"I'm just going around the parking lot..."

That's a phrase we hear a lot at bikes@vienna, typically when we tell folks they need to wear a helmet on a test ride. Well, today I demonstrated why, even "just around the parking lot" a helmet is a GOOD IDEA!

I was testing out a customer's bike, trying to see if I could make it slip out of gear under a variety of circumstances, and all seemed to be going well. It appeared I had managed to adjust things so that the problem didn't occur. That's probably why I was unprepared when, while pedalling hard up the slope of the parking lot, the gear hub abruptly failed, causing me to pitch forward, striking the handlebars with my chest, with enough force to knock the vertical bars into a horizontal position. The next thing I knew I was flat on my back on the pavement, having apparently done a somersault in the process. I ended up with some nasty scrapes on my right hand and knee, and more minor ones on my other hand and shin.





But the thing that I heard, in the midst of my acrobatic feat, was the distinct sound of plastic hitting pavement... and afterwards, I discovered some obvious dents in my helmet, which you can see here below.



So PLEASE.. wear a helmet, even "just around the parking lot."