Cycling helmets.Opinions please

[G3CWI]

The helmet was both compressed, scraped and cracked. There was of course have no evidence as to whether the helmet prevented any injury from impact.

Really?

 

[HovR]

Really?

Read 'from impact'. Of course the helmet prevented him from scraping his head down the road which could cause all sorts of painful but (mostly) non-critical damage, however how much force of impact was absorbed by the helmet before it cracked (at which point it has pretty much exhausted it's usefulness in the impact absorption department). There's no solid evidence either way in this situation.

 

[ShipHill]

I come at this hot topic as a motorcyclist of 30 years and a now and then cycle 1 mile to work kind of guy who loves powered and unpowered bikes, bike racing, sport, the TDF... anything 2 wheeled really.

Whatever the pros and cons of wearing a helmet are, I personally think nearly every cycling helmet I've ever seen is rubbish but I wear one that comes close to being what I would consider ideal.


On my cycle I wear a lid like this >>

Those fancy "Tour de France" lids as my dad calls them are covered in lumps and projections which I believe could catch in the road surface causing sudden jarring which would be worse than wearing no lid at all... In my unscientific opinion that is.

My "Black soup bowl" is free of such jar inducing projections and I believe would be safer than a TDF lid.

I cannot understand... hopefully someone will enlighten me... why a helmet manufacturer hasn't marketed a lid that looks like this >>

That's a single bar around the face jobbie as opposed to the regular US football helmet. I personally wouldn't want or don't think a full metal grid would be necessary for the cycling market.

In my humble untrained unprofessional opinion, my ideal lid would be a mix of the 2 I have pictured here. It would afford a level of face and chin protection that all current helmets lack. I believe that protecting the face, chin and jaw area is vital.

I imagine (because there usually is) there's a fantastic and simple reason why a helmet with some sort of face/chin protection isn't marketed, but apart from "looks" and maybe "weight" I can't think of one.

Be safe y'all
Ship Hill

 

[smutchin]

I saw a woman on a bike with a motorcycle-style full-face helmet this evening. It occurred to me that it would have really affected her field of vision - at least on a motorbike you have rear-view mirrors.

At least it was pink though.

 

[benb]

Occasionally when descending a hill at 40+ mph I think I ought to be wearing one I have at home, and I've worn it for sportives that have made it mandatory, but the three times I've fallen off at speed, I've hurt my legs, hands, arm and hip, not my head.

To be honest if you come off at that speed a helmet is unlikely to make a jot of difference.

 

[GBC]

Quite a good and balanced article in the Herald this morning, quoting a recent Canadian study. As ever, no solid evidence either way.

 

[Licramite]

Before reaching a decision on whether or not you should wear a helmet you should examine any evidence which proves their effectiveness.

Good luck finding any.

practical test . - all you need is a borrowed helmet and a brick wall.
test 1 - put on helmet - headbutt wall as hard as you can.
test 2 - don,t put on helmet - headbutt wall as hard as you can
remember to do test 1 before test 2

on that evidence make your own mind up on which you would prefer too happen if you come off and head butted the floor.

coming off on a bike is almost inevitable - its a highly unstable machine - the severity of the fall is entirely up to luck. - how lucky do you feel.

do not try the sealed knot how hard is my helmet test - the guy swinging the pike rarely hits the helmet first time.

 

[ufkacbln]

Practical test . - all you need is a borrowed melon and a brick wall.
test 1 - put on melon - headbutt wall as hard as you can.
test 2 - don,t put on melon- headbutt wall as hard as you can
remember to do test 1 before test 2

All of which equally proves the usefulness of Melons!

do not try the sealed knot how hard is my helmet test - the guy swinging the pike rarely hits the helmet first time.

Bunch of posers in nylon and taffeta!

Be real and join the ECWS

 

[smutchin]

practical test . - all you need is a borrowed helmet and a brick wall.
test 1 - put on helmet - headbutt wall as hard as you can.
test 2 - don,t put on helmet - headbutt wall as hard as you can
remember to do test 1 before test 2

on that evidence...

What evidence? Have you actually carried out this test?

Specious argument.

 

[ShipHill]

practical test . - all you need is a borrowed helmet and a brick wall.
test 1 - put on helmet - headbutt wall as hard as you can.
test 2 - don,t put on helmet - headbutt wall as hard as you can
remember to do test 1 before test 2

.

Without actually performing these tests, I could predict with reasonable foresight that...
after test 1 your head would ache and the helmet may split/suffer damage.
after test 2 you would hit the deck with blood bailing out a large wound.

 

[ufkacbln]

Without actually performing these tests, I could predict with reasonable foresight that...
after test 1 your head would ache and the helmet may split/suffer damage.
after test 2 you would hit the deck with blood bailing out a large wound.

Without actually carrying out the tests I can also predict with equally reasonable foresight that there would be similar results for the melon:

after test 1 your head would ache and the melon may split/suffer damage
after test 2 you would hit the deck with blood bailing out a large wound

Of course let us not forget that his is a test arrived out whilst on one's feet (pedestrian mode), so it is only reaally valid for someone standing beside a wall on their feet.

 

[ufkacbln]

coming off on a bike is almost inevitable - its a highly unstable machine - t.

The only really sensible thing in the original post - and a superb argument for recumbent trikes

 

[mcshroom]

Stability of the bicycle does also improve if you don't try to ride over things that yank your bars round 90 degrees though

 

[RedFeend]

Practical test . - all you need is a borrowed melon and a brick wall.
test 1 - put on melon - headbutt wall as hard as you can.
test 2 - don,t put on melon- headbutt wall as hard as you can
remember to do test 1 before test 2

All of which equally proves the usefulness of Melons!





Bunch of posers in nylon and taffeta!

Be real and join the ECWS

I just ate a melon exactly like that. It was delicious. I did not think to save the skin for cycling in. It's gone on the compost heap.
I am not sure if cycling helmets belong on the compost heap too. I asked the question at the beginning of this thread after doing my own bit of research of peer reviewed papers.

Guess what? I am none the wiser. For now I will not be buying a helmet. When there is some compelling evidence to demonstrate that a particular standard of helmet reduces head injuries, then I will purchase one right away. Until then I reserve my right not to do so.

 

[ufkacbln]

Stability of the bicycle does also improve if you don't try to ride over things that yank your bars round 90 degrees though

Actually that is another variation on the "wall test"


Firstly train the person that banging your head against a wall is really silly and you shouldn't do it

Test 1- Ask the person to bang their head against the wall
They turn round and tell you not to be so stupid........ thus avoiding any injury or pain

Thus proving that good quality training is effective in reducing head injuries......