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Not me I might add... I did when I was a teenager, but that was back when we all thought we were invincible!
Anyway, in the knowledge that a helmet has saved my life offroad at least twice in the past, I always wear one. Went to Cannock Chase today for the first time in over 18 months (and my FTD has changed! Fair play to them), and there was literally dozens of people riding the trails without helmets on, and incredibly, all of them old enough to know better...
I know each to their own and that... But I thought that as Cannock was a proper "trail centre" (for lack of better term), all those who rode the trails there had to agree to wear a helmet? It's been years since I saw anyone offroad without a lid on, and today I saw loads! What gives?
in 30 years of cycling, i have yet to land on my head when falling off.
why do you ride a mountain bike and not a road bike/unicyle/recumbent.........
choice!
Sensible adults in making their own minds up shock?
Why would anyone have to agree to wear a helmet to ride anywhere?
I love the way you "know your helmet saved you life" - what sort of helmet were you wearing? Normal XC ones are simply not that good - if they save your life you are left seriously injured. If you are left with no injury they saved you from a minor injury.
MTBing is one of the few sports where safety gear like helmets and body armour has gone hand in hand with being cool and trendy and the vast majority of riders use at least a helmet if not arm/knee/leg armour as well - I think that's why anyone not wearing a helmet immediately stands out.
i have hit my head loads over the years, in fact i am concussed now 🙂
I only wear a helmet beacuse I'm an extremely clumsy ****er and usually bang my head on the boot lid getting the bike out. Have head butted a tree once and was glad to be wearing it, but that's due to the fact that I have a head and face like yoda's scrotum and it doesn't need any more scars or random lumps!
[i]It's been years since I saw anyone offroad without a lid on, and today I saw loads! What gives? [/i]
Perhaps people are making their own decisions about their safety ???
Sensible adults in making their own minds up shock?
Yeah, fair enough, I'm not denying anybody the freedom of choice... Their decision, I just find it odd myself!
Why would anyone have to agree to wear a helmet to ride anywhere?
Legal Reasons Perhaps? 😉
Seriously though, so many places I've ridden have disclaimers about "everyone who rides these trails MUST wear a helmet" etc... You not seen them anywhere?
in 30 years of cycling, i have yet to land on my head when falling off.
I have, MANY times... Either poor riding, or trying too hard, who knows! But I've done it and been grateful for wearing a lid.
I love the way you "know your helmet saved you life" - what sort of helmet were you wearing?
Yup, totally destroyed a Giro E2 a few years back. Front wheel in hole at 20+mph offroad = flung over handlebars and landing on head in piledriver position onto ground as hard as tarmac! Giro E2 was in a poor state, but my bonce was in one piece... Went to the Doc's the next day, I had pretty severe concussion... Next 3 weeks (fortunately for me I was at uni at the time, and it was the Easter Holidays) were spent sleeping 18 hours a day with a very sore head!
Also come off in Morzine, probably similar sort of speed, wearing my full face lid, did a couple of tumbles, landed head first again... Don't expect my head would've looked too clever minus the lid!
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for choice, I just find it a bit odd that people will spend say £1500 on their bike, but not even £50 on a lid to protect them when they fall off! Or am I doing it wrong in that I expect to fall off my bike from time to time?
Each to their own - I only started wearing a lid 4/5 years ago, after being turned away from a demo day for showing up without one.
I definitely take more risks now that I wear one all the time, [b]but[/b] having seen the state of the lid my partners daughter was wearing after it bounced off a car wing and the kerb in quick succession, I don't think I'll be venturing out without one any time soon.
Never seen a sign telling me I must wear a helmet, only the cover your arse ones stuck up along with other advice.
I wear my lid on stony ground but rarely around the Forest of Dean unless I am out to play silly buggers with suicidal mates.
Serious answer - I don't know cannock but even I normally wear a helmet at trail centres where speeds are high and hazards are plentiful. I don't wear a helmet when ambling around the countryside riding well within my limits. When out for an amble and I come across a fast rocky descent and I have no helmet I ride it very cautiously indeed.
Two different sorts of riding means two different risk assessments.
As regards your accident - if you had a good dose of concussion with the helmet then yes - it would have probably been very nasty without it It might have been disabling but dead is unlikely even so.
Can anyone show me a cycle helmet that is marketed as 'guaranteed to save the wearer from serious or fatal injury'?
Thought not.
[i]I know each to their own and that[/i]
At which point the helmet "discussion" comes to an abrupt end, really
I only wear one to race or at trail centres.
Where I live/ride I don't feel the need, and I ride that bit slower. I tend to crash when I wear a helmet (because I'm racing and because I'm not taking it easy).
When out for an amble and I come across a fast rocky descent and I have no helmet I ride it very cautiously indeed.
Wouldn't it be better to be wearing a helmet, then you wouldn't have to ride cautiously and could actually have some fun 🙂
...the other thing all you little lads forget is that when mountain biking started here and abroad, there were no helmets.
Do you think everyone sat about frightened to ride off kerbs until they were invented?
...and I don't recall any epidemic of head injuries then either, and the statistics (as opposed to the helmet saved my life and ended the second world war types) don't indicate any major changes in head injury rates now that every one wears one....
Rich - If its one short section from a long ride I'd rather the freedom and comfort of not wearing a helmet. Its rather exciting doing fast rocky descents without a helmet anyway.
A day of fast rocky descents and I take the helmet.
my mate fell of the back of a motor bike pootling along with my mates on bmxs and died with no lid.
i wore a lid since that day
I'm pretty happy to have had the three helmets I have written off in my past. I was wearing them. They took the impact.
TJ, I honestly hope you are never found out for your stupidity in this, really I do. Please just wear one.
Freedom and comfort? Not a good enough argument. Sorry.
Helmets are far more comfortable and free than any wheelchair or grave that I have seen.
we need to follow team mcoy's example and wear a full face helmet for slow xc and bright orange clothes as an extra safety feature so that we;
a: don't get shot by hunters
b: can be easliy found in the event of falling off
c: can standout so that prospective sponsors can find you
You fools do you not realise that his is the only true way
I wear a seatbelt when driving for all journeys no matter how short: my seatbelt has never yet saved my life but I still wouldn't consider stopping using it. For me, a similar principle for cycle helemts: I always wear a helmet when cycling.
I see people driving without seatbelts, I see people cycling without helmets...their choice. Can't see why it always seems such a contentious issue.
I was at cannock afew weeks back and a bloke stacked it on one of the fire roads. Even had one of those muscle shirts on so I bet his arms were gashed to bits.
He seemed ok, but really needed a lid.
Whilst im on the subject of Cannock, met a nice lad en route on an on-one inbred, I was on a Cove (I believe he was from Tamworth). Anyhow he took me and my mate around a new section we as visitors didnt know about. Whoever you are, thanks!
Really great people down there. Did'nt expect much of Cannock really (only been half a dozen times on the dog over the years) but enjoyed it this time. Was suffering from flu and fitness but rallied on. The Dog just needs to be longer.
CFH - thanks for the sentiments but I know what the odds are and understand assessing risk - helmet free days are of such low risk that it is negligible and I am prepared to accept that negligible risk.
Traffic free / wheels on the ground / known trails / good conditions / extra caution on anything tricky = very low risk.
As crickey says off road biking predates helmets and there has never been an epidemic of head injuries.
Edit : - and a helmet is more likely to put you in a wheelchair with a broken neck.
Equating seatbelts with bicycle helmets is wrong; they do not equate in safety terms.
If you think an inch of polystyrene is the difference between a serious head injury or not you have a quaint and somewhat mistaken view of the laws of physics.
If helmets worked as some of you think, the evidence would be crystal clear, unequivocal, no fannying about.
That evidence does not exist.
I'd happily ride anywhere off-road without a helmet in preference to riding a bicycle in traffic. Now [i]that[/i] is an unacceptable risk.
[i]I'd happily ride anywhere off-road without a helmet in preference to riding a bicycle in traffic. Now that is an unacceptable risk.[/i]
You don't really understand much about [b]actual[/b] risk then....
Sorry guys, can I put the lid firmly back on this can of worms please?
Hadn't meant to start an argument!
Just a bit shocked as to how many grown men ride without lids today... Was the first time I'd seen it in ages, and was wondering why mainly!
mboy, 🙂
You don't really understand much about actual risk then....
I can think of 3 people who I know indirectly that are dead from riding on the road. One more than I know from motorbikes. Two more than I know from cars. And 3 more than I know from mountainbikes.
Good enough for me.
was wondering why mainly!
Ignorance, arrogance and selfishness. People who think they are above any danger, beyond any risk and who don't care if they splatter their brains over the trails in front of their friends or family.
For those who choose to be tw@s and ride without one, please make sure you never ride anywhere popular or a trail centre. When one of you crashes and is hospitalised or, heaven forbid, worse, the outcry will come down on all of us who take a reasonable view of the risk of our sport and wear a helmet. That outcry will make our sport, that which we all love and adore, so much harder. It will clamp down on access to riding, it will reduce the enjoyment for us all.
Modern helmets are light, comfortable, cheap and might well save you from injury. Why the **** can't you just wear one and shut the **** up?
I wonder how the people who don't wear one would feel if when they have a spill and a head injury on ringing 999 they were asked
"was he/she wearing a helmet?"
"No"
"Sort yourself out then, why should we come out to you when you knew the risks"
With limited resources in emergency services people should have a little more responsibility for their actions.
I bet if you asked a paramedic what he thought it would be wear a helmet. I know there are statistics that say it makes no difference but think about the poor sod having a heart attack while you're laid out without a helmet taking the ambulance miles out into the countryside.
Riding without one seems pretty dim witted to me but then I'm not dead ard!
Helmets are cheap and no bother so why not?
as a follically challenged gentleman helemts also keep your head nice and warm and look better than a bobble hat or a buff (although one with a skull and crossbones on to get into the pirate vibe propperly would be good)
CFH - why should your inability to understand and assess risk mean hat I should have to wear an ineffective uncomfortable piece of plastic on my head?
Bikebreaker - people who wear helmets are more likely to crash and break other bits of themselves - plenty of evidence of this. Your argument is fallacious anyway. You can keep yourself totally safe by never going out and all mtb injuries are avoidable
TJ, you have no idea of my inability (or otherwise) to assess and understand risk. I understand fully that the risks of riding a bike are manifold, with the risks of mechanical failure, other people, weather conditions, etc. etc. etc.
You just carry on with your arrogance, please. I'll bring you grapes when you're in hospital dribbling.
Bikebreaker - MemberI wonder how the people who don't wear one would feel if when they have a spill and a head injury on ringing 999 they were asked
"was he/she wearing a helmet?"
"No"
"Sort yourself out then, why should we come out to you when you knew the risks"With limited resources in emergency services people should have a little more responsibility for their actions.
I bet if you asked a paramedic what he thought it would be wear a helmet. I know there are statistics that say it makes no difference but think about the poor sod having a heart attack while you're laid out without a helmet taking the ambulance miles out into the countryside.
Do you think the paramedic would also be asking the heart attack "sod" whether he smoked, drank, ate fatty food and had regular exercise?
CaptainFlashheart - MemberYou just carry on with your arrogance, please. I'll bring you grapes when you're in hospital dribbling.
Seems you've already started.
CFH - unusual for you to have such a blindspot on this one.
You accusing me of arrogance when its you that is telling me what I should do is rather laughable.
Its clear that you have no idea of the risks or how to assess them.
Whats the view like from your high horse?
i've hit my head a few times, with and without a helmet. i much prefer with! but there are still days i don't feel the need and ride without one.
Its clear that you have no idea of the risks or how to assess them.
You have never met me, nor do you know me, nor have you ridden with me. How can you say that?
My point is this - There may well be evidence on both sides, but our sport and our continued enjoyment thereof is a touchy issue. We suffer already with land access, and all manner of other issues. The public view is not in favour of ambulances scraping helmetless riders off the hills, so why do it?
Your arguments of freedom and comfort are pointless. Wearing a helmet on a bike is as nothing. It makes no impact on your comfort or freedom, so why not just do it?
I have no intention of "telling you what to do" but I would ask you to consider your opinion. I have seen too many people injured to not wear one, regardless of whatever evidence you choose to bring up, and whatever "I don't take risks" you may spout.
I usually dont wear one if i ride my bmx because its classed as uncool if your a bmx and i do want to fit in.
On the mtb I usually wear one, but have been shouted at by some nobheads before when I havent worn one.
As TandemJeremy says, it depends how and where I'm riding as to whether I wear one.
I dont wear one when I go walking, even though I often have to jog down rocky steep slopes, I never get shouted at either.
CaptainFlashheart - MemberI have seen too many people injured to not wear one, regardless of whatever evidence you choose to bring up, and whatever "I don't take risks" you may spout.
Anyone I've seen injured on a trail [i]has[/i] been wearing a helmet. Do you think they'd ride more carefully if they weren't?
TJ - My point is you should do all you can to protect yourself from injury. If you do this and still get injured in some way there is no more you can do.
By being stupid and not protecting yourself you then waste valuable resources sorting out your selfish neglect to look after yourself.
If we all agree that Steve Peat is the world champion of mountain biking (downhill) he should never need to wear one because he 's the best at riding a bike downhill. I don't remeber ever seeing him without one on, even pootling around Wharncliffe, but hey what does he know.
CFH - you attitude and the conclusions you draw show me that you simply do not understand the risks involved or how to assess them. Do you wear a helmet in your car? More likely to get a head injury there. Or when doing DIY - far more likely to need one then.
Wearing a helmet does impact on my comfort and freedom - it is simply nicer not to wear one when it is not rationally needed.
You are no more likely to need medical evacuation off a hillside. Thats the simple truth. Head injuries are not a common part of cycling or mountainbiking
Bike breaker - do you wear a full pressure suit when riding? That the logical conclusion of your point - or never go out at all.
Do you understand the difference between passive and active safety? I'd rather feel vulnerable and avoid the accident than hope that a bit of plastic protects me when I have one thru feeling invulnerable
I don't think any trail centres on Forestry Commission land enforce helmet rules - they have signs saying that they 'strongly advise' people to wear helmets when cycling, but no hard rules. Not sure how they'd enforce it even if they did.
I've seen people riding Glentress and Llandegla with no helmets too, so I think it's fairly common across trail centres - most people wear helmets, a few don't. Bit silly in my opinion, but it's their choice.
not a common part of cycling??
no helmets at cannock=typical brummie behaviour
no one looks as good as TJ in a flat cap off road
If we all agree that Steve Peat is the world champion of mountain biking (downhill) he should never need to wear one because he 's the best at riding a bike downhill. I don't remeber ever seeing him without one on, even pootling around Wharncliffe, but hey what does he know.
+1
Also noticed that Jenson Button bloke wearing a helmet whilst in his car, whats that all about. Surely a pair of oakleys to protect his eyes is all he needs?
As most sensible people have said, there's no harm wearing a helmet. If you do get injured then least you've done your upmost to protect yourself. As someone who's landed on his head and cracked his whole helmet then i'm glad i wore and do wear one. Its blatant stupidity not to.
And whats the point in doing this sportand being cautious to prevent possible injury. I want to be able to ride as hard and as fast as i can in knowledge that i have some sort of protection if things go wrong.
But then, alot of people on here are all talk and are pi55 poor on a bike so dont need to wear a helmet anyway!!
Ah, were you at the bike wash at about 3pm mboy, with a chap on a Santa Cruz of some sort (looked a bit like a Superlight)? I bizarrely got there late today, then got a very random headache. Assuming it was you, I was the very bewildered looking chap sat on the grassy bank in a garish yellow jacket.
How did the Mav fair around FTD? I was very tempted by one myself recently and want something a bit lighter for endurance racing next summer.
Quite suprised to see one on FTD as soon as we arrived, and pondered if they'd always been there, but I'd never noticed them before. Perhaps not.
I think that we have been missing the point slightly. It really irritates me people who decide not to wear a helmet when riding off road because it is so selfish. My logic goes like this, if you fall off and hit your head on a rock without a helmet on then you are pretty much beyond caring for yourself. What about the poor bugger following you down the trail who comes across you sprawled out, sparked out on the floor? Who has to call the ambulance, who has to get your bike to the bottom of the trail, who has to sit with you whilst waiting for the services to arrive trying to make sure your not swollowing your tounge.
If you dont want to wear a helmet for yourself then wear it for the person who may have scrape you off the trail, it might make them a bit more sympathetic!
Head injuries are not a common part of cycling or mountainbiking
Anything to do with the significant majority wearing a helmet when riding perhaps?
And I'll ask the question again, is it just me that bounces my bonce off things? Am I a crap rider? Am I doing something wrong?
I don't think any trail centres on Forestry Commission land enforce helmet rules - they have signs saying that they 'strongly advise' people to wear helmets when cycling, but no hard rules. Not sure how they'd enforce it even if they did.I've seen people riding Glentress and Llandegla with no helmets too, so I think it's fairly common across trail centres - most people wear helmets, a few don't. Bit silly in my opinion, but it's their choice.
Cheers. I had thought they tried to enforce it, perhaps not. And your last comment, my point entirely, hence I started this thread. Even more so because for the last longer than I can remember, I haven't seen anyone else on the trails not wearing a helmet, then today I see loads!
I'd rather feel vulnerable and avoid the accident than hope that a bit of plastic protects me when I have one thru feeling invulnerable
how do you avoid an accident??
Glad you admit to feelingvulnerabke, try wearing a lid and you might not need to. Also, its hardly just a piece of plastic, more a highly designed piece of safety equipment.
I'd rather feel vulnerable and avoid the accident
Accidents are, by their very nature, unavoidable.
CFH - you attitude and the conclusions you draw show me that you simply do not understand the risks involved or how to assess them. Do you wear a helmet in your car? More likely to get a head injury there.
I drive a Volvo which is packed with airbags and safety features. I also drive an Audi, as above. I also drive a classic Mercedes, with no such safety features. I drive that very differently to the other two. Your point is?
Further to the above, if you knew me, you would know my approach to risk management. You do not, so you do not. Do not presume to comment on it.
I have had a couple of headbangers one of which cracked the helmet through. Did it save my life? Probably not but it undoubtedly avoided a few eggs and maybe some stitches.
NB the lesser crash was outside my house after riding home with SPDs for the first time...Toppled over while shouting **** and headbutted the next door neighbour's wall
Thats enough for me to carry on wearing one
2wheelsg00d - MemberI think that we have been missing the point slightly. It really irritates me people who decide not to wear a helmet when riding off road because it is so selfish. My logic goes like this, if you fall off and hit your head on a rock without a helmet on then you are pretty much beyond caring for yourself. What about the poor bugger following you down the trail who comes across you sprawled out, sparked out on the floor? Who has to call the ambulance, who has to get your bike to the bottom of the trail, who has to sit with you whilst waiting for the services to arrive trying to make sure your not swollowing your tounge.
If you dont want to wear a helmet for yourself then wear it for the person who may have scrape you off the trail, it might make them a bit more sympathetic!
But the same could be said of any form of body protection. Surely it's actually [i]more[/i] selfish to adopt radoggairs approach - to "[i]ride as hard and as fast as i can[/i]".
Good point 2wheelsg00d. Why is it so hard to wear a helmet?
2wheelsg00d
And it really annoys me that people like you want to tell me what to do on the back of such emotive illogical blether!
The evidence simply does not support your position - infact there is some evidence that not only do helmet wearers have more injury causing accidents but that they actually have higher rates of head injury.
Risk compensation it is known as and is a real observed phenomenon
Ah, were you at the bike wash at about 3pm mboy, with a chap on a Santa Cruz of some sort (looked a bit like a Superlight)?
Aye, T'was me...
Yeah, bike was great so far. To be fair, FTD isn't going to be the biggest challenge of any bike, but it was good fun nonetheless. I think the fact it's fairly light (not weighed it yet, but got to be circa 27lb) and climbs the technical stuff well helped.
Quite suprised to see one on FTD as soon as we arrived, and pondered if they'd always been there, but I'd never noticed them before. Perhaps not.
Sorry, you've lost me there... What had always been there?
CFH - have a think about this. You are telling me what to do without knowing me but getting very huffy because I say its clear to me you do not understand the risks of bicycle riding and how to assess them.
You obviously feel strongly about this but your position is ludicrous from my point of view - based on a very poor understanding of the science and of the risks involved.
Rather authoritarian of you as well.
But the same could be said of any form of body protection. Surely it's actually more selfish to adopt radoggairs approach - to "ride as hard and as fast as i can".
huh!! i hate being selfish, enjoying my riding.
*note to self* - slow down and stop having fun
One of the reasons I dont wear a helmet is that I do ,typically,a 40 mile round trip on the road to get to my local off road. I feel a lot safer without one as my hearing ,sans vented polystyrene hat, is a lot more acute and getting a bit of extra warning of approaching traffic MAY PREVENT an accident( always better)
Also I ride fairly low and not having an extra 300g on my neck makes me less tired and distracted- again less tiredness- less likelyhood of a mistake.
I have to say, I'd never dream of offering a self righteous view of what others have on their nappers ( even if it was a really bad mullet) but that doesn't stop some folk from making unasked -for comments, so if you see me up the Pentlands, please resist the urge, OK?
Note to radoggair, MTFU and ride without a helmet
its clear to me you do not understand the risks of bicycle riding and how to assess them
Ever ridden with me? Ever seen me riding a bike? No? Thought not.
Sorry, you've lost me there... What had always been there?
Hehe, sorry. Quite suprised seeing a Maverick around the Chase, as I say, I was just pondering the pros and cons of buying one this weekend. It did look better in the flesh than the photos oddly, I think it's the jauntly angle everyone takes bike photos from.
TJ
Risk assessment for the simples
1. Identify the hazards:
A : cracking your skull open
2.Decide who might be harmed
A: a cyclist
3.Evaluate the risk( potential to cause harm) and decide on the precautions
A: med/high. Wear a helmet
4.Record your findings and implement them
A: always wear a helmet
5:Review
A: crashed, it hurt really bad but survived. Continue wearing my helmet
CFH - My point is simply that what you have said on this thread shows that you do not understand. I don't need to have met you to know this as it is so obvious from your posting.
Raddogair.
Many ways to risk assess and as you know that is just piffle what you wrote
medium to high risk wear a helmet - I do. When the risk is low - ( wandering around the countryside on easy trails) then I don't
Note to radoggair, MTFU and ride without a helmet
Surely you meant a 😉 on the end
If not, i'm as man as i can get ( not that very), and if you ever seen me ride you'd see i'm quite on the limit on most sections and would never not wear a helmet to 'look cool'
I drive that very differently to the other two. Your point is?
To be fair, I think that is actually his point. He rides differently and inhibits his fun when not wearing a helmet. I wear pads and full face when required, so perhaps that's similar.
Many ways to risk assess and as you know that is just piffle what you wrote
Really!! please inform me of some more. This is the way both my company ( the biggest hospitality company in the UK) and the HSE both risk assess.
Better tell them there doing it a different way to TJ, that'll sort them out
P.s. its not piffle, its simply a PART of a real risk assessment.
If you are genuinely concerned about protecting your head you should be wearing A HELMET ie a full face motorcycle helmet ( although even these are not very effective in direct impacts above 30 mph.
What is commonly referred to as a cycle 'helmet' has little or no equivalence ( except maybe to Dumbo's magic feather)
Do you really do risk assessment like this?
TJ
Risk assessment for the simples
1. Identify the hazards:
A : cracking your skull open
Cracking your skull open is not a hazard - the hazard is what you land on
2.Decide who might be harmed
A: a cyclist
experienced or not? makes a huge difference
3.Evaluate the risk( potential to cause harm) and decide on the precautions
A: med/high.] Wear a helmet
Justify this action and your conclusions that it medium high?
4.Record your findings and implement them
A: always wear a helmet
why - no evidence to support your view
5:Review
A: crashed, it hurt really bad but survived. Continue wearing my helmet
again - no evidence.
You have not assessed the person doing the activity - an experienced cautious person is less at risk than an inexperience overenthusiastic person
You have not assessed the location/ a smooth grassy field is a rather lower risk that a rocky steep narrow path.
It is perfectly possible to produce a realistic risk assessment for mountainbiking that shows high risk - but equally some is low risk.
I Know several differnt ways to assess risk.
Some MTBing is high risk - helmet and body armour please
some is medium risk - helmet please
some is low risk - no helmet required
Do you seriously think that wandering along a smooth grassy path well within my capabilities I am at high / medium risk of head injury?
Lol!
Cap'n Flashys cravat too tight then?
It's a complex issue, not made any less so by the irate silliness on display...
I wear a helmet, alway have, always will. Broken three helmets in past two years- clearly no where near as competent as all those who don't need to wear theirs
some is low risk - no helmet required
So why, in your first post, did you say you were in a high risk situation with no helmet?
Can we combine the bike and chat forums and just call them 'the same old dull arguments involving at the same people forum'?
rich - thats not what I said. Have another read.
I said that if I found myself on a technical bit of track when I had no helmet I would go very cautiously - thus reducing the risk to an accceptable level.
Its really not rocket science - simple risk assessment and [i]informed[/i] choice made by adults is the key here.
Mountainbiking is a broad church and includes many types of people and riders.
A hazard is the likelyhood of an event to cause harm, it is not what you land on/hit/ride into.
In this case the Hazard is the likleyhood of an as yet to be determined sequence of events that may or may not result in injury from the events not reaching a satisfactory outcome.
[i]i.e.[/i] If I ride this trail and it goes well, I'll be fine. If however I crash what are the likely outcomes?
To mitigate said hazards protection methods must be employed; and the best way of preventing head injury that is currently available other than eliminating the risk all together (not riding) is to use an item of safety equipment that is designed to reduce head injuries, in other words a Helmet.
Get you definitions of a hazard correct before you start going on about them.
There is also a school of thought developing within industrial risk assessment that there is no such thing as an accident, only an incident caused by incorrectly assessing the risks and failure to mitigate such risks - loosely phrased as incidents happen because people don't do things correctly.
Oh an wear a helmet, it ain't big and it ain't clever not to.
Another informed choice by adults is to smoke, everyone knows the likelyhood of contracting a form of cancer associated with smoking is a highly probable outcome, but people still persist to smoke, they're clever too aren't they! Only the medical treatment front, in some cases treatment is being refused/postponed until "patients" improve their lifestyle. Something along those lines is certain to happen eventually when it come to what are essentialy dangerous sporting activities.