Generally, when you mention the tag “extreme” in sports, a few automatically come to mind. And mountain biking is one of those “extreme” sports.

There’s a famous saying that comes with mountain bikers, “riders that have crashed, and the ones that will.” And this shows the sport’s extremity.

Nevertheless, I will speak on mountain biking as an extreme sport in detail – let’s dive in.

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Is Mountain Biking An Extreme Sport

I remember watching my first-ever mountain biking; it was an exciting experience. However, I wouldn’t be overstating it to say; I literally had my hands in my mouth most of the time.

The risks and injuries I witnessed turned my mind from ever participating in this sport. But, it also increased my love and respect for the bikers as they performed daredevil stunts.

I’ll rank mountain biking among my top five list of extreme sports. From my years of watching it, mountain biking passes every criteria that qualify an extreme sport. 

Ways to reduce the risks in mountain biking

Mountain biking is extreme, and there is almost nothing you can do to prevent this extremity. However, there are ways for you to mitigate the risks that come from mountain biking.

  • Practice your landing properly before take-off.
  • Never overstretch beyond your skill level.
  • Acquaint yourself with the trail beforehand.
  • Reduce your speed when going over blind corners.
  • Always use the mountain biking protective gear.

Is Mountain Biking A Dangerous Sport

Before classifying any sport as “dangerous,” it needs to have potential life threats and other risks. And undoubtedly, mountain biking possesses those life-threatening criteria. 

However, the risk or danger level varies between the type of mountain biking performed. For instance, downhill mountain biking is famous for its high stakes amongst other disciplines.

Although other sports are more dangerous than mountain biking, you’re still likely to get severely injured. I’ll show you some of the dangerous disciplines in mountain biking.

  • Cross-Country Mountain Biking

This type of mountain biking mainly consists of long looping trails with several hazardous downhill portions. However, you will encounter less steep terrains in this type of sport.

Nevertheless, you are susceptible to ankle injuries, dislocation, and dehydration in this type of mountain biking.

  • Enduro

You can refer to this as a fast-growing discipline in mountain biking. Enduro is a combination of cross-country and downhill mountain biking, having the risks and dangers of both.

In Enduro, you are likely to fatigue during a race, resulting in lots of injuries. For instance, the trails switch from casual to intense at different moments, which is dangerous.

  • Downhill Mountain Biking

You can consider this downhill type as the most dangerous form of mountain biking. It consists of a very steep descent at a fast speed, which puts the biker in a dangerous position.

Obstacles across the rider’s path, weather conditions on the mountain, and gravity, all work against the biker in this discipline.

Is Mountain Biking Hard For Beginners

As an extreme and dangerous sport, mountain biking poses several challenges and difficulties for a beginner. However, you can reduce the difficulty level for beginners by riding on more accessible trails.

Nevertheless, I can tell you the fact that beginners will struggle with mountain biking. The way to overcome the difficulty is to stick to what works for beginners and practice consistently.

To make mountain biking easier for beginners, I’d advise that they;

  • Choose the beginner’s trail to ride on.
  • Never go over the set speed limit.
  • Stop overthinking and just go.
  • Ride on less steep mountains.
  • Go easy with the jumps.

Things To Consider When Mountain Biking For The First Time

As you know, mountain biking is pretty dangerous if practiced wrongly. However, as a first-time biker, there are some things you might want to consider to make your ride smooth.

I’ll show you some things for you to consider when taking your first mountain biking ride.

  • The mountain steepness.
  • Your speed.
  • Safety gears (helmets, gloves, and guards).
  • Muscle strength.
  • Physical endurance to keep riding.

Conclusion

Like you, I never had any ideas about mountain biking risks until I witnessed one for myself. After that experience, I must say that it is genuinely an extreme and dangerous sport.

However, although it might be dangerous, there are ways for you to reduce the risks involved. If you are a beginner hoping to ride, I’d advise that you seek the guidance of a professional.