Helmet doubts? Read this, then decide...

dave_hill

If you're new to MTB you may be wondering about the value of wearing a helmet. You may think that they look uncool, that they'll be hot and sweaty and that they're expensive. If that's the case, read what follows and then decide...

This weekend, a work colleagues' 11-year-old son, Tyler, went fishing with his mates. They made their way to their favourite fishing spot with their bikes and when they'd had enough, they called in at their local jump spot for a bit of trail action.

Now normally, Tyler is a pretty clued up and sensible lad - he always wears his armour and helmet but obviously on this occasion he'd gone unprepared so was taking a bit of a risk. He's also one of those horrible little groms who makes everything seem sickeningly easy on a bike and is pretty adept at most tricks.

On this occasion though it all went pear-shaped. As he tried to pull off a tail-whip, he mistimed his take off, caught his jeans on the saddle and landed face first from about 8 feet up.

The first thing that his mum knew about it was when Tyler's friend's mum called to say that he'd had an accident and she was taking him to hospital.

To cut a long story short; he's pushed his teeth through both lips; he's bitten a chunk out of his tongue; he's broken his nose and possibly suffered a depressed cheekbone; suffered concussion; and to top the lot he lost over a pint of blood, which for a youngster is a heck of a lot. Amazingly he didn't loose any teeth.

As a result he's needed 32 external stiches; 4 internal (on his tongue); a brain scan; and spent the night in hospital pumped full of morphine. I've seen the photos and it's not pretty.

There's not a lot that a normal bike helmet could have done to prevent some of these injuries (except possibly the concussion, and it may have absorbed some of the impact), but a full face lid would undoubtedly have done a lot to protect him from these injuries.

This notwithstanding, there's a lesson here for all of us. Mountain biking in all it's forms is a potentially dangerous activity. You really need to do all you can to protect yourself from injury, if not for your own sake then for that of your nearest and dearest.

Don't be a doofus - get a lid. Wear it. End of lecture.

indysmith

I think another message to get from this is not to ride in baggy jeans.
I always see folks riding in massive baggy denims in the magazines, and think that they're asking for trouble! What's wrong with shorts?

I'm glad Tyler was okay.

miss notax

Yep - I completely agree with this!

My partner Chris, who is an extremely experienced and very good rider, was in a bad accident in February - the wheel came off his bike - where he was flung head first into a very big tree. If he hadn't been wearing a helmet he would have been killed. End of.

I am probably a bit anal about it now, but I would NEVER ride without wearing a helmet. It's just not worth the risk.

dave_hill

indysmith wrote:

I think another message to get from this is not to ride in baggy jeans.
I always see folks riding in massive baggy denims in the magazines, and think that they're asking for trouble! What's wrong with shorts?

I'm glad Tyler was okay.

Look at the BMX crew - if they ride in jeans, they wear skinnys now...

xtreem

I agree with the jeans stuff too. I hate to wear jeans when I walk through the town, not
mentioning what would they feel like on the bike :shock:

And about the helmet, a non fullface I don't think that offers much of protection,
so that's why I went to fullface even though I ride mainly XC and downhill with no jumps.
I only wear it on desents.

Briggo

I had an accident when I was young on my bike, fell of smacked my head badly on the pavement and my legs into the path of a car which braked in time thank god.... and the helmet saved me a headache thats for sure! 8)

Despite looking what I thought like was a geek (I really did hate it when I was in my teens) it certainly made me think what might have happened if I wasnt wearing it and to this day will not ride without wearing a helmet.

The missus hates wearing a helmet but thats because of her hair getting in the way, told her to chop it all off!

mcbazza

Isn't it the trend for 'jumpers' to only wear **piss-pot lids?

Personally, I never have enough protection/padding, and can never spend enough on them.

I'm old enough to know that I'll no longer bounce-back the way I used to, that my recovery will take much longer, and to know that I can't afford to be off work because of something stupid I did on a bike.

** edit: Needless to say, that's not the word I typed in!!

ratty2k

I was suprised to see 3 lads out in the Peak district this weekend without helmets- they were resting up at Hope cross and one had a cut to his knee after coming off on the Beast. Me stood there with knee and elbow pads plus a helmet... The Beast was wet and muddy and for those that dont know it VERY rocky- not somewhere to ride without a lid. I smashed myself up a few years ago at Llandegla and still keep the broken helmet to remind myself about what they can do- ie it stopped me being at best a basket case, or worst case, dead.

realnumber 1

I cant believe I survived all the crazy shit I used to do when I was little without a helmet. No one used them in those days, wouldn't dream of going for a ride without one now.
Its like wearing your seatbelt when you get in a car, your a fool if you don't.

grantway

Well Dave I think this story im about to tell you will hopefully make a difference.

Two months back I had to call an ambulance for a work colleague.
Whilst travelling and making small talk to one of the crew, she noticed I had
one of my Sportive ride T shirsts on and we started talking about cycling
helmets.

It turned out that they were called out to a young man of 20 years old.
He was cycling on the road and then tried to lift his front wheel to
cycle onto the pavement, he did not make it and fell off the bike and then
taken to hospital with a slight knock to the head.
They left the young man at the A&E and all was well with the chap laughing
and joking.

The Ambulance crew came back around an hour later and asked where the
guy was.

He had died.

The Goverment was going to make wearing a Cycling Helmet law, but
this seems to pass now three years down the line.

The helmet I use is a Met Parachute for Hardcore XC and some Freeriding
Full Face Carbon for the serious stuff

Rich Hcp

Years ago, I went over the bars and did a pile drive on to some rocks.

I'm sure had concussion, I was "Not there" for quite a while and felt unwell for a day. (I know now that my mates were ready to take me to hospital if anything strange started happening)

I was wearing a helmet that did it's job and smashed under the impact

If I hadn't been wearing it.....

Underscore

grantway wrote:

The Goverment was going to make wearing a Cycling Helmet law, but
this seems to pass now three years down the line.

Thank God they didn't!

Firstly, let me say that i) I wear a helmet whenever I cycle (on- or off-road) ; and ii) I came off my MTB at the beginning of May and was knocked out cold yet, thanks to my helmet, the only part of the left-hand side of my body not to suffer injury was my head. So I have every reason to think that helmet-use should be encouraged.

However, studies of injuries in places (particularly Australia, IIRC) where helmet use has been made compulsory show no reduction in the number of serious injuries per mile cycled (though there was a reduction in superficial injuries to the head) BUT there was a significant drop in the number of cyclists when helmet use became mandatory. Since it has been shown in other studies that the benefits to health of cycling significantly outweigh the risks, making helmet use the law would be detrimental to the health of the population as a whole.

While I would strongly recommend that anyone cycling (especially off-road) should wear a helmet, I equally strong object to making it the law.

</soapbox>

_

impished

Unfortunately helmet wearing is one of those 'don't know you need it until you need it' things. Years ago I used to buy the cheapest skid-lid I could find, but after picking myself up following a pathetically failed jump, I found a crack in the lid and 2 puncture marks that would of lined up nicely with the top of my temple where it's nice and soft. :shock:
Always spend more now. If you still doubt the need for a helmet for even the smallest ride/commute have a close look at the kerb next time you're out and just imagine which would dent most; the kerb or your head :roll:

cee

oh no.....

NAFHT! (Not Another Farkin Helmet Thread)

Peanutt

I came off the other week, hit the ground face first at about 25mph, I was amazed at how much it didn't hurt, full face lids are the way to go in my opinion, you never know when the grounds going to come up and bite you.

dirtbiker100

If you want to wear one wear one, if you don't, don't.
Hope the governement don't bring in a law for helmets.

dav1

A friend of mine I was riding with a few weeks back went over the bars on a steep decent and torpedoed head first into a log. His helmet was split by the impact and he was winded.

WIthout a helmet I think i would have been on the phone for an abulance for him.

At least it showed him why we were all saying "buy a helmet" for so long (he never used to own one). Luckily the only think that seem to take a blow was his confidence. He is now keeping it as a trophey peice to show any newbies in our club why they need a lid.

"would you rather crack this, or your skull"

Thermo1

The NZ government brought in compulsory helmets several years ago. I don't know if it's had any effect on preventing injury. The law was brought in on the strength of "the helmet lady" who lobbied the government. She would tour the country telling schoolgirls about how her son didn't wear a helmet and now she feeds him through a straw etc.

Personally, I don't think government legislation will change people's minds. I still see people and kids riding round with helmets clipped onto their handlebars. Worse still are parents who make their kids wear one, but not themselves.

I have always worn a helmet and gloves and I've never cared what people think I look like.

stumpyjon

If they do legislate it will be yet another law on the staute books thanks to new Labour that won't get enforced. Therefore it's an utterly pointless waste of parlimentary time that could be better used discussing (and legislating) over something important like legalising riding on footpaths, now that would get my vote .

BlackSpur

I hate to think what would have happened to this guy without a helmet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPSMsptRrvI&feature=rec-fresh

grantway

Yes Blackspur and the rest of his Armour

That clip of film always makes me cringe

xtreem

BlackSpur wrote:

I hate to think what would have happened to this guy without a helmet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPSMsptRrvI&feature=rec-fresh

Did the guy was ok? :shock: :shock: :shock:
He hit that tree with probably 30mph. :shock: :shock: :shock:
Thank god for protection, and that's why you always have to lean back on the bike.

GyatsoLa

Hope the kid gets better - having suffered a not dissimilar injury 18 months ago, I feel for him.

With due respect to everyone who has posted here, the issue of helmets and child safety is very complicated and its by no means certain that they are a good thing. A significant number of children have died from choking hazards caused by helmet straps. Its by no means certain that lives saved on impacts is greater than those killed in choking or similar accidents.

This is a warning from the helmet industry:

http://www.helmets.org/playgrou.htm

As you might imagine, the anti-helmet brigade are more forthright in their comments on this subject, if anyone is interested, just google it.

BlackSpur

What infuriated me was that a couple of weeks ago there was a guy on BBC Breakfast saying that helmets are a bad thing, that they don't need to be worn etc etc. What was even more annoying was that there was no stong case given against this idea. Surely the BBC can realise that giving this anti helmet man free propaganda was a very bad move?

stumpyjon

^^ the BEEB and other media outlets never seem to give the balanced scientific view. It's very rare that anything is completely black and white. Trouble is it's easier to give one view or the other, makes better telly and the public like their news messages to be nice and simple :evil: .

For what it's worth, I always wear a helmet and think it's a good idea and would always recommend wearing one. I wouldn't however force anybody else to wear one or legislate that way. Best way of getting kids to do something is to tell them to do the opposite. Unfortunately scare stories and videos don't work with kids either, they all think they are invulnerable anyway.

mcbazza

There have been studies that have shown motorists are more likely to give a rider more (or as I would put it, 'enough') room if the rider is helmetless. And considerable less if they have a lid on.

Then again, the same study showed that certain colour cars were more/less likely to be nearer, and you may be safer (if male) sporting a female (style) wig.

As bizarre as all that is

Ciaran500

Kinda rolled my eyes at this thread yesterday, but of course it happened today.

Lost control and came off into a tree head on earlier. Think I have a bit of concussion, kept going for the rest of the day and not feeling too bad now.

The emu

As an aussie growing up and experiencing the introduction of mandatory helmets as a kid in the 80s first hand, I'd like to share my spin on things:

1) If your hit in the head without a helmet, you have greater chance of injury. FACT!

2) Yes, as a kid I ignored the law and eventually gave up dodging cops and didn't ride a bike for a few years, consistent with the Stats. What the stats don't show, is that in the law enforced that only approved helmets were allowed, and back then there was only one brand. I don't know if you had them in UK, but the ubiqutous orange stack hat that was beyond un-cool, it was an eye sore and at the time comparatively expensive.

3) The anti helmet website throws out stats associating bike helmets with injury numbers? (Western Australia as an example) Do they have figures on how many times a helmet has saved an injury....of course not, because they don't get reported.

4) There is also an association between the introduction of helmet laws and bike injuries on public roads, namely cars. This is drawing a very very long bow for a number of reasons. There is no hint to stats confirming:
- increased number of cars on public roads,
- increase number of car accidents (or shall we blame the helmet law for that aswell).

5) Their straw-pollesque study of the distance between helmets an non helmets is trivial at best. There is no consideration to:
- The distance of the rider and the curb
- The speed the rider or the car was going
- The type of vehicle (ie a Van will tend to be closer than a car).

6) Assuming the stats from point 5 are accurate, the theory is that this is because helmet riding riders are perceived to be more experienced. Will this perception remain if everyone wears a helmet, and if not will drivers err on the side of caution or think an 8 year old with a lid is a Jnr Eddie Merxx?

but the one that takes the cake:

7) Obesity issues in Australia are caused by the mandatory helmet laws. I don't even know where to begin pulling apart that complex issue.

These days I've grown up, wised up and always wear a helmet just like I always wear a seat belt. With that said, I don't paritularly care whether a mandatory helmet bill gets pased or not over here in UK, but seriously that debate on BBC was a disgrace, and BBC should be embarressed letting that anti helmet lunatic spew rediculous claims like he was.

To appease the civil libertarians amongst you, there's a simple solution to all, have the health insurance companies not pay out for cycling head injuries occured without a helmet.

Only a matter of time I suspect.

</soapbox>

LordBanks

I was riding through my local trails, went through some tight singletrack through some really overgrown bit and suddenly, WHACK, massive thud on my head, i shot off backwards and was left sitting on my bott, didn't know what had hit me, looked at the top of my helmet and there was a massive crack/dent, i was like "eh?" then i looked up and there was a snapped tree branch hanging down, i'd been too busy looking at the trail and hadn't noticed this branch hanging down. Its not just the ground you've gotta watch.

To be honest if i see people not wearing a helmet, i think they are a helmet.