Safety and Guidance

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Riding over uneven and often unstable terrain (often at speed) is inherently dangerous and an accepted aspect of the sport.
This is especially true of blue, red and black trails.

Whilst fatalities are rare, mountain biking is inherently dangerous and injuries occur,  ranging from minor cuts, scrapes and abrasions to major injuries such as broken bones, head and/or spinal injuries resulting from falls and/or impacts with rocks, trees or the terrain being ridden.

Protective equipment such as cycle helmets, body armour, knee guards, elbow guards, gloves etc can protect against minor injuries and reduce the extent or seriousness of major impacts. However, they may not protect you from major injury from impacts or falls.

Reduce the risks of injury:

YOU MUST take steps to minimise the risk of accidents and the potential for injury.  This is best done by choosing trails within the range of your experience level and ensure you are fit enough to deal with the trail.

YOU MUST ensure your bike in good structural and mechanical condition. If you are unsure of the correct procedures for doing this, leave it to a qualified bike mechanic.

If you are unfamiliar with a trail or trail feature.

Stop and Assess!

Make sure you understand the feature prior to attempting it. 
Many factors (loose material, weather) can affect how your bike behaves and tyres grip to make a trail or trail feature hazardous and unpredictable.

If you are unsure of your abilities to ride a section, find an alternative route that you are comfortable with.