Helmet - yes or no or it depends?

[valium64]

Going down in the trails always and only helmet and full face, possibly native or at most I could consider a convertible but only with DH certifyed, with one not certifyed like the Bell Super 2 R I have already left the nasal septum cracked by the chin that broke due to an impact with soft soil at only 30 km/h.

 

[Gary]

Helmets look bad enough without being so brightly coloured they're visible from space

 

[Jamsxr]

I have broken every helmet I have had except the two I wear now.

I've got scars on my knees and elbows, shoulders that give me trouble and a lump on my left kneecap that stops me kneeling on hard surfaces. All these were from involuntary dismounts. Those areas mostly healed and are all protected now when I ride off road. But I don't want to be even just a little bit brain damaged, so I wear a helmet whenever I get on the bike. Even if just tooling around the village!

I’m a little like that. Got back into riding, start by wearing lots of protection... improve as a rider and the protection slowly starts coming off.... get faster... fall off and mess yourself up, start wearing more protection... it comes off again... more injuries... it’s staying on now, stitches and broken bones are not fun!

Always wear a lid.

 

[Lad]

Easy choice here in Oz. Wear a helmet it or cop the fine. Any age, any bike, any environment - no exemptions.

 

[Gary]

I wouldn't really call that an "easy" choice.
It's a restriction on freedom of choice and an infringement on human rights.

Fewer people now ride bikes in your country since that law being passed.

 

[Pdoz]

The big bike helmet debate: 'You don’t make it safe by forcing cyclists to dress for urban warfare'

"!

The linked article as a very interesting picture -" rush hour" - a group of cyclists in an urban environment. Take a quick look at it or the screenshot below ( say, a car driver length glance) , then come back and read this post.

A couple of questions

1 how many riders without a helmet? So, you noticed her?

2 how many riders in high vis? If you noticed them , was the lady in pink riding in the designated cycling lane?

It's an interesting exercise in psychology - most of us would have noticed the " stupid" lady without a lid - who was riding relatively safely amongst a group. I initially ignored the stupidity of the high vis lady who was riding in the blue zone - MUCH more at risk of hitting a car ( nb not being hit....she is contributing imho) .

More importantly, I personally expect that when we put on our protected gear we feel more protected so take more risks. I know I ride faster on the same trails when wearing a full face. I'm not convinced that flimsy bits of foam on your head , bright colored clothes, or even high vis socks offer enough protection against other vehicles to balance out the risk some cyclist take when protected.

Now, go back and read the article, and reflect on the 2 different docs advocating for / against compulsory lids. Would you rather trust your all cause mortality to a trauma surgeon, or a public health specialist?

Ps yes, I always wear a lid - as an Australian I don't have a choice. But yesterday my 10 yo was riding around the paddock with his mate, the other kid could barely ride a bike. That's a disgrace, and I partly blame compulsory helmets ( plus poor cycling infrastructure, community perceptions, and perhaps the deregulation of the dairy industry....)

 

[Lad]

OK, replace "easy" with "no".

I'll leave to my fellow riders to chime in (if they can be bothered) whether putting the helmet on as required by this inhuman law is a reason not to go for a bike ride.

 

[Pdoz]

OK, replace "easy" with "no".

I'll leave to my fellow riders to chime in (if they can be bothered) whether putting the helmet on as required by this inhuman law is a reason not to go for a bike ride.

Sadly, the science tells us bicycle participation dropped off in this country when the law was passed. Hopefully, the rest of the country will eventually catch up with Canberra participation rates and cycle safe infrastructure - although I'm not holding my breath.

Nb I always wear a lid. Most of the time I wear a full face lid. But I remember stopping cycling in the stack hat era .

 

[HGmtb]

Sometimes I take my helmet off to ride up long steep fire-trail hills in the summer in Australia - otherwise I always wear one mountain biking.

 

[outerlimits]

I had 3 pretty big crashes yesterday.
took a chunk out my pinkie. grazed my calf/ankle and bruised my side.
didn't hit my head at all.
sort of robbed, eh?

That’s a shame.

I always wear a helmet, as even the most simple a stack can have you head butting something. It’s life or death in some instances.

 

[The Flying Dutchman]

Confession time: I voted for the 75-99% because there are a few small instances where I ride without a helmet like after a clean I'll do small up-n-down the culdesac to get rid of water before taking the bike inside. During my EMTB trip over summer, I found I would use my bike around campgrounds, to and from toilet blocks etc. Anything more than that, the helmet is on!

Another point to consider is helmet quality! A cheap, damaged and/or poorly fitted helmet isn't much better than no helmet at all! and don't start me on groms who ride with unclipped helmets.

 

[HORSPWR]

Easy choice here in Oz. Wear a helmet it or cop the fine. Any age, any bike, any environment - no exemptions.

Umm, nope, not in the NT, for anyone under 18 it is compulsory. Over 18, your choice. We are also allowed to ride on any footpath, anywhere, anytime.

 

[Lad]

Didn't know that mate.

Been there over Christmas break for three weeks (Darwin area) and year before did a trip with a Britz campervan all over NT. I have not seen one cyclist on the road, nor on the dirt.

I tried riding on my relatives bike (if it can be called such a thing from BigW) and now I know why. The heat and humidity was an absolute killer. I have utmost respect for anyone riding in there.

BTW I brought my own helmet and had it on these few rides. What a pain in the ass.
Cheers, CU in the NT

 

[cjm_wales]

If I'm going anywhere off road, I always wear a lid.

If I'm at a bike park, it's full face (fox proframe).

On-road, pootling, I rarely bother, unless it's on busy roads.

 

[aarfeldt]

As a motorcycle racer I know the importance of protection....great to fall off at 200MPH and just walk away from it.

Most MTB riders use helmets....but how many use back protectors ?
From my work, I know we have constantly 4-6 MTB riders recovering from back injury.
With eMTB the speed is higher, so the next thing is back protectors of some kind IMO.

 

[outerlimits]

What a pain in the ass.
Cheers, CU in the NT

That’s gold ???

 

[R120]

As a motorcycle racer I know the importance of protection....great to fall off at 200MPH and just walk away from it.

Most MTB riders use helmets....but how many use back protectors ?
From my work, I know we have constantly 4-6 MTB riders recovering from back injury.
With eMTB the speed is higher, so the next thing is back protectors of some kind IMO.

I use one of these

Protection Vest Scrub Amp

 

[iXi]

I wear one now as the nanny state that is Australia dictates that I have too. I never once wore one growing up and even when laws passed that made it mandatory I still didn't.

It's only been the last couple of years I've started too as I don't want to pay the fine and when you are on the trails with no skill of which I have none it make sense., plus I'm getting old so I don't feel as invincible.
.
With all that said if I'm cruising along a designated pathway away from traffic then I don't believe I should have too, yeah yeah I know I could clip a rock and hit my head but I could also slip in the shower and break my neck. Shit happens. There would be more casual cyclists in Australia if it wasn't for the shit laws.

 

[Albez]

Yeah it always amazes me how some people have a need for excessive amounts of gear, I only have a couple of helmets

View attachment 14482

What's the top right one?

 

[R120]

Fox Drop Frame, I have two, their pretty new but comfiest helmet I have had, probably marmite looks, but I always wear goggles because I have an eye condition which means I need to be very careful about getting anything in my eyes, and they work perfectly with goggles.

Fox Dropframe Helmets - Fox Racing® MTB - Official FoxRacing.com

 

[Albez]

Fox Drop Frame, I have two, their pretty new but comfiest helmet I have had, probably marmite looks, but I always wear goggles because I have an eye condition which means I need to be very careful about getting anything in my eyes, and they work perfectly with goggles.

Fox Dropframe Helmets - Fox Racing® MTB - Official FoxRacing.com

View attachment 14507

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Funny, I was just looking at these helmets. Why does it say POC though if it's a Fox helmet? Is that a sticker?

 

[R120]

That’s the goggle strap! The goggles are Poc, Helmet Fox

 

[Albez]

That’s the goggle strap! The goggles are Poc, Helmet Fox

My bad lol.. didn't notice the googles.

 

[StevoKickstart]

I only wear a light-weight full face now; I don't even notice I'm wearing it (FOX Pro-Frame). I am more reassured than wearing a traditional mtb helmet as my face/ teeth/ jaw are more protected.
If I damaged my teeth, I literally would cry!

 

[steve_sordy]

While out riding at a trail centre I came across four lads in their mid teens. They were riding the designated downhill area. (Nope, it wasn't really a DH trail, just a bit harder then the local red, but it had wall rides, woodwork and some bigger drops). All four of them were not wearing helmets. I asked why not. One lad said that he wasn't frightened of dying. I responded that there are worse things than death. "How about your Mum having to change your nappy for you for the rest of her life?" That shut him up and made the others shuffle about a bit. One lad said that he had a helmet in his backpack. No doubt it was peer pressure that made him not wear it. I didn't give them a hard time or lecture them. I just told them that I had broken all my previous helmets and advised them that it was not cool to drool. I have no idea what impact I had on them , or whether they wore helmets thereafter, but I tried.

I'm pleased to say that my grandson always wears a helmet even when I'm not with him and he's out with his mates. He has banged his head often enough to believe in the benefits of helmet wearing. He has the messages, backchat and confidence to face out his mates and to still wear one even though none of them were riding one. Several years later they do now though.

 

[R120]

At the opposite end of the spectrum most of the kids round me who are getting in to MTB seem to love a full face, despite their bikes of choice, likely driven by budget, being various Carerras.

 

[Mad Mark]

I think it's becoming a bit more accepted to wear a helmet nowadays......thankfully

 

[andykent]

always wear a helmet, and to be honest if a mate turned up to a trail without one i wouldn't ride with him. I'll be the one that has to apply the first aid.

 

[flash]

always wear a helmet, and to be honest if a mate turned up to a trail without one i wouldn't ride with him. I'll be the one that has to apply the first aid.

Agreed. I forgot my helmet a couple of months ago. Instead of riding I drove to a shop and bought one. Having travelled through the front windscreen of a Toyota and walked away I will never ride without one. I wouldn't do that to my loved ones. And I know how often and how easily things can go pear shaped on a bike.

Body protection is next, as I'm currently 3 weeks off the bike with a broken rib. And I did that going uphill.

Gordon

 

[Jamsxr]

I’m guessing the people who don’t always choose to wear a helmet just ride cycle paths and very basic mellow trails.

There’s just no way you could enjoy fast technical trail/downhill riding without a helmet. If you’ve not come off, you’re not doing it right ??