Pain vs Reward

The abuse DH mountain bikers' bodies take in the course of a year is enough to make anyone question their sanity. Their feet and knees, especially, take a beating, but training and science help make recovery better and faster than ever.

When a mountain biker falls, the arms and hands are the first line of defence in cushioning the body from impact. This leads to a high number of injuries in those areas, and for a pro rider, that can mean the difficult choice to end a season early.

For a downhill mountain biker, protection is a balancing act. Too much can hamper performance, but too little can mean injuries that end seasons, or worse. This is no truer than with the athlete's trunk, which is vulnerable, yet difficult to protect.

Despite mountain biking helmets being safer than ever before, head injuries still occur and can have serious neurological consequences. So how do you reduce the risk after multiple crashes? Top riders, including Gee Atherton, explain.