How To Stay Safe On A Mountain Bike Ride | MTB Trail Safety

Mountain biking can sometimes be dangerous; whether it's riding fast down gnarly trails or being out in the wilderness with no phone signal, it's important to stay safe. Here's Neil with some tips on how to do so 👍

Follow us on Instagram or Facebook! @globalmountainbikenetwork

Riding within your limits when you are alone; letting your friends and family know where you are going and what time you expect to return; taking adequate kit; as well as technology such as live tracking and safety beacons will all help you stay safe on the trails.

#gmbn #mountainbiking #mountainbike #mtb #bikelife #cycling

Watch more on GMBN...

🎵 Music - licensed by Epidemic Sound
Please Come Home - ATISOUND

Submit your content here:

The Global Mountain Bike Network is the best MTB YouTube channel, with videos for everyone who loves dirt: from the full-faced helmet downhill mountain biker to the lycra-clad cross country rider along with everyone and anyone in between.

With the help of our pro and ex-pro riding team we’re here to inform, entertain and inspire you to become a better mountain biker, including videos on:

- How to ride faster with expert knowledge
- Fix everything with pro know-how
- Ride anything with world-cup winning skills
- Dial in your bike with bike set-up advice
- In-depth entertaining features
- Chat, opinion and interact with us on the Dirt Shed Show

Welcome to the Global Mountain Bike Network | Covering Every Angle

Thanks to our sponsors:

Leave us a comment below!

[ericm]

Hey GMBN Neil! When your Garmin senses you have crashed and you don't cancel does Blake drop everything and rush off to rescue you??? I'd like to see that in a vid! Ride ride ride!

[PL-fhcz]

The only time I've been seriously injured was riding home on the road, and was hit from behind by a car driver. The trails are safe by comparison.

[TrailswithTaylor]

I simply obey signage and trail markings! Great vid guys.

[TheFlashAtlas]

Great video.

I’ve been riding for 5 years and have had a few minor falls.

Last year I had one big one in which I broke a rib and tuned up my knee pretty good.

Luckily nothing worse.

It was exactly what he said above, it was hot and I was fatigued in my downhill. Also was very sweaty.

I try my best to slow down my downhills when fatigued now. Also always ride with my smartphone and gps. As well as texting an emergency contact before I go out.

Stay safe, amigos!

[mnolanco]

Garmin InReach if your by yourself in remote areas. Uses GPS and not cellphone signal to alert emergency services and you can text back and forth with them via the device. You can use this to text your family or send them preset non-emergency messages when you arrive at your campsite, etc. what three words mentioned below is great for pin-pointing locations as well. Good video👍

[rhetoo]

There's a good app to have for accidents and GPS. What3words app.

[frontierfishingwithryanmac]

Gloves, knee pads and full face helmet EVERYTIME I ride! Stay safe out there people & enjoy yourself! Cheers!!

[computerbob]

All these methods rely on a phone signal etc, as far as I can see!
I always carry a PLB with me whenever I am out anywhere that isn't in the town, city etc.
It's a Personal Locator Beacon and sends out a distress signal over the international distress band (think its 121.6mhz) that gets picked up by satellites around The Earth and aircraft but also on the old distress band, that aircraft monitor as well! It's similar in operation to the one Richard Hammond used in Top Gear on his watch, in the Canadian Rockies, but only cost me £150! It has a 10 year battery and you just send it off every 10 years to have the battery changed!
It'll work anywhere on the planet with a clear(ish) view of the sky - ie not caving or scuba diving and the signal will last for over 24 hours!
I got it for sailing, surfing and snowboarding but take it with me when out in the hills or by the coast etc, especially as sometimes I can't get any sort of signal, in North Wales etc!

[jdavis]

At my age, any ride without a broken hip is a good ride! ;)

[benellis]

Good tips cheers, I came off 2 weeks ago OTB on a double I'd done a 100 times now I'm recovering with titanium Plates and pins. Looking forward to getting back on my bike will be having lesson's on how to jump 👍

[valentinvas]

When I was 14 I broke my left keybone and I didn't know what exactly happened but I felt some bone around my shoulders wasn't right. I was riding with my best friend and fortunately we were only about 2-3 kilometers from my home so I rode back home without much problem but now thinking back it was quite risky.
The funiest part is for some reason around that age many boys had this habit to try to hide any injuries from our parents. My friend insisted on not telling this to my parents even though my left shoulder was like an inch lower than the other but whatever :D

[Thomas]

In September I was at a bike park with my friends, and went over a berm. I landed on my head, broke my neck, and crushed 2 vertebrae. I was wearing a full face so I managed to escape a concussion, but clearly couldn't really move myself. When my friends came to help me, I had them call the park's emergency number, not 911. While this is definitely usually fine for any non life threatening injury, the staff at the park were clearly not well trained on how to handle my situation, as they had me stand up and get in a truck to drive to their medical building. Then they told us they weren't actually doctors, and there were none at the park, and this was a huge park, AND there was a running race at the venue that day with thousands of people attending. I ended up getting driven (they didn't even recommend an ambulance!) 20 miles to a hospital before finding out what I'd done, and that I was lucky that I hadn't damaged my spinal cord, possibly paralyzing myself, with all the moving I'd done. I'm relatively ok now, still recovering, but it was definitely a lesson on trusting "professionals" and knowing a little bit of emergency protocol yourself. needless to say I don't see myself going back there any time soon, and I plan to wear a full face for anything more than a casual ride from now on.

[blueengel]

Stretch and warm up. Taking a bit of time to get in MTB mode after sitting behind a desk for 8+ hours helps reorient the brain and body to something physical (and a lot more fun)!

[bikeprotectio]

Congratulations on the theme of this video! I am engaged in a first aid training project for cyclists.

[austrailalanmtb]

I find myself riding solo more than with mates and need to look into some of these ideas for my regime. Thank for this vid, we all like to get back home.... eventually hahaha.

[jasonwilkin]

Only been mounting biking a couple of months but now damaged ligaments in my shoulder after a nasty tumble while jumping. Definitely not my strong point but went a bit beyond my limit.Excelent video though guys.👍

[Offroader]

My friend deid last year after a crash in the woods. Made me think and I've decided to get the TocSen sensor.

[hydra]

I agree with the let someone know where you're going comment. Also where possible, try and ride with at least one other person.

[ryankennard]

I am not always riding where cell service is available, preventing tracking and emergency contact. I frequently enjoy riding alone. I use a Garmin InReach Mini paired to my phone and Garmin Edge. It will leaves breadcrumbs that others can track as long as you have gps satellite link. Additionally, I can send sms messages or trigger an SOS from the device, my Edge 530, or my phone.

[pierrebroccoli.]

Common sense for the win. Also when tired or having an off day, just cruising and dialing down the ride. Like Neil, my worst days for accidents have been on my off days where I am not feeling great.
Inner voices must be heeded. ))