Ever ridden your bike without a helmet?
Discussion
I'm sure that we are all a sensible lot on here, however I'm also sure that we all know someone who thinks that skid lids are "uncool" and ride without one.
I took an off on Saturday up my local woods. Not over the larger jumps, nor on the fastest downhill sections. All that was fine. Just a reasonably quick "mistake" where a wheel hooked into a rut and I was thrown from the bike.
No matter how the fall happened, I was thrown over the bars and landed heavily on my head, neck and shoulder. Exposed limbs suffered the usual abrasions, and my shoulder and neck are very stiff and a little swolen. As for my head? Nothing a couple of medicinal beers couldn't sort, and a couple morning Nurofen.
I'd not like to think what could have happened had I not been wearing my lid though. This was how my Giro ended up at the end of the ride
I went straight out after a bath and a refresh and bought another Giro. No better or worse than other brands, however in the same way that I have gained a fondness for Arai bike helmets, I stick to what I know works!
I took an off on Saturday up my local woods. Not over the larger jumps, nor on the fastest downhill sections. All that was fine. Just a reasonably quick "mistake" where a wheel hooked into a rut and I was thrown from the bike.
No matter how the fall happened, I was thrown over the bars and landed heavily on my head, neck and shoulder. Exposed limbs suffered the usual abrasions, and my shoulder and neck are very stiff and a little swolen. As for my head? Nothing a couple of medicinal beers couldn't sort, and a couple morning Nurofen.
I'd not like to think what could have happened had I not been wearing my lid though. This was how my Giro ended up at the end of the ride
I went straight out after a bath and a refresh and bought another Giro. No better or worse than other brands, however in the same way that I have gained a fondness for Arai bike helmets, I stick to what I know works!
Look, I wear a helmet, my kids wear a helmet... BUT THIS IS NOT GOOD EVIDENCE FOR HELMET WEARING!!!
It's like saying "I was holding an ice cream, and a man punched me in the face and I didn't get bum cancer, so if you don't want bum cancer, hold an ice cream".
There's no reason to assume that 'cos the helmet cracked, you have been "drinking through a straw". Your skull isn't made of polystyrene, and it's a design that evolved to take knocks. I've smacked my head after bailing a 10-step drop to little effect, and I lost 6-months memory after flipping my bike at 35mph at chicksands (and squashing the helmet). Neither tell me anything about the pros and cons. If you want to wear a helmet, wear a helmet. If you don't, don't. The debates in the BMJ are clear - there's no good evidence either way unless you are young and/or crash at low speed. At higher speeds, helmets may even increase the likelihood of rotational brain injuries that are the most debiliating. I wear a helmet because it's habit, it's got reflective patches, and if I am knocked off and vegetablised, the judge will award less damages for my wife and kids if I am not wearing a helmet, regardless of the evidence.
It's like saying "I was holding an ice cream, and a man punched me in the face and I didn't get bum cancer, so if you don't want bum cancer, hold an ice cream".
There's no reason to assume that 'cos the helmet cracked, you have been "drinking through a straw". Your skull isn't made of polystyrene, and it's a design that evolved to take knocks. I've smacked my head after bailing a 10-step drop to little effect, and I lost 6-months memory after flipping my bike at 35mph at chicksands (and squashing the helmet). Neither tell me anything about the pros and cons. If you want to wear a helmet, wear a helmet. If you don't, don't. The debates in the BMJ are clear - there's no good evidence either way unless you are young and/or crash at low speed. At higher speeds, helmets may even increase the likelihood of rotational brain injuries that are the most debiliating. I wear a helmet because it's habit, it's got reflective patches, and if I am knocked off and vegetablised, the judge will award less damages for my wife and kids if I am not wearing a helmet, regardless of the evidence.
Mekon said:
I've smacked my head after bailing a 10-step drop to little effect, and I lost 6-months memory after flipping my bike at 35mph at chicksands (and squashing the helmet). Neither tell me anything about the pros and cons.
Sorry, what? You've survived both those incidents, with your helmet deforming and absorbing energy, and you don't appreciate that being here to rant is one of the pros for wearing a lid?
Are you sure there was no lasting injury from your falls, or does your profile name tell us something about the thickness of your skull?
Mr_C said:
I must buy a new one. Any recommendations?
I'll spend, say, £50 and have had a Met and a Giro in the past.
I had a reasonably cheap helmet that was bought for me ages ago, I didn't like the way it looked or felt so didn't wear it much. I went to uni this year and decided that I should probably get myself a decent lid, my budget was originally the same as yours, however, I upped the budget for something that fits really well, is very light so I can hardly feel it, and it doesn't make me look like a retard so I actually like to wear it, well worth the extra money I'll spend, say, £50 and have had a Met and a Giro in the past.
New lid is a Met Inferno Ultimalight and I love it, my dad borrowed it and then promptly went and bought himself an identical one 
I've only not worn one twice this summer when I went for a short ride and the sun was scorching, 99% of the time, I won't be without it though!!I have a 1/2" scar on my left shoulder from May this year - which I guess may never fade - from an OTB moment on an XC race. I landed uspide down on a tree stump and the impact was shared between said shoulder, head and right hand knuckles. The knuckles of the smaller and ring finger also needed to be 're-located'. Bonce was okay thanks to cheapo Bell helmet.
That was the second time I've done a headstand in that helmet. I don't honestly think that I'd've been 'dead' without it, and I certainly don't think it'd do much to prevent a busted neck (which is another potential outcome of such antics) but FWIW I'd generally not want to ride without.
IIRC Bell used to have an ad campaign for their car/bike crash helmets which was something along the lines of "if you've got a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet!". I bought a £39.99 helmet - draw your own conclusions.
That was the second time I've done a headstand in that helmet. I don't honestly think that I'd've been 'dead' without it, and I certainly don't think it'd do much to prevent a busted neck (which is another potential outcome of such antics) but FWIW I'd generally not want to ride without.
IIRC Bell used to have an ad campaign for their car/bike crash helmets which was something along the lines of "if you've got a $10 head, buy a $10 helmet!". I bought a £39.99 helmet - draw your own conclusions.
Edited by Digga on Tuesday 22 September 13:38
mat205125 said:
Sorry, what?
You've survived both those incidents, with your helmet deforming and absorbing energy, and you don't appreciate that being here to rant is one of the pros for wearing a lid?
Are you sure there was no lasting injury from your falls, or does your profile name tell us something about the thickness of your skull?
Ten-step drop, no lid but fine, albeit with a bYou've survived both those incidents, with your helmet deforming and absorbing energy, and you don't appreciate that being here to rant is one of the pros for wearing a lid?
Are you sure there was no lasting injury from your falls, or does your profile name tell us something about the thickness of your skull?
d lump. Somersault at 35mph, 6 months memory lost temporarily, helmet flat.Too lazy/busy to compose argument, so this is stolen from BMJ:
Laws have stopped a lot of people cycling and have done nothing for head injury rates.(1) It appears that helmets break easily, but don't effectively absorb the impact in real crashes.(2,3)
References: 1) Robinson DL. No clear evidence from countries that have enforced the wearing of helmets. BMJ 2006;332: 722-5. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/332/7543/722-a
2) Sundahl JG, Senior Engineer, Bell Sports. 19th January 1998. Letter to the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, c/o Scott Heh, Project Manager Directorate for Engineering Sciences Washington, D. C, 20207. http://www.cpsc.gov/LIBRARY/FOIA/FOIA98/PUBCOM/34C...
3) Corner JP, Whitney CW, O'Rourke N, Morgan DE. CR 55: Motorcycle and bicycle protective helmets requirements resulting from a post crash study and experimental research (1987). DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORT, FEDERAL OFFICE OF ROAD SAFETY. Report No. CR 55 Date May, 1987 Pages 160 f xi ISBN 0 642 510 431 ISSN CR = 0810-770 Title: MOTORCYCLE AND BICYCLE PROTECTIVE HELMETS: REQUIREMENTS RESULTING FROM A POST CRASH STUDY AND EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH. http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/roads/safety/publ... 1987/Mcycle_Helm_1.aspx
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