Safety first: Check your handlebar....

[sipmeister]

Never thought this was possible until you read about it. I've occasionally had my bar end plug fall out randomly, so now I'll be extra vigilant. Hope the kid makes a full recovery.

https://www.bikeradar.com/news/teenager-degloves-penis/

[DrewK]

I've heard of people being "core sampled" by handlebars, but that's another level. No bueno.

[d_douglas]

Ha! Both the bar end plugs on my commuter have gone missing. Must replace those...

[mulp]

I was cringing just reading it. I'm gonna use plugs then wrap some more tape over it just in case.

[stackie]

My load of the article had an ad for a vegetable peeler peeling a carrot right below the first paragraph.

Hilarious to me but then again I’m somewhat immune to gross as a physician.

Jon

[72gmc]

Bar end plugs!

Never liked the plastic plugs that come with the tape.

[el cheapo]

Put a drop of super glue on the plug. Don't worry folks...it's only touching the tape.

[jtakeda]

Originally Posted by DrewK

I've heard of people being "core sampled" by handlebars, but that's another level. No bueno.

This happened to a friend of mine. He has a huge scar down his leg

[Peter P.]

Pics or it didn't happen!

[duff_duffy]

Another similar story: https://www.kansas.com/news/nation-w...216724335.html

Those uncovered bar ends can be dangerous...check those bikes, especially your kids.

[dddd]

The article didn't specify whether it was a road(?) or mountain bike, but upon impact, even a mtb bar might swing 90-degrees.

Data points here, a local shop manager apparently lost a section of his intestine on one of my favorite trails when he reportedly was impaled by (I believe) his bike. But then again, maybe it was a branch(?) since I would expect his bike to be in top condition.
I once crashed (simple-but-tumbling front-wheel wash-out) a touring bike while descending a fire road on Mt. Tam, and did somehow take a solid shot to the very top of my inner thigh from a bar end, which left a half-golf ball-size hematoma for several days.

So yes, the plugs are for more than style points!

[eippo1]

Happened to me on my dirt bike when I crashed going off a jump. Had a nice circular scar on my chest that took years to fade away. Hmm, actually I should check to see if I can still find it. It's been close to 40 years since it happened.

Sent from my SM-P580 using Tapatalk

[phoenix]

Originally Posted by jtakeda

This happened to a friend of mine. He has a huge scar down his leg

Yup, same here, not me, but a friend. Barplugs are good.

[marciero]

Willing to bet these cases are all flat bars.

[dddd]

Originally Posted by marciero

Willing to bet these cases are all flat bars.

My crash on the touring bike was with old randonneur or flared road bars.