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In context of enthusiast level. Dangerous being likliehood/regularity of significant crash, so say one that causes broken bones, ambulance, minor ops etc ?
The easy ones where you are not concentrating..
Anyone you're on evidently
If it was accidents-per-mile, I'd have thought MTB, track, road - but I'm not sure that track accidents are normally very serious (on account of there being fewer solid obstacles).
Anyone you're on evidently
I came here to say this^.
Mark - I haven't been on the road for a while 🙂
Thanks Jamie, I've still to crash the genesis 🙂 , almost scared to go out on it now !
Track
Scotroutes - more thinking per riding time
I'd say the probability of "falling off" is much much higher for MTB, but that the vast majority of those crashes result only in minor injuries. In terms of absolute numbers of people dying, road is a lot more dangerous, although how that relates if the deaths are normalised "per mile" then who knows!
Good, I may cycle to work tomorrow.
Not thinking fatal, as that must be road. More the ones that are bad enough to have a real impact
I'd say road although I'm yet to have a bad fall. Wiping out at 25-30+ mph on the road would suck!
The easy ones where you are not concentrating..
Sustrans route 4 near Slough. About three metres wide, straight line, pan flat and smooth. Still had me off the other week:much bashed up and a broken arm. What a dick!
Road due to speeds involved
Road due to 1-ton boxes flying around at random.
Track crashes seem to up the horror level a bit- I've done myself some mischief on mountain bikes but never melted my clothes or slid along for a very long time with broken bones, or similar. MTB is like a bad-tempered cat, it'll wound you frequently but usually not very much.
thanks for replies. Personally I rate road as least likely to crash, worst outcome, MTB as most common, often not major, more slow tumbles. Track I think, maybe from personal recent crash, as higher risk of crashing than road by a long way, and injuries likely worse than MTB.
Track I think, maybe from personal recent crash, as higher risk of crashing than road by a long way, and injuries likely worse than MTB.
MTB crashes are almost always your fault. You're far enough away from other riders that the main cause is you failing to judge something correctly. Injury levels vary from a bit of winding to requiring a helicopter.
Track crashes (or crashes during closed circuit crit races) are almost always the fault of an indeterminate other rider clipping wheels/bars etc and bringing down another 6-8 riders in the process. Track crashes are mostly fairly low impact - most people fall into the track and slide. Occasional broken bones as a result of the impact, that's usually it. And IME track crashes are very rare, it's just that when they do happen they can be quite spectacular in terms of bringing down large numbers of people.
Glentress has a less than good reputation with the nearest A&E by all accounts. It's apparently referred to as "that bloody place".
If you're talking about risk of death or very serious injury I'd say road. MTB has the most chance of an accident or breakage.
HOWEVER this can happen on the track so it wins 😯
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MTB is like a bad-tempered cat, it'll wound you frequently but usually not very much.
Best analogy ever.
Depends, I suspect road is the safest at your nominal "enthusiasts"* level. I've known 3 people break bones this winter, but that's a disproportionate number, and two were matching left clavicles whilst riding a tandem!
Track probably has the most accidents per mile, as a mile is 4-8 laps, and watching the raceing they seem to crash every other lap! But that's not a fair compaison, does anyone ride track and not race? I know a few roadies who use the local one with road bikes at open sessions as an alternative to the turbo, but I'd not say they were "enthusiasts".
I'd say average MTB'ing is about as dangerous as average Pony Trecking, people over state the risks of relatively rare accidents.
At a racing level 4X or BMX must win without a doubt!
*I'm taking this to mean, spent a lot of money, but doesn't race and sit's middling to average in a group ride.
tinas - yes, I think you've pretty much got it there. On your point
, yes, at my local track (Glasgow), a lot do, self included. There are less crashes on non race 'drop ins', and most of those that do occur seem to be as a result of varying skill levels on track at same time. yes, everone has to have passed 'accredidation' but there do appear to be some who are still 'bad drivers'.does anyone ride track and not race?
They can all be pretty bad if you go down hard. Chris Hoy was talking about having wood splinters in his legs from crashes years ago!! I've seen some proper horror crashes on the road mind.
I'd say road, I have much more fear of falling on tarmac that I do when offroad.
the stone built track on the borrowdale bash where both myself and my friend came a cropper with bloodied legs, on the way over/down to castle cragg.
The road for me is the most worrying, buy that I mean other road users not the road itself.
aye, road is my biggest fear from point of view of potential injury. I am coming round to point of view that track is highest risk of a fall in the first place due very close proximity of others.
100% that trail you've been riding for years,in all weather, every day.
That's the one that'll kill you.
You think that it's be just the same as always...
TREE
On the mountain bike I wasn't having a good day if I hadn't fallen off two or three times, so that would give me a crash rate of approximately one every 10-15 miles. In over 7000 miles of road riding I haven't fallen off once. However a road crash is likely to hurt or maim me a lot worse than a low-speed tumble onto mud or heather.
I've ridden down Bolivia's 'death road'. It needn't be deadly, unless you do stuffs like this!
I wonder why track riders don't use those undershorts with hard foam pads on the hips..?
Road.
Crashes on the MTB are relatively frequent but 50%of the time I can pick myself up without even a bruise.
Hitting the tarmac always hurts, even if its a much rarer experience, add in other vehicles and road is definitely more dangerous
In over 25 years of cycling ,I have fallen off 5 times on tarmac .
Three of the falls were caused by car drivers and the other two were black ice.
Hundreds of times off road 🙂
Wiping out at 30mph sucks anytime, I came off earlier in the year at this speed on the then baked hard clay, that equalled broken collar bone and wasted 9months of the year.I'd say road although I'm yet to have a bad fall. Wiping out at 25-30+ mph on the road would suck!
some tracks require 2 top layers (Manchester) but not Glasgow. I landed on face and shoulder on Sat - my outer jersey ( a nice short sleeved one) has a big hole that looks like its been burned by an iron. Underneath 'Underarmour Cool' LS base layer is ok apart from a wee wrinkly bit. Deffo did its job...I wonder why track riders don't use those undershorts with hard foam pads on the hips..?
Track and road in equal measures due to the speed of racing. Then mtb. Not sure why i looked at this thread *pukey face*
Really good answers, thanks all. I guess I'm feeling a bit accident prone these days after a couple of ambulance ending crashes. At least I got my mug into this months MBR 'old blokes' - in the old days that used to get you a free helmet 🙂 TGF Giro crash replacement policy !
A crash every couple of races at the track league a few weeks back...its not usually that bad though.
Ive resigned myself that a crash is inevitable at some point however at the same time in the last 14 months ive done about 2000 miles at drop ins and DST sessions and been in 60+ races and it hasnt happened yet, whereas i rarely go more than a couple of mtb rides without a crash of some sort. Most of the time they are harmless though.
Btw there is a west of scotland track training session on 16th March if you or any other gmbc riders are interested...4 hours for £10
Omar, thanks yes, had seen that, reckon it would end in divorce if I went 🙂
Yep, always dreaded, now done.... !
Divorce = no nagging and more ride time... 😆
Downshep and Omar - I am booked, got place 42 of 50 😆
Maybe they can teach me to either stay upright or fall safely !
Oh, and downshep.......…linky email to mrsdownshep ???? 🙂
BMX