Rollin' Down the Mountain

If you like nurturing your independence, appreciate the outdoors, and enjoy an adrenaline rush, mountain biking may be the sport for you!

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Mountain biking has a special niche for outdoor enthusiasts and can be enjoyed by people of nearly every ability.

Downhill mountain biking is exactly what the name implies. You get to the top of a mountain or ski hill, transfer to a specially constructed bike, and proceed to careen to the bottom.

Although not necessarily for the faint of heart or those who prefer more tranquil ways to communicate with nature, mountain biking has a special niche for extreme-sports enthusiasts and can be enjoyed by people of almost every ability.

“If you are able to wheel your own chair and are cognitively aware, you can mountain bike,” says Sandy Olney, program director, Bretton Woods Adaptive, Inc. (Bretton Woods, N.H.).

Downhill mountain bikes are four-wheelers, gravity-driven, and have hand-controlled disc brakes. They have larger tires than road handcycles, which help absorb the bumps encountered on unpaved terrain. The seating is similar to a mono-ski bucket.

Mountain bikers should be prepared for the bumps, jars, and possible rollovers by equipping themselves with helmets, gloves, elbow pads, and body armor, sometimes called “gladiator suits.”

“The sport tends to get a younger crowd,” Olney says. “When someone is interested in biking, we make an appointment and talk about the bike, how it works, and what the ride is like. Then, we fit the user into the bike so it is comfortable and snug. And then we show him or her how the brakes work and the importance of keeping speed under control as you learn.”

Check out the complete article in the January 2010 S’NS.

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