Mountain bikers and Road cyclists are a different breed.  Roadies look at Mountain bikers and see a less refined rider.  ATB are by and large a more social breed.  They seem to always be smiling and laughing (AYUK AYUK).  Why is that.  I think that much of this is to do with the fact that Mountain Bikers crash.   NO, they crash A LOT.

Road Cyclists can go a long time and many miles without ever having a spill.  Now, having had been hit twice by cars and two other freak accidents, I can say that crashing on a road bike really sucks.  For mountain bikers, crashing is a way of life.  Sooner or later, you hit a rock or root and get launched like superman over the bars through the air.  Like Wile E Coyote, eventually you realize that there is such a thing as gravity.  For you non-physicists out there gravity is the force which the earth pulls you towards it after that little light bulb goes on when you realize that there is no ground below you.  Wile E usually looks down and pulls out the UH-OH sign before plummeting into a cloud of dust

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After the crash, you untangle yourself from your bike and/or sapling (hopefully not a big tree.  Shake your head and listen to all the cheers of the riders who saw the event.  If there is blood, that is sort of a badge of honor.   Many times, your noodle gets shaken and stirred like a vodka martini.  I think that is is why mountain bikers are always smiling.  Have you ever been into a head trama ward?  These people sit and stare blankly at walls with smiles all day and night.  Sort of like the group which heads to Arcadia each weekend for some more head bashing experiences. 

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Last updated: November 22, 1999.