Downhill racing must be the most dangerous sport



ncb

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Aug 3, 2005
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I am amazed at downhill bicycle racers. This seems to me to be the most dangerous sport in which you could possibly particpate. It is great to watch! No...more than great...these people have a spirit for life gained through taunting death!
 
I will agree that you need a set b-lls to do what some of these ridres are doing. It is awesome!!!
 
Yeah, it's pretty scary, but fun. It's especially hair-raising for those who just started. I have an acquaintance who started DHing this year (she'd been riding XC for four years), but broke her leg in three places in a May DH race... so that might be the end of DHing for her--back to XC only. 'Tis a shame.
 
I'd say that it's as dangerous as you want it to be. Only you can know your own abilities and it's only when you're really pushing things that it gets dangerous. Most downhill courses have safe(ish) routes round the bigger stuff so it's possible to get down the hill without putting yourself in too much danger, although obviously it's much more fun to take the risks.
Having said that; I always seem to get my worst injuries doing things that I don't think of as very risky. Don't know why...
 
ncb said:
I am amazed at downhill bicycle racers. This seems to me to be the most dangerous sport in which you could possibly particpate.
Base jumping
SuperCross
Extreme Snowboarding
Street Running
Extreme Diving
High Altitude Mountaineering
Ropeless Rock Climbing
ZORBING OFF A CLIFF!

Ok...I'm done
 
theloops said:
I always seem to get my worst injuries doing things that I don't think of as very risky. Don't know why...
me too. I never get hurt bad training at the skate park or the trails, but when I race, which to me seems MUCH more milder then training, thats when I get hurt.
 
Its certainly got potential to be pretty dangerous, but after the initial newbie learning phase (where some riders are pretty out of control, and can't easily judge their own skills), it can be basically limited to a reasonable level by the riders own confidence.

I've ridden DH / FR for a couple of years (socially, not racing at all), and really enjoy it - the challenge, the speed, the adrenaline - and I don't do all the big stunts, but still do a bunch of things which perhaps most XC style riders would shake their head at... it's all about your own enjoyment to me. I'm not up there to be the "big man", and launch off some jump that I don't feel confident about clearing... do that, and you'll often end up seriously hurt.

Ride, learn, gain confidence, progress, and HAVE FUN - that's what DH is all about for me :)
 
ncb said:
I am amazed at downhill bicycle racers. This seems to me to be the most dangerous sport in which you could possibly particpate. It is great to watch! No...more than great...these people have a spirit for life gained through taunting death!
cycling in general is the 3rd most dangerous sport in the world.
 

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