Helmets

buspassman

I now find that it has become impossible for me to ride any sportive. I rode the early editions of the Dragon Ride (it practically goes past my front door) but after a horrendous experience on the third edition I had to give up. The reason? They introduced a compulsory helmet rule, which now seems to be the case with all sportives.

I am someone who finds that unless the temperature is below about 40F, I sweat so much with a helmet on that I spend a large part of a ride with one hand only on the bars, the other being used to continually keep the sweat out of my eyes. How safe is that? And yes, I did get hold of a modern, very expensive, allegedly well ventilated helmet to ride the Dragon, but it was truly awful.

It seems to me that the helmet rule is being used to put out a "safety" message, regardless of just how doubtful a lot of the "evidence" surrounding the use of helmets is. Indeed, some of the evidence seems to be pointing towards their having an adverse affect on safety.

I would gladly sign a disclaimer absolving organisers of any liability in the event of any accident, but I don't for one minute believe this would be allowed. Which made it all the more galling to see a feature on Lou Lusardi (Dragon Ride organiser) in Cycling Weekly a few weeks ago, complete with pictures of him on his bike on part of the route, without, you guessed it, a helmet. "Do as I say, not as I do" springs to mind.

Big Red S

I'd imagine it's more for insurance than for a safety message.

Down the Road

I has been shown that you head is cooler IN a helmet than without one!

PS Do you wear your seatbelt? It wont save you either in a BIG accident

poucher

Buspassman,

This may help, In my younger days I used to ride enduros on off road motorcycles, and believe me you really sweat in body armor and full face moto-x helmets! :x
A lot of the pro's, and Baja 1000 Mexico desert racers used to use a womans panty pad stuck to the inside of the crash helmet forehead area.
This was found to work a treat at keeping the sweat out of there eyes, it sounds a bit daft but I guarantee it works, necessity is the mother of invention and all that.

Ohh,...did I mention, it works best with an unused one!

Poucher

thetrotter

buspassman wrote:

I am someone who finds that unless the temperature is below about 40F, I sweat so much with a helmet on that I spend a large part of a ride with one hand only on the bars, the other being used to continually keep the sweat out of my eyes. How safe is that? And yes, I did get hold of a modern, very expensive, allegedly well ventilated helmet to ride the Dragon, but it was truly awful.

Like you I suffer in the heat and resisted helmet wearing for a long time because of that. However, I have found my last couple of Giro helmets (Atmos and Ionis) really very good for both weight and ventilation.

vermooten

I shaved my head in 2006 for the White Rose Classic - it reached the mid 30s on Cow & Calf and I still sweated buckets - but had I still had a shock of hair I might have died from over heating. Got a nice sunburn pattern on my scalp though.

nasahapley

I know where you're coming from Busspassman; I don't wear a helmet but having entered my first sportive I've now got to buy one. I'm not so bothered about it that I'd avoid events that required a lid, but I agree it would be nice to have the choice (and I'm a sweaty bugger too so will have to figure something out to deal with that!)

Miz

Down the Road wrote:

I has been shown that you head is cooler IN a helmet than without one!

Has this been proved by independent scientific research or is it just another case of hype funded by a marketing budget, I wonder ?

nasahapley

Miz wrote:

Down the Road wrote:

I has been shown that you head is cooler IN a helmet than without one!

Has this been proved by independent scientific research or is it just another case of hype funded by a marketing budget, I wonder ?

Yeah, I was wondering that too. It does seem counterintuitive that by sticking a lump of very good insulating material on your head it gets cooler, but if it is true I'd very much like to know which helmet has this property, as it's just the thing I'm after!

cee

Miz wrote:

Down the Road wrote:

I has been shown that you head is cooler IN a helmet than without one!

Has this been proved by independent scientific research or is it just another case of hype funded by a marketing budget, I wonder ?

Get one of thse babies and you will be fine:
http://www.hammacher.com/publish/72808.asp

Miz

cee wrote:

Miz wrote:

Down the Road wrote:

I has been shown that you head is cooler IN a helmet than without one!

Has this been proved by independent scientific research or is it just another case of hype funded by a marketing budget, I wonder ?

Get one of thse babies and you will be fine:
http://www.hammacher.com/publish/72808.asp

quite lidderally....Coool !

nickwill

nasahapley wrote:

Miz wrote:

Down the Road wrote:

I has been shown that you head is cooler IN a helmet than without one!

Has this been proved by independent scientific research or is it just another case of hype funded by a marketing budget, I wonder ?

Yeah, I was wondering that too. It does seem counterintuitive that by sticking a lump of very good insulating material on your head it gets cooler, but if it is true I'd very much like to know which helmet has this property, as it's just the thing I'm after!

I was a convinced non helmet wearer until I bought a Specialized 2D ( actually I bought it's predecessor first whose name escapes me). These are the first helmets which gave me a comfortable fit. They are cooler when travelling at reasonable speed because they are designed to channel airflow over your head. Unfortunately when you hit a long hill the speed drops and so does the airflow, so that in these circumstances your head does become hotter. On balance on a long ride, I suspect I have a cooler head when wearing the helmet, for most of the ride.
I do think it's sad however that the element of choice on helmet wearing has now gone on most sportives. I'm afraid in our litigious society that this is the way that we are going.

dennisn

I've been around cycling since before the beginning of helmets. Wow, did I just say that
for the world to hear?? In any case, I do believe in freedom of choice. That said, I
have seen more than a few crashes where people have lost skin, hair, etc. Some of
it off their head and these are the lucky ones, they healed and lived to race another day.
I have also seen crashes where helmets got shattered. All of these people lived to race again because of a helmet. I am alive because a helmet stopped a motar fragment.
You have every right not to wear one if you so choose(except in events that they are
required). The arguements against helmets are pathetic at best and other than freedom
of choice offer up not a single good reason. My take on all of this helmet debate is "you
can't fix stupid". Sorry, but that's just the way it is. Not wearing one is only "stupid".

Dennis Noward

nasahapley

Nickwill, cheers for the tip about the lid, I'll have a look at that. The trouble is that I've never felt my head to be in need of cooling when travelling at a decent pace, but would very much like it on the climbs, where any helmet is going to do the opposite! If the Specialised 2D is the least bad though I may go for that. Since most sportives are characterised by having a lot of ruddy great hills along the route, I think I'll just have to learn to suffer!

Tom Butcher

I don't think they all require a helmet do they - I've entered the Cheshire Cat and when I entered I didn't see anything about needing a helmet. I also asked the organisers of the Autumn Epic and they sent me an email saying no need for a helmet you just wont be convered by our insurance if you don't wear one - but they do say on their website they are compulsory so I may give it a miss rather than cause offence by not wearing one. I don't think the Leek Legbreaker requires them either.

If they are organised under BC regs/insurance then helmets are supposed to be recommended but not compulsory I think.

Tom Butcher

Just checked - those run under BC regs don't require helmets - that includes the KiloToGo sportives - quite a few of them.

Soreknees

cee wrote:

Get one of thse babies and you will be fine:
http://www.hammacher.com/publish/72808.asp

You sure you're not taking the pith?

Just had to buy a lid to take part in a sportive. Tried it for the first time today and it doesn't seem too bad. BUT that was while riding when the temp was about plus 7 with a decidedly cool N.E. wind. What's it gonna be like on a hot day??? It's a Giro Monza, anyone got any experience of them?[/quote]

Soreknees

cee wrote:

Get one of thse babies and you will be fine:
http://www.hammacher.com/publish/72808.asp

You sure you're not taking the pith?

Just had to buy a lid to take part in a sportive. Tried it for the first time today and it doesn't seem too bad. BUT that was while riding when the temp was about plus 7 with a decidedly cool N.E. wind. What's it gonna be like on a hot day??? It's a Giro Monza, anyone got any experience of them?

Soreknees

Hmmm, so that's NOT how you edit a message. :oops: