One of our technicians, David, is a triathlete. He bikes, runs, or swims daily to be ready for his next competition. He started out mountain biking a while ago and progressed to what he does now.
At the shop, we have had several discussions about safety equipment while biking. Many people from our Arie Nol family have participated in different types of bike racing, including Iceman in northern Michigan. Everyone agrees safety equipment can be irritating. You purchase it, wear it and most of the time never have any reason to be glad you wore it.
Until an incident that reminds you of the ‘just in case’ reasoning behind that helmet, neck protector or reinforced vest. David had that situation last week. Going 10-15 mph, he hit a tree. He bounced off that tree and hit another head on. The pictures below are of his helmet. In his words, it “rang his bell for sure” but he got up and walked away. The helmet did its job. He walked away able to participate in a sport that, like everything else, has risks. Because he made the smart choice to prepare for a possibility of an accident, he was able to hop back on his bike several days later, albeit with a couple of bruises.
As more people use bicycles for transportation, the risk of car and bicycle interaction increases. The car always wins in those situations. Whether you are riding your bike for sport, fun or exercise, wear a helmet, it protects a mighty important part of your body.