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Music Mogul Simon Cowell Breaks His Back in e-Bike Fall

Once the butt of all jokes for his chain-smoking, Red Bull obsession, and his open aversion to any type of physical exercise, music mogul Simon Cowell has been leading a very active, healthy lifestyle as of 2017. It includes a lot of biking.
Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman often ride e-bikes together 7 photos
Photo: RMBI / Backgrid via DailyMail.co.uk
The 2021 Pino tandem cargo bike from Hase Bikes aims to replace your car at taxiing and cargo haulingThe 2021 Pino tandem cargo bike from Hase Bikes aims to replace your car at taxiing and cargo haulingThe 2021 Pino tandem cargo bike from Hase Bikes aims to replace your car at taxiing and cargo haulingThe 2021 Pino tandem cargo bike from Hase Bikes aims to replace your car at taxiing and cargo haulingThe 2021 Pino tandem cargo bike from Hase Bikes aims to replace your car at taxiing and cargo haulingThe 2021 Pino tandem cargo bike from Hase Bikes aims to replace your car at taxiing and cargo hauling
At the weekend, the music mogul, best known to U.S. audiences as the sassy judge on hit shows like American Idol, the X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, fell off his brand new e-bike and broke his back in several places. Details on the injury and the accident are scarce at this time, but Cowell’s rep did issue a statement to the Guardian.

“Simon had a fall from his bike, testing his new electric bike in the courtyard at his house in Malibu with his family. He hurt his back and was taken to hospital. He’s doing fine, he’s under observation and is in the best possible hands,” the publicist explained. “Simon has broken his back and is having surgery this evening.”

As of the time of press, Cowell has already had surgery. Reports in the British media note that it was a 6-hour intervention that saw doctors fit a metal rod in his back for spine support, with some rumors saying that he had broken his back in several places.

Apparently, Cowell had just gotten a brand new £3,000 ($3,920) electric bike and he was eager to try it out in the yard outside his Malibu mansion. His partner, Lauren Silverman, and their son Eric were also there. Cowell reportedly either tried to pop a wheelie or was taken by surprise by the throttle, and he fell backward. He immediately knew he had badly injured himself and had Silverman call an ambulance.

There’s a big difference in the way e-bikes are specced for the U.S. and the European market, and this could have been Cowell’s (an essentially British dude) downfall. Some electric bikes in the U.S. have a motor as powerful as 750W, with a top speed on throttle-only of 20 mph (32.2 kph). Meanwhile, EU regulations limit the motor to 250W, with top speed on pedal-assist of 15.5 mph (25 kph).

On a bike, without proper gear, every bit of a difference in speed makes, well, a difference in case of a fall.

The good news is that Cowell is expected to make a full recovery. But he will be sidelined for several weeks to come.

Later in the day, Cowell gave an update on the incident, more details here.
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
Elena Gorgan profile photo

Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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