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fReeRidinG & doWnhill
WaRninG
fReeRidinG and otheR foRms of “eXtReme RidinG” aRe eXtRemely
danGeRoUs. yoU Can Be seveRely inJURed oR killed in a seRioUs aCCident.
Freeriding, jumping, hucking, dirt jumping, mountaincross, downhill, slalom, slopestyle, urban
or street riding or other evolving forms of extreme or hard core mountain biking are inherently
dangerous and can lead to serious accidents. Wear all safety gear and be sure your bike is in
excellent condition. Follow all the instructions and warnings below. These steps will reduce, but
not eliminate, the inherent risks. Even with state of the art protective safety gear you could be
seriously injured, paralyzed or killed. If you do not want to take these risks, do not engage in
this type of riding.
fundamental Risk
Freeriding, jumping, hucking, dirt jumping, mountaincross, downhill, slalom, slopestyle, urban
or street riding. It seems that everywhere you look, from Mountain Dew® commercials to the
X-Games® to the Red Bull®Rampage, riders are grabbing big air and sticking sick drops. And
it sure looks fun.
But what the videos and bike magazines and ads don’t always tell you is that extreme riding
takes an amazing amount of skill. Some of the riders you see are well-paid pros who have
gradually built up their skills through endless hours of practice, and who have also had their
share of stitches, concussions and busted bones (and bikes). Others are daredevils who have
chosen to accept or ignore the risks. Would you allow anyone to say that you are so weak in the
head, and have such poor judgment that you copy those you see in the media without thought
of the serious risks?
The stakes are high if you screw up. Realize too late that you aren’t up to the challenge, and
you run the risk of major injury or even – say it aloud – death, paralysis. In short, extreme riding
carries a high degree of fundamental risk, and you bear the ultimate responsibility for how you
ride and what you attempt to pull off. Do you want to avoid these significant risks? Then do not
ride this way.
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