JamesPrice
Squid
Do injuries make downhill too risky as a sport and should there be restrictions on riders ( e.g. - Neck Braces be compulsory at events such as state or national rounds )
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Injuries making Downhill too risky ?
- Thread starter JamesPrice
- Start date
rone
Eats Squid
NO. Whatever happened to an individuals ability to assess a risk and decide whether or not they will participate. Lord knows we do not need more rules and legislation.
If you think it is too dangerous- DON'T DO IT.
This sort of view ends up trying to sanitise the sport and then when some muppet gets hurt, they will try and blame somebody other than themselves for their injuries.
May as well push for Sumo suits for DH events.
If you think it is too dangerous- DON'T DO IT.
This sort of view ends up trying to sanitise the sport and then when some muppet gets hurt, they will try and blame somebody other than themselves for their injuries.
May as well push for Sumo suits for DH events.
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I think that when compared to other sports, downhill actually has a fairly low injury rate. Never heard of a death from it. On a race weekend with say 400 racers there might be 1 hospitalized for big - ish things (head injuries, spinal injuries). Mostly it is cuts, grazes and broken bones. Also, it never seems to be the fast guys that get hurt badly, it is always the slow ones riding above their skill level. I would definitely rather be riding DH than road - working in a shop and seeing the bikes after roadies have been hit always makes you cringe...
Downhill Injuries
I don't think it makes it too risky, would be pretty similar to Motorcross Racing.
It is a dangerous sport non the less and I do believe that at minimum for Competition Racing, Knee Protection, Full Face & Neck Brace should be mandatory.
I don't know why more and more world cup racers are steering away from wearing body armour etc etc, this causes two issues
1) Longer recovery time when they do actually have an accident
2) Younger riders that look up to them will choose not to wear them (coolness factor)
For me personally, i can't justify not wearing full protection, especially when you have to work for a living.
I'd rather have a bruised Knee or Elbow than broken ones.
I don't think it makes it too risky, would be pretty similar to Motorcross Racing.
It is a dangerous sport non the less and I do believe that at minimum for Competition Racing, Knee Protection, Full Face & Neck Brace should be mandatory.
I don't know why more and more world cup racers are steering away from wearing body armour etc etc, this causes two issues
1) Longer recovery time when they do actually have an accident
2) Younger riders that look up to them will choose not to wear them (coolness factor)
For me personally, i can't justify not wearing full protection, especially when you have to work for a living.
I'd rather have a bruised Knee or Elbow than broken ones.
willsy01
Eats Squid
This ^^^.
Hell, i'd love to get into DH but the fact of the matter is that i'm 30 and having broken/injured limbs/joints will place a fairly significant burden on me financially.
With that said, I don't do it. Yes, I risk injury riding XC type stuff as well but it's not nearly as high a risk as DH.
Downhill is no riskier than any other form of mtbing or any other sport for that matter. Skiing is one of the most dangerous sports out there with more injuries per participant, yet plenty of people go sking every winter. It's just people's perception of danger, you say mountain biking and people think of Red Bull rampage because that's all they know. You say skiing and they think of a gently gliding down a slope and sipping hot chocolate.
Personally I've had more injuries on the XC bike than the DH bike for a few reasons. A DH bike is a very specific tool made to do one thing very well, trail bikes are a compromise between climbing and descending, which is why I'm never comfortable on the decents on my XC bike. I second guess myself and lose confidence and end up on my face.
Secondly is fatigue, last silly crash I had was because my arms were shot and I couldn't be arsed lofting the front to get over a rock that I assumed I could just roll over.
Which brings me to my last point, you never get complacent on a DH bike because the consequences are higher if you get it wrong and you tend to pay attention to what you're doing.
Personally I've had more injuries on the XC bike than the DH bike for a few reasons. A DH bike is a very specific tool made to do one thing very well, trail bikes are a compromise between climbing and descending, which is why I'm never comfortable on the decents on my XC bike. I second guess myself and lose confidence and end up on my face.
Secondly is fatigue, last silly crash I had was because my arms were shot and I couldn't be arsed lofting the front to get over a rock that I assumed I could just roll over.
Which brings me to my last point, you never get complacent on a DH bike because the consequences are higher if you get it wrong and you tend to pay attention to what you're doing.
theMerryPrankster
Likes Dirt
Mr King
Likes Dirt
It is a topic that can attract a broad result so I'll answer it at two levels.
For the weekend punter who likes to do some social runs then it is entirely their choice. I have recently started using a neckbrace and it saved me from a very serious injury just a few days ago (a crash that licked the coating off my helmet). I went head first into a buch of rocks from a high fall and I felt the brace stop the extension and / or impact of my neck and head. I walked away (groggy.....spewing that I fucked my helmet) but all okay. In saying that, I will not ride without safety equipment. I have many bills to pay and a job to work Monday to Friday so I fancy keeping myself intact. It is really that simple that I want to enjoy doing everything so I'll wear my stuff.
On a state, national and world racing level I think the game changes. In my opinion you should have to qualify for a state race well before you enter an event. You should do that by completing several club races and finishing strongly in the category you wish to comepete. For National rounds you should fair well enough in club races and state rounds as well. I hate the fact that in Australia you can walk up to any downhill event and enter even if you have never ever ridden downhill. It takes the shine of the whole state representitive thing and the same for nationals. You should have to prove you are good enough to race at that level. In doing so you will have proved that while you can still crash your bike just as hard as anyone else, you can handle yourself enough to go fast and decide what other protection you want other than the mandatory stuff.
Basically, downhill can eat you alive and your choice of protection can limit the amount of injuries you may recieve in a fall. I like to cover every part of me with at least some fabric (long sleeve jersey,pants, gloves etc) to avoid annoying scratches but the other stuff saves the harsh injuries (full face, goggles, knee / shin, upper body, neck brace etc).
It is the riders choice and we can't dumb the sport down for people who just walk in. Common sense should be tested before you decide to race because at the end of the day it is the rider who will suffer the most pain if he bombs a run with just shorts, a t shirt and a helmet and bites it. Has that dude used his brain? Nope, not at all. Do I have sympathy for him? Nope, I suggested he wear some protection.
T-Rex
Template denier
A Mum's perspective
T-Rex hasn't got much to say on this that hasn't already been said.
However, Mrs T-Rex, having witnessed five Interschools races over the past five years, along with too many Club, State and National races to count, has the following to say:
"Downhill is dangerous if you do it only occasionally."
This has a bit of a racing context, and may not apply to DH riders who don't race, but she does have a point. Less experienced riders are less able to assess risk or judge their ability relative to a given obstacle or situation, and are more inclined to see the "red mist" when sitting in the start gate watching the clock count down.
So, according to Mrs T-Rex, if you want to be safer doing DH, ride more DH.
And yes, I know experienced riders get injured as well, but they got experienced from riding a lot.
T-Rex hasn't got much to say on this that hasn't already been said.
However, Mrs T-Rex, having witnessed five Interschools races over the past five years, along with too many Club, State and National races to count, has the following to say:
"Downhill is dangerous if you do it only occasionally."
This has a bit of a racing context, and may not apply to DH riders who don't race, but she does have a point. Less experienced riders are less able to assess risk or judge their ability relative to a given obstacle or situation, and are more inclined to see the "red mist" when sitting in the start gate watching the clock count down.
So, according to Mrs T-Rex, if you want to be safer doing DH, ride more DH.
And yes, I know experienced riders get injured as well, but they got experienced from riding a lot.
JamesPrice
Squid
thanks guys 
needed to know from you because it is a school assignment and i need info on what the public think.. cheers !!
needed to know from you because it is a school assignment and i need info on what the public think.. cheers !!Although body armor has come a long way in development Body armor can still be restrictive to a extent and adds weight, now although this restrictment and weight addition will be small the margins in which the riders win at wc level is also small and wearing this could be the difference between a win or 5th place. I dont disagree that the injury/recovery time will be lessened but they are brilliant riders and it is their choice to put it all on the line to win. Although we could argue that body armor gives you more confidence, for the wc riders I dont think would be a factor at all, they are confident in what they can do and wouldnt be at the top of the sport if they wernt.
Now, to the original post.
At interschools we had to wear body armor due to our school making that a priority. However at state races I think it comes down to the rider and what they choose to do. For me whether I wear body armor or not will depend on what track I am riding and my confidence in my ability to ride the track. I am buying a neck brace in the next few days which for me is a well worth investment. Neck braces have been getting slightly more popular with the wc riders which I feel is a positive move for the sport. It is good to see although riders are pushing their self they still are looking after their body and life, its good to see this happening. I dont think it is good to have mandatory armor or braces but it is good to see wc riders using armor and braces while others choose not to. I think It puts out there that we need to be conscious about saftey but ultimately how far we take it is our choice.
For me I never rode with much protection except knee/shin,helmet and gloves.
I have recently decided that a neck brace for me is something I want to ride with, I have also been looking at core savers to help protect my back and vital areas but in a lightweight unrestrictive way.
The idea of doing a certain number of local races or having a level of experience seems like a good idea. Also I think maybe the rescrictions can vary with age. ie, u15-mandatory armor,U17-minimal core saver, body armor optional, U-19-optional body armor.
This could be a problem however when we have U17 riders who are better than some elite riders. Maybe the level of armor worn shouldnt be excluded to age but to experience and skill.
M2C
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flamshmizer
Likes Dirt
As someone mentioned earlier, out of a ~250 competitors you usually only have 3-4 go home on a weekend from injuries. Take 250 people competing at a state level competition, say a rugby game and I nearly guarantee more injuries. Yes it is dangerous, is it more dangerous than doing another sport or even driving up to the coast for the weekend? I doubt it.
There is risk associated with the sport but thats the reason people do it. The injuries sustained do not make the sport too risky.
I'm saying this while recovering from my second broken collarbone in 7 months. First came form me having an off day and getting to loose, second was purely bad luck, could've happened to anyone.
There is risk associated with the sport but thats the reason people do it. The injuries sustained do not make the sport too risky.
I'm saying this while recovering from my second broken collarbone in 7 months. First came form me having an off day and getting to loose, second was purely bad luck, could've happened to anyone.
T-Rex
Template denier
You know what the worst injury was from the Ourimbah State Round the other weekend?
Wait for it......
One of the Mums doing the old Toyota "Oh What a Feeling" routine for a photographer on one of the finish rollers, comes down on the side of the lander, and twists her knee......couldn't walk, needed the full first aid routine and a drive out. No bike involved, she was on foot, after practice had finished on Saturday arvo.
Life - it's as dangerous as you make it.
hazza6542
Eats Squid
The danger and risk of DH is part of the appeal, that awesome feeling in the air when your brain shouts "OMG WHAT IF I HIT THAT TREE THAT WOULD BE FULLY AWESOMMEEEE" and you get that rush your mother will never understand why.
I wear a neck brace when I race, but when I'm just chilling at the local, suiting up for an hour of easy going dh just isn't as fun without Barney Stinson. Shorts, a shirt or a singlet, gloves and a fullface are all I really wear, and it makes it that little bit more enjoyable, that freedom of wearing what you want doing what you want, not trying to be Minaar (the phrase trying to be sam hill is too overused) with the signature shoes and TLD kit.
Then again I own all of those types of things, but at least they're not matching.
Was much of this relevant?
I wear a neck brace when I race, but when I'm just chilling at the local, suiting up for an hour of easy going dh just isn't as fun without Barney Stinson. Shorts, a shirt or a singlet, gloves and a fullface are all I really wear, and it makes it that little bit more enjoyable, that freedom of wearing what you want doing what you want, not trying to be Minaar (the phrase trying to be sam hill is too overused) with the signature shoes and TLD kit.
Then again I own all of those types of things, but at least they're not matching.
Was much of this relevant?
Steve-0
Likes Bikes and Dirt
No restrictions other then a full face helmet. The rest should be up to the riders risk management and common sense. There are always B-lines around the hard stuff and the sport is dangerous to start off with.
I think DH is dangerous for sure, Definitely an "Extreme" sport. Sure there's no deaths but there's alot of broken bones and dislocated shoulder/knee/legs and a few fractured backs. Some of the stuff we ride down is pretty wild, we may not see it that way but it takes years of experience to acquire the skills required to ride even the easiest tracks.
I want to see Downhill get scarier, Sort the men from the boys so to speak. Less jumps and more cliff faces.