Helmet question

[KateNTx]

Ok, I'm planning to buy a helmet soon, to use when I'm in town...out on my dirt road, very few people go over 25mph, and there are lots of people riding horses/walking etc, so I don't really worry about it (also, we have HUGE grassy shoulders to go off onto and evade), but with the student population returning to A&M, I don't feel comfortable without one for road riding in town, so I want to find one that does not make me A) cook my brain (temps with HI are averaging 110+ for the last 3 months) and B) look moronic (sorry, I HATE the look of most helmets) I like the nice matte black half helmet I have for riding my husband's Harley, so I really am into a minimalist look...the aerodynamic racing helmets IMHO look really dumb on me, riding upright at low speeds. If I ever get into serious road biking/racing, I'd get one, but for what I do now it just feels pretentious.
So, if anyone has suggestions that would work, I'm in favor. Also, NO PINK...nothing against pink, I just don't wear enough of it to want to have a head that looks like it was dipped in Pepto-Bismol. My Bike is considered Plum colored, but it's more of a reddish maroon IMHO, so something that didn't clash with that would be optimal.

[OakLeaf]

I think you have to make a choice between a well-vented "racier" helmet and a poorly vented "commuter" style. No helmet is going to vent without having some holes in it.

Visit bike shops. Try some on and find out what fits - people's heads are shaped differently, and some brands fit some people better than others. You'll be able to find something you like.



Also, be aware that you can get plenty hurt at 25 mph. The time my helmet saved my life I was going 21 before I crashed. Unlike motorcycles, it seems like the weight distribution of rider and bicycle has a tendency to throw the rider violently on your head. You don't have to be going super fast to benefit from a helmet.

[tulip]

As someone who experienced traumatic brain injury from a crash on an empty country road with grassy shoulders, I highly recommend that you wear your helmet whenever you are on your bike. You only have one head.

Get one that fits. They all meet minimum safety standards. Fit is key to effectiveness.

[PamNY]

Does anyone actually like the look of any helmet?

I wouldn't think too much about style of riding -- I took a pretty bad fall going about 5 mph when a toddler ran in front of me. Didn't hit my head, but I could have, and it wouldn't have mattered that I was upright on the bike.

I don't think there's any way to stay cool without vents.

[indysteel]

I hate to lecture.....but I'd worry more about your health and safety and less about how "moronic" you look. I'd ditto the suggestion that you go to a bike shop and try on some helmets. Fit and comfort is key. Having ordered a helmet off the internet once only to have it not fit, I'd recommend buying one from a brick and mortar shop rather than online.

[KateNTx]

Edit for clarity- I don't go 25...maybe 8-10mph, it's the other traffic on the road that gets up to that speed.

[shootingstar]

I've fallen ...going real slow..on black ice --with no cars around me. 1 of the trips was on....a bike path. Very quiet on a Sunday morning.

It happened to me twice. Yes my helmeted head did touch the cold pavement.

So important to realize that people sometimes fall which has nothing to do with cars/other moving objects hitting them, etc.

I'm willing to bet you that the number of members here in these forums, who wear predominantly pink helmets, is a small number. But then who cares? As long as you're visible to cars and dogwalkers.

Why wear black when no one will see you at night? Including the pedestrians with their dogs?

Hope you get over feelings of being self-conscious in a helmet. Most newbies feel that way. Onlookers don't give a damn what you look like. Just ride safely.

Remember, real beauty when you become fit and healthy long term...happens off the bike when people have time to look at you walking around, etc. Not on the bike.

[Nick]

I love my Fox Striker helmet. Nothing pink, girly, or moronic about it: http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/fox-striker-helmet-first-look-28422/

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Fox Head, Inc and receive no compensation for saying I like this helmet :)

[withm]

Ok, here's a test to see if you need a helmet.

Stand in your driveway next to your bike. You can hold it or not. Doesn't matter.

Fall over.

Maybe you hit your head on something, maybe you don't.

Clearly it doesn't matter if you are going 5mph, 10mph, 20mph or simply standing still. Hitting your head can be just as debilitating from standing still, or at 20mph. Why take that risk?

[KateNTx]

I love my Fox Striker helmet. Nothing pink, girly, or moronic about it: http://www.bikeradar.com/news/article/fox-striker-helmet-first-look-28422/

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Fox Head, Inc and receive no compensation for saying I like this helmet :)

Now, that's pleasing! At the current conversion rate paying almost $200 for it, not so great, but if I could find something similar at a lower cost...it's got the type of minimalist look that I like. Is the air flow on it, as nice as it looks like it would be?

[Nick]

Now, that's pleasing! At the current conversion rate paying almost $200 for it, not so great, but if I could find something similar at a lower cost...it's got the type of minimalist look that I like. Is the air flow on it, as nice as it looks like it would be?

Hi Kate, I paid about $120US for it. I felt it was worth it -- I looked at a lot of helmets and reviews, and this one just fit the bill for me. It comes in a few different color options, but I love the red, black and white, hehe. It might drop in price sometime soon -- it is a recent Fox Head release, and therefore at premium prices right now. I just looked on Amazon, and the solid colors are available in the small/medium for $99. The black/charcoal is only $83, but the cool color combinations are being sold at the stated msrp.

BTW, this is a mountain bike helmet with a visor, of the type Muirenn suggests above. I am a mountain biker, so I can't provide info on how it works for the road.

Yes, it seems very well ventilated. It's ultra light and comfortable -- I forget it is on. I've been riding in hot, humid weather without noticing the helmet (which is how it should be). It's also adjustable with a comfortable inner adjustments mechanism. Fortunately, I haven't fallen on it, so I can't say how well it protects. It's predecessor is the Fox Flux, and in the reviews I read several reviewers had fallen on the Flux and felt that it had "saved them" from serious head and brain damage.

[spokewench]

Edit for clarity- I don't go 25...maybe 8-10mph, it's the other traffic on the road that gets up to that speed.

Don't really want to be a killjoy, but you can fall at 1 mile per hour or 0 miles per hour, hit your head and get seriously hurt. I've had friends slip on ice, hit their heads and get a concussion and this was on their feet, not falling off their bikes!

So, I would also have to put myself in the category, wear a bike helmet whenever on a bike.

I also second trying on helmets. They all fit differently.

[zoom-zoom]

When you suffer a serious head injury you'll wish you'd put safety above fashion. I mean, if the head injury doesn't render ya' dead, of course. :p

Seriously, I don't really give a rat's behind what I look like on my bike, as long as I'm reasonably safe. I'm not riding to impress anyone or act as a fashion plate. I rock the comfy spandex and dorky helmet with a degree of pride. I gave up caring what others think about what I wear once I left the ridiculousness of HS.

[Blueberry]

Wear a helmet. I'm looking at a pile of 3 cracked helmets from my DH in the last year. 2 were ER trips with concussions. He walked away from all 3. There is no doubt in my mind he wouldn't be here without them. Yes, he's a good rider. It's proof that accidents can and do happen.

Ride your bike, and don't care what anyone things about how you look. Helmets/helmet hair might not be great - but the last time I spent an hour on the elliptical and looked in the mirror it wasn't pretty either. Seriously.

[tulip]

Edit for clarity- I don't go 25...maybe 8-10mph, it's the other traffic on the road that gets up to that speed.

My crash happened when I was going about 12mph on a deserted road with no cars 1 mile from the start of the ride. I got to take a helicopter to a trauma center, I got to have intravenous morphine, MRI, and I had a $10,000 hospital bill even though I didn't even stay over night. I couldn't speak in complete sentences for six months, although I could write just fine. I still have memory problems and word recall problems, and I cannot multitask anymore, not even a little. If I hit my head again, it could be really, really bad. If I have cognitive problems as I grow older, I can only assume that it will be related to my head injury as no one in my family has any history of dementia for the last three or four generations.

Just sayin'.

[Catrin]

I got a light concussion from tipping over at about 5mph. That was WITH a helmet on, the way my head hit that rock might have cracked it without it. Get a helmet. Wear it. Brain damage isn't fun.

[indysteel]

I got a light concussion from tipping over at about 5mph. That was WITH a helmet on, the way my head hit that rock might have cracked it without it. Get a helmet. Wear it. Brain damage isn't fun.

Yikes! When was this???

@Tulip. OMG, how horrible. I had no idea you'd gone through that. Was this before you joined TE or did I somehow miss such a bad crash?

[tulip]

2003. Not sure I was posting on TE at that point...I can't remember!!

[indysteel]

2003. Not sure I was posting on TE at that point...I can't remember!!

That was before my time. Not that it really matters, but I'd feel horrible if I somehow missed the news that you were injured so badly.

How traumatic of an experience for you. Of course, your crash dramatically proves the point that head injuries can happen under circumstances one wouldn't necessarily expect to be so dangerous.

[Owlie]

When you suffer a serious head injury you'll wish you'd put safety above fashion. I mean, if the head injury doesn't render ya' dead, of course. :p

Seriously, I don't really give a rat's behind what I look like on my bike, as long as I'm reasonably safe. I'm not riding to impress anyone or act as a fashion plate. I rock the comfy spandex and dorky helmet with a degree of pride. I gave up caring what others think about what I wear once I left the ridiculousness of HS.

+1. Yeah, they look a little silly, but I'd rather look dorky than end up with a concussion or worse. (My SO probably would have died if he hadn't been wearing a helmet when he crashed. Luckily he escaped with a concussion and no lasting damage.) Look for a MTB helmet with a visor if you don't want that "roadie" look just yet. Not so well ventilated.

But there's always these: http://www.tail-wags.com/index.php ;)

[pll]

I have the Bell Sweep XC (http://www.amazon.com/Bell-Racing-Bicycle-Helmet-Silver/dp/B002LVMOOQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312940371&sr=8-1), which comes with visor -- some of the Amazon pictures show it with the visor on. It is nice enough.

In 2003, my front wheel got stuck in a crack on the road and I hit the ground hard, cracked the helmet and actually saw blue when sat up. No concussion diagnosed in the ER, but the first question out of the doctors and nurses was, invariably, "were you wearing a helmet?". If nothing else, wear a helmet so you don't ever face possibly judgmental medical staff.

[marni]

as an alternative test as to whether or not you need to wear a helmet, stand outside beside your bike with a a raw egg in your hand while holding onto the handle bar. Drop the egg. Look at the results and pretend the egg and its contents were your head and brain.

Be aware that different brands of helmets are different shapes. Some are more oval while others are more circular. Pick one that fits the shape of your head.

As for looking dorky- I would much rather look dorky in my helmet and be fully functional than have to spend the rest of my life looking cool but with the brain skills of a slug or a vegetable.

just sayin.....

[trickycoolj]

Are you interested in the skater style at all? I know many who are off-put by the serious road helmet looks but will go for skate/ski style helmets. I saw some awesome looking NutCase helmets last weekend at my LBS, they even had a watermelon painted one! http://www.nutcasehelmets.com Might not provide as much ventilation though.

Another thing to consider with fit is don't look at the pre-designated Men's/Women's/Youth/Child sizes on the box, especially if you go box store. In college I had to get a new helmet on short notice at WalMart and wound up with a Youth sized helmet to get a snug enough fit. The newer adjustable ratchet straps around the back of the head help a ton.

Whatever you do, make sure it's snug. The straps of my snowboard helmet were loose this spring since I wasn't wearing my usual Buff and scarf under it. I just finished a very steep part and was catching up to the boys in my group celebrating my first run that steep, and face planted on the flat part! Helmet flopped upwards and I hit the side of my head where the helmet was supposed to be (also slammed my goggles onto my eye socket). Had a headache for a week, and probably had a minor concussion.

A fall/crash can sneak up on you at the least obvious time. We are most cautious when things are dangerous and much too lax when things seem safe. Anything can happen.

[Bethany1]

Helmet fashion sucks, but once i got over how they look on me, it's all good. My head matters, especially when I fell over from a standing position. I still had a mild concussion but it saved my head from cracking open on the pavement.

Check out some stores and get one that fits. I'm with you on pink, but I've seen some fabulous women's helmets that are feminine w/o being girly. I thought I saw one similar to your bike colors the last time I was in a bike shop but don't remember what brand. It might have been a Giro.

I have a Giro that I like. It was last year's model so the guy sold it to me for a steal.

Good luck finding your helmet.

[Blueberry]

If nothing else, wear a helmet so you don't ever face possibly judgmental medical staff.

Except for the charming staff we encountered at a DC Metro Area hospital over the 4th of July weekend with my DH's last crash. I showed the helmet to the admissions staff, and they said "Well, you wouldn't have to be here if he hadn't been wearing that. He wouldn't have been hurt. Helmets are a rip off."

Yeah. It's a good thing my energies were focused elsewhere at the time. I was not a happy camper (and thankfully the PA who treated him in the ER was much better informed).

[Catrin]

Indy - it was during my first attempt at going clipless in early 2010. I didn't say much about it here, but it was a comment from someone here that got me to my doctor. It was a very slow speed fall, but my head hit a rock. Got a new helmet out of it.

[redrhodie]

I never notice what someone's helmet looks like. I'm too busy looking at their butt. :p

[OakLeaf]

I never notice what someone's helmet looks like. I'm too busy looking at their butt. :p

Oh THAT will make the OP less self-conscious. :rolleyes: :p

[roo4]

The emergency room folks don't care if you have helmet hair when they are treating you!

[Bike Writer]

Hoping this doesn't pose too much thread hijack but has anyone worn one of these helmets? I am wondering if you have is it hot to wear because it has less vents? Is it heavy? And lastly is it true to size? Any feedback appreciated.

I am one of those persons who does not like the style of the racing helmet, my own personal opinion is that they make me look like a raptor or some kind of reptile. However there are many who probably think that the helmet pictured below is very dorky but I think it's cute and am looking to get one.

[tulip]

I would think it would be very hot. Is it a bicycle helmet? Bicycle helmets meet certain safety standards and non-bike helmets may not be as effective in bicycle crashes.

[Bike Writer]

@ Tulip, yes it is a sanctioned helmet, it comes in two varieties one that is a "hard hat" that is not certified and this one. At least that is the way I understand it. Also I was sorry to hear about your accident. My, you have courage to continue to ride! Good job!

[GLC1968]

Hoping this doesn't pose too much thread hijack but has anyone worn one of these helmets? I am wondering if you have is it hot to wear because it has less vents? Is it heavy? And lastly is it true to size? Any feedback appreciated.

I am one of those persons who does not like the style of the racing helmet, my own personal opinion is that they make me look like a raptor or some kind of reptile. However there are many who probably think that the helmet pictured below is very dorky but I think it's cute and am looking to get one.

I have a friend who rides an upright type city bike with a helmet like that (her's is red). She put a super cute pink flower on it and it's just darling looking!

Personally, I think helmets are way better looking than smashed heads, hospital beds or drool...right?

[Bike Writer]

I have a friend who rides an upright type city bike with a helmet like that (her's is red). She put a super cute pink flower on it and it's just darling looking!

Personally, I think helmets are way better looking than smashed heads, hospital beds or drool...right?


Agreed, beauty is in the eye of the beholder...your friend's helmet sounds like it would be cute.

[tulip]

@ Tulip, yes it is a sanctioned helmet, it comes in two varieties one that is a "hard hat" that is not certified and this one. At least that is the way I understand it. Also I was sorry to hear about your accident. My, you have courage to continue to ride! Good job!

Then I would say go for it if you like it. I failed to mention that I was wearing a helmet when I crashed. It broke in three places. Had I not had the helmet on my head, my life would be much different now (assuming I had lived).

I've been riding bikes since 1982 (that's when I got my first road bike, but I'd certainly been riding kid bikes and BMX long before then), and I wasn't going to stop unless I had to. I took a month off of cycling--heck I had trouble walking--and then popped back on my bike because it sure is alot more fun than waiting for a bus or being crammed in a Metro, and I had to get to work somehow. Driving/parking is such a pain in DC, so that wasn't an option. There was a spiral staircase in my then-office. I never was able to master it again after my crash, although I had no trouble before.

[PamNY]

Hoping this doesn't pose too much thread hijack but has anyone worn one of these helmets? I am wondering if you have is it hot to wear because it has less vents? Is it heavy? And lastly is it true to size? Any feedback appreciated.

I am one of those persons who does not like the style of the racing helmet, my own personal opinion is that they make me look like a raptor or some kind of reptile. However there are many who probably think that the helmet pictured below is very dorky but I think it's cute and am looking to get one.

I have a Bern helmet exactly like that without the visor. In really hot weather, it is not as cool as a helmet with more vents.

However, most of the time it is very comfortable, and I love it. Size seems okay -- I need an XL, and it's fine for me. I love the way it looks.

[Velocivixen]

@Bike Writer, I love Bern helmets and don't have one yet, although they fit my head great. I like the shiny white one or the Matte plum ones. Very nice.

[shootingstar]

My head shape does not allow me to wear a Nutcase round helmet. Too bad -- I like 1-2 of their styles. :(

But for both Nutcase and Bern it's puzzling that they haven't made a model line that has more air vents. Is it aesthetic reasons that prevent them from not putting in more vents?? :confused:

[PamNY]

I'm seeing more and more of these Yakkay helmets, designed to look like normal hats. They don't provide much in the way of ventilation, of course.

http://www.adelineadeline.com/helmets/yakkay.html

[trickycoolj]

My head shape does not allow me to wear a Nutcase round helmet. Too bad -- I like 1-2 of their styles. :(

But for both Nutcase and Bern it's puzzling that they haven't made a model line that has more air vents. Is it aesthetic reasons that prevent them from not putting in more vents?? :confused:

Huh, I wonder if those would fit me better, I know in the base model Bell's at WalMart I had to go Youth sized. Maybe I have a more roundy head? Giro fit me a little better and I could at least get a more mature Women's print.

I've tried on Bern snowboard helmets (I love the billed ones!) and the small fits me great, it was just more than I wanted to spend at the close of the season when it should have been on clearance. Not sure on the history of Bern's but perhaps they originally focused on snow helmets?

My first helmet was a skate style in the late 80s and I remember it always being hot, maybe because skaters don't go quite as fast?

[marni]

I never notice what someone's helmet looks like. I'm too busy looking at their butt. :p

Or their bike! and shapely calf muscles. ;)

[PamNY]

I've tried on Bern snowboard helmets (I love the billed ones!) and the small fits me great, it was just more than I wanted to spend at the close of the season when it should have been on clearance.

I got a Bern at a great price (which I don't remember) from Sierra Trading Post. No idea if they have Bern very often, but worth checking if you want one.

[PamNY]

Oh, Muirenn. You are going to wish you hadn't told me that. I have so many questions about raptor biology. So, when you start your degree, don't tell me.

[Bike Writer]

@ Muirenn, yes I meant that as a bad thing for me! Not necessarily others. Raptors in the movie Jurassic Park scared the bejebbers out of me and gave me the willies.

It's a good thing somebody likes them or no one would learn about 'em.

[hebe]

I have a couple of Nutcase helmets, and I really like the Sawako ones too though I don't own one at the moment. Here's the link (http://www.velorution.biz/shop/sawako-cycling-helmets/), you need to scroll down to see the range.

[tytbody]

WE have this facility called Braintree Rehab. It's for people who have suffered some kind of long term injury. The head trauma unit is horrible. I don't want to be there. I'm going to wear a helmet and if you see me, just know I'm your dorky sister who rather live to tell about it in my right mind.

[Catrin]

I like the looks of nutcase helmets, but they just look so HOT, not much ventilation. I don't understand that, but hey, if this helps someone to get a helmet on their head then that is a good thing!

[Bike Writer]

Just teasing Bike Writer :) !!

And I like the helmet you posted. Definitely too hot where I live. But, that style is supposed to provide more protection than regular helmets. That is why a lot of children's helmets are more 'bucket' shaped.

Read that on some helmet safety site. Can't remember where.


I know and I was just funning back with ya! ;)

[pll]

Just teasing Bike Writer :) !!

And I like the helmet you posted. Definitely too hot where I live. But, that style is supposed to provide more protection than regular helmets. That is why a lot of children's helmets are more 'bucket' shaped.

Read that on some helmet safety site. Can't remember where.

Most likely, it is the Helmet Safety Institute (http://www.bhsi.org/). They advocate for rounder, smoother helmets with more rear coverage. I believe that rounder, smoother (no point sections sticking out) do not jerk your head around on impact. Additional rear coverage makes the helmet more stable on the head.

Personally, I like the rounder shapes of commuter helmets, but why can't they have more ventilation? As it is (with a Bell Sweep), I can go into complete meltdown during a ride. I saw that a Kask "Sky model" is listed among their recommendations for 2011, but if it is the Kask Vertigo (with team Sky colors), the price sticker is shocking. It does look nice, though! [Click here if you want to be shocked by a price (http://www.kaskstore.com/products/road-bike/KASK-VERTIGO); I like the lime one!)

[Sardine]

It isn't as well ventilated as a road helmet but I'm about to replace my current commuting lid with one of these - the Bell Muni / Arella (women's version). As cycling is my main mode of transport, I tend to commute in my everyday clothes, especially when on my Brompton, and prefer a more low-key look. This won't break the bank either. Here's the link if you're interested http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz9zCNzL9ts

[pll]

Very nice! I love the lighted adjustment device in the back of it, as well as the special mirror.

[Velocivixen]

I tried on both the men's and women's Bell Muni and neither one fit my head right. They just are universally sized and very little in the way of adjustments. I really wanted to love them and buy one so I could "accessorize", but they just didn't work. Good luck with yours.

[Catrin]

I tried that helmet....and gave it to Winding Road. Their helmets just don't fit my head, though this MIGHT have worked if it had been more adjustable. I've found that Uvex and Fox helmets appear to fit me the best. Unsure how they differ from Bell and Giro, don't know if it is related to shape or adjustability.

[Bike Chick]

I am another crash victim that wouldn't be writing this if I hadn't had my helmet on. I left the road doing a 35 mph descent, hit a rock and went over the handlebars. My helmet cracked in 3 places and I suffered a mile concussion but the ER doc said my head would've split like a watermelon if I hadn't had it on.

Our lbs makes a very good helmet demo when doing their beginner rider program. They drop a cantelope on the sidewalk then take another cantelope, put it inside a helmet and drop it and it doesn't break. It gets people's attention.

Someone told me once that they call people that don't wear helmets organ donors.

I'm in the market for a new helmet myself and have been looking at new ones. It is hard to decide.