We all know the importance of wearing a helmet

[emtbPhil]

The "making a good example" argument is the strongest one that should be emphasised here. Especially at bike parks. Too many young kids who think helmets look daft because older blokes wearing all the cool Fox gear aren't wearing them.

I've never been able to understand why people care what others think they look like. I wear a full face at bike parks now after my recent crash, open face on XC. I take it off when climbing fire roads but that's because I'm sweating not because I want to look cool to others

That being said!!.......... Statistically countries that force people to wear helmets have seen a massive drop in people cycling. The benefits of cycling on health massively outweigh the miniscule number of cycling related deaths. There's a lot more people die from issues with being overweight/unhealthy than from riding a bike. And then there's the issue with car pollution/petrol usage relying on foreign oil etc.. etc..

There's also the argument that if you wear a helmet you're likely to do more reckless things because you think your safer...

So I do actually agree with Gary, let people do what they want if it gets them on a bike

 

[Tim1023]

I respect people's right to choose, even if I sometimes don't understand the choice. As long as it doesn't affect other people's freedoms too much. That laws to force helmet use might reduce use of bikes I can understand to a degree, but does anyone have stats on that? I'd genuinely be interested. What was the effect on riding motor bikes when helmets were mandated? Was car use reduced when wearing seatbelts were required? I do find it bizarre, however, when people decide not to wear helmets. What's the thinking to not ride if helmets are a requirement? Too much faff? Messes with my hair? Too hot? I don't look cool / manly enough? Just because? For my wife it's the faff and messing with her hair, but hubby and thinking the issue through has persuaded her to wear her helmet on all but the shortest trips. It has had zero impact on decisions to use the bike or not.

I agree that the plural of anecdote is not data. On either side. A quick search for meta research about the effects of wearing a bike yielded this on pub med: Bicycle helmets - To wear or not to wear? A meta-analyses of the effects of bicycle helmets on injuries - PubMed Usually a pretty reliable source. I looked for meta research so as to avoid biases, extremes and methodological errors in individual studies. Should you want to read the individual studies, they're all linked (academic subscriptions may be needed for some). Happy reading!

 

[Tubby G]

There's also the argument that if you wear a helmet you're likely to do more reckless things because you think your safer...

thats my problem when wearing the full face

 

[Gary]

but does anyone have stats on that? I'd genuinely be interested

The reduction in cycling participation after Australia's compulsory helmet laws came into force has been fairly well documented. Google should find you what you're looking for. It's always better to do your own research than take info some Jerry on a furum has linked to as gospel.

 

[Gary]

more people die from issues with being overweight/unhealthy than from riding a bike.

And more pedestrians are killed per year than cyclists.
How many of the die hard "YOU MUST ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET AND SET A GOOD EXAMPLE TO LITTLE TIMMY" crowd wear a helmet when walking the streets?
Yeah 'zaktly

 

[emtbPhil]

I mean I don't walk the streets, because they're full of people, and I hate people

 

[dobbyhasfriends]

Most of the statistics you'll find on the matter aren't accurate.

And more pedestrians are killed per year than cyclists.

phew, I thought you might back that up with statistics but then they would have been wrong so thankfully, your argument stands!

 

[Gary]

when people decide not to wear helmets. What's the thinking to not ride if helmets are a requirement? Too much faff? Messes with my hair? Too hot? I don't look cool / manly enough? Just because? For my wife it's the faff and messing with her hair, but hubby and thinking the issue through has persuaded her to wear her helmet on all but the shortest trips. It has had zero impact on decisions to use the bike or not.

Can't speak for anyone else but for me. I genuinely just find them horrible. They're all hot and sweaty and unnatural. and when I do wear one i'm really aware of it being there. and it genuinely detracts from my enjoyment of riding. I don't expect folk who routinely always wear one to understand, and why should I?
Helmets don't really mess with my hair. I have a thick head of hair that's longer than most men of my age and often actually wear a thin fleece hat or cotton cap when cycling to stop it blowing about so much. Or when it's cold, windy or raining. If I get too hot wearing those either can just be stuffed in a pocket
It is definitely way more faff having to put on a helmet before every ride and even more so when you have to look after it and carry it around with you everywhere you go. I ride a bike multiple times every day in civvies. infact I probably ride a bike in civvies more than most of this forum ride a bike at all. (at least 10hrs per week).
I'm definitely vain but not wearing a helmet is absolutely nothing to do with trying to look cool. Many many people from complete strangers to partners have commented that I look good in a cycle helmet. It proably helps that I'm naturally stylish (riding style) and quite laid back. I also have decent taste in clothing so wouldn't dream of buying one of the monsterously hiddeous designs a lot of "cyclists" seem to favour.

My partner pretty much always wears a helmet when she rides her bikes (roadbike and normal mtb). i can only think of one time the whole time I've known her that she didn't and that was when we hired city bikes (edinburgh's Boris bikes) for a laugh one evening. Entirely her choice. And i have no issue with it at all.
My kids sometimes don't wear a helmet, sometimes do. But their choice of when to is entirely based on their own risk assesment.
ie. If my youngest is just going a very short journey to the park for a mess about, probably not. Heading over to the other side of the village to meet friends on a mix of roads and off-road probably. Cycling to the next village 5 miles away .Definitely.
My other kids are adults themselves and have their own helmets and bikes and are perfectly capable of making informed decisions without me.

Hope some of that sheds some light on my choice.

I also HATE riding a bike wearing gloves

 

[Gary]

phew, I thought you might back that up with statistics but then they would have been wrong so thankfully, your argument stands!

I did actually stipulate exactly which "matter" the statistics aren't accurate for.

 

[Gary]

I mean I don't walk the streets, because they're full of people, and I hate people

Believe it or not i actually LOVE people. and PEOPLE tend to LOVE ME!

 

[Gary]

Was the post on the previous page comparing freedom to not wear a bike helmet to comitting mass child murder deleted by Mods or the user themselves?

 

[Doomanic]

I have a thick head of hair that's longer than most men of my age and often actually wear a thin fleece hat or cotton cap when cycling to stop it blowing about so much.

 

[Gary]

Nah. Certainly not a springy bob.

 

[emtbPhil]

Believe it or not i actually LOVE people. and PEOPLE tend to LOVE ME!

I don't believe it

 

[emtbPhil]

I'm definitely vain

...

I look good in a cycle helmet. It proably helps that I'm naturally stylish (riding style) and quite laid back. I also have decent taste in clothing so wouldn't dream of buying one of the monsterously hiddeous designs a lot of "cyclists" seem to favour.

LMFAO at least you're honest

 

[Pyr0]

I grew up not wearing helmets and continue to do so *shrug*
I don't even own one.

 

[Growmac]

I can't think of the last time I rode off-road without a helmet. I've made use of the fact that I'm wearing one far too often not to, in fact I wrote off a helmet just after new year in an incident that would have been unpleasant otherwise.

On the road I'll always wear a helmet if it's convenient. I don't take a helmet with me if I'm going to London and using a hire bike tho.

Offroad I think it's a no brainer. On the road I'm strongly for personal choice. Clearly if you come off then it's better to be wearing a helmet, but lots of evidence suggests you're more likely to be careless if you're wearing one, and that car drivers are less careful around you, meaning overall it's a wash.

 

[Tim1023]

Can't speak for anyone else but for me. I genuinely just find them horrible. They're all hot and sweaty and unnatural. and when I do wear one i'm really aware of it being there. and it genuinely detracts from my enjoyment of riding. I don't expect folk who routinely always wear one to understand, and why should I?
Helmets don't really mess with my hair. I have a thick head of hair that's longer than most men of my age and often actually wear a thin fleece hat or cotton cap when cycling to stop it blowing about so much. Or when it's cold, windy or raining. If I get too hot wearing those either can just be stuffed in a pocket
It is definitely way more faff having to put on a helmet before every ride and even more so when you have to look after it and carry it around with you everywhere you go. I ride a bike multiple times every day in civvies. infact I probably ride a bike in civvies more than most of this forum ride a bike at all. (at least 10hrs per week).
I'm definitely vain but not wearing a helmet is absolutely nothing to do with trying to look cool. Many many people from complete strangers to partners have commented that I look good in a cycle helmet. It proably helps that I'm naturally stylish (riding style) and quite laid back. I also have decent taste in clothing so wouldn't dream of buying one of the monsterously hiddeous designs a lot of "cyclists" seem to favour.

My partner pretty much always wears a helmet when she rides her bikes (roadbike and normal mtb). i can only think of one time the whole time I've known her that she didn't and that was when we hired city bikes (edinburgh's Boris bikes) for a laugh one evening. Entirely her choice. And i have no issue with it at all.
My kids sometimes don't wear a helmet, sometimes do. But their choice of when to is entirely based on their own risk assesment.
ie. If my youngest is just going a very short journey to the park for a mess about, probably not. Heading over to the other side of the village to meet friends on a mix of roads and off-road probably. Cycling to the next village 5 miles away .Definitely.
My other kids are adults themselves and have their own helmets and bikes and are perfectly capable of making informed decisions without me.

Hope some of that sheds some light on my choice.

I also HATE riding a bike wearing gloves

Interesting. Sounds like you have super-sensitive skin (not a piss-take, honest! I get urticaria).
May be you should go all the way and start a naturalists MTB club. Feel free not to post any pictures, though.

 

[Gary]

No. I don't have sensitive skin at all. And I've no idea from what I've typed how you've even come to that conclusion.

I do like being naked though. Infact I'm naked right now.
But I've no interest in starting any sort of club. Especially one full of male cyclists.

 

[Tim1023]

No. I don't have sensitive skin at all. And I've no idea from what I've typed how you've even come to that conclusion.

I do like being naked though. Infact I'm naked right now.
But I've no interest in starting any sort of club. Especially one full of male cyclists.

Makes me think of a lovely German expression: "Kopfkino" Means "Head cinema". It's involentary and generally not a nice thing to experience when it occurs.

 

[Gary]

I've absolutely zero clue what you're going on about.
Have a nice day.

 

[Doomanic]

I think he was saying pass the mind bleach…

 

[RustyIron]

 

[RustyMTB]

A friend of mine who used to model just bought a vanmoof (he's Dutch, and yes, it sounds like an electric vagina) has also ridden bikes all his life and never worn a helmet despite his looks being paramount to him. Now he's realised he's going a bit faster he's decided to buy a helmet. He found one - but it was "cool" ....

Vanfoof. You're definitely onto something.

 

[Slapbassmunky]

I was on a group ride yesterday, a pootle around the New forest, so basically flat and extremely easy going. I'm sure some of us wouldn't have worn a 'piece of polystyrene' for it.

On a mild downhill gravel fire road one guy tried to squeeze between two others, the resulting crash looked pretty spectacular, the squeezer and another hit the deck at about 25 mph. After checking for broken body parts and digging the stones out of them with a multi tool, one of the guys who adventures a lot whips out a mini medical kit! Amazing. Wounds cleaned and dressed. One lid was fine, one lid was *ucked. One set of carbon bars and a Shimano brake lever *ucked.

Now, I'm not saying everyone should wear a lid all the time, I certainly don't. But that ride went from innocent bumble to 'oh shit' in a massive cloud of dust very quickly indeed. Looking at the state of one lid, a pretty serious injury was probably avoided. If he hadn't have been wearing one, that's 9 witnesses to a potentially nasty/life changing injury of a friend, two dog walkers that didn't have to run home quick and call an ambulance (black spot), no strain on the NHS, and no wife who's had her life changed without knowing.

Potentially. Of course he might have been just fine

I'm a firm believer in doing WTF you want, but the possible impact of my injuries on everyone else around me, and not being a selfish arse means I wear one most of the time.

Is that an acceptable story/opinion for our forum overlords?

 

[Labrador29]

Yi

You see, I replied to a comment and used a friendly Australian term, "dingle berry" and fuck witt jumped all over me without even knowing what the term meant.

Come on boys, life is too short

 

[Labrador29]

Anyway! Definitely going to buy a full face helmet with removable guard. Any advice on quality kit for a good price?

Don't skimp on price, buy the best you can afford. Read magazine reviews or watch youtube reviews.
Don't buy one with a detachable chin-guard. None of us know when we are going to face plant. Broken jaw, broken nose, smashed teeth and possibly cheek-bones. The list can go on. Not pretty. I wear mine going to the local dairy, and don't care if I look like a plonker.
Finally, when you have made a choice, make sure it fits snuggly and you are comfortable wearing it. Go for a test ride to make sure.
Good luck