# Road Racing - Helmets?



## ChrisBD (1 Aug 2010)

Driving down the A38 between Glos and Bristol yesterday there was a club race taking place with signage and event marshalls at roundabouts etc.

We saw plenty of riders in all maner of helmets from old Met's with canvas covers to fancy track helmets; but what stood out was two riders (older) not wearing lids, one was bare headed the other in an old school peaked cycle cap - are lids not mandatory in such events?


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## Young Un (1 Aug 2010)

Was it a Time trial (individual race) or was it a road race (riding in a bunch)? If it's the former, 18 year olds and over do not have to wear a helmet unless stated in the entry conditions. In bunch races, helmets are compulsory.


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## ChrisBD (1 Aug 2010)

Young Un said:


> Was it a Time trial (individual race) or was it a road race (riding in a bunch)? If it's the former, 18 year olds and over do not have to wear a helmet unless stated in the entry conditions. In bunch races, helmets are compulsory.




Thanks; prety sure it was a TT. Was surprised to see riders out without lids. As an MTBer I would not consider riding out without a lid.

I'm a member of an MTB club; on club rides our primary rule is "no lid, no ride". I've been thinking of joining our local road cycling club with a view to building endurance for a multi day MTB race next year, and would have been shocked had I seen riders with no lids.

Is there some logic with regards the ruling for TT's?


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## frank9755 (1 Aug 2010)

ChrisBD said:


> Thanks; prety sure it was a TT. Was surprised to see riders out without lids. As an MTBer I would not consider riding out without a lid.
> 
> I'm a member of an MTB club; on club rides our primary rule is "no lid, no ride". I've been thinking of joining our local road cycling club with a view to building endurance for a multi day MTB race next year, and would have been shocked had I seen riders with no lids.
> 
> Is there some logic with regards the ruling for TT's?



If you accept that cycling on a road on your own (not in a bunch) is a pretty safe thing to do - which it is - then the logic is that there is no need to impose what may be unnecessary constraints on the riders. 

Riding off-road and racing in a bunch are quite different activities with different risks and far more frequent falls and crashes. Someone may feel it is sensible to wear a helmet for one activity but not another.


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## Smokin Joe (1 Aug 2010)

I'm shocked that someone was shocked to see time trialists without a helmet. Not so long ago when there were no helmets and considerably more people rode TTs there is no record of mass carnage having occurred.


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## ManiaMuse (1 Aug 2010)

Young Un said:


> Was it a Time trial (individual race) or was it a road race (riding in a bunch)? If it's the former, 18 year olds and over do not have to wear a helmet unless stated in the entry conditions. In bunch races, helmets are compulsory.



Are helmets compulsory in professional race time trials like the tdf? Or do the pointy funny shaped helmets provide such an aero advantage that it makes sense to wear them anyway?


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## montage (1 Aug 2010)

ManiaMuse said:


> Are helmets compulsory in professional race time trials like the tdf? Or do the pointy funny shaped helmets provide such an aero advantage that it makes sense to wear them anyway?




aero advantage I believe.
Helmets have to be used in Road races and triathlons, but not in Time trials


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## montage (1 Aug 2010)

On second thoughts, I think they are cumpulsory in the TDF, otherwise riders wouldn't wear them for mountain TTs - which I know they did for the giro d'italia


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## ufkacbln (1 Aug 2010)

ManiaMuse said:


> Are helmets compulsory in professional race time trials like the tdf? Or do the pointy funny shaped helmets provide such an aero advantage that it makes sense to wear them anyway?



Helmets (and fire proof overalls) are compulsory in motor racing events, I am shocked to see so many motorists on our roads without them!


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## Will1985 (1 Aug 2010)

Cunobelin said:


> Helmets (and fire proof overalls) are compulsory in motor racing events, I am shocked to see so many motorists on our roads without them!


+1 Pedestrians account for more fatalities (fourfold) than cyclists, so where are their helmets and arm/knee pads?

While TT helmets are primarily for aerodynamic benefit, many of the older ones used in Britain under CTT regulations are actually just aerodynamic fairings offering no protection whatsoever. More modern offerings which must be used by the pros do meet EN1078 safety standards. Bald time triallists may actually derive more benefit from not wearing a helmet.

TT was probably the one near Newport (U7B) - nice road that.


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## ChrisBD (2 Aug 2010)

Guys thanks for the replies and explanations.

....and for the sarcastic answers too, i'll be sure to keep my questions to myself from now on for fear shocking anyone.......!


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## Keith Oates (2 Aug 2010)

ChrisBD, don't be put off by some of the replies they are really meant as jokes because there have been some heated Helmet " debates" on here in the past of which you are unaware. Keep posting and just join in the fun and if any comments seem a bit off just ignore them.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## MacB (2 Aug 2010)

Especially ignore anything that ends with multiple !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Bollo (2 Aug 2010)

MacB said:


> Especially ignore anything that ends with multiple !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Always with the pseudomenons!


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## montage (2 Aug 2010)

Everybody loves MacB !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## ufkacbln (2 Aug 2010)

Will1985 said:


> +1 Pedestrians account for more fatalities (fourfold) than cyclists, so where are their helmets and arm/knee pads?
> 
> While TT helmets are primarily for aerodynamic benefit, many of the older ones used in Britain under CTT regulations are actually just aerodynamic fairings offering no protection whatsoever. More modern offerings which must be used by the pros do meet EN1078 safety standards. Bald time triallists may actually derive more benefit from not wearing a helmet.
> 
> TT was probably the one near Newport (U7B) - nice road that.



EN1078 helmets are banned for racing in the US as they are not deemed to offer adequate protection!


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## Will1985 (3 Aug 2010)

Cunobelin said:


> EN1078 helmets are banned for racing in the US as they are not deemed to offer adequate protection!


Very true - I think the CPSC standard specifies a slightly heavier weight or velocity when testing helmets.
My Giro Advantage 2 from 2008 is CPSC certified, but Advantages before this date were banned in the US as they didn't protect as much...the difference in the amount of polystyrene when comparing the two is pretty obvious.
The strange thing is, the Specialized TT02 feels flimsier than the Advantage yet it passes the supposedly more stringent Snell standard.


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## oldroadman (4 Aug 2010)

Will1985 said:


> Very true - I think the CPSC standard specifies a slightly heavier weight or velocity when testing helmets.
> My Giro Advantage 2 from 2008 is CPSC certified, but Advantages before this date were banned in the US as they didn't protect as much...the difference in the amount of polystyrene when comparing the two is pretty obvious.
> The strange thing is, the Specialized TT02 feels flimsier than the Advantage yet it passes the supposedly more stringent Snell standard.



The odd thing in all this is that none of the "safety" helmets are designed to cope with a race speed impact anyway!
It strikes me as bizarre that in past days when no helmet or leather "hairnet" types were in use, we didn't seem to get any more head injuries. Only fear of litigation has sent us down the hardshell route - thanks Bell and US lawyers. 
You see a little old lady on a shopper bike going down the road in a helmet and smile, thinking "why?", then realise tat the kind of accident she may have is what the thing is designed for - maybe. 
Most of continental europe would laugh at the idea of wearing a helmet to potter off to the shops, and how right they are.


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## Midnight (4 Aug 2010)

I found this page whilst looking for a definition of the EN1078 standards. It gives a breakdown of the various standards used for cycle helmets worldwide, and some of the testing procedures, including the European EN1078 standard, and the various American Snell standards. 

It's from an American site that calls itself the Bicycle Helmet Standards Institute. I've no idea if they are a recognised body or not, and please don't infer any endorsement from me. Make of this site what you will.


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## ufkacbln (4 Aug 2010)

Midnight said:


> I found this page whilst looking for a definition of the EN1078 standards. It gives a breakdown of the various standards used for cycle helmets worldwide, and some of the testing procedures, including the European EN1078 standard, and the various American Snell standards.
> 
> It's from an American site that calls itself the Bicycle Helmet Standards Institute. I've no idea if they are a recognised body or not, and please don't infer any endorsement from me. Make of this site what you will.




BHSI are a pro helmet group in the States, but have an excellent site with lots of information. Well worth reading through.

When it comes down to establishing who they are they are quite clear


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