Freeride And Downhill Riding - Cannondale Synapse Carbon Owner's Manual

PaRt ii
fReeRidinG & doWnhill
WaRninG
fReeRidinG and otheR foRms of "eXtReme RidinG" Re eXtRemely danGeRoUs.
yoU Can Be seveRely inJURed oR killed in a seRioUs aCCident.
Freeriding, jumping, hucking, dirt jumping, mountaincross, downhill, slalom, slopestyle, urban
or street riding or other evolving forms of extreme or hard core mountain biking are inherently
dangerous and can lead to serious accidents. Wear all safety gear and be sure your bike is in excellent
condition. Follow all the instructions and warnings below. These steps will reduce, but not eliminate,
the inherent risks. Even with state of the art protective safety gear you could be seriously injured,
paralyzed or killed. If you do not want to take these risks, do not engage in this type of riding.
fundamental Risk
Freeriding, jumping, hucking, dirt jumping, mountaincross, downhill, slalom, slopestyle, urban or
street riding. It seems that everywhere you look, from Mountain Dew® commercials to the X-Games®
to the Red Bull®Rampage, riders are grabbing big air and sticking sick drops. And it sure looks fun.
But what the videos and bike magazines and ads don't always tell you is that extreme riding takes
an amazing amount of skill. Some of the riders you see are well-paid pros who have gradually built
up their skills through endless hours of practice, and who have also had their share of stitches,
concussions and busted bones (and bikes). Others are daredevils who have chosen to accept or
ignore the risks. Would you allow anyone to say that you are so weak in the head, and have such poor
judgment that you copy those you see in the media without thought of the serious risks?
The stakes are high if you screw up. Realize too late that you aren't up to the challenge, and you run
the risk of major injury or even – say it aloud – death, paralysis. In short, extreme riding carries a high
degree of fundamental risk, and you bear the ultimate responsibility for how you ride and what you
attempt to pull off. Do you want to avoid these significant risks? Then do not ride this way.
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