Over the summer of 2008, there were a few instances of athletes having issues with bees while cycling. Both stories were filled with pain for the riders.
Hitting the Deck
A woman on a solo ride had a wasp or bee fly into her helmet and get stuck. The bee began to sting, so the rider tried to dislodge the bee with one hand. As she did, she inadvertently grabbed the front brake. The bike fishtailed and she went down hard.
The crash fractured the rider's pelvis in four places. Of last notice, the rider will remain in the hospital for around 14 days and will not be able to bear weight on her right leg for some time, requiring the use of a walker to get around.
More: 8 Cycling Hand Signals for Your Next Group Ride
A Severe Allergic Reaction
Another rider had a bee fly into a slightly unzipped jersey. At first, there was initial pain due to the sting, and then some numbness began to creep into the area. The rider decided to tough it out and press on.
About five or 10 minutes later, the rider noticed overall body itching--like an army of ants were crawling all over her torso trying to conquer her. She said the worst itching was on the bottom of her feet. She tried to use water to cool herself off.
Then she noticed that her heart rate was going wild. She got back on the bike and started soft-pedaling, and her heart rate immediately jumped to 160. She knew immediately something was really wrong. She stopped and started looking for help. Within minutes of stopping, her face began to swell up.
