Objective:

To characterize the prevalence of concussions across various cycling disciplines.

Background:

Cycling is enjoyed both for commuting and non-commuting, which includes competitive and recreational cycling. All disciplines have a risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Prior research has focused on TBIs in competitive road cycling; limited studies compare the risk of TBIs across different disciplines. Still fewer include commuting and recreation.

Design/Methods:

A cross-sectional survey was distributed to collect information on concussion history and risk factors among cyclists of varying ages, races/ethnicities, genders, and experience levels. Concussion risk factors were assessed by chi-squared or fisher’s test (n < 10) for categorical variables, and Mann-Whitney-U non-parametric t-test for continuous variables. Benjamini-Hochberg correction was applied for multiple tests.

Results:

87 concussions were reported from 200 respondents. The average age was 29.3 years (SD 12.1) and the mean cycling experience was 11.8 years (SD 9.1). 74.2% of concussions were reported by males and 25.8% of concussions were reported by females (p=0.74, BH p=1).  Most concussions resulted from non-commuting road cycling (44%) or non-commuting mountain biking (38%), while 8% occurred during commuting and 23% in competition. 95.2% of those who reported having had a concussion were competitive cyclists, while 80.5% of those who never had a concussion cycled competitively (p=0.002, BH p=0.02). 97% of those with concussions were wearing helmets while 75% were not using high-visibility equipment.

Conclusions:

Road cycling and mountain biking accounted for the highest number of concussions. Although most concussions occurred during non-competitive riding, competitive cyclists were significantly more likely to report a history of concussion. The 8% of accidents sustained during commuting, along with most accidents occurring during non-competitive riding, highlight the need for better cycling infrastructure in the community and the widespread adoption of safety measures amongst cyclists.