The CycleChat Helmet Debate Thread

[ufkacbln]

Some of us don't have a choice since we have two choices when it's icy; walk or ride. About a hundred pages ago i posted about the handful of times i'd come off my bike in icy conditions. My solution wasn't studded tyres, nor was it buying a helmet... it was riding more cautiously when the conditions dictate. Please, don't take this as 'advice'... it's just how i managed to think my way through a problem i faced.

I ride on the trikes on days I would not contemplate on two wheels, as with you, my personal solution

 

[Licramite]

MOD NOTE:
Yet another series of Posts have been Deleted, others Edited.

Stop the Personal stuff, Stop the insults, Stop the same arguments over and over- and do keep to the subject under discussion, without deviation, repetition, being pernickerty or deliberately mischievous.

Thank you.

What and take all fun out it!

 

[Licramite]

How about studded tyres and a helmet then? If that's what they feel comfortable with then why not?

This is brilliant - you are beginning to understand the principles.

By using studded tyres and by cycling in a safe manner you can reduce the risk of an accident

Far more effective than relying on the "complete protection" of a helmet

If the individual feels that they are comfortable with these adaptations to the point where they do not see a helmet as necessary - then why not?

And staying off public roads ? - oddly it's more often than not its the other road user that causes the problem - (although I admit to few times when it's only been me and the pothole (and a dead badger once) involved)

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Some of us don't have a choice since we have two choices when it's icy; walk or ride. About a hundred pages ago i posted about the handful of times i'd come off my bike in icy conditions. My solution wasn't studded tyres, nor was it buying a helmet... it was riding more cautiously when the conditions dictate. Please, don't take this as 'advice'... it's just how i managed to think my way through a problem i faced.

I keep a watch on the gritters (Manchester City Council tells you each day if they will grit that night); if they have gritted, I cycle in on only gritted roads (they publish their gritting routes too), and keep an extra eye out for any potential puddles which may have frozen.

 

[mjr]

I keep a watch on the gritters (Manchester City Council tells you each day if they will grit that night); if they have gritted, I cycle in on only gritted roads (they publish their gritting routes too), and keep an extra eye out for any potential puddles which may have frozen.

Didn't work for me. Last fall on ice was on a gritted road which was a bus route - there was no puddle but probably hadn't been enough traffic to work the grit around. So now I'll only ride on studded tyres if untreated ice hasn't melted yet.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Didn't work for me. Last fall on ice was on a gritted road which was a bus route - there was no puddle but probably hadn't been enough traffic to work the grit around. So now I'll only ride on studded tyres if untreated ice hasn't melted yet.

True I guess - I'm quite lucky in that my normal routes are quite busy bus routes (also means that even in snow, which is infrequent, the busses churn up the snow so it's still bikeable). And Manchester is so petrified of not gritting following an oops a few years back when one snowfall resulted in about a week of ice that they currently 'overcater' a bit.

 

[CaadX]

No one is dictating anything, except you. In this scenario the person was possibly badly advised, and chose the wrong piece of safety equipment. The tyres would almost certainly have stopped them falling off altogether. Pointing that out isn't 'dictating' or ridiculous, and might just save falls in the future.

Studded tyres will not stop you falling whilst braking from speed on black ice, you'll have to take my word on that one.

 

[ufkacbln]

And staying off public roads ? - oddly it's more often than not its the other road user that causes the problem - (although I admit to few times when it's only been me and the pothole (and a dead badger once) involved)

If the individual fees that would be beneficial and reduce risk

My personal feeling is the opposite asroads tend to be in a better condition as they have gritting and vehicle passage

 

[CaadX]

From "my side" I'm not advising anyone to do anything, certainly not wear a helmet, that's up the person in question. If it was that icy though, I would probably advise to not cycle, which is the course of action I would take. I don't cycle enough in icy conditions to warrant studded tyres or live in an area where persistent ice is an issue, or commute by cycle. So if it's icy and I want to ride I'll use a turbo thanks.

The advice given on the morning was not to ride.

 

[SavageHoutkop]

Studded tyres will not stop you falling whilst braking from speed on black ice, you'll have to take my word on that one.

I will - luckily unlikely to be my issue as I never get up to 'speed'

 

[CaadX]

'Fashion ! Move to the left, Fashion ! Move to the right !'

 

[MontyVeda]

I will - luckily unlikely to be my issue as I never get up to 'speed'

my tactic for icy conditions is to not take any corner at a speed which means leaning the bike significantly... all my icy offs have been the due to the front wheel slipping out from under me. I take them slow and as upright as possible. So far it's worked*.

*if that's not tempting Sod's Law, i don't know what is.

 

[Fab Foodie]

'Fashion ! Move to the left, Fashion ! Move to the right !'

.... we are the goon squad and we're coming for you ....

 

[CaadX]

Thank you for your contribution to the debate. I mean that most sincerely.

Pleasure.

 

[CaadX]

I will - luckily unlikely to be my issue as I never get up to 'speed'

Ah damn I took you for being one of 'em lycra clad wannabes' never mind i'll put you down as a hair in the wind liberal.