to bad luck.
> 
> ...


My big trip was last summer. Overshot a gap jump, landed hard, hit the face of the next jump with my body. 5 broken ribs and a messed up shoulder. Slept in the recliner for 2 months! I can guarantee if I wasn't playing around on the jump track, I wouldn't have had this crash. Still biking every single chance I get, leaving the gap jumps for those more willing to sleep in the recliner. This is seriously the only crash I've had in years. And this is what this thread is about IMO...

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## bsieb (Aug 23, 2003)

J.B. Weld said:


> I hate crashing but sometimes $hit happens. Every crash I can recall in recent years happened because I was pushing my limits. A benign section of smooth singletrack can be very dangerous @25mph. A otherwise simple technical piece of trail can break your collarbone when you're gunning for a kom.
> 
> I'm pretty sure that throttling back would eliminate 90% of my diggers, and probably 99% of the really bad ones.


Exactly! At a point it becomes the more attractive option, because simply riding in the mountains is a kind of bliss one does not want to trade for a few spurts of adrenaline.


----------



## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

bsieb said:


> Exactly! At a point it becomes the more attractive option, because simply riding in the mountains is a kind of bliss one does not want to trade for a few spurts of adrenaline.


that is a great way to put it!!!

I am going with that...


----------



## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

I've toned down some things but also keep in mind how just slipping on a wet root with no bike re-damaged a rotator cuff injury, and how a stupid driver killed a family member. Everything in moderation is what my grandmother said and at this age I know what she meant.


----------



## UpTheAnte (Mar 7, 2018)

thegefster said:


> Curious as to how many 50 plus still do jumps and downhills, Risky riding and consider consequences of a Nasty MTB accident


as my years pile up, i could see at the exact right moment, riding off into a Sonoran sunset on the last ride...
sure would beat sitting in the drool corner of a memory care center, periodic flashes of the trail not taken dancing through your reality...


----------



## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Avoiding big features is no guarantee of not crashing. I've hurt myself just as badly falling off at walking pace as I have going over the bars at the bottom of a steep hill. The only way to avoid hitting the ground occasionally is not getting on the bike at all.


----------



## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

Mr Pig said:


> Avoiding big features is no guarantee of not crashing. I've hurt myself just as badly falling off at walking pace as I have going over the bars at the bottom of a steep hill. The only way to avoid hitting the ground occasionally is not getting on the bike at all.


This.

My two worst snowboarding yard sales this year were on green runs, after hitting black slopes all day.

No joke, probably not even going 10mph down a cat track and I hit the ground so hard I didn't know if I'd be able to make it down the hill for a couple minutes. Did it again two minutes later on the same cat track.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

Le Duke said:


> My two worst snowboarding yard sales this year were on green runs, after hitting black slopes all day.


Similar story for pigs. I've had quite a few offs but the ones that hurt the most were relatively slow or on flat trails/paths. If you're carrying a bit of speed I think you tend to slide. If you're moving slowly you slam into the ground like a sack of potatoes. Also, you're not being as careful when doing easy stuff which I think makes you more likely to do something stupid.


----------



## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

I see what you're saying, but riding park and doing gap jumps are not any more risky that riding fast on exposed terrain with conseqences.

I think the OP was talking about how other people calculate risk, cost benefit, how far they'll push, what and how other people think about risk.

A story: A few years ago a group of professional extreme whitewater boaters decided to paddle the outflow from Everest. The group was led by a world renowned boater, at the time he was married, had two young children... and so he drowned on that trip.

So how I see the OP's the point is how does a person assumes risk? I think it has more to do with how we perceive risks. If I'm in the habit of bombing a trail, I don't see the risk the same as someone who is unfamiliar with the same trail. So our perception of risk changes as we push limits and either fail or succeed.

We can't compare risks or risk takers across the board because there are just too many variables.

It's not just about bravery or experience, it can boil down to how you were raised, events in your life that shape who you are, even something as simple as where you are in life at a point in time. I imagine that if my wife suddenly left me, I'd be flogging myself pretty damn hard, seriously.



mtbcat47 said:


> My big trip was last summer. Overshot a gap jump, landed hard, hit the face of the next jump with my body. 5 broken ribs and a messed up shoulder. Slept in the recliner for 2 months! I can guarantee if I wasn't playing around on the jump track, I wouldn't have had this crash. Still biking every single chance I get, leaving the gap jumps for those more willing to sleep in the recliner. This is seriously the only crash I've had in years. And this is what this thread is about IMO...
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## Mr Pig (Jun 25, 2008)

The problem I find is that what I think is sensible while sitting in the car and what I feel like doing once on the bike are two different things. Don't get me wrong, I do draw lines and simply don't do certain features but I also tend to go faster than might initially plan to because once caught in the moment I just want to have fun. 

I think we are all like that. It doesn't matter how we think we should behave when musing over it at home. Once we're on the bike and our inner chimp gets hold of the bars all bets are off.


----------



## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Mr Pig said:


> The problem I find is that what I think is sensible while sitting in the car and what I feel like doing once on the bike are two different things. Don't get me wrong, I do draw lines and simply don't do certain features but I also tend to go faster than might initially plan to because once caught in the moment I just want to have fun.
> 
> I think we are all like that. It doesn't matter how we think we should behave when musing over it at home. Once we're on the bike and our inner chimp gets hold of the bars all bets are off.


My inner chimp likes kodak moments


----------

