Originally Posted by sunset1123

Nice pics, man. Looks like some of our trails out here in NorAZ. Techy enough to be interesting.

Do you think your buddy would have crashed that hard if he had been practicing his technical skills regularly?

I think any rider can benefit from improving their bike handling skills. In really technical terrain, crashes happen for two main reasons: 1) lack of slow speed balance, 2) too much speed and wheel deflection.

So if you practice trackstanding and slow circles, you will crash less because your balance is better. If you practice endos, then you are less likely to go OTB in a panic when the front wheel gets hung up on something. Manuals are ALWAYS good for getting over obstacles more than axle high, and wheelie drops are the safest way to land any drop-off over 2 feet unless it has a really nice transition.

The bottom line is that unless you know the trail very well, you never know what will be waiting around the next corner. Better be prepared. These basic skills will also improve almost every other aspect of riding. Better core strength, coordination, control at speed and while barely moving. Telling new riders to just 'go out and ride' just results in more of the lovely carnage above.