Safety in Mountain Biking

Last week, my brother broke his wrist in three places during an urban assault ride. This week, he’ll be having surgery to place pins in his wrist to fix the fracture. This is the third time he’s broken an arm or wrist during urban assault riding in the past 8 years.

Urban assault riding is similar to trials riding, only in an urban setting. Most of the people that do urban assault riding do so on a mountain bike that may or may not have been modified for greater maneuverability over and around obstacles. My brother just uses his regular mountain bike with the seat lowered. In the past, he’s also used more “trials” type bicycles, also.

So, what’s the point? Mountain biking is an inherently dangerous sport, whether you’re careening down the side of a mountain or jumping a brick wall in a downtown setting. The point, or more appropriately, the question, is how far do you take the safety issue in mountain biking?

A helmet is a clear necessity for any form of mountain biking, whether on the street or on the trails. I personally never ride without proper footwear, eye protection, and gloves, as well. Sometimes, my brother wears shin guards during urban assault rides, but not always. With his history of arm injuries or considering the risk we all take to impact related arm injuries, do we also need to wear wrist guards like roller-bladers? Or, will this impede our ability to control the bicycle to the point of becoming unsafe? What about a chest protector like a motocross racer wears? I know I’ve come down some hills at very high rates of speed that could easily cause a puncture wound from a branch or stick. Or, how about a neck brace? Arm guards? Downhill racers add a full-face helmet to their safety gear. If it’s good for them, shouldn’t we be using them, also? Heck, let’s just create a bunch of robo-bikers and no one will get hurt. 

Obviously, this is pretty unrealistic. However, safety should be a concern every time you go out for a ride.

• Make a cursory check of your equipment — all your equipment, not just your bike. I’ve had a bad shoe strap cause wrecks that were worse than a tire and rim blow-out.
• Consider the ride. Are you going down a trail strewn with boulders that would take out a car or a pleasure ride through a swamp hammock? For example, I live in Florida where sharp palm fronds snap your face like a lashing from a whip. This is why I always wear eye protection, but in some areas, it may not be a concern.
• Accurately assess your ability. My brother obviously tends to use his hands, wrists, and arms to brace his falls, resulting in multiple fracture injuries. Maybe some additional wrist/hand protection would be in order for this rider. Along this same note, if a trail is beyond your capabilities, no amount of safety equipment will save your butt. Come back to these intense rides when your skills improve.

Mountain biking is a risky sport and the risk is part of what makes it fun! However, just a few minor precautions can make for a much more pleasurable ride, without going overboard on safety. I can’t get enough of the adrenalin rush from pine trees whipping by while I maneuver through a tight switchback, but three months in a cast and off my bike doesn’t sound like part of the dream. What are your tips and tricks for safety? What sets your plan apart from the crowd and keeps you safe, while still enjoying every facet of mountain bike riding?

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