Oh Vanity! Comfort, Technology Vs Helmets again Sorry!

Cycling is Forever

I know we've just had a thread about recommendations for good looking bike helmets.
I just wanted to expand on the whole finding, trying & buying process.
Back ground to me; I did in the early 90s ride with a bicycle helmet for a short period.
I never liked wearing it. Heavy sweaty and I looked awful. The vanity bit.

With very few exceptions I ride predominantly without the use of a bike helmet now.
Thats both off & on road. I not looking for a lecture or debate.
I am vehemently in the choice camp not compulsion.

But on Saturday I decided I would serious look again and try on some bike helmets in a few local bike shops.

What struck me about all the helmets I tried was none were particular comfortable.
I probably fall into that group of big head [nothing inside mind].
In fact so uncomfortable I would not have bought any bike helmets i tried.

Large medium small sizes the range of circumference seemed to overlap quite a bit between brands.
Fit was also difficult to get right. With so many bespoke items one can buy bike related.
Can you get a made to measure bike helmet?
It that a niche market waiting to be tapped into?

The other thing that struck me was the lack of improvements in technology.
The helmets all appear to be high density foam exactly the same construction I had in the old bell bike helmet i had in the early 90s.
I looked at all these bike helmets and figured that the thickness of protection was more or less determined by the amount of energy they have to absorb to pass certain tests.
So this has a considerable affect on how they look size-wise. Vanity bit again.

I will keep trying
So anyone know recommend a bike shop with a good selection of bike helmets. I'd say London south east area I'll travel.

I decided to hire a helmet at swinley forest today and the Lima 520 I was given was surprisingly comfortable I really didn't notice it on.

I saw that helmet made out of cardboard anyone actually used one?


Cif

Anonymous

Cycling is Forever wrote:

I ride predominantly without the use of a bike helmet now.
Thats both off & on road.

What, but that's preposterous, now, YOU listen to me, young man...

Cycling is Forever wrote:

I not looking for a lecture or debate.

Oh. Well, that's no fun at all.

Polystyrene is still being used because it works. Inside a motorcycle helmet, you'll find the same stuff.
I'd assume that there ARE much better materials to absorb impacts, but none that are comfortably light.
the use on in-moulding, pionered I believe by MET, has become almost universal now, where the hard polycarbonate shell is bonded to the polystyrene. This gives much improved strength and energy dissipation, which allows the overall shell to be thinner, yet still absorb the same, if not greater energies.

The size thing is a tricky one. It's why I always advise people to try helmets on until they find one that fits. All to often people will chime in here with "well helmet X is GREAT, and it only cost me £Y" - which frankly is as useful as a chocolate teapot.
People's heads differ. So find the best fitting one. This is no different to any other sport or activity that requires, or has the option of headwear.

supersonic

Bell helmets (snigger) seem to fit the larger headed better.

The Rookie

The lad has a large head, Bell are not big enough, howeve set to biggest my Boardman (large) swaps him, so have a look at the Boardmans perhaps, they also look pretty sharp and come with a section of genuine carbon fibre for that bling effect. The Boardmans were the cheapest helmets I found that give a genuine range of sizes (about £55-60)

Please let YHMcG give a lecture they are a great read!

The primary purpose of a helmet is not to prevent flesh wounds, but to add cushioning for your brain, if your skulls stops fast, the brain hits the inside of it causing bruising (concussion) or brain injuries, the extra cushioning of the Polystyrene is very valuable at reducing the peak accelerations seen by the skull (which has mininimal external cushioning!) in the event of an impact.

Simon

Anonymous

The Beginner wrote:

Please let YHMcG give a lecture they are a great read!

actually, I don't mind people making their own mind up. If I'm taking some new riders out, then I'll insist that they wear lids, but if they're doing their own thing well, it's their choice.

However, I don't support people that push an anti helmet agenda - that's a very different thing to choice.

The Rookie

Your right about personal choice, as long as they also personally choose not to lumber the NHS with extra bills, I'll be paying for with my taxes, to treat them for the incremental injuries they recieve!

Simon

Anonymous

Well, we ALL pay for the NHS. Not just you. A few helmetless riders compared to beer fuelled weekend chaos.

Swansea_Dave

I bought a MET Inferno UL this year as my old Giro lid was past its sell by date. The Inferno is really light and also quite low profile so no 'mushroom head' syndrome (and I have quite a big melon for a beanpole). It also looks the business in white - or at least it does before I put it on and spoil it.

I think I paid about 55 squid, which I thought was a bargain. Plenty around at that price, e.g. http://www.myspokes.co.uk/met-inferno-u ... um-58-61cm

Kaise

what i dont understand is people will spend =>£2000k on a bike, but wince at spending £100 on a peice of equipment that may one day save your life, and in the lesser extreme prevent having stiches in your noggin' and a bad head ache for a few days.

I tried loads of helmets :shock: and found one that fits perfectly and that was a sepcialized, it wasnt the cheapest, it wasnt the most expensive and it doesnt look amazingly cool but i will wear it whenever i ride.

In terms of the lack of development there are a few things being looked at, mainly in the motorcycling arena, but that can filter down to the cycling domain in time
http://www.thermahelm.com/

also helmets have come along way for Tufftops that were around when i was a kid, manufacturwers can now make helmets with more vents for better cooling, lighter due to carbon strengthening and non of these advances are to the detriment of the spec of the lid and they conform to tighter regs than they used to.

Just becuase technology isnt moving at a faster pace and there isnt a helmet manufactured that makes it feel like you are not wearing it, it does not mean there isnt advances........see below for a range of helmets and then look at the final picture, it weighs 181g, isnt that the advances in helmet technology?






that said it is an expensive road helmet and there are others that will do the same job but will be heavier, but progress and and advanced tech does cost money

Cycling is Forever

yeehaamcgee wrote:

Cycling is Forever wrote:

]I not looking for a lecture or debate.

Oh. Well, that's no fun at all.

By typing I'm not looking for a debate on a forum is a bit dumb of me. Hey Ho!
But cheers for keeping it light hearted.

Reading the comments here and expanding on what I typed.
I feel there will still be barriers for me and poss other people to buying and more importantly using bicycle helmets.

They may not all be valid i.e. vanity. The Mushroom head issue does put me off!
However Fit & Comfort is such a personal thing.
If I wasn't able to find a suitable helmet I'd still be happy to ride without one.
However it would probably exclude me from competetions, sportives and trail centres.

As for the technology improvents I'm not convinced yes designs have changed stylewise but has the materials used moved on much?
The helmets I looked at really weren't that much different to the one I had in the 90s.
Maybe there is some underlying better protection I would only realize if I had an accident and came off.
If you compare technology improvements in crash helmets for motor sport a lot has been done in 20yrs.
The fact that I want to improve my riding skills and I want to get a bike Helmet so I am better protected is a good thing?

cooldad

There are barriers to people doing all sorts of things, some valid, some less so.
There are helmets in all shapes, colours, styles and prices so the only real barrier to wearing a helmet is about £20.
If you can't find a suitable one then don't wear one, but your last question is a bit strange.
What are you asking?
Whether you will be more protected? IMHO yes.
Is it a good thing to be better protected? Again IMHO yes.
Is it a good thing you want to be better protected?
Is it a good thing you want to improve your riding skills?
In answer to the last two, don't care.

If you are so vain you worry about what you look like after a sweaty muddy ride, you have issues. IMHO.

The Rookie

What you can't see is the improvements to the polystyrene, it may look the same as you had in the 90's but for the better helmets is not, its this better stuff that has allowed them to meet the same (or better the same) minimum requirements with more venting and therefore less material.

Simon

Cycling is Forever

My last question was bit of a Rhetorical question.

Last year I had no real intention of getting a helmet ever. But I've come round to the idea.
So a good part of me in the past was vain. I just didn't like the look of helmets that I wore or tried on as much as the fit/comfort issues.

Seeing more people riding and wearing helmets I've seen plenty of bike helmets that I would like.
However when I've tried some helmets I've still found them to be a poor fit or unomfortable for me.
So am struggling some what, but will keep looking & trying.
What I am say is I consider myself to be a new convert to helmet wearing.

Your right I can't see the improvement in polystrene but I'll still maintain the assumption that the thickness of helmets has not changed much in many years.
It is only my opinion

nozzac

I guess some people are more fussy than others.

I've never had these problems. I have a large head - most hats won't fit, but for cycle helmets it's not a problem. They are adjustable.

I go to any shop, try on the larger sizes and one or more fits OK. Given the choice between a naff one vs a cool one at the same price I'll get the cooler one. Other than that I don't care what it looks like but then I don't care what people think of my bike or clothes either. Why would I?

I've always felt sorry for women because their appearance matters so much to them (that and their inability to wee behind a tree easily). Now it seems that the modern, Mens Health reading, metrosexual male is falling into the same trap.