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+6
cyclist
As if road rash is the big problem in cycling crashes. Missing skin hurts, but road rash heals quickly and usually doesn't impair riders' training much. This looks like a race organizer trying to shift focus away from designing safe courses that minimize crash risks to the outcome of crashes. As an earlier commenter pointed out, summer racing suits are often designed for breathability to prevent overheating. Is it better for riders to overheat, impairing their bodies and thinking abilities (possibly causing crashes), for slightly better road rash outcomes? Probably not. The greatest risks in crashes are concussions or broken bones. While improvements in helmets have slowly improved concussion outcomes, the emphasis recently has seemingly been on their aerodynamics. If they cared, the UCI might consider changing rules around helmet design, perhaps finding whatever the most protective helmet there is today and saying no future helmet to be used in races next year can be less protective. This would force helmet companies to continue making safer helmets. Reducing broken bone chances would be much harder. Maybe we could see airbag vests like in motorcycle racing someday integrated into cycling suits, but that would only help with core injuries like ribs and spine. Again, making that breathable would be very difficult. Riders will only accept a performance disadvantage if required for all competitors. It's simpler to design safe courses than pour millions into R&D for new safety equipment and subsequently create rules requiring its use. But many race organizers continue to forgo the effort of making safer courses, instead shifting blame for rider injuries elsewhere.
13-05-2024 06:20
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+6
cyclist
As if road rash is the big problem in cycling crashes. Missing skin hurts, but road rash heals quickly and usually doesn't impair riders' training much. This looks like a race organizer trying to shift focus away from designing safe courses that minimize crash risks to the outcome of crashes. As an earlier commenter pointed out, summer racing suits are often designed for breathability to prevent overheating. Is it better for riders to overheat, impairing their bodies and thinking abilities (possibly causing crashes), for slightly better road rash outcomes? Probably not. The greatest risks in crashes are concussions or broken bones. While improvements in helmets have slowly improved concussion outcomes, the emphasis recently has seemingly been on their aerodynamics. If they cared, the UCI might consider changing rules around helmet design, perhaps finding whatever the most protective helmet there is today and saying no future helmet to be used in races next year can be less protective. This would force helmet companies to continue making safer helmets. Reducing broken bone chances would be much harder. Maybe we could see airbag vests like in motorcycle racing someday integrated into cycling suits, but that would only help with core injuries like ribs and spine. Again, making that breathable would be very difficult. Riders will only accept a performance disadvantage if required for all competitors. It's simpler to design safe courses than pour millions into R&D for new safety equipment and subsequently create rules requiring its use. But many race organizers continue to forgo the effort of making safer courses, instead shifting blame for rider injuries elsewhere.13-05-2024 06:20