Crashes, what can be done?

[CyclistAbi]

This thread hasn't "run its course", because each time we get major crashes, different causes and different lessons are there to be learned.

If you visit CN home page ATM. It says two things. Ferron was hanging from the bridge today. Hayter has fractured collarbone. There is nothing that specific in this two cases. One could be prevented with some sort of fence like barrier and another with more protective apparel. Yes, even falling from a bridge. Even this is so common in pro peloton. That it needs the appropriate attention. On how to prevent from it to happen so frequently in the future.

The real question hence is on why doesn't it get done.

 

[CyclistAbi]

@fmk_RoI

No. That is not it.

First of all "the ball" was introduced by people being silly. Hence what you did is you proved the silly people wrong.

Secondly i already posted a vest alike solution in this thread. For commuters. Hence what you are saying in your reply and on how such protective apparel works in reality are two different things.

 

[CyclistAbi]

@all

Some of you seem to have a rather hard time excepting that collarbone injuries could really get reduced by introduction of more protective apparel. Airbag technology already proven it can do that job in different sports. And it meets the criteria needed for pro peloton. It will happen eventually. In my opinion best to just let it go. And accept that as a fact. Trying to prove this can't get done. That is a dead end. As for believing OK. We can't prove that wrong. Lets just act silly instead. Note that such behavior just makes you silly and not right.

Point being don't be so caught up with this. You can focus on other areas just fine. Like lets say an ordinary fence. Or things like that. We don't all have to be so focused on collarbones and sun cream. We got that covered. I will persist until there is a significant drop in statistics. And until the awareness to wear sun cream is high enough. Others don't just wait and believe the rest will get done by itself.

 

[SHAD0W93]

@all

Some of you seem to have a rather hard time excepting that collarbone injuries could really get reduced by introduction of more protective apparel. Airbag technology already proven it can do that job in different sports. And it meets the criteria needed for pro peloton. It will happen eventually. In my opinion best to just let it go. And accept that as a fact. Trying to prove this can't get done. That is a dead end. As for believing OK. We can't prove that wrong. Lets just act silly instead. Note that such behavior just makes you silly and not right.

Point being don't be so caught up with this. You can focus on other areas just fine. Like lets say an ordinary fence. Or things like that. We don't all have to be so focused on collarbones and sun cream. We got that covered. I will persist until there is a significant drop in statistics. And until the awareness to wear sun cream is high enough. Others don't just wait and believe the rest will get done by itself.

Do us a favor, everytime you think of this collarbone issue and conveniently forget everything we said in support and against your arguments and our own ideas that get ignored. Just go back and reread the last 4-5 pages of this thread. You would find we have already answered, debunked, and corrected the ideas.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

@all

Some of you seem to have a rather hard time excepting that collarbone injuries could really get reduced by introduction of more protective apparel.

Because despite your repeated assertions, there is no evidence that it ever will be possible in a manner compatible with professional racing.

I'm sure you will find that as soon as you stop trying to defend this lead zeppelin of a concept, the rest of us will drop our criticism of it.

 

[RedheadDane]

Because despite your repeated assertions, there is no evidence that it ever will be possible in a manner compatible with professional racing.

And I maintain that in the grand scheme of things, broken collarbones are a very minor issue.
I'm pretty sure that during the big crash in EDB yesterday, nobody was worried about how many broken collarbones might have occured.

 

[Oldermanish]

photo of the year?

This looks remarkably like a Cat3 crash in Santa Barbera, CA from 2017. In that instance everyone not involved in the crash began attacking leaving a rider hanging off the bridge 30' above a rocky creek!
Here they stopped and took care of each other as any rider should. What more can you say about Cat 3 riders and their regard for fellow competitors?

 

[Cookster15]

@all

Some of you seem to have a rather hard time excepting that collarbone injuries could really get reduced by introduction of more protective apparel. Airbag technology already proven it can do that job in different sports. And it meets the criteria needed for pro peloton. It will happen eventually. In my opinion best to just let it go. And accept that as a fact. Trying to prove this can't get done. That is a dead end. As for believing OK. We can't prove that wrong. Lets just act silly instead. Note that such behavior just makes you silly and not right.

Point being don't be so caught up with this. You can focus on other areas just fine. Like lets say an ordinary fence. Or things like that. We don't all have to be so focused on collarbones and sun cream. We got that covered. I will persist until there is a significant drop in statistics. And until the awareness to wear sun cream is high enough. Others don't just wait and believe the rest will get done by itself.

Airbag technology? What is that going to cost for bikes? The costs of top end bikes has already escalated out of control in recent years. Some of this is due to global supply contraints related to Covid. But much is also due to technology - disc brakes, 12 speed cassettes and aero frames. Even pro teams and sponsors will baulk at the costs of airbag technology. It would also be very ugly and risk make cycling a laughing stock.

No, it won't happen eventually. It won't be called cycling anymore. Cycling does not have budgets like Formula One who introduced measures like the halo. Some things can't avoided. Like the laws of physics.

 

[Jumbo Visma Fan :)]

Airbag technology? What is that going to cost for bikes? The costs of top end bikes has already escalated out of control in recent years. Some of this is due to global supply contraints related to Covid. But much is also due to technology - disc brakes, 12 speed cassettes and aero frames. Even pro teams and sponsors will baulk at the costs of airbag technology. It would also be very ugly and risk make cycling a laughing stock.

No, it won't happen eventually. It won't be called cycling anymore. Cycling does not have budgets like Formula One who introduced measures like the halo. Some things can't avoided. Like the laws of physics.

But we need to protect those life threatening collarbones!

 

[CyclistAbi]

Was just watching super G at the worlds. Ilka did a rather good training ride in preparation for the downhill. Anyway. Tricia Mangan unfortunately crashed. But luckily her air bag vest was triggered and prevented any serious injuries from happening. And she could walk away after.

So contrary to some people claims here. Collarbones can and should be protected. Including in pro peloton. And the technology enabling it is already known. People claiming otherwise are not to be taken seriously. That is really all there is to it.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Was just watching the 12 Hours of Bathurst sportscar race. Luca Stolz and Jules Gounon did rather a good drive in preparation for the European endurance season. Anyway. Keith Kassulke unfortunately crashed. But luckily the car landed on its protective roof and prevented any serious injuries from happening. And he could walk away after.

Thank goodness car manufacturers took action, otherwise he could have sustained a nasty collarbone injury.

 

[Bubba]

Was just watching super G at the worlds. Ilka did a rather good training ride in preparation for the downhill. Anyway. Tricia Mangan unfortunately crashed. But luckily her air bag vest was triggered and prevented any serious injuries from happening. And she could walk away after.

So contrary to some people claims here. Collarbones can and should be protected. Including in pro peloton. And the technology enabling it is already known. People claiming otherwise are not to be taken seriously. That is really all there is to it.

Not sure I would highlight alpine skiing as a safe sport compared to procycling.
Both are obviously extreme sports with high risk, but having watched alpine skiing for almost 40 years, it would amaze me if the chance of serious injuries per athlete per race are not many orders of magnitude higher in alpine skiing (especially in downhill) compared to cycling.

If I am not mistaken, 2018 olympic super-g champion Ester Ledecka misses out of the current world's because of a collarbone fracture by the way.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

They could do like in alpine skiing and turn all bike races into very short time trials. Then there would definitely be fewer crashes.

 

[King Boonen]

 

[tobydawq]

Was just watching super G at the worlds. Ilka did a rather good training ride in preparation for the downhill. Anyway. Tricia Mangan unfortunately crashed. But luckily her air bag vest was triggered and prevented any serious injuries from happening. And she could walk away after.

So contrary to some people claims here. Collarbones can and should be protected. Including in pro peloton. And the technology enabling it is already known. People claiming otherwise are not to be taken seriously. That is really all there is to it.

You're not to be taken seriously on this matter, I'm afraid. Not much else to it.

 

[RedheadDane]

Was just watching super G at the worlds. Ilka did a rather good training ride in preparation for the downhill. Anyway. Tricia Mangan unfortunately crashed. But luckily her air bag vest was triggered and prevented any serious injuries from happening. And she could walk away after.

Hmm... could it be that in skiing, which is generally done in conditions where it's quite cold, having an extra layer could be, if not downright nice - for warmth - then at least managable? Whereas in cycling, any extra layer - and there would be some extra bulkyness going on - would be a problem.

 

[SHAD0W93]

I could do one better that could honestly fix this whole mixup. Rewatching some old World Cup matches and David Beckham’s goal that shook the world against Greece. Anyways. Crazily enough. Five years later at the World Cup again. Zinedine Zidane decides to viciously headbutt Marco Materazzi in the chest. Materazzi crumpled to the ground. Unfortunately Materazzi did not have an airbag vest to deploy to protect his collarbone. Thankfully no collarbone injury occurred and in the face of Materazzi’s bravery. A red flag was awarded. And Materazzi would later walk away after despite the threat of an injury occurring. A true hero.

So as we can all concur, an airbag vest is not vital in every sport.

 

[BR2]

I could do one better that could honestly fix this whole mixup. Rewatching some old World Cup matches and David Beckham’s goal that shook the world against Greece. Anyways. Crazily enough. Five years later at the World Cup again. Zinedine Zidane decides to viciously headbutt Marco Materazzi in the chest. Materazzi crumpled to the ground. Unfortunately Materazzi did not have an airbag vest to deploy to protect his collarbone. Thankfully no collarbone injury occurred and in the face of Materazzi’s bravery. A red flag was awarded. And Materazzi would later walk away after despite the threat of an injury occurring. A true hero.

So as we can all concur, an airbag vest is not vital in every sport.

I see what you did there.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

This is your chance, @CyclistAbi. Don't miss it!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1623421783645818881

View: https://twitter.com/PhilippeGilbert/status/1623421783645818881

 

[Lequack]

They should reduce the speed in the finishes to make it safer. Max 40 chainring in the front.

 

[tobydawq]

They should reduce the speed in the finishes to make it safer. Max 40 chainring in the front.

Tractor tyres on all bikes.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Tractor tyres on all bikes.

With training wheels.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Tractor tyres on all bikes.

As long as they don't use tractors. My uncle was run over by one as a child and hasn't been able to walk properly since, because the bones didn't heal correctly. But at least his collarbone wasn't permanently damaged.

 

[Oldermanish]

As long as they don't use tractors. My uncle was run over by one as a child and hasn't been able to walk properly since, because the bones didn't heal correctly. But at least his collarbone wasn't permanently damaged.

And let's be honest: collarbones are more of a nuisance during injury recovery. Let's add a hinged, breakaway version so riders can reset it more quickly and get back into the sprint. If you're a pro, you know what I'm talking about.

 

[SHAD0W93]

I will say this, when I got hit by a car while riding my bike and thrown 20 ft into a curb. I didn’t say I wish I had an airbag to make sure my collarbone was okay, I said thank god I wore my helmet to stop me from becoming a vegetable.