Chris Boardman wearing a cycle helmet

[Philip Benstead]

I am disappointed to see Chris Boardman wearing a cycle helmet

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m ... -for-paris

[pjclinch]

I am disappointed to see Chris Boardman wearing a cycle helmet

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m ... -for-paris

I don't see the problem.
It's about choice and context, and since this route involves stuff like gravel riding in groups with relatively inexperienced riders all of that adds up to a context where he feels a helmet is a fair choice. I'd guess if he takes a Vélib around Paris he wouldn't bother. Different contexts, different choices.

Ultimately the only good reason one needs to wear a helmet is one prefers on any given ride to wear a helmet. Different contexts can mean as little as "I just fancy wearing/not wearing it today".

Pete.

[Philip Benstead]

I am disappointed to see Chris Boardman wearing a cycle helmet

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m ... -for-paris

I don't see the problem.
It's about choice and context, and since this route involves stuff like gravel riding in groups with relatively inexperienced riders all of that adds up to a context where he feels a helmet is a fair choice. I'd guess if he takes a Vélib around Paris he wouldn't bother. Different contexts, different choices.

Ultimately the only good reason one needs to wear a helmet is one prefers on any given ride to wear a helmet. Different contexts can mean as little as "I just fancy wearing/not wearing it today".

Pete.

I think the BBC pressurised him?

[awavey]

could have been insurance related as its technically a work related trip organised by the company I guess and was filmed for a segment to be shown, you know like how Top Gear presenters had to wear crash helmets...

and he wore a helmet for RideLondon, because those are just the rules. but he was back riding round Paris "normally" on his twitter feed
https://x.com/Chris_Boardman/status/1816125688442736945

[pjclinch]

I am disappointed to see Chris Boardman wearing a cycle helmet

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m ... -for-paris

I don't see the problem.
It's about choice and context, and since this route involves stuff like gravel riding in groups with relatively inexperienced riders all of that adds up to a context where he feels a helmet is a fair choice. I'd guess if he takes a Vélib around Paris he wouldn't bother. Different contexts, different choices.

Ultimately the only good reason one needs to wear a helmet is one prefers on any given ride to wear a helmet. Different contexts can mean as little as "I just fancy wearing/not wearing it today".

I think the BBC pressurised him?

Though last year the Beeb put out this at the Worlds...

https://youtu.be/Sqy_l9PUTfc?si=VfUC9PP7xWQrmGGj

I don't know but my guess is he works city bike -> bare head, sports bike -> helmet.

Pete.

[tim-b]

Some days he does and some days he doesn't
He has freedom of choice, the same as we all do, and long may that continue

[cycle tramp]

It's possible that he wore a helmet because of being pressured, but it's possible that he made a choice...

..generally speaking if I'm cycling to the other end of the village, then I'm not wearing a helmet...

.when I was on tour, I did. Doing 40 to 80 miles in a day presents a higher chance of simply falling off my bike.. which is when a helmet is at most use...

And if I was touring and if I was to fall off, I want my recovery time from any fall to be as short as possible... I can't really afford to be off the bike for 2 hours while I wait for the potential effects of banging my head wears off...

At this point, that's the limitation of the helmet. It wouldn't protect me if someone drops a piano on me, and it won't make me any clearer to those 10% of road users who can't see well enough to be on the road..

..when I did Lejog, because I knew there was some routes which took in A roads, I wore a helmet, hi-vis, orange sticky out noddy flag and i think I had one mirror.... others went completely bare headed for the whole journey and wore dark colours... we're all adults, and no one lectured each other, and no one got hurt (apart from the guy who tried to attempt 40mph - but that was a mechanical failure)

The important thing about safety, isn't helmets or hi vis or whatever, but it is that we consider it with an open mind.

[Nearholmer]

That ride included all sorts. Our club captain acted as “native guide” on one segment (she was mega chuffed!), and that was effectively peloton group road riding at a fair old pace.

He’s old enough and wise enough to make his own mind up about what to wear.

[pjclinch]

He’s old enough and wise enough to make his own mind up about what to wear.

And also keenly attuned to "The Great Helmet Debate" and his place in it as both a role model example and source of public & governmental information.

Pete.

[Audax67]

I am disappointed to see Chris Boardman wearing a cycle helmet

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m ... -for-paris

I dare say he'll live.

[slowster]

At points in the video Chris Boardman was simultaneously riding a bike and doing a piece to camera, with the camera on a vehicle just in front of him and the driver trying both to look where they are going and keep an eye on what is happening behind. He was also riding side by side with various people he probably knew from working with them, but whose riding skills were unknown him, and with some of whom he was also doing filmed interviews while riding.

Chris Boardman was the best judge of whether he should wear a helmet in those situations.

[mattheus]

I am disappointed to see Chris Boardman wearing a cycle helmet

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m ... -for-paris

I don't see the problem.
It's about choice and context, and since this route involves stuff like gravel riding in groups with relatively inexperienced riders all of that adds up to a context where he feels a helmet is a fair choice. I'd guess if he takes a Vélib around Paris he wouldn't bother. Different contexts, different choices.

Ultimately the only good reason one needs to wear a helmet is one prefers on any given ride to wear a helmet. Different contexts can mean as little as "I just fancy wearing/not wearing it today".

Pete.

I think the BBC pressurised him?

It would have been more honest to say:
"I'm disappointed that the BBC pressured Boardman into wearing a helmet for this piece. He often does not."