In a recent study published in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers investigated the specific risk associations of cycling's two most popular disciplines, road cycling and mountain biking. The prospective study utilized data from 149 cyclists treated at a trauma center over a one-year period.
Study findings revealed that while mountain biking accidents were more than twice as frequent, road cycling crashes resulted in significantly more severe injuries, as measured by the Injury Severity Score (ISS) metric. Road cyclists sustained more severe head injuries, and the cohort’s only death occurred in a road cyclist with head trauma. Motor vehicle collisions were also more common among road cyclists. Furthermore, the study identified a positive association between age and injury severity (older riders suffer more severe injuries), particularly for road cyclists, highlighting a key risk factor for this growing.
Background
Cycling has been scientifically validated to offer several health and environmental benefits, including improved cardiovascular fitness, reduced carbon emissions, and reduced traffic congestion. Cycling has consequently witnessed a substantial surge in global popularity, particularly following the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
However, as cycle adoption grows, so do concerns about safety and injury prevention. Cycling's two most prominent disciplines, mountain biking and road cycling, present distinct environments and challenges. The former involves navigating unpaved trails with technical obstacles, such as rocks and roots, at lower speeds. Road cycling, in contrast, takes place on paved roads at higher speeds, often alongside motor vehicle traffic.
