Victim could have suffered ‘cyclist’s palsy’

A FITNESS enthusiast who died after losing control of her bike and careering into a house may have suffered “cyclist’s palsy”, a coroner has said.

Rebecca Scott, 24, was travelling down a hill in Branscombe, Devon, in training for a 100-mile endurance ride, when she veered into a wall. Her father, Alan Scott, an IT consultant, was cycling behind his daughter when she suffered multiple injuries.

An inquest heard there was no mechanical fault with Miss Scott’s bike and the triathlete was described as a “competent” and experienced rider.

Andrew Cox, assistant coroner for Exeter and Greater Devon, recorded a conclusion of accidental death during an inquest at Devon County Hall. “Nothing I have heard today suggests this was anything other than a perfectly sensible, well organised, family cycle,” Mr Cox said.

“The issue of cyclist’s palsy, which I have not come across before, has been raised. It is spec- ulation and there is nothing a pathologist could find at postmortem. It is, I think, the best explanation for what has happened, but I cannot say for definite that it did happen.”

Cyclist’s palsy, also known as handlebars palsy, is a numbing of the nerves in the hands after cycling in the same position for a long time.

Mr Scott, of Clyst St Mary, near Exeter, told the inquest he went on a training ride with his daughter on August 3 last year. Dur- ing the ride, Miss Scott said she would ask her brother Matthew to “tweak” her brakes later, but did not complain her bike was broken, Mr Scott said.

“Rebecca was never reckless with the downhill speed,” Mr Scott said. “We weren’t racing at all. “I was in front, I rode with my fingers on the brakes all the way down. Then, near the bottom she went past me, which was unexpected.

“She was making a noise. I knew she wasn’t happy.”