During that same period, the number of recorded e-bike riders seeking medical attention for head trauma increased nearly 50-fold to just shy of 8,000 visits in 2022.
So.... Number of ebike riders rose by 50x since 2017. Makes sense, but doesn't mean it's more dangerous or anything to do with helmets
It would be interesting to know whether the increase in head trauma stems from single accidents being inherently more dangerous on e-bikes and that being the increase, or if e-bikes make biking more accessible bringing out less experienced bikers on the road where they are subsequently struck by cars.
It's not possible to see the study without a subscription, so it's hard to tell.
I'd not be surprised to see the latter being the case though, cars are the biggest predator when it comes to bicyclists.
higher speeds is the issue. combined with the inexpereince and lack of physical skill and health of ebike riders. recipe for injuries.
that and most ebike riders are much older. you don't see 22yo college grads on them, you see middle aged adults and retirees, because they cost $2000+ not $200.
Are you claiming this on intuition or on some actual statistics?
Also, on account of your use of mph, is this relevant only for the U.S? In the EU, e-bikes are pedelec only and capped at 25 km/h, which I don't think is 16 km/h more than the average bicyclist puts out.
The stats don't exist because ebikes have only been around for a few years. There are no stats on them yet, and they aren't seen as a separate category of transportation from bikes.
I'm claiming i on experience of commuting in my city daily for over a decade and seeing the changes in trends, ages, and behaviours of other commuters on bikes. I also work in cycling advocacy, education, and infrastructure.
There are however, many articles form local hospitals/newspapers cited a big uptick in serious cycling injuries the past few years, and that was when ebikes became mainstream.
I recently got an e-bikes. It goes up to 20mph and honestly scares the shit out of me sometimes. I have a normal bike helmet but am looking into something a bit beefier, between a bike and motorcycle helmet
I don't think people understand: At 20mph that's athlete sprinting speed. Imagine going all out "impending asthma attack and you don't even have asthma" full sprint down a hill then tripping on a curb
Wonder how many of those injuries are on rentals? Veo rental e-bikes are very prevalent around these parts. Have never seen anyone riding them with a helmet. If you own an e-bike and don't wear one, that's on you. But rental ones don't even have a way to provide you with one.
OTOH, most rental e-scooters have a helmet carrier box on the back. It unlocks when you go to pick one up with the app.
We have rental e-scooters around here that come with helmets mounted to the stem for the rider.
I'd say that maybe 1 out of 10 wear the helmet. And you can't imagine how many riders, who have no control over the damn scooter, aren't wearing a helmet.
If someone wants a brain injury, that's fine. But they are burdening anyone and everyone who relies on them and/or has to care for them.
It's probably door dash, uber eats, etc. - our city is quite swarming with "gig economy" riders who have standardised on relatively high speed electric bikes.
The combination of time pressure and the variety of places where they need to ride (busy pedestrianised city centre areas, park paths, roads with cars) probably doesn't help the safety.
They are also out riding way more hours each day than someone commuting or on rental bikes.
An e-bike is a motorcycle in everything but name and highway-worthiness. It's honestly a little bonkers how long it took for this conversation to come up. I do think there's a bit of an odd feeling strapping on a motorbike helmet when you're getting on what you think of as a bicycle, and it probably doesn't help that motorcycle helmets are bulky and a PITA to carry around if you're using your e-bike as a commuter. Those are all addressable solutions, though.
Probably the fastest/cheapest way to affect a change would be to set a top speed for eBikes operating in public areas as bicycles. Speed kills, and keeping people from doing practically 30 mph in the bike lane would probably be a good place to start. I'm not talking about handing out tickets as much as having manufacturers govern their top speeds down. After that, public health campaigns.
I can't understand why people refuse to wear helmets when riding.
I had a professor in university who got in an accident while not wearing a helmet. He went over the handlebars and landed on his head. It happened years before I met him, but he would regularly get crippling migraines as a consequence, and he would plead with his students to never ride without wearing a helmet.
A friend's dad fell off his bike hardly moving and had severe brain damage and was a shadow of his former self. Then died young. It doesn't take much at all. I will never not wear a helmet on a bike.
should we wear helmets while walking around or jogging? riding a bike at 5mph doesn't need a helmet. or in the shower? most folks get head trauma from shower falls, far more than bicycle accidents.
helmet wearing is for when you're going 15mph or faster. it's for sport cycling.
I bought a new helmet for my downhill biking. It's almost lighter than some road bike helmets and has great air flow. Wear a helmet, people. Your noggin is precious and cars and trucks are aiming for us.
ignorance on this comment thread deep. people here don't have any idea what they are talking about and just want to blowhard about how helmet wearing is the issue.
if you're going 25mph on an ebike, a helmet isn't going to stop you from fucking up your head.
