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Bicycle helmet anecdote/oopsie/cautionary tale


FastEddieB

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A while back, on another topic, CharlieTango had this to say:

 

That ignores the other choice(s) presented and presupposes your head smacking pavement. The argument against the bicycle helmet address the increased likelihood of a collision with a motorist that changed their safety margin to your detriment as well as the ineffectiveness of the flimsy helmets when their protection is needed.

 

I might choose to ride in an environment where the cars keep a safe distance and don't take my helmet as a signal to drive extra close.

 

I would also choose to wear a real helmet to protect my head from trauma in a collision with a car or truck if I did choose to wear one.

 

After over 50 years and probably tens of thousands of miles of riding, today was the first time a bicycle helmet saved me possibly serious injury.

 

Back story - I took my Cannondale up to Knoxville as part of a grandkids babysitting duty with Karen. Rode this morning. Pretty soon after starting out it became obvious my front dérailleur had gotten knocked out of alignment, causing some chain rub and difficulty shifting. Chose not to deal with it until after the ride.

 

Bad idea. On a long uphill I was down to about 5 mph and decided I needed my bailout granny gear. But when I shifted, the chain overran the inner chainring. My instinct to get my foot down overcame my training to twist out of my SPD pedals first and I went down hard, up against this curb and guardrail:

 

20252930028_e49a2e501f_c.jpg

 

My right forearm hit the curb and my head hit the guardrail - hard! Though barely moving it was quite a thump. I'm very, very glad I was wearing a helmet, which is scuffed but intact.

 

Forearm did not fare so well:

 

]20254301829_ea152be6af_c.jpg

 

Looks worse than it is - it's a rather shallow and superficial scrape.

 

In any case, I'm lucky - this is the way forearms get broken and collarbones get snapped. And helmetless heads get scrunched. And approaching 66, I know I'm a little more brittle than I used to be and slower to heal. My head is a little sore even with the helmet. Without? Would have really hurt.

 

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

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After over 50 years and probably tens of thousands of miles of riding, today was the first time a bicycle helmet saved me possibly serious injury.

 

What brand bicycle helmet did you wear 50 years ago?

 

I too have aged to the point where falling over at a standstill presents the possibility of serious injury but its because I'm old not because of a lack of PPE.

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What brand bicycle helmet did you wear 50 years ago?

 

Pretty sure I did not wear a helmet in the early 1960's - when I got my first 10-speed, a Gitane - but probably started in the 1970's when I got back into cycling seriously again

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Since I got quoted at the start of this thread I'll embellish.  I posted that responding to a brain surgeon's publication that bicycle helmets are not effective and might even change behavior based on the perceived higher level of safety.

 

As a motorcycle rider I found this to be true, after the helmet law forced me to wear one auto and truck traffic began to drive closer to me.

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Since I got quoted at the start of this thread I'll embellish.  I posted that responding to a brain surgeon's publication that bicycle helmets are not effective and might even change behavior based on the perceived higher level of safety.

 

As a motorcycle rider I found this to be true, after the helmet law forced me to wear one auto and truck traffic began to drive closer to me.

 

Precisely.

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Since I got quoted at the start of this thread I'll embellish.  I posted that responding to a brain surgeon's publication that bicycle helmets are not effective and might even change behavior based on the perceived higher level of safety.

With that in mind, apparently only about 1/3 of bicycle accidents involve a motor vehicle.

 

Source: http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/data/factsheet_crash.cfm

 

The percentage is just over 50% with motorcycles.

 

Source: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812035.pdf

 

Anecdotally, a motorcycle helmet has protected me twice in my riding career, neither time involving another vehicle.

 

1) A toll taker dropped the gate on me as I was pulling away. The arm hit my helmet and snapped my head back. From the gouge to my visor, the helmet prevented a nasty flap laceration over my right eye.

 

2) In 2005 I high-sided my KTM in a slippery turn. Hit face first, causing a gouge to the chinbar. Without a full coverage helmet, the injury to my chin, jaw and/or mouth and teeth would gave been ugly.

 

That said, I oppose mandatory helmet laws, while strongly in favor of helmet usage.

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My front derailleur was definitely out of alignment with the chainrings, with the rear angled in. Must have happened while in the back of the car. Realigned and adjusted it and it seems to be shifting just fine now. Also set the low limit screw 1/2 turn in.

 
Also backed off the tension on the SPD pedals. I'm a bit bowlegged, and have gotten in the bad habit of releasing to the inside rather than outside - I feel like I have more leverage that way. This works most of the time, but not if the pedal is in a position where the frame blocks it. I really have to make a point of releasing to the outside, even though it feels a little unnatural to me.
 
Hard to see, but the point of impact was about 2" over the "I" in "SPECIALIZED" and its now subtly dented. Definitely time for a new helmet!
 
20276358660_48c8f3daaa_c.jpg
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Also backed off the tension on the SPD pedals.

Eddie -- I've stopped snapping into pedals and now have some nicer platforms that have a little extra grip.  I've read a couple papers that being connected to the bike has a strong correlation to the severity of the injury.  I know there is a supposed efficiency gain (been cycling a loooong time myself) but tangible analysis shows the benefit in cadence up at the professional level (90+) not down in my zone of 60-80.  I also track all my rides and my average speed difference over a two12 months period (4k miles) was only 0.5mph.  Not worth the injury risk to me considering all of my rides of for recreation or exercise.

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Eddie -- I've stopped snapping into pedals and now have some nicer platforms that have a little extra grip.  I've read a couple papers that being connected to the bike has a strong correlation to the severity of the injury.

Interesting.

 

I've been riding with either toe clips and straps or clipless pedal systems (LOOK or now SPD) for so long I don't think I could go back to platforms.

 

It's not about performance, per sé. It's about the feeling of security I have knowing my feet cannot slip off the pedals - which itself can cause a crash. Especially when climbing out of the saddle.

 

But I certainly do see what you mean and will stay open to the possibility.

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