Do I need a helmet for Sherwood Pines?

yt_

I'm thinking about taking my 10 year old either this week or next for a leisurely ride around Sherwood Pines. He has his own helmet but I have never bothered with one after 20 plus years of non-serious riding and I don't want to buy one now.

Are they mandatory to wear there? I have googled but I cannot seem to find anything on this matter.

Thanks.

Kiblams

It's not mandatory, but If you have any plans to get any speed up while there, it may be worth the investment just incase you crash into a tree

pte1643

I can't speak for Sherwood Pines, but generally not mandatory, but certainly advisory.

When I ride with my 9yr old Daughter up to the park I usually don't bother wearing mine.

But she nags me stupid for it.... She's right, of course. :oops:

TowerRider

Seriously, anyone asking this might not actually need a helmet to protect anything!

paulbox

Monkey see, monkey do...

Ali82

TowerRider wrote:

Seriously, anyone asking this might not actually need a helmet to protect anything!

I disagree, in most situations common sense needs to be applied.

Of course a helmet is always recommended and is obviously the safer option but let's be honest are you anymore likely to fall and hit your head whilst cycling with your kiddie at 6 or 7 mph down a cycle path than you are walking back from the pub or going out for a jog? Do you wear your helmet for these situations?

And in response to the OP, no they are not mandatory at Sherwood Pines but are recommended

scotto

in my experience accidents tend to happen more at low speed than high.

I always wear a lid, always, you only get one brain and it's best not to damage it.

Bred2shred

Ali82 wrote:

TowerRider wrote:

Seriously, anyone asking this might not actually need a helmet to protect anything!

I disagree, in most situations common sense needs to be applied.

Of course a helmet is always recommended and is obviously the safer option but let's be honest are you anymore likely to fall and hit your head whilst cycling with your kiddie at 6 or 7 mph down a cycle path than you are walking back from the pub or going out for a jog? Do you wear your helmet for these situations?

And in response to the OP, no they are not mandatory at Sherwood Pines but are recommended

Walking or being out for a jog is not even a comparison to being on a bike, for one your hands are free. All it takes is for said wobbly cherub to fall or stray infront of daddy and a handfull of front brakes pitches you over the bars.

If your on your bike and you have a head you need a helmet.

yt_ is your head any less important than your childs?

biff55

TowerRider wrote:

Seriously, anyone asking this might not actually need a helmet to protect anything!

and let the pro helmet rants begin.
dont suppose freedom of choice comes into it ?
and as he's been riding 20 years already without one......
helmet nazi's make me puke with all this condesending offensive crap.

bails87

Ok, calm down people

Off road, I actually find a helmet very useful for 'above trail' obstructions like branches, brambles etc. clip one with a helmet and it flicks it harmlessly out of the way, hit one without a helmet and it might be a very painful experience. But....it depends where he's riding, and what pace. If there's anything technical then I'd wear one, but if he's just slowly pootling along fireroads behind his son then I can understand why he wouldn't wear one.

I always wear a helmet when I'm on a proper ride. But if I'm pootling down the road to the shops I tend not too.

Just like I wear knee pads and gloves for some rides but not for others.

andyrm

I've seen 5mph over the bar slo-mo crashes turn into potential horror stories when people land on their heads and had a low speed off about 9 months ago where I smacked the side of my head off a stone wall. Without a helmet, neither scenario would probably be fatal/long term damaging, but sure as hell they'd result in some nasty head wound action.

Plus of course factor in setting a good example to your kid too.

Bred2shred

biff55 wrote:

TowerRider wrote:

Seriously, anyone asking this might not actually need a helmet to protect anything!

dont suppose freedom of choice comes into it ?

I'm sorry but yt_ came on the forum and asked for advice and it's his choice to take it or not.You just sound angry and maybe you should take a back seat on the subject unless you have anything constructive to add.

And i'm not condoning TowerRiders comment as it is a little cutting.

FunBus

An ACTUALLY ANSWER to your question is, as others mention; a helmet is advisable, but not mandatory.

Sherwood pines has loads of open tracks that you can pootle along and so helmets arent essential, although obviously recommended (so dont shout at me!!)

There are also many posted routes, jumps, a so called downhill track and lots of smaller paths - i would recommend a helmet for these as many paths are at the moment, overgrown. But, with a nipper in toe, i wouldnt recommend these tracks anyway!

Helmets are very worthwhile and i always where mine, but i wont shout at anyone with a kid riding at walking pace......like mentioned above, i think i've done myself more damage on the way home from the pub......i think!

cat_with_no_tail

andyrm wrote:

Plus of course factor in setting a good example to your kid too.

I think this is about all that need to be said on the matter. You seem to see it as important for the nipper to wear a helmet (rightly so) so why not yourself?

Lowride

I was out biking with a load of mates one summer night in the local woods and had to duck down to go under a big branch sticking out into our path because a tree had fallen down. I ducked down and went under it fine, as I came back up there was another branch that I could`nt see. I hit it and it pulled my helmet clean off! I was fine but when I picked up the helmet there was actually a chunk of polystyrene missing. I sent the helment back to the manufacturer and got a new one. Would have been going to hospital if I had of not been wearing a helmet, don`t risk it mate even if its a cheap one

yt_

Thanks for the replies guys

I have ridden bikes for years and only had the odd silly off, I'm not hardcore and trust myself enough not to need protection for what I do (you guys might be more competitive then I am).

Its something I will look into investing in at some point as I'm getting older and more clumsy when trying to do little jumps etc :roll: But I'm just going for a day out with my boy to scope the place out without getting turned down because I have no lid

kg211

Wear a lid and be an example to the lad. If you don't wear a lid the lad won't want to wear one

thel33ter

I would, but a am very prone to crashing, last MTB ride I did I managed 6 in 5 miles.

peter413

thel33ter wrote:

I would, but a am very prone to crashing, last MTB ride I did I managed 6 in 5 miles.

On Sunday I managed to crash 4 times in about 800 metres

It was a DH race though

Atz

Ali82 wrote:

TowerRider wrote:

Of course a helmet is always recommended and is obviously the safer option but let's be honest are you anymore likely to fall and hit your head whilst cycling with your kiddie at 6 or 7 mph down a cycle path than you are walking back from the pub or going out for a jog? Do you wear your helmet for these situations?

My friends father was left with the mental age of a 12 year old after being knocked off his bike riding through his station carpark on the way home (car was doing about 5mph). Personally, I wear my lid riding to the shops, pootling through the park, anywhere.

Briggo

Cat With No Tail wrote:

andyrm wrote:

Plus of course factor in setting a good example to your kid too.

I think this is about all that need to be said on the matter. You seem to see it as important for the nipper to wear a helmet (rightly so) so why not yourself?

+helmets.

snotty badger

I 'd be pissed off if I found someone knocked out/cabbaged because they weren't wearing a helmet- would spoil my ride!

Dubzy

The fact that you have never worn a helmet makes me wonder whether this is just some kind of macho stance.

"A helmet? I'd look silly in one of those - what would my mates think?" This type of thinking is unbelievable. We live in an age where bikes have never been so technically good - we can go faster, brake harder, corner with confidence. - surely a helmet should be a natural part of cycling - whatever bike you ride and wherever you ride.

You'll be saying next that you avoid lycra next and would never wear anything pink.

cycle monster

Some will some won't. Nobody in their right mind will advise someone not to wear a helmet. I have two mates who would be wheelchair bound or worse had they not been wearing helmets. As mentioned above and from my own experience, speed has little or nothing to do with it. If you go head first over the bars for any reason (easily done) it is not going to be pretty.

There are doubtless many people who will ride for years without incident but I would not want to get bumped by a car or thrown headlong into a tree by a root/stump/other bike with only my skull to break my fall.

badly_dubbed

i feel weird if i dont have my helmet on....

butcher of bakersfield

Dubzy wrote:

The fact that you have never worn a helmet makes me wonder whether this is just some kind of macho stance

As I grew up, helmets were unheard of for cycling. And well into my 20s I never bothered despite the increasing site of them. It was never something I thought about and never deemed it a necessity. And I never banged my head hard enough to make it so.

Nothing macho about that. Even now serious cyclists argue over the pros and cons, and the damage that a helmet can do in itself.

Nowadays I never go out without one. I get a ticking off by the missus every time I try sneaking out the door with a naked head :oops:

There's no absolute answer to the original question. Do you need a helmet down so and so trail?

No you don't.

Do you need a helmet heading down to the corner shop?

No.

But either could leave you with a cracked skull. It's your own choice.

I've been looked down upon for not wearing a helmet in the past, and I have a mate who has faced wisecracks for wearing a full face. I've also survived some scary trails unscathed, yet fell on my face riding around the doors.

Northwind

peter413 wrote:

It was a DH race though

I think there may be a minor detail about this race that you're not mentioning

ravey1981

badly_dubbed wrote:

i feel weird if i dont have my helmet on....

This. Its just second nature to put one one when I go out on the bikes, don't feel safe without one.

yt_

Dubzy wrote:

The fact that you have never worn a helmet makes me wonder whether this is just some kind of macho stance.

"A helmet? I'd look silly in one of those - what would my mates think?" This type of thinking is unbelievable. We live in an age where bikes have never been so technically good - we can go faster, brake harder, corner with confidence. - surely a helmet should be a naturel part of cycling - whatever bike you ride and wherever you ride.

You'll be saying that you avoid lycra next and would never wear anything pink.

Wow nicely made up opinion, but then forums are for people to express their own opinions.

Now when I raced MX that's a bigger ball game, I ride trials bikes now and don't even wear one on those as I'm only pottering around, its how we've grown up and Its nothing macho..

I don't get all the hostility about one simple question. I'm going for a leisurely ride around a park with my son, not coming down a rocky mountain

Thanks for your concerns but I think your way over cautious on the matter, Its like saying we should wear one walking up to the shops in case something happens. I don't just fall off my bike for the fun of it, and I'm not exactly entering a competition either.

RevellRider

Sherwood Pines is so un-technical that I don't think a helmet is really needed for the green or blue route.

I did some blokes riding the Red without helmets, and that's something I'd advised against. No due to the technical nature, more the speed element

Dick Scruttock

I do not and have not ever got on my bike without a helmet on. Never will do either.