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news
Sir Richard Branson (picture credit Strive Challenge).PNGSir Richard Branson hospitalised after “colossal” bike crash
Sir Richard Branson has been treated in hospital after what he described was a “colossal” bike crash while taking part in an event in the British Virgin Islands.
Writing on his blog, the 71-year-old revealed that he thought the brakes on his bike had failed, and said that in his opinion there was “no question” his cycle helmet had saved his life.
The billionaire businessman and adventurer was taking part in the Strive BVI challenge, a fundraising event comprising several disciplines to raise funds for the educational charity Big Change, founded by his children.
On the second day of the challenge, Branson had completed the 60km ride on the island of Tortola when he decided to do an optional additional 15km.
“I was navigating a steep corner, with a massive cliff drop to my left, a car coming up the hill, and my fellow Striver, Felix Stellmaszek, in front of me passing the car,” he said.
“I pulled on both of my brakes, but they didn’t respond. I was going faster and faster, with my options being to drop off the cliff, hit the car, or potentially run into Felix.
“I gripped both brakes as tight as I could (later learning I should have tried taking one hand off the brake and then squeezing it again), but they didn’t work. I cried out to Felix a warning – ‘brakes not working!’ – but he had no chance of getting out of the way. We crashed – hard.
“We both fell off our bikes and our heads and bodies slammed into the concrete road,” Branson continued. “There is no question that wearing helmets saved our lives – not the first time that has been the case.
“We both lay flat out on the road as the rest of the team gathered around us. I stayed still, hoping I hadn’t broken my back or paralysed myself. Slowly, I moved my limbs and was relieved they responded. Thankfully, Felix was ok too,” he added.
Branson was taken to Virgin Gorda hospital to be treated for “some severe cuts and bruises on my elbow, an extraordinarily big bump on my hip and a massive hematoma on my leg.
“But it could have been so much worse,” he added.
It’s the second time that Branson has had a serious bike crash in the British Virgin Islands.
In 2016, he said, “my life flashed before me” when he crashed after hitting a speed bump during a training ride for that year’s edition of the Virgin Strive Challenge, with his bike “completely destroyed” after it was thrown over a cliff.
> “I thought I was going to die” – Sir Richard Branson cheats death in bike crash
“I really thought I was going to die,” Branson continued. “I went flying head-first towards the concrete road, but fortunately my shoulder and cheek took the brunt of the impact, and I was wearing a helmet that saved my life (however, perhaps they should build bike helmets that protect the side of the face too - does anyone know of one?).
“My bike went flying off the cliff and disappeared. We’ve since recovered the crumpled bicycle, completely destroyed. My cheek has been badly damaged and my knee, chin, shoulder and body severely cut.
“As I landed, once I realised I was alive, I began testing my movement. I really couldn't believe I was alive, let alone not paralysed,” added Branson, who sustained a fractured cheek and torn ligaments in that crash.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
Latest Comments
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The batteries were not the easiest to find, and the brackets broke easily. The switch was far better than the D cell quick release ever readys that...
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There are people out there who will make you the belt out of your old tyre.
- chrisonabike 3 hours 46 min ago
Furry dice and an air freshener for your helmet.
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Looking at the pictures in the linked article, the bikes aren't actually inconsiderately parked. The only issue is that they're on private property...
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Just get them to walk a treadmill - or better, ride exercise bikes to power path lighting.
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So his advisers were trying to move funds around to cover losses, but in a way that needlessly created additional liabilities? It would have been...
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75 comments
rookie mistake..at least check the essentials, y'know like brakes, or in this case breaks..
Did anyone look at the blog? Did you see the photo of his... Honestly, I don't know what part of him it was - it looked like his hip was trying to make a bid for freedom
I think the hip photo was a from different incident.
Oh, OK - I just thought it was the same jersey, so same incident...
Still a f-ing horrible picture, though!
disc brakes - give it 10,000 years and natural selection will have whittled cyclists down to only the rim brake master race as intended by god emperor dual pivot
Blasphemy!
The only true brake is the spoon brakePutting both boots flat on the ground either side of your Drasine is good enough for anyone.My wife's old runabout has rod brakes. Do they count?
I had a friend who was getting into various kinds of yoga and took to walking around Bristol barefoot - the idea being that your feet naturally toughen up. However, his bike didn't have good, working brakes, so he'd slow down by dragging his bare feet on the ground.
Call Fred Shred! https://youtu.be/OH5W1Z23wPg
OK, off topic, but what is that spoke lacing?
It's an abomination is what that is!
I think some people believe that twisting spokes provides greater lateral wheel strength, but I believe it stops the spokes from working as effectively, requires longer spokes (more weight!) and is less aerodynamic.
Here's a similar style, but made into a pretty flower
What you said. Fashion martyr. I do like classic car wire spoked wheels though - it's a bit like a fat bike tyre but... more.
Referred to as "snowflake" (no really...).
Quite a big thing in the 90s, MTB thing. Merlin added a cost of £8 for their wheelbuilding if I remember correctly.
Amen
I wonder if they asked for the long number on his credit card before the hospital allowed him treatment ? ? ? ? !
Was he riding with rim brakes?
So, no ambulance, no broken bones, no deaths; how was this "colossal"?
Just another jumped up man-boy billionaire publicity junkie getting his fix.
And the helmet didn't save his life.
It emerges from its hiding place. And there it is. The spotted cave troll slowly creeps across the grassy divide, occasionally stopping to fling its own feces in every direction. Its mating call, a cross between a hungry seal and howling gibbon, pierces the moonless night. Tonight, his wailing goes unanswered. The spotted cave troll slinks back to its den, and the sun rises to a new day.
I've given you a like for imaginative use of English. Which creative writing course did you attend?
David Attenborough
Oh dear, he'll be so disappointed; or did you not pass the course?
If you're going to go for it go all out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNOAJvtWqYA
Fabulous; thanks.
How can both brakes fail at the same time? I have never heard of that, unless they were tampered with?
I've certainly got some 'elmit saved me life' stories, 3 to be exact, but the truth is probably more like, helmet saved me a trip to A&E and some nasty bleeding. The one thing each of those anecdotes has in common is that I would not have been doing what I was attempting without having the helmet on. There is surely an element of pushing your limits in the mistaken belief that PPE will save you from serious injury in the Branson story.
He may be a egotistical tw@t but if he wasn't he probably wouldn't be a billionaire. I wish him a speedy recovery and the chance to do many more stupid things for many years to come.
To be fair, it doesn't sound like he was pushing his limits, but just descending a hill.
I'm more interested in why his brakes weren't working and whether pumping them would have fixed it.
For a man of his age, there is more truth there than he'd like to admit!
If thye are hydraulic brakes and you had the bike upside down for a bit the pressure can drop off and a few pumps might be needed to get it back. Its usually pretty obvious because the lever comes right back to the handle bar with little or no resistance. First thing I do when i get on my bike is a quick brake check but I did that with rim brakes as well.
Yep, I always check my brakes work as soon as I set off. Not that i'd put my bike upside down - that's blasphemy!
It seems odd that Branson didn't check his brakes until he was already going too fast downhill. Either he was airlifted to the top of the hill or he'd cycled to it without ever needing to slow down.
Well I do it all the time. Ha, yes sometimes in vain. What've you got to say to that??
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