Mountain bikers, what’s your biggest fear on the trail?

Fear can lead to caution, so tell us what you're cautious about on the trail.
A yellow caution sign featuring a silhouette of a bear and the text "CAUTION BEAR IN AREA." The sign is positioned near a dirt road surrounded by trees and greenery.
File photo: Chuck Lennon Park, Florida.

Mountain biking is fun, but like everything else in life, that doesn’t mean it’s without risk. In fact, it’s good to have a healthy amount of respect for danger to stay safe on the trail. Though we’re using the word “fear” in the question here, what we really want to know is which aspect of biking are you most cautious about.

For me, I’d say my top fear is crashing. That causes me to ride cautiously, and the upshot is (knock on wood!) I’ve avoided serious injury so far. At the same time, being overly cautious slows my progression.

Mountain bikers, what's your biggest fear on the trail?

Tell us why this is your top concern in the comments below.