Your views on ‘bump caps’?

[Juliansou]

Evening all,
I certainly don’t want to get into any helmet debates here …… but - does anyone have views on these?
just for context, I always wore a helmet but now choose not to (I won’t bore with my rationale!). However, I do ride along some tracks sometimes with low hanging branches & foliage so this may offer a little protection if I’m caught out. I certainly don’t want anything that ‘looks’ like a helmet as most of my riding is done on the roads and I genuinely believe that drivers subconsciously take more care around non helmeted riders. I sometimes wear a traditional cycling cap which is great in the rain - would this replace my cycling cap and give a little protection at the same time? Cheap enough to take a bit of a flyer (they’re only a tenner) but I would be interested in other people views.
thanks all.

 

[Brandane]

Can't be any worse than a helmet, IMHO..

 

[ChangFai]

A helmet is a bump cap.

 

[winjim]

I can see it being useful for the times I bump my head on the door frame getting the bike out of the shed, but that's about it TBH.

 

[MichaelW2]

I used to ride in a deerstalker. It was quite good at providing protection from gangs of yoof who would laugh and shout "Oi Sherlock " as I rode past.

 

[tribanjules]

A helmet is a bump cap.

Nope !
Bump cap to a Iso standard is designed for clouting your bonce accidentally. Helmet is designed for higher impact rating

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I genuinely believe that drivers subconsciously take more care around non helmeted riders. I

With respect you're crediting drivers with some phenomenal observational skills and a (rather weird) judgement and thought process that they simply don't do.
If you ever get hit, it's certainly not going to be because a motorist (a) noticed you're wearing a helmet, but then (b) decided to drive into you anyway.

Wear a bump cap, helmet or cycle cap based on your own preference and risk assessment by all means, but not based on this odd idea you have of how drivers see you. Most won't notice or remember if a cyclist is wearing a helmet. None of them carry out an assessment and change their behaviour instantly because of it.

 

[bruce1530]

One of my former colleagues at work wore one when working in areas with low ceilings or low pipework.

Looks a bit like "a baseball cap on steroids"....

 

[MontyVeda]

I considered trying something similar years ago; a hard baseball style cap from Screwfix... but then i figured if i do go arse over tit, it probably wouldn't be on my head by the time I hit the ground... so stuck to a standard baseball cap instead.

 

[Juliansou]

I wouldn’t suggest that anyone would decide to drive into me, but ‘risk compensation’ is a very real phenomenon - mostly on a sub conscious level. Anecdotal I know, but since being ‘bareheaded’ I have noticed drivers moving right over to overtake. There was some research (Bath university if I remember?) that illustrated this.

 

[Juliansou]

I considered trying something similar years ago; a hard baseball style cap from Screwfix... but then i figured if i do go arse over tit, it probably wouldn't be on my head by the time I hit the ground... so stuck to a standard baseball cap instead.

Yep - I don’t think it will offer much in the way of protection for the same reasons. I guess it’s just a bit of a barrier for anything low hanging (and the rain!).

 

[Scotchlovingcylist]

I used to wear one on building sites years ago when I was in the trade then health and safety made hard hats mandatory generally and rightly so after some accidents I saw.

Personally wouldn't consider it a replacement for a helmet however as a cycling hat replacement would do the same job I would imagine with some added protection.

 

[Juliansou]

Personally wouldn't consider it a replacement for a helmet however as a cycling hat replacement would do the same job I would imagine with some added protection.
[/QUOTE]
yep - that was my line of thinking.

 

[tyred]

It wouldn't fit over my flat cap.

 

[mjr]

Nope !
Bump cap to a Iso standard is designed for clouting your bonce accidentally. Helmet is designed for higher impact rating

Not really higher. Just different. Cycle helmets are not tested for penetration at all any more, only flat road and kerb strikes and only to the top. Bump caps are tested against penetration and at 60 degree tilt, but only with a 5kg weight, not an adult falling.

A bump cap should protect against low branches better than a helmet, but a baseball cap or a wooly beanie has been good enough for me so far.