Originally Posted by
s0ul_chicken
Roadbiking less risky than mountain? Last time I checked there weren't 3 ton trucks trying to run me over on the trails...
I agree, and it's definitely a matter of frequency versus severity. I have not crashed my road bike
ever, excluding 2 tip-overs while clipped in. (One was when I was brand new to clipless, and one was when a car surprised me and I stopped abruptly.)
I don't crash my MTB a lot, but it's definitely multiple times per year. When I do crash it's as likely to be something silly as it is doing something risky like cornering at the limit or trying to clear a slow, steep, rocky climb. When riding somewhere dangerous, like downhill or in an area with lots of big rocks, I wear a lot of protective gear. So when I crash, it's generally trivial.
Road bike crashes that don't involve cars tend to be significant because of the speed and lack of protective gear. Lycra vs. MTB shorts + elbow pads + knee pads is no contest.
And then yes, obviously a car does way more damage than falling off a bike.