George Hincapie's crash in the 2006 Paris-Roubaix was something straight out of most cyclist's nightmares. Sudden failure of a critical component. A sudden loss of control. Nothing to do but crash.

This is my third season racing my Litespeed Sienna. It's got about 10,000 miles on it and has been through 30-40 races. I planned to replace the fork, stem, and bars sometime this season, but didn't think it too urgent.

I'm sure you can guess where this is going. I was racing today. I got up out of the saddle to crest a little rolling hill and the bars (Mantis ITM) snapped in half and down I went one instant later. Luckily it was a low speed crash and I am only a little bruised and banged up.

Consider this a PSA. If you're wondering about the age of some vital components on your bike, replace them!

Also, this was another instance where my helmet saved my brains from any damage. The rear of my helmet is bashed up and scuffed, but my head is fine.