Is Downhill Mountain Bike an Extreme Sport?

Mountain Biking is certainly an adventurous sport. But have you ever wondered, “Is Downhill Mountain biking an extreme sport?”

To put it simply – Yes. Mountain biking is certainly an extreme sport. The extremity includes both excitement and danger. The intensity of the danger depends on the driving pattern and experience of the rider.

Further, the level of danger also depends upon the type of mountain biking – Cross country, Enduro and Downhill. Each of them has its streams of extremity. But, downhill is considered the most dangerous of the three.

In Downhill Mountain biking, you have to first get to the top and there are two ways to do that, you can either ride a lift up or get carried to the peak of the mountain and then go steep down.

Then before you start heading downholl you have to be careful with the big three or GOC – Gravity, Obstacles, and Conditions.

G – Gravity

When you begin your descent on the mountain, gravity tries to tempt you to give up on your brake. It is essential to let go off the temptation and maintain your speed at a constant level to manage the ride.

O – Obstacles

Roads are filled with rocks and trees. It is essential to stay focused during the ride. It is tough to concentrate on these things while riding at a reasonable speed. It’s necessary to look at items from all around and keep the head high to focus on the ride. Sometimes these obstacles also open the door to try out stunts. But, it is better to avoid unnecessary ones to stay on track.

C – Conditions

The conditions indicate the texture and the characteristic features of the mountain. It is a wise habit to check out the track conditions and equip yourself adequately to ensure that it does not create a hurdle while riding.

Downhill Injury Data

The National Library of Medicine conducted a research study on downhill mountain biking injuries. An email-based survey was conducted with 249 riders. Among the 249 riders who traveled for 29401 hours of exposure, 494 injuries were recorded. 65% were mild injuries, 22% were moderate, and 13% were severe. An overall of 41% of the riders took more than 28 days to recover.

The injury rate arrived at 16.8 per 1000 exposure. On the other hand, the professional riders reported 13.4%, which is less than the injury rate of the experts at 17.9%. The primary area of injury in the body was the lower leg at 27%, and the next in line was the forearm at 25%. 72% of riders reported that the reason for the injury was riding errors, and 31% reported bad trail conditions.

Is It Worth Taking the Risk?

There are several kinds of mountain bikes differentiated in size, durability, suspension, and many other criteria. They are broadly classified as:

If you ask the downhill mountain bike riders if it is worth taking the risk – the answer would be yes if you need speed and adrenaline.

A downhill bike is designed to go a ride downhill. So, what if you need to go uphill? Do you need to buy another mountain bike? Well, maybe not.

You can use your downhill bike to climb uphill. But the effort and energy you have to spend will be much higher than a if you were using a lighter mountain bike.

The downhill bikes are sturdy, and the force falls against you when you climb uphill. Downhill Mountain bikes are designed with full suspension, and there is no dropper post. As a result, they are much longer and durable than other bikes.

Conclusion

Every sport has its intensity of danger, and downhill mountain biking is no exception. Therefore, it is essential to stay cautious and keep your downhill mountain bike well equipped to avoid any significant injuries.

Have your downhill mountain bikes well-equipped before your ride. It is also essential to take risks and avoid unnecessary stunts during the ride.

Downhill mountain biking serves as a high-intensity workout. So, make sure your backpack has some healthy snacks to munch during the chairlift. Also, wear a Camelbak with water.

Have a safe ride, and stay safe!