Why Are So Many Mountain Bikers Injured?

Broken bones, torn ligaments, and enough bruises to make a UFC fighter wince.

The main MTB season is months away but the injury list is growing like a weed. This year, we’re reminded that risk is the price of admission in action sports.

For some riders, sponsors like Red Bull are there to back them up and lighten the blow of hard hits. But for other athletes, a nasty crash can mean more than just hospital time. It can wreck their season, their bank account, and even their whole career.

Injury List As Of Feb 14, 2025

- Kade Edwards - broken heel (crash during practice for Hardline)
- Dakotah Norton - broken hip socket while riding moto
- David Godziek - twisted knee (meniscus surgery)
- Tom Isted - hit his head very hard, maybe concussion (practice crash at NST)
- Ollie Davis - collarbone with surgery (Hardline Seeding Run)
- Casey Brown - tweaked ankle
- Ronan Dunne - horror crash, no injury details
- Erice van Leuven - broken wrist, neck and back plus punctured lung (Hardline)
- Edgar Briole - scary crash at Hardline, no injury details
- Dylan Stark - concussion with swollen brain (crash at NST Bike practice)
- Barbara Edwards - broken femur (crash at NST Bike practice)
- Lucy van Eesteren - fractured fibula (crash at NST Bike practice)
- Thomas Genon - broken neck, no surgery needed (Crash at NST Bike practice)

🙋‍♂️ RECON’s Take

There have been times when pro riders didn’t touch their bikes for months during the offseason, but those days are long gone. As mountain biking has grown, so have the number of events, which are increasingly sprouting up all over the year. On top of this, increasing competition has raised the bar and requires athletes to do year-round training to compete at the highest level, resulting in more injuries. Since its’s Valentine’s Day today, go spread some love and tell an injured rider you’re rooting for them ❤️