OT Helmets work

[Droptarotter]

In 20 years of road riding and road racing I have never crashed my bicycle. Sure I have had some tip overs and low speed oopsies over the years.

Well today was the first day I really crashed the bike.

Garmin went from 40kph, to 4kph, to 0 in no time and can tell you guys that helmets work!
I always new they did, but this lid saved me from drooling the rest of my life.

Pic's because it did happen.....








I wonder if bicycle crashes are worse than motorcycle crashes because I have a lot more road rash today than I ever had with a motorcycle crash.

Rum is kicking in and just wanted to share!

Cheers

[sgoodwin]

Been there, done that. Been riding MTB's since the bullhorn barred Specialized Stumpjumper first appeared. It works like dirt bikes, if you aren't crashing you aren't trying hard enough. Dropped 8 ft. off a 2x4 bridge once, that hurt & killed my first helmet, I really miss that helmet.

[Droptarotter]

A Specialized like this........it's for sale.......






Cheers

[sgoodwin]

Yep, worked at a bike shop while going to college when they showed up. One guy I worked with bought one & took off on a cross country trek never to be seen again.

[terrym]

Hope you heal up and are back in the saddle soon.

My wife was hit by a stop sign runner and went into the windshield head first. Her helmet was cracked completely through in three places, at almost equidistant spots around the circumference. She had a mild concussion and memory loss of the actual crash, but that helmet saved her.

I also have a Stumpjumper (Sport) from that era. Has the under-the-chain stays Suntour rear brakes. What were they thinking?

[ckcarr]

Jeez, when I was growing up,, I hit my head plenty of times like that. We didn't need any helmet! Never hurt me!!

I remember popping a wheelie on my Schwinn Sting Ray and the front wheel came off and rolled away... Nothing worse than knowing what's about to occur. Surprise is better!

[RBMann]

Heal fast, heal well.

[Droptarotter]

Thanks guys, I'm fine, just a little road rash. I never felt a thing with my head, was surprised the helmet was destroyed as I never blacked out.
Back is still a little sore, but managed to do 60K yesterday on the same bike. Had to replace the saddle and re-align the levers/bars.
Never did find what I hit but there was one rock on the grass that could have put me down??
Ordered new glasses today!

Cheers

[vtguy]

I am glad you are OK Droptarotter.
I work in the bicycle biz. Have seen many post accident helmets that saved riders lives. I personally have gone head first into a tree at speed and cracked helmet in multiple places. Has some whiplash type injury but no head injury. Never ride my bicycle without a helmet. Anyone using MIPS? As of now, none of my helmets have it, but it really makes sense.
Cheers,
Sean

[Droptarotter]

Helmet shopping tomorrow. I used one of my old helmets for yesterdays ride.
I will have a look at helmets with MIPS, but it's not the top of my list. Fit/comfort first and if I find that package in a MIPS helmet then that will be a bonus I think.

Cheers

[tomvv11]

Have a friend once very high up in the smallish universe of professional inline skating. We've had the "helmets are not all they're cracked up to be" discussion a few times. She considers all anecdotes of "I'm here to tell the tale because of my helmet" to be just that. Having cracked a number of them, one right in front of her from which I even DID get a 10-minutes-on-another-planet concussion, I tend to disagree. Not drooling yet.
When bicycling I am a lot more risk-averse without helmet and when skating, without the full complement of lid, knee and elbow pads and wrist guards. It allows me to push the limits of what I can presently do, expanding those limits to where I don't really need the gear, but I want to keep stretching, so I wear it.
Just recently added Aerostich pants to what I wear every time on the motorcycle. Sweat, schmeat. It all comes out in the wash.
Glad it worked for you and for me.

[shreddr]

Yowza! Keep the rubber side down Bryan, glad you didn't get hurt worse than you did!


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[Droptarotter]

Thanks Jeff!

Update..........my crash was on a Tuesday.....road rash and sore ribs.......I rode Wednesday, mainly to keep the post crash demons at bay and to find out why I crashed.....found 1 rock that I might have hit, but who knows?? Ribs/back sore during ride and could not stand and pull on bars.....did 60K that day. Rode 70K Friday, still sore.

Woke up Sunday.....out of bed and immediately fell.......room was spinning......dizzy most of the day.
Saw my Doc on Monday.......mild concussion diagnosed.....told me outstretch my arms, thumbs up and concentrate on the thumbs when I get dizzy. Don't make any sudden moves with my head.
Dizziness still happens when I get up or lie down.

I did manage a week long cycling trip in Montana, with only dizziness getting in/out of my sleeping bag. I have done about 700Km's since my crash.

Thoughts on head injuries.............they can come back to haunt you a few days later, so be careful out there!!

Cheers

[vtguy]

Hope you heal quickly. What new lid did you invest in?
Cheers,
Sean

[anotheroldrider]

There's a new technology adopted by quite a few of the bicycle helmet mfg's called MIPS that hasn't been implemented by very many of the major motorcycle helmet companies yet - too bad, it sounds interesting.

TECHNOLOGY | MIPS

[Droptarotter]

Originally Posted by vtguy

Hope you heal quickly. What new lid did you invest in?
Cheers,
Sean

I replaced my Bell Gage with a new Gage. My old race team boss had a spare new Gage and gave it to me.
If I was going to buy a new one.....which Bell offers 30% off for crash replacement.....I would buy one of the new Bell Z20's and try out the MIPS. I still might order one as I've recently learned, it's nice to have a spare!

Cheers