A social media influencer known as Dr. Joe shared a clip of a child riding an electric mountain bike who hits a jump and soars through the air before crashing hard into the ground. The video then shows numerous X-rays of broken bones that are supposedly related to injuries from electric bikes.

“The increased speed and power provided by electric motors can lead to riders underestimating their capabilities and taking risks beyond their skill level, potentially resulting in accidents or collisions,” wrote Dr. Joe in his post. “Moreover, the higher speeds of e-bikes can make it more challenging for riders to react to sudden obstacles or hazards on the road.”

This video isn’t just the latest take on the e-bike debate. The alternative to bicycles has grown exponentially in recent years, and even the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has noted some of the issues.

The government agency published a new report in 2022 and found a 21% increase in injuries from “micromobility devices.” That includes e-bikes, e-scoots and hoverboards. The number is a growing trend and, on average, has increased about 23% yearly since 2017. Of these incidents, 233 involved deaths. The CPSC says children 14 or younger saw the most related injuries. 

In short, while e-bikes may be a great alternative to getting around, it’s important to keep safety in mind. 

The post Reminder: E-Bikes Can Go From Real Fun to Real Dangerous Real Fast appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Practicing for Red Bull Rampage isn’t easy, but according to some in the mountain bike community, a trail known as King Kong is the destination. Mountain biker and popular social media user Christian Peper headed to the Virgin, Utah trail for a ride.

In the video, Peper and others go over their handlebars and dodge rocks after big drops. Peper says the area is known for breaking femurs and other painful collisions between people and the ground. 

The trail is rough enough that even popular mountain bike trail apps avoid mentioning it (we checked but couldn’t find it). However, plenty of details exist online, so this trail is a real destination. 

Would you try riding this trail?

The post Check out This Painfully Scary Trail Used to Practice for Red Bull Rampage appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Trail Ridge Road is the highest continual highway in the nation, with 11 miles rising above 11,500 feet. In short, winter starts here. The road closes in the winter due to its lack of shoulder and few guardrails. It usually reopens around Memorial Day.

The highway is a popular drive for visitors to enjoy the high elevation and connects the more popular east side of Rocky Mountain in Estes Park to Grand Lake in the west.

Real adventurers can still use bicycles on the road, but a new extreme begins on December 1, when the road changes to “winter trail status.” Only pedestrians at RMNP are allowed to make the trek, but Park Rangers recommend wearing snowshoes or skis. Just know you’ll be dealing with high winds, freezing temperatures and drifting snow.

The post Winter Adventure is Here: The Highest Continual Highway Shuts Down for the Season appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Judges will name the winner of Red Bull Rampage based on riding performance. This year’s champion is 37-year-old Cam Zink. He posted to Instagram about the event, saying, “If I could bottle the emotions from just one Rampage, especially this one, I could have enough for a lifetime.”

Like any other sporting event, not everyone is happy. Many comments question the judge’s decision, with some debating the difficulty of the lines the riders chose to use or how they performed, especially after an intense ride from Bienvenido Aguado.

Comments include, “Rampage is dead after this. There’s no coming back from such horrible judging,” and “How this isn’t the winning run is beyond me.”

Regardless of your view, one thing is for sure, the event captures some of the wildest rides that mountain biking has to offer.

Would you ride any of these routes?

Here’s some gear to get you started.

The post Red Bull Rampage: Watch Drops, Backflips and More Terrifying Highlights From This Year’s Controversial Event appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Arizona State Parks recently shared a graphic to help remind everyone whose turn it is.

• First, runners, hikers and bike riders should all yield to equestrians.
• Next up, downhill traffic should yield to uphill traffic, so if you’re hiking down a mountain, you should move for those coming up.
• Finally, cyclists need to yield to everyone.
• If you’re unsure, you can always give other trail users the right of way.

The widely accepted trail etiquette exists for safety and to ensure everyone has a great time outdoors.

Here’s some other outdoor etiquette to remember when visiting national parks. 

The post Who Goes First? Here Are the Rules for Proper Trail Etiquette appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Before becoming a national park, the area was a popular destination for beachgoers for decades. Today, you can still enjoy the waterfront or hike more than 50 miles of trails from the beach to dunes, wetlands and prairies. 

Here are a few great facts about this Midwest-based national park. 

5. Millions of People Live Fairly Close to Indiana Dunes National Park

While some national parks include hours of driving through rural landscapes, Indiana Dunes is pretty close to some major metropolitan areas. In fact, more than 30 million people live within a three-hour drive of the park. It’s the closest national park to Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit and Milwaukee. 

This proximity to so many people helps make the park one of the most popular destinations in the National Park Service. Indiana Dunes is ranked 11th by visitation, and in 2022, more than 2.8 million people stopped at the park.

4. You Can Take A Train To and From the Park

Visitors to the park can take a train to get there. The South Shore Commuter Railroad has four stops around the park. The line runs all the way from Chicago to the South Bend airport. Public transportation makes visiting this park easy, especially if you’re coming from a larger nearby city or simply flying into the area. 

The stops within the park include Dune Park, located just over a mile from the park’s visitor center.

The train is also a great deal financially. You can take the train from Chicago’s Millennium Station to Indiana Dunes National Park for $9 each way. 

3. It’s One of the Smallest National Parks By Size

A handful of national parks are the size of some small states, but Indiana Dunes National Park is far from that. The entire park measures only 15,349 acres. That’s less than 24 square miles. The designation makes it the fifth smallest park. Only the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Hot Springs and Gateway Arch are smaller. 

However, despite the size, the park still has 15 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and 37 miles of mixed-use bike trail for visitors to enjoy.

2. The Area Fought to Become a National Park for More than 100 Years

Congress first considered a “national park” designation for Indiana Dunes in 1916. However, World War I derailed those plans.

A century later, when lawmakers proposed making the area a national park, it continued to find resistance as the head of the NPS and the Trump Administration opposed the idea. Some believed the site made more sense as a national seashore.

Members of Congress continued to push for the national park status, citing the economic benefits that national parks create. The park finally received the designation in 2019.

1. It’s the Fifth Most Biodiverse Park in the Country

Indiana Dunes National Park is packed with biodiversity. The park is ranked fifth in the NPS system, with nearly 2,000 species of birds, reptiles, fish and mammals. The park is only right behind Yosemite for its diverse flora and fauna.

Animals in Indiana Dunes include deer, coyotes, beavers, pipers and bald eagles.

The post 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Indiana Dunes National Park appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Now imagine doing that with just one wheel.

A recent social media post shows just how extreme mountain unicycling is.

The shared post between Unicyclists of Utah and Mountain Unicycler shows a day of riding in the Deer Valley area. That’s around Park City, Utah, about 40 miles east of Salt Lake City. 

The responses are all you need to know with comments like:

“You guys are on another level! Nice job.”

“One of the most impressive things I’ve seen.”

“I saw you at Deer Valley! That looks crazy hard to do!”

While mountain unicycling, or muni, remains outside the mainstream, the sport has gotten plenty of media attention over the last few years. This includes write-ups in papers like the New York Times and a few books published.

Athletes say the key to the sport is being able to stall, standing still and rocking back and forth, and learning how to bunny hop over rocks and roots. 

Would you give mountain uncycling a try?

The post You Probably Didn’t Know Mountain Unicycling Was This Extreme appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Jones says this trail is in an abandoned lead mine in Slovenia. The route carves through tight tunnels and continuously drops deeper underground.

Despite Jones’ years of professional experience, this route is a guided tour. A company called Bike Nomad brings cyclists from around the world to enjoy biking underground.

“People usually seek mountain biking enjoyment in the mountains, but we found a passage through the mountains, along the abandoned and mysterious tunnels under Mt. Peca,” says a post on Bike Nomad’s website. “What we offer is a more than 5-kilometer guided underground cycling tour, the route of which follows an illuminated path from one valley into another, for you to enjoy a safe and unforgettable adventure.”

Jones says his video is just a fraction of the entire ride, and he would “100%” do it again.

Would you try this route?

The post WATCH: Terrifying Mountain Bike Ride Through Abandoned Lead Mine appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

Grylls and the cycling company are teaming up for their latest folding bicycle, the Bear Grylls C Line Explore. The “moss green” ride folds up in less than 20 seconds to stash the bike inside or wherever you need it to go.

“I have loved using the bikes all my adult life,” says Grylls in a Q&A with Brompton. “It’s something about the convenience and accessibility that carrying this simple bike brings. It’s hard to describe, but I love the Brompton ethos that brings adventure to the everyday.”

The bike also comes with a waterproof backpack and pouch that you can use to load up your gear for the day or whatever else you need for your latest adventure.

Grylls shared a photo on his Twitter account as he folded the bike while with his son in London.

The foldable bike means it’s easy to bring along with you when you travel.

“I often use it for zipping across London - I’ve found it’s 100% the fastest way to get around a congested city, as well as (getting) some exercise and fresh air with it,” says Grylls about cycling. “I also love to use the bike when I’m on the road traveling overseas. It opens up so many cool places that you simply wouldn’t see if you just fly in and jump in a cab to wherever you’re going.”

The bike is also available in the U.S., starting at $2,5000. It has six speeds and a flexible saddle to make your ride even more comfortable.

Have you rode a bike through a major city? What was your favorite part? Let us know in the comments.

The post Bear Grylls’ Latest Adventure Ride is a Fold Up Bicycle appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

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Bikes, Bodies, Wheels, and More

If you’re new to the biking world, consider what kind of bike will best suit your needs, whether it’s an electric, mountain, hybrid, or road bike. Understanding the difference between these types of bikes is going to help you choose what’s right for you.  Pro tip: Check out the Pros Closet to try a used bike before you fully commit to buying something brand new.

If you’re a DIY kind of biker and you’re looking for a customized bike that is completely unique to you, it’s time to be Frankenstein and build your very own monster. Buy a frame from a former bike and get new tires and wheels that will keep you moving and grooving across the trails. For smooth starting and stopping, pick up some new brakes, handlebars, and pedals.

Apparel and Personal Accessories

Just because the weather is getting cooler doesn’t mean you can stop protecting yourself from the sun, so get yourself some sun protection sleeves and caps. You’ll also want to make sure you’re wearing comfortable clothes that aren’t going to cause chafing. Get a pair of fitted bike shorts that won’t move in uncomfortable ways when you’re on the bike. 
Finally, do not forget your safety gear. Pick up a helmet, cycling gloves, a pair of biking shoes, and some comfortable socks that won’t leave you feeling uncomfortable.

The post Bike Gear to Elevate Your Fall Rides appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.