Photo: Instagram / Simon Cowell
One of UK’s most famous exports, television personality and music mogul Simon Cowell, is currently lying in hospital, recovering from complicated surgery on his broken back. He fell off his brand new e-bike at the weekend.
Cowell’s publicist confirmed the accident as reports started making the rounds, saying it happened outside his Malibu home and that he (Cowell) would undergo surgery. The intervention out of the way, Cowell is now awake and back on Twitter.
And he has a few words of advice for fellow e-bike riders: don’t jump in the saddle without first reading the user manual. Common sense stuff, which you’d assume Cowell would do before his first ride, but apparently he didn’t.
“Some good advice... If you buy an electric trail bike, read the manual before you ride it for the first time,” he says in his first tweet since the accident. “I have broken part of my back. Thank you to everyone for your kind messages.”
Initial reports claimed that Cowell’s fall occurred either because he tried to pop a wheelie (which seems highly unlikely for a 60-year-old man trying out his e-bike for the first time, in his own yard) or because he was taken by surprise by the throttle. His tweet seems to indicate the latter, because he clearly didn’t know what to expect from the bike or how to handle the controls properly.
Considering that Cowell reportedly broke his back in three places, it’s a good thing that he is so straightforward about his share of responsibility. This isn’t about him “warning on the dangers of e-bikes,” but rather about him stating the obvious: even a kids’ tricycle can be dangerous if it’s not handled properly, let alone a motorized two-wheeler.
Let’s not forget that Class-2 and Class-3 e-bikes are legal in the U.S., where Cowell resides. The former allow for speeds of up to 20 mph (32.1 kph) on throttle-only, while Class-3 e-bikes can go as fast as 28 mph (45 kph) in pedal-assist. The throttle alone is powerful enough to yank you off and slam you to the ground if you’re not prepared or in the right riding position.
And he has a few words of advice for fellow e-bike riders: don’t jump in the saddle without first reading the user manual. Common sense stuff, which you’d assume Cowell would do before his first ride, but apparently he didn’t.
“Some good advice... If you buy an electric trail bike, read the manual before you ride it for the first time,” he says in his first tweet since the accident. “I have broken part of my back. Thank you to everyone for your kind messages.”
Initial reports claimed that Cowell’s fall occurred either because he tried to pop a wheelie (which seems highly unlikely for a 60-year-old man trying out his e-bike for the first time, in his own yard) or because he was taken by surprise by the throttle. His tweet seems to indicate the latter, because he clearly didn’t know what to expect from the bike or how to handle the controls properly.
Considering that Cowell reportedly broke his back in three places, it’s a good thing that he is so straightforward about his share of responsibility. This isn’t about him “warning on the dangers of e-bikes,” but rather about him stating the obvious: even a kids’ tricycle can be dangerous if it’s not handled properly, let alone a motorized two-wheeler.
Let’s not forget that Class-2 and Class-3 e-bikes are legal in the U.S., where Cowell resides. The former allow for speeds of up to 20 mph (32.1 kph) on throttle-only, while Class-3 e-bikes can go as fast as 28 mph (45 kph) in pedal-assist. The throttle alone is powerful enough to yank you off and slam you to the ground if you’re not prepared or in the right riding position.
And a massive thank you to all the nurses and doctors. Some of the nicest people I have ever met.
— Simon Cowell (@SimonCowell) August 10, 2020
Stay safe everyone
Simon.
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