Helmet visors

All right, you wonderful women. I bought a helmet last year to replace the one I crashed in. And now I realize I'd really like a visor on it. Are there visors you can get for a helmet you already have, or are you restricted to helmets that come with visors? Can I purchase a visor by itself, or am I doomed to buying a completely new helmet? My deal is that I have some pretty strong sun damage to the skin on my face, and the sun spots darken over the summertime. I would REALLY like to be able to hide a bit under the visor if I can....

And as far as skin woes go, I am using an SPF 50 product that is for athletics... Sweatproof, etc. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn't. Anything you gals have tried that limits sun damage??? Sorry, maybe this needs to be two threads...

i am interested in the replies to this one too. I just bought a new one too and I need a visor.

I don't think you'll be able to add a helmet-specific visor on your helmet unless it already has holes for it for the visor to clip-in. Check the web site of your helmet's manufacturer for product details.

You could try wearing a bike cap under your helmet, they have a small visor.

Good luck!

I have seen neoprene ones that you stick on with velcro. (you put the velcro patch on your helmet and the velcro on the visor sticks to that) I have no idea how to find that.

Sunscreen-wise, just be sure you use something that has both a chemical sunscreen AND a physical sunblock. (titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide) And reapply every 2 hrs whether you think you need to or not.

Skin cancer sucks. I had the bad kind, but I'm not dead yet.

Grog "You could try wearing a bike cap under your helmet, they have a small visor."

I got a helmet this year with a visor, but I like to wear bike beanies under road bike (no visor) helmets. :)

I had a scare with skin cancer last year. The dermatologist found and removed some lesions he called "pre-cancerous". I could do better I know but I like Nivea sun screen for my face and arms, often wear a hat now and need to get serious about getting more sun blocking clothing.

KnottedYet- what brand of sun protection do you use? Thanks for telling me your story. I was worried I would have to stop biking to keep out of the sun. You are still biking so it gave me hope!

Still searching for visors! Doesn't a cycling cap nullify the whole helmet/air vent purpose? Does it keep body heat trapped? If not, then that is cool too. Any good caps you guys use?

I have an Old Navy canvas sun visor with no top that I got at a thrift store and plan to try to wear with my helmet this summer. I haven't yet figured out how I'm going to get it fit on. I have to avoid too much sun too. Here is a picture of one of these types of summer visors...it's an ugly commercial picture but it gives you the idea:
http://www.thefishingline.com/fishing1.htm
I think they sell these things as promotional items a lot.

I used a strong sunscreen religiously last year, but suddenly one day I developed an allergy to the chemical sunscreen and broke out in awful HIVES all over my neck and back. The hives took about 4 days to go away. :( I had to swithc to non-chemical sunblock which just has the titanium dioxide. No problems with that one so far. I got a lot of new freckles from biking last year! :rolleyes:

My favorites are Dermatone and Hawaiian Tropic (generally the kid's sunblock). Kid's versions of sunscreens often have the physical blocks. I wear 30 at minimum, and for the tri I wore 30 sport block (sweat proof and had titanium oxide) in several applications, covered over the top with Dermatone paste.

I can burn in about 15 minutes, but didn't even get pink during my tri.

Dermatone leaves white residue on things, but since it's just oil-based the white residue washes out easily in the laundry. I've found the liquid sweat-and-waterproof Dermatone washes off me easily (I have very funky sweat chemistry that messes with everything, even my computer keyboard!) but the paste stays on well.

Edit: the Dermatone I use is a pure physical block.

If the cycling cap otherwise works, but doesn't provide enough venting, you could cut the top off. :eek:

ooo I thought that said helmet VISITORs.... :D :D :D :D :D

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Originally Posted by mimitabby

ooo I thought that said helmet VISITORs.... :D :D :D :D :D

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A little too much post-ride refreshment, eh.

's ok, Mimi, I hadda click into the "Spring Head Coverings" thread thinking "Spring Heads...? What're those, and why is this not in the repair section? :confused:

i think WE need to leave the computers for a few minutes and get some oxygen into our brain cells.

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Originally Posted by Kitsune06

's ok, Mimi, I hadda click into the "Spring Head Coverings" thread thinking "Spring Heads...? What're those, and why is this not in the repair section? :confused:

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Spring Heads are those who prefer their Brooks saddles with springs.

SouthernBelle- follow the lonk I posted above...to visors that ARE loike baseball caps with the tops cut off. I don't think they'r too hard to find. I'm going to trying fitting mine on somehow this summer to keep the sun off my face.

Actually... this is a SpringHead. The "Spring Head Cover" is what you pay before going to a show.

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Originally Posted by Kitsune06

Actually... this is a SpringHead. The "Spring Head Cover" is what you pay before going to a show.

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Gee, and I thought the springhead cover what what you put on your sprung Brooks in the rain... http://www.biketrax.co.uk/smsimg/51/...ecovercopy.jpg

you know, Lisa, i have one of these and it isn't even water repellent.
You're better off just tying a plastic bag around your saddle if you're transporting it or leaving it outside in the rain.
that doesn't sound right. Putting a plastic bag ON your saddle, the saddle in the bag
then tie below with a twist tie.

Wow Mimi, I have a Brooks rain cover too, but I haven't had to try it out in the rain yet. Maybe I'll take it out to the kitchen sink and test it. Bummer if it's as you say- I hate wasting money like that. No sense carrying it in my saddlebag if it doesn't work. I'd be better off with a gallon Ziplock then - right? I'll check it out tomorrow....

I use a UVA and UVB sunscreen protection from SkinCeuticals. A spf30 for daily stuff and a spf45 sweat proof for saturday ride training day and reapply it at least once during the ride.

One tip about sunscreen...MAKE SURE IT IS NOT EXPIRED!! If you have had it a while or from last year or last season...toss it and get new. Yup, I learned this the hard way. That's why I now spend a bit more on the good stuff with an expiration date well over a year. To me, it is totally worth it.

What ever you use just be sure it protects you from UVA and UVB rays. It should say on the tube.

Don't have any advice on the hat/visor situation though. Sorry. :o

Another idea: Buy a helmet with a visor and wear it on sunny days and save the roadie (no-visor) helmet for solid overcast days (still wear sunscreen!) and winter days when the sun is much less strong or when you don't mind wearing a cap or beanie under the helmet.

I used to always wear non-visor roadie helmets; thought the visored helmets were for mountain biking only and "uncool" for road riding. Then, I started mountain biking. I had to buy a new helmet since I'd crashed my non-visored road helmet, so I bought a helmet with a visor. Man, I loved that visor!!! I had no idea idea how much it would help with glare on sunny days, and when riding trails, at least once it actually protected me from a hanging branch. I wouldn't wear a helmet without a visor now - on the road or mountain biking.

Having a second helmet isn't such a bad thing either, since if you do ever crash and hit your head, you should replace your helmet, so that gives you an instant backup = no days off the bike til you can replace your helmet! :D

Emily

okay, back on task.
I bought a helmet with a visor, thinking if it was annoying I would remove it.
It isn't annoying at all. I like it!

The only issue I have with a standard visor is the length of the bill. I think cycling caps have a shorter bill because of our position, more of a head down type thing. That makes it harder to peer under the bill.

I can always tell when I'm tired. I start looking over the top of my sunglasses cause I'm dropping my head.

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Originally Posted by SouthernBelle

I can always tell when I'm tired. I start looking over the top of my sunglasses cause I'm dropping my head.

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Or maybe your sunglasses are just sliding down your nose when you're tired! ;)

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Originally Posted by Lisa S.H.

Or maybe your sunglasses are just sliding down your nose when you're tired! ;)

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Maybe it's my long, fluttery lashes. :p

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Originally Posted by SouthernBelle

Maybe it's my long, fluttery lashes. :p

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I was just going to say that. Everyone's been talking about them! :rolleyes:

Well, I took Knottedyet's advice and got the Dermatone sunscreen. I bought the paste in the travel tin and also a bottle of the creme. And I love it!!! The creme works well for everyday use, even good under makeup. And I use the paste when I am riding. The paste is a bit greasy, but my face didn't burn at all. My shoulders are toast because I didn't put anything on them, but the face is fine. This might even solve the biking tan lines I get. :) I know a lot of you wear your tan lines with pride, but I ballrom dance and the tan lines don't go real well... :) I am hoping the sunscreen means I don't need to buy a visor.

Got the Dermatone at REI.

Background: I spent a few years in South America and got some bad sun spots on my face which tend to darken every summer.