Reminder: Mountain Biking Can Be Dangerous

A spate of serious mountain biking accidents over three days serves as a sobering reminder to ride within your limits and stay safe this summer.

By Jeff Barber
July 21, 2010 Last Updated: May 1, 2026

3 comments

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I’m not sure what’s going on but the news over the past three days has been full of mountain bike related accidents, injuries, and even deaths. Maybe it’s the weather that’s putting more people on their bikes or maybe it’s just coincidence. Either way, hopefully this post serves as a reminder to ride within your limits to avoid ending your season early (or worse, permanently). In case you missed it:

Local Youth Pastor Breaks Neck Mountain Biking (Missouri)
12-year-old Dies After Summer Camp Mountain Bike Accident (Colorado)
Police airlift Bedminster man who broke leg mountain biking (New Jersey)
Man Dies After Serious Mountain Bike Fall (Australia)
Injured Mountain Biker Rescued West of Bend (Oregon)
Lost Mountain Bikers Rescued from Eagan Park (Minnesota)

Again, this is just 3 days worth of headlines. And beyond the headlines there are easily dozens more cases each day of mountain bikers suffering from heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and dehydration on the trail. Ride smart this summer to avoid mountain biking injuries!

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3 Comments

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blyman 2007
Jul 22, 2010

2001 was the summer of the shark attack. There were no more shark attacks than normal, the news just got itself in a frenzy and had breaking news anytime someone got bit by anything at the beach. Just like every car recall made the front page after the Toyota gas pedal story. No real change in the rate of recalls, the media just reported on it more.

I bet the rate of mtb accidents is the same as it has been, it's just in the news more. I'm definitely not saying it's a safe sport. You really need to be careful out there.

0 reply

Dustin Gaddis South Carolina // 2007
Jul 21, 2010

Every year, there's at least one person who has EMT's come get them out of the FATS trails because they don't know what they're doing. In the summer people go out with no water with temperatures near 100 degrees and get over heated. In the fall/winter people go out too close to dark and get stuck out in the woods in the dark, with no lights.

Greg Heil Colorado // 2008
Jul 22, 2010

Really, mountain biking should only be under taken by those who know the risks. And if people don't take the time to educate themselves about the risks and prepare to avoid them (like bringing a light if it's almost dark out), they bring this sort of thing upon themselves.

That said, even the best riders crash at times, and get injured. But a really smart rider knows when and where its OK to push the boundaries a little more. For instance, if you're DH riding at a ski resort on trails that are regularly patrolled, it is OK to push the boundaries a little more.

BUT if you are going on a long solo ride into the backcountry (say, around Bend oregon, or in other parts of the rocky mountains), you had better be riding safely in your comfort zone the whole time. That would NOT be the time to try to learn how to drop cliffs.

-Greg
http://gregridestrails.com

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