"You wear a hat, why not wear a helmet?"

[mjr]

I wear a helmet for two reason, one is to protect your face when sliding along the floor.

Few cycle helmets are full face, so don't protect the face. Indeed, the bits of most helmets near the face are for cosmetic and positioning stability reasons, not protection.

[Ruadh495]

Don't BMX helmets have a chin guard? I'm guessing Boyd is doing BMX or some fairly extreme MTB, since he seems to be testing his helmet regularly. His post suggests a minimum of three incidents involving sliding along on his face.

[Jon Lucas]

In answer to the thread question.

I wear a hat when cycling more often these days. The reasons are:

a) To keep the sun out of my eyes, a brimmed hat or cap is necessary.
b) On cold days a woolly hat certainly helps.
c) These days becoming most important to me is to keep the sun off my forehead due to bad sun damage to it in the past when cycling.

All of these are real problems for me which a hat or cap can address. A helmet would address none of them.

[Boyd]

I wear a helmet for two reason, one is to protect your face when sliding along the floor.

Few cycle helmets are full face, so don't protect the face. Indeed, the bits of most helmets near the face are for cosmetic and positioning stability reasons, not protection.

I can't agree with you on that. My face never catches the ground other than the tip of my nose. As my helmet is covered in scratches I assume it is protecting my face.

[Boyd]

Don't BMX helmets have a chin guard? I'm guessing Boyd is doing BMX or some fairly extreme MTB, since he seems to be testing his helmet regularly. His post suggests a minimum of three incidents involving sliding along on his face.

I don't do anything extreme. Although I did use to cycle a large part of the way home, off road in bad weather, in the dark after the pub had closed.
I have dog with me most days now so I have to be more careful. Although the dog was not with me when the motorcycle hit me.

[mjr]

I wear a helmet for two reason, one is to protect your face when sliding along the floor.

Few cycle helmets are full face, so don't protect the face. Indeed, the bits of most helmets near the face are for cosmetic and positioning stability reasons, not protection.

I can't agree with you on that. My face never catches the ground other than the tip of my nose. As my helmet is covered in scratches I assume it is protecting my face.

One helmet is not "most helmets", you're using a helmet that isn't designed for cycling anyway, you probably should replace it after a crash (although I don't know if skateboard helmets are the same as cycle helmets in that regard) and why the heck are you spending so much time on your face anyway?

[gaz]

(although I don't know if skateboard helmets are the same as cycle helmets in that regard)

EN1078, CEN European Standard Helmets for Pedal Cyclists and for Users of Skateboards and Roller Skates.

[mjr]

(although I don't know if skateboard helmets are the same as cycle helmets in that regard)

EN1078, CEN European Standard Helmets for Pedal Cyclists and for Users of Skateboards and Roller Skates.

And does the standard specify replacement after any crash? I know it covers drop heights and speeds and shapes but I'm not sure about replacement regime.

[wahoofish]

What a lot of energy expended arguing one side or the other. Don't wear a helmet if you choose. Personally I think that you are proving the whole Darwin theory, but who cares what I think? Wear a helmet if you choose. Good god, imagine if this much time was actually expended on a productive pursuit, rather than a willy measuring contest




I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my iPad using hovercraft full of eels.

[bovlomov]

How about a sub-ghetto (a lower circle of hell?) where people can discuss why we are bothering to discuss helmets, or suggest that we shouldn't be discussing them?

[reohn2]

What a lot of energy expended arguing one side or the other. Don't wear a helmet if you choose. Personally I think that you are proving the whole Darwin theory, but who cares what I think? Wear a helmet if you choose. Good god, imagine if this much time was actually expended on a productive pursuit, rather than a willy measuring contest

I think what you'll find is that a lot of cyclists have on eye on the future,and worry that such a future may include compulsory helmet wearing such as in Australia,where head injuries haven't reduced as a result,but cycling has.

Helmets change the perception of what was once considered to be a safe form of transport into a dangerous one.
To quote Chris Boardman "if there's someone wandering about with a shotgun taking pot shots at the public,you don't issue the public with bullet proof vests.You take the gun from the person doing the shooting"
Extreme sports need safety measures,general everyday cycling shouldn't be regarded as an extreme 'sport',but there are those that are trying to turning it into such,because car drivers hold the 'shotgun',as if that's not bad enough,the 'bullet proof vests' don't stop the bullets!

[mjr]

What a lot of energy expended arguing one side or the other. Don't wear a helmet if you choose. Personally I think that you are proving the whole Darwin theory, but who cares what I think? Wear a helmet if you choose. Good god, imagine if this much time was actually expended on a productive pursuit, rather than a willy measuring contest

It's those wearing the helmet who are proving the whole Darwin theory through self-harm... and don't you see encouraging better public health through cycling as a productive pursuit?

[gaz]

And does the standard specify replacement after any crash? I know it covers drop heights and speeds and shapes but I'm not sure about replacement regime.

I don't have access to the full document. However there is some information here in the section comparing global helmet standards, instructions for use and care.

AFAICT that shows EN1078 specifies "discard after violent impact".

[wahoofish]

Hopefully mandatory helmet use is legislated sooner rather than later. Similar to seatbelt legislation, there will always be naysayers who would rather find random statistics than follow a common sense approach.

They should legislate prison time for non compliance.

[wahoofish]

What a lot of energy expended arguing one side or the other. Don't wear a helmet if you choose. Personally I think that you are proving the whole Darwin theory, but who cares what I think? Wear a helmet if you choose. Good god, imagine if this much time was actually expended on a productive pursuit, rather than a willy measuring contest

It's those wearing the helmet who are proving the whole Darwin theory through self-harm... and don't you see encouraging better public health through cycling as a productive pursuit?

Absolutely, encouraging cycling is a productive pursuit. I would love to know how endlessly debating helmets is encouraging cycling. If anything, a prospective cyclist reading these threads might wish not to be identified as a cyclist as we all arguably come across as narrow minded, set in our ways old men. Note that I include myself in that definition before you get out the pitchforks.