UPDATE: Laguna Bicyclist Dies in Crash

A 51-year-old Laguna Beach man died Saturday after crashing his bicycle in the Santa Monica Mountains near Malibu, the California Highway Patrol said.

Robert Eugene "Roberto" Hyndman, a marketing writer, veered onto the wrong side of Las Flores Canyon Road on a sharp curve and hit a guardrail, according to the CHP. He was thrown head-first into the ground and, despite wearing a helmet, suffered major head injuries, according to the CHP.

The accident recalls of Costa Mesa cyclist Mark Leones, who was killed in a spill while riding down a steep part of Park Avenue in Laguna Beach. Leones was also wearing a helmet at the time.

"Bike helmets are only designed to protect in an impact up to 14 miles per hour," said Ted Rogers, who helms the blog Biking in L.A. "Hyndman was probably traveling at a minimum of 25 or 30, far exceeding the helmet's capabilities. While I am a firm advocate for helmet use, too many people seem to think they are magic devices which will protect the rider in any collision, no matter how severe, which is simply not true," Rogers told Laguna Beach Patch.

The accident occurred north of Hume Road, around 11:45 a.m, the CHP told City News Service.

Hyndman was taken to UCLA Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 12:38 p.m.

Hyndman was taking part in the Rapha Gentlemen's Ride at the time of the accident.

In an online post, his younger brother Carl, who apparently was riding with him, remembered Hyndman as a voracious reader with a soothing aura and someone who "grabbed life by the horns and embraced all that life could offer."

Another post described Hyndman as "a renaissance man with a booming laugh, ready smile [and] encyclopedic knowledge of many things."

A memorial ride is planned for Sunday, according to a Facebook tribute page.