# Have you had a concussion from a bike accident?



## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

Maybe you can elaborate or simply put it like # on concussion/# of years riding.
For me it is 1/5.


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

0 out of 38 years as far as I know. I've certainly hit my head but seem to have gotten lucky . I did stop racing on the road years ago which probably saved me from at least several concussions.


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## coyotegulch (Jun 25, 2008)

1 from MTB crash in a race 20 or so years ago. Only cycling one I am aware of in 35 years, and one in karate from a spinning back kick about 30 years ago, no more karate.


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## Outrider66 (Jan 30, 2018)

I had what I think is one, roughly 20 years ago. After all movement stopped, I found myself wrapped up inside my bike frame like an intertwined pretzel, and I was literally seeing stars for a few moments. That was right after I told my daughters, "Let me show you how I used to jump bikes, as a kid".

And then, 11 years ago, I had a moderately bruised brain, along with some interior bleeding from my brain, which I suppose is an extreme form of a concussion. But that was from an offroad motorcycle crash. 22 fractures, including my neck, went along with that.

And yep - this idiot still rides. But only bicycles now.


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## Crankout (Jun 16, 2010)

I've whacked my head and replaced a helmet as a result from a crash, but no concussion symptoms.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

6/40. the first was 32 years ago, last was about a year ago...


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## Spectre (Jan 23, 2004)

The older I get, the happier I am to typically ride at 8/10s of my max speed on a given trail. Having ridden mountain bikes for 33 years, even my 8/10s speed is fast enough to be fun. Having a capable full-suspension bike with grippy tires helps also in getting my adrenaline rush without incurring any more risk. Modern bikes with disc brakes work so much better than the steep angled hardtails with 1.9 or 2.0 tires that many of us used to ride. I'm going so much faster than I used to, but with probably a larger margin of safety. (Forgot to add in cantilever brakes that could require pulling with multiple fingers for hard stops. Haha.)

Losing a riding season (and maybe a ski season as well) to a concussion or injury just isn't worth getting a Strava PR on a downhill. Uphill Strava PRs are a different story. Those are how I convince myself I'm not getting old.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

Spectre said:


> ..Losing a riding season (and maybe a ski season as well) to a concussion or injury just isn't worth getting a Strava PR on a downhill. Uphill Strava PRs are a different story. Those are how I convince myself I'm not getting old.


2 of mine were in BMX racing, 2 of them were from the dirt jumps, the other 2 were just 'sh!t happens' while trail riding. one my front tire dug into the sand in a turn and i rocketed over the bars onto my head, the other i had a front rim explode and lock up and OTB again...


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## Lone Rager (Dec 13, 2013)

Def had a few on the road bikes, and a few on motos. I'd say over my life I had three good ones were I was out of it for a good fraction of a day with ring-down lasting days to a couple of weeks. Not yet on the mtb.


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## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

I did about 20 years ago. All I remember was hauling down this trail and then lying on the ground with a smashed helmet and blood all over my face. It took a bit of thinking to look at my tire tracks to get back to the truck. I never did see a doctor for it.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Never had a concussion, currently sporting a full face helmet, hoping to keep my run going for a while longer.

Concussions are bad, I see a fair number of patients who have had concussions.


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## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

Nurse Ben said:


> Never had a concussion, currently sporting a full face helmet, hoping to keep my run going for a while longer.
> 
> Concussions are bad, I see a fair number of patients who have had concussions.


Yeah, in hindsight I really should have been checked out after that whomping. I was a poor college student at the time and maybe didn't want to spend money to go to a proper doctor.


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## Horseshoe (May 31, 2018)

Only one while on a bike, as a kid trying to bunnyhop a median on my BMX and somehow catching the front tire causing me to go OTB. Had several others from random kid mishaps but thankfully none as an adult. I have absolutely no desire to repeat that experience or try to recover from one at the advanced age of 51.


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## angelo (Sep 3, 2004)

Had one three weeks ago, just before my 66th bday--washed out at speed on a dry leaf filled, sandy chute when I clipped a tree with my bars and hand. Ejected off the bike through two trees for the field goal, bounced once on my head and skidded along my left side, including my face to a stop. Everything OK now except for slight background noise when it is really quiet.............Definitely an unlucky, yet lucky scenario. If I had hit either tree at speed it would have been ugly. Used the Bontrager policy for Cell Wave helmet replacement a couple of days later which was a super easy trade in at the LBS.


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## Curveball (Aug 10, 2015)

angelo said:


> Had one three weeks ago, just before my 66th bday--washed out at speed on a dry leaf filled, sandy chute when I clipped a tree with my bars and hand. Ejected off the bike through two trees for the field goal, bounced once on my head and skidded along my left side, including my face to a stop. Everything OK now except for slight background noise when it is really quiet.............Definitely an unlucky, yet lucky scenario. If I had hit either tree at speed it would have been ugly. Used the Bontrager policy for Cell Wave helmet replacement a couple of days later which was a super easy trade in at the LBS.


That's a great crash description! Glad it turned out well in the end.

Do you think the Wavecell helmet helped?


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

Three pretty good concussions mountain biking over the past 10 years. I'm 59. Never had one before that despite four years high school football running back and 10-12 years of motocross and desert motorcycle racing with plenty of crashes. Are we more prone to concussions as we get older?

The three more serious ones were odd in that I crashed (I deduced from evidence, no memory of crash), then came too, riding along still on my route and only slightly confused. In fact one was in a strange place on a new trail and I was still heading in the right direction when I came to myself. Took a minute to figure out what happened, where I was and where I needed to go to get down. Another time I arrived almost clear to my house after a very familiar ride before I was aware that I couldn't remember the previous 4-5 miles of my route. I had to do some backwards calculations to figure out where the crash happened. A buddy who rode the trail later that day confirmed where it look like I crashed. The third one I was with several friends who walked me out (I felt like I could've ridden, but they wisely didn't let me).

After my third one, I went full MIPS full face full time and I now always replace my helmet after a crash if there's any damage to it, no matter how small or how new (or expensive) the helmet. I bought three TLD Stage helmets within a year and a half (one after ONE ride). My head's worth more than that.


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## angelo (Sep 3, 2004)

Curveball said:


> That's a great crash description! Glad it turned out well in the end.
> 
> Do you think the Wavecell helmet helped?


Thanks, I feel fortunate.

Yes I do on the helmet. The impact was right on the edge and I couldn't see or feel any damage other than the visor not moving easily. LBS said that it might be compromised even without any visible damage.

Great replacement policy--the Trek Store didn't have the same size/color in stock so suggested going to any Trek dealer that had one in stock. Super easy, brought the helmet and a hard copy of the receipt; they took a picture to send to Trek and even let me keep the helmet pad as an extra. Great customer service.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

2/13

2009 OTB shattered my wrist as well
2015 Terrible DH crash. Polytrauma including brain bleed

I recovered fully

Non Mtb related concusssion d/t MVA in 1985


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## Buzz Cut (Jan 16, 2007)

Multiple concussions. First was when a car crossed the center line to turn right into a driveway. I went through the windshield I was in and out of consciousness for 3 days in the hospital, that was in 1968 I had issues for months after that, next was filming a movie in Santa Cruz in 1980 went down hard in a road race scene, I was out for 15 minutes. side effects only lasted a few days. Next was blowing a drop at Delaveaga in 90 and getting launched into a ravine. It was mid day. when I came to it was twilight and i was wrapped up in the bike. I was so dazed that I could not get untangled. A lady runner heard me yelling for help (I was riding solo) and helped free me an walked me out. I was out of sorts for a week. Last one was 3 years ago at Brushy peak. Ripping down a rock garden and hooked a pedal on a big rock and got launched close to 20 feet. My helmet hit a rock on landing and cracked in half. I thought I was ok. Next morning I had trouble focusing on tasks. If I turned my head fast I got white flashes in my right eye (still happens sometimes) That lasted for over a month before I cleared up. FYI i was wearing a go pro on the helmet you can se the rock hit the helmet right next to the camera. The techs at Giro were amazed after seeing the video that I walked away from the hit. Look up Human Lawn Dart on you tube, its there. I now have a Trek Wave Cell and I hope to never need it


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## natas1321 (Nov 4, 2017)

none as of yet as far as I know, and over the years I have had a few good smacks to the melon only to replace the helmet soon afterwards.


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## walkerwalker (Jul 17, 2020)

I may have had a concussion, I don't remember.


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## crconsulting (Apr 11, 2004)

If your helmet looks like this, you probably got a concussion


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## ksnyder (Jun 9, 2010)

First one was in 1999 at age 45. I had never been injured on a mtn bike before that. 3 more since then. Two from mtn bikes and one from arresting a drugged up burglar. Helmet broke each time. Wish I had a helmet during the arrest. I ride slower now.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

crconsulting said:


> If your helmet looks like this, you probably got a concussion


ouch..


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## mbcracken (Aug 12, 2006)

53 y.o. and I have about 4(maybe 5?) concussions on the books been riding some bike since the age of 4. Although, only one was properly diagnosed by an ER staff. About 16/17 years ago, I was road riding and hit some moss that sprouts up very quickly after a rain up here in the Seattle region. I was probably doing 23-24mph when the front wheel just disappeared from me. Fully cracked the helmet in half. Growing up in Spokane, I rode a ton of road in the 80's and no one wore helmets then. I remember bouncing my head on the pavè several times but never got those diagnosed.
Cheers,
Mike


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## fredcook (Apr 2, 2009)

Riding bicycles on dirt since 1975ish. I've had many hard knocks to the head, but only one that I would call a concussion. In other words, by my definition, once incident that hit me hard enough to not remember a period of time. I lost consciousness for _I think_ several minutes. That was 15 years or so ago.


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## JMac47 (Apr 23, 2004)

*You Sir,.....*



KRob said:


> Three pretty good concussions mountain biking over the past 10 years. I'm 59. Never had one before that despite four years high school football running back and 10-12 years of motocross and desert motorcycle racing with plenty of crashes. Are we more prone to concussions as we get older?
> 
> The three more serious ones were odd in that I crashed (I deduced from evidence, no memory of crash), then came too, riding along still on my route and only slightly confused. In fact one was in a strange place on a new trail and I was still heading in the right direction when I came to myself. Took a minute to figure out what happened, where I was and where I needed to go to get down. Another time I arrived almost clear to my house after a very familiar ride before I was aware that I couldn't remember the previous 4-5 miles of my route. I had to do some backwards calculations to figure out where the crash happened. A buddy who rode the trail later that day confirmed where it look like I crashed. The third one I was with several friends who walked me out (I felt like I could've ridden, but they wisely didn't let me).
> 
> After my third one, I went full MIPS full face full time and I now always replace my helmet after a crash if there's any damage to it, no matter how small or how new (or expensive) the helmet. I bought three TLD Stage helmets within a year and a half (one after ONE ride). My head's worth more than that.


Are very resiliant! 👍💪😎


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## Taroroot (Nov 6, 2013)

35 years of riding, definitely had one. When you see stars and black out for a few seconds, its a good hit. Was being stupid too and no helmet, I was just riding along.... Smacked top of head on overhead beam wheelieing off a bench and cleaned myself out. 
Had a few good ones snowboarding, but never really felt concusive. Bruised ribs once a while ago, stiches on face just a couple years ago.


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

Nope 0 concussions out of nearly 50 years of riding bicycles and skateboards.

I've significantly cracked 3 helmets and have what many describe as a very hard head. Played soccer for 30 years... a couple of players literally split their heads open after connecting with my skull.

Last bike crash with helmet damage was during a cold weather bike commute (on my drop bar gravel bike) a couple years ago. While pedaling along a busy road to get to the next path, a car veered out in front of me and I had to run off into frozen rutted grass. I flew off of my bike and my head bounced some on the landing. (This remains one of my aversions to drop bars in general as there is much less room for error in my opinion).

I went and got evaluated by a doc. She said it did not appear that I was concussed. I went to my optometrist the next day for a depth perception test to make sure and passed with flying colors. Still took it easy pedaling for a few weeks just to be on the safe side.


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## Skooks (Dec 24, 2008)

KRob said:


> Three pretty good concussions mountain biking over the past 10 years. I'm 59. Never had one before that despite four years high school football running back and 10-12 years of motocross and desert motorcycle racing with plenty of crashes. Are we more prone to concussions as we get older?
> 
> The three more serious ones were odd in that I crashed (I deduced from evidence, no memory of crash), then came too, riding along still on my route and only slightly confused. In fact one was in a strange place on a new trail and I was still heading in the right direction when I came to myself. Took a minute to figure out what happened, where I was and where I needed to go to get down. Another time I arrived almost clear to my house after a very familiar ride before I was aware that I couldn't remember the previous 4-5 miles of my route. I had to do some backwards calculations to figure out where the crash happened. A buddy who rode the trail later that day confirmed where it look like I crashed. The third one I was with several friends who walked me out (I felt like I could've ridden, but they wisely didn't let me).
> 
> After my third one, I went full MIPS full face full time and I now always replace my helmet after a crash if there's any damage to it, no matter how small or how new (or expensive) the helmet. I bought three TLD Stage helmets within a year and a half (one after ONE ride). My head's worth more than that.


Destroyed a FF helmet in 1 ride? That's pretty impressive Kent! I am the same age as you and have started wearing a TLD stage on almost all of my rides. I find it pretty comfortable and I really like the added protection on the downhills. I hope I can make it last longer than yours did!

I have had one very minor concussion in my 35+ years of mountain biking. I am trying hard not to get another one.


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## Taroroot (Nov 6, 2013)

Skooks said:


> Destroyed a FF helmet in 1 ride? That's pretty impressive Kent! I am the same age as you and have started wearing a TLD stage on almost all of my rides. I find it pretty comfortable and I really like the added protection on the downhills. I hope I can make it last longer than yours did!
> 
> I have had one very minor concussion in my 35+ years of mountain biking. I am trying hard not to get another one.


Well, it only takes one good accident, bike helmets are not designed for mulitple impacts. Some skate and snow helmets are now being touted for mutiple impacts, but no bike helmets that i know of.


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

Skooks said:


> Destroyed a FF helmet in 1 ride? That's pretty impressive Kent!


Yeah, just bad luck. I was JRA on a pretty simple trail I'd been on a hundred times with my brand new Stage when suddenly it felt like someone hit me in the head with a baseball bat. Snapped my head back. Made me see stars but stayed on my bike. 
Somehow just as I was leaning into a little g-out turn I hit a 3" cut off branch at head height. (BTW, I came back later and sawed that sucker off!)

Big crease/dent in my helmet, but it did its job. Seems a bit extreme, and there was a time in my life when I wouldn't have done it, but I replaced it.

One of my worst concussions a couple years ago happened while using a helmet that had a similar dent and a small crack in the styrofoam. I purchased my first FF Stage helmet after that crash and promised myself I'd never ride with a damaged helmet again.

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## Skooks (Dec 24, 2008)

KRob said:


> Yeah, I was JRA on a pretty simple trail I'd been in a hundred times with my brand new Stage when suddenly it felt like someone hit me in the head with a baseball bat. Snapped my head back. Made me see stars but stayed on my bike.
> Somehow just as I was leaning into a little g-out turn I hit a 3" cut off branch at head height.
> 
> Big crease/dent in my helmet, but it did its job. Seems a bit extreme, and there was a time in my life when I wouldn't have done it, but I replaced it.
> ...


Well done! I admire your discipline. I would be tempted to cheap out and not replace it.


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## KRob (Jan 13, 2004)

JMac47 said:


> You sir...Are very resiliant! 


Ha! I was. Now at 59 I'm feeling a little more fragile so am a "little" more cautious.


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## JCKID58 (Nov 20, 2017)

61 now, 4 maybe 5 concussions. First one I was 17 racing MX. Had the hole shot right up until I didn't. Another rider came across from the outside and took my front end out. Pretty sure I got run over by most of the pack!, parents said my bike was flipping end over end above the dust cloud. They found me unconscious under my bike. My mom never came to another race after that. Another one racing dirt bikes about 4 years later, that one had an ER visit and a medicated ride home. 2 more on mountain bikes 10 and 15 years ago. Destroyed two Giro helmets. Last time 3 years ago racing my vintage dirt bike, 1977 RM 125. Landed sideways off a jump, got pitched to the ground and landed on my head. Popped right up but fell over, stayed on my knees shaking my head trying to clear the cobwebs. Eventually got up and finished my moto. Stayed dizzy and headachy for a week or so after that one. Trying to still ride both MTB and dirt bikes fast but "safer" now. The after effects of that last one hung on longer than I would have liked.


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## celswick (Mar 5, 2020)

I'm 52 now but when I was about 21 I really crashed hard and landed on my head. Helmet didn't survive but I did. I lost my memory temporarily and my friends told me I kept asking the same questions over and over every few minutes in the hospital. "Where I am? What happened?" They'd explain and I'd say, "Oh. Ok, " immediately followed by, "Where I am I? What happened?" 

It took a couple of days to get straightened out. I was in college and had trouble remembering which classes I had on what days the first couple of days after it happened.


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## Galeforce5 (Jun 7, 2013)

*Yup!*

I've had three (3). First was non-bike in high school football, helmet to helmet contact when me and the other guy were running full speed at each other. On the bike, the first was when I was demoing bikes, and I had never ridden a bike with disc brakes, and wasn't wearing a helmet. Hit the brakes hard, over the bars I go, planted my forehead into the sidewalk, ended up at the ER to get 10 stitches. For the next three days, sitting up from bed, or getting up from a chair caused me to be very dizzy with no balance. A trip to the doc confirmed a concussion, with instructions to take it easy, no alcohol, and of course to head to the ER if things got worse. Recovered fully.

The second on the bike was a short downhill that has a sharp left turn at the bottom. I decided to take it full speed, and as I turned left, the wheels skidded out, and I flew off the bike and landed first with my body, and then my head hit a rock on the ground. Similar to the first incident, albeit much less trouble due to the helmet. A few months later, fell in a similar incident, but no concussion even though the helmet was cracked.

I should mention that in both bike related incidents, I did not screw around and immediately bought a new helmet each time. Not going to take a chance on a helmet that has been hit that hard.


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## speedygz (May 12, 2020)

Yeah, a few times. Woken up in hospital on a couple of occasions, wondering where the hell am I. Once when I was about 4 or 5, after my dad had told me specifically NOT to ride down the biggest steepest hill in the neighborhood on my little 12 or 16 inch wheeled bike. And another time just a few years back, with a busted collarbone, suspected cracked pelvis, and a couple of bleeds on the brain. Motorcycle to blame for that one though.


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## Fairbanks007 (Sep 5, 2009)

Had four diagnosed concussions in about 3 years back in the early 80's in my BMX racing and freestyle days. Oddly, all were in practice, never at a race or a show. There was another probable one around the same time that wasn't officially diagnosed. Back then it was just referred to as getting your bell rung and wasn't nearly as big a deal as it rightfully is today. 

I was concussion free for over 25 years mountain biking until I got caught watching a family with uncontrolled little kids clambering up the trail and failed to notice a root at the top of a little embankment I was trying to ride down to avoid them. That damn root caught my front wheel and flipped me OTB right onto my head. Including the embankment it was probably a 6 or 7 foot fall onto my helmet. The father laughed and told his kids that's why mountain biking was dangerous. If I could have stood up I would've knocked the jacka$$ out.


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

between riding BMX, playing hockey, and "backyard" football in the 70's, I have probably had many, but I never remember being that hurt by a head injury...

I have been knocked unconscious twice by hard hits to the body that made me lose my breath, but that was also way back when.

All of my "big" injuries have been twists, breaks and seperations


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## Zguitar71 (Nov 8, 2020)

20 years ago I was biking home and was hit by a car. The car didn’t actually touch me, it clipped my back wheel and sent me flying. I landed on my face and ended up with 4 titanium plates after 3 reconstructive surgeries. I didn’t really black out but I was very confused and not really making since. I remember hearing my bones breaking when I hit the ground. In the end my CT scan was good but my body was hammered. I had 130 stitches and my left eye was sunken into my face. I look mostly normal now, my eye is slightly misshapen but no one notices. I have 3 scars that run down from my eye to under my chin and make me look much tougher than I really am. I have convincingly told people that I was attacked by a mountain lion, a bear, got in a knife fight and a few other things. I usually tell them the story eventually though. 

So that is 1 that I know of in a 38 year biking love affair that started when I was 12 in ‘82 racing BMX. I could have had a couple back then, my friends and I did some stupid stuff without helmets in the city, I took a some spills for sure but nothing really stands out in my memory...... 

Now I’m always in a helmet, still commute in traffic, still have a BMX bike and love to MTB.


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## dysfunction (Aug 15, 2009)

str8edgMTBMXer said:


> between riding BMX, playing hockey, and "backyard" football in the 70's, I have probably had many, but I never remember being that hurt by a head injury...
> 
> I have been knocked unconscious twice by hard hits to the body that made me lose my breath, but that was also way back when.
> 
> All of my "big" injuries have been twists, breaks and seperations


This is pretty much the same for me...

Except I crashed during a road event. I came to in the ambulance for a minute, I remember the MRI, and getting home and that's about all I remember for the rest of the day.

My helmet was in 4 or 5 pieces, we gave it to the local girlscouts so they could use it as a prop during safety discussions. It took over a month to really start to feel 'normal' again (things like writing a cheque were strangely difficult). That was a decade ago, so that's what 1 / 37yrs and yea.. completely recovered now. That one gave me a new appreciation for brain injuries.


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## slowrider (May 15, 2004)

*A few.*

I've dialed it back and knock wood it's been 15 years since my last.
I still test myself but with an eye towards having a bail option.


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

1/17 years. It definitely affected my memory.

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## celswick (Mar 5, 2020)

Last week I crashed hard but didn't have a concussion. Shoulder hurts, though.










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## Scott O (Aug 5, 2004)

I don't remember if I've posted in this thread before.


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## natas1321 (Nov 4, 2017)

celswick said:


> Last week I crashed hard but didn't have a concussion. Shoulder hurts, though.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Damn, I'm sure it does.

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## J_Westy (Jan 7, 2009)

35 years on a mountain bike and somehow lost the memory of the last 1/3 of a ride recently... I can only assume I fell, knocked my melon and got back on and rode the rest of the route. Guessing a mild concussion was involved


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 1996)

3 concussions. One I was knocked out for a few minutes. The bad one though was a branch hitting my head, with a glancing blow 4 months later. I was tired and could not focus for a year.


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## Radium (Jan 11, 2019)

Wow, FC, that really sucks. I've never been knocked out by my crashes, or branch strikes, even though I've ruined a couple of helmets during them. I just didn't knock out that easily back then. I'm sure that would be a different story today.


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## Francis Cebedo (Aug 1, 1996)

Radium said:


> Wow, FC, that really sucks. I've never been knocked out by my crashes, or branch strikes, even though I've ruined a couple of helmets during them. I just didn't knock out that easily back then. I'm sure that would be a different story today.


Yeah, there really is truth in the "consecutive concussions within months"warning. That second one was just a bell ringer but all I wanted to do was nap for a couple months after. And I didn't put two and two together. Though i was just lazy.

Incidentally, Isn't a boxing knockout a concussion. What about those dangers!!!!


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## 2sharp7 (Aug 29, 2013)

Yes, 2. One was when I used to ride road and contributed to me giving it up not too long after. Another one riding MTB, going fast down hill and had a pedal strike, went down hard.


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## Harryman (Jun 14, 2011)

None in 35 years of mountain biking, or in over 20 years as a ski racer. My brain evidently likes to use other parts of my body as crumple zones. Definitely, a couple as a kid, growing up we all thought seeing stars was a normal event.


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## jeffw-13 (Apr 30, 2008)

After many years without many bad crashed I had 2 pretty significant head shots in October and seem to be suffering some after affects now, like absent mindedness and trouble concentrating.


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## Northern dave2 (Nov 22, 2018)

Just one in 40 years of bike commuting and MTB (off road has been the safer of the two); I face-planted into the trunk of a car that had passed me, and I didn't notice that they had pulled up ahead. When they asked at the ER if I had been unconscious, I replied no; I realized later, after getting a few stitches in my cheek, that I must have been knocked out, as I didn't recall hitting the car or the ground.


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## Xylx (Mar 18, 2005)

In 1977 I had a road bike crash, concussion, sub-dural hematoma, over 100 stitches. I was dizzy for a year. I quit road bike riding a few years ago after a minor crash in town on my cyclocross bike when I almost fell on my head. Then last year I went over the bars on my urban commuter on a bike path and broke the clavicle again. So no more pavement for me. Only been hurt once in almost 40 years of mountain biking. It was a minor injury that probably should have got a stitch or two, but that's it.


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

Zero concussions in my life.

Concussions are bad for you, avoid em if you can.

I see a lot of folks with post concussion mental health issues, no bueno!


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

One (very mild one) for me. On a commute to work a car swung out to go around another that was turning left. I went OTB into frozen rutted ground and got the double head bounce crash landing.

After a few minutes to check out my bike and get my bearings, felt ok enough finish my commute and then went to get evaluated. No signs from doc so I went to ophthalmologist for a depth perception test. I passed that but he noticed some slight hemorrhaging in the back of my eyes so I took it easy for a few weeks.


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## sleepyguy1001 (May 26, 2014)

One concussion in seven years of riding, knocked out cold for I don't actually know how long. There's three or four days afterward that the memories kind of start and stop.


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## 2sharp7 (Aug 29, 2013)

Yes once. On a solo ride, about 10 miles from either point A or point B and went down hard from a pedal strike. Got up seeing stars and felt somewhat dazed and confused for a couple of minutes. Bars, brakes, shifter, etc was all tweaked so I messed with that after resting a few minutes and then continued on my ride. Only other concussion occurred on asphalt.


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

Yes once. (Same time as my collarbone). Still don't remember the entire day, ride, or the hospital visit 

Memory has never been the same.

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## mlx john (Mar 22, 2010)

Probably...


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## Radium (Jan 11, 2019)

I've had a concussion without being knocked out on two occasions; one whet I had a speedy OTB in a rock-strewn dry creekbed, and once when I got sucker-punched or struck on my occiput by a genuine NFL defensive back. Neither times was I knocked out of action at all.
That said, I'm very aware of the cumulative damage that can result from a series of minor concussive events and they should not be taken lightly.


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## cmg (Mar 13, 2012)

twice for me,
first was a little crash into a tree that shattered my helmet, three days off work and light duties for a week later, remember everything

second one was bad, nearly home not paying attention ran into a fence post, OTB straight onto my head, helmet fine, headache, rode home, remember nothing else for the next 3 days.
All this info is from heresay, apparently I came home mumbling incoherently (according to kids, missus wasnt home) and started to get dinner ready, about 30 mins in I said I was tired and went to bed, slept 16hrs straight. Missus worked out I crashed and took me to hospital (possibly due the nonsence I was talking) and a splitting headache I had. I also kept falling asleep, bright light and loud noises were a real problem and this continued for 2 weeks. I had 2.5 weeks off work, and then 2 weeks light duties because after midday I was really worn out and everything was too much. I also couldnt "multitask", I could only think of one thing at a time and my brain just locked up if I had two things I was thinking about, missus said I would literally just stop and look stupid until I had the thought sorted and could move on.

When I look back, the second one scares the poo out of me, worse so that 3 days are missing, and for how f-éd up I was for more than a month, luckily Im too stupid to realise any lasting damage.


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## jeffw-13 (Apr 30, 2008)

2 in 2020. Literally fell of a 10 foot ledge in Sedona. Been battling through some memory and concentration issues since but slowly improving.


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## 33red (Jan 5, 2016)

jeffw-13 said:


> View attachment 1924480
> 
> 
> 2 in 2020. Literally fell of a 10 foot ledge in Sedona. Been battling through some memory and concentration issues since but slowly improving.


Good luck getting 100% back.


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## Noddinggod (Apr 5, 2021)

Spectre said:


> The older I get, the happier I am to typically ride at 8/10s of my max speed on a given trail. Having ridden mountain bikes for 33 years, even my 8/10s speed is fast enough to be fun. Having a capable full-suspension bike with grippy tires helps also in getting my adrenaline rush without incurring any more risk. Modern bikes with disc brakes work so much better than the steep angled hardtails with 1.9 or 2.0 tires that many of us used to ride. I'm going so much faster than I used to, but with probably a larger margin of safety. (Forgot to add in cantilever brakes that could require pulling with multiple fingers for hard stops. Haha.)
> 
> Losing a riding season (and maybe a ski season as well) to a concussion or injury just isn't worth getting a Strava PR on a downhill. Uphill Strava PRs are a different story. Those are how I convince myself I'm not getting old.


Yes I totally agree about the bikes. My carbon trail bike let me do things the first week that I could never do on 90's era hard tails. Got me 1 concussion for sure in the 90's riding a khs montana team with a rock shox mag 21. Was wearing a helmet but my face hit a tree. As far as I know I suffered no long term damage. My knees hurt more than anything these days


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## Noddinggod (Apr 5, 2021)

angelo said:


> Had one three weeks ago, just before my 66th bday--washed out at speed on a dry leaf filled, sandy chute when I clipped a tree with my bars and hand. Ejected off the bike through two trees for the field goal, bounced once on my head and skidded along my left side, including my face to a stop. Everything OK now except for slight background noise when it is really quiet.............Definitely an unlucky, yet lucky scenario. If I had hit either tree at speed it would have been ugly. Used the Bontrager policy for Cell Wave helmet replacement a couple of days later which was a super easy trade in at the LBS.


You are lucky you didn't fly head first into a tree. I washed out on a slippery turn met a tree face first was knocked out. When I came too I was sure I was blind because I had so much blood in my eyes. As far as I know my head is fine my right knee that hit a rock was never the same.


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## tallsedo (Jan 6, 2012)

My brother and I are learning how to jump properly, watching all of the appropriate videos and starting small. On a particular stretch of a trail we ride often we decided to try to clear the short but steeper than our usual table top. After I cleared it the first time I felt the need to HELP the bike by pulling back and standing up...the video of it looked as bad as the aftermath...I do not remember about 15 seconds before the jump and woke up about 20 seconds after I landed. The top left of my helmet was caked in mud. I have a Bell Super R Air MIPS helmet...glad I had the chin bar on too...I had symptoms for a few hours but no neurological symtpoms. I got reallllly lucky. That definitely has tempered my desire to jump at all lately


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## Taroroot (Nov 6, 2013)

I'm a pretty firm believer of dual density foam now. EPP in addition to the old style EPS foam. Had a little tumble on road a couple months ago, heard helmet contact ground, visually a small dent and scratch on the microshell. No issues with head, just a little sore neck muscle strain. The EPP is softer and works on smaller impacts.


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