Helmet - yes or no or it depends?

[ottoshape]

Got my wake up call on a ride last evening. Riding on some "unimproved" ground and the front tire found a mostly hidden obstacle that rolled the wrong way when hit. I got slapped to the ground faster than you can say "faster". The troubling part is my head smacked the ground for the first time in my entire bicycle riding career. There were lots of large and small rocks near the indentation my head left in deep, fluffy, soft sand. I'm pretty sure I would have a head injury right now if I hit anything harder. The reason I would have had a head injury? I don't wear a helmet except when riding in bike parks. This was on my daily, neighborhood woods ride and I believed none of that terrain required use of a helmet.

How often do you wear your helmet?

 

[Jonnymac]

Let that be a lesson then. Wear a helmet unless you have some understanding family members prepared to spoon feed you

 

[Lee Dove]

Got my wake up call on a ride last evening. Riding on some "unimproved" ground and the front tire found a mostly hidden obstacle that rolled the wrong way when hit. I got slapped to the ground faster than you can say "faster". The troubling part is my head smacked the ground for the first time in my entire bicycle riding career. There were lots of large and small rocks near the indentation my head left in deep, fluffy, soft sand. I'm pretty sure I would have a head injury right now if I hit anything harder. The reason I would have had a head injury? I don't wear a helmet except when riding in bike parks. This was on my daily, neighborhood woods ride and I believed none of that terrain required use of a helmet.

How often do you wear your helmet?

As soon as the leave the tarmac riding without a helmet is just plain stupid. I actually fall off mostly on the simple innocuous stuff . My only decision is weather or not to fit the chin bar (Bell ).

 

[Doomanic]

When riding off road I always wear a helmet.

 

[khorn]

Got my wake up call on a ride last evening. Riding on some "unimproved" ground and the front tire found a mostly hidden obstacle that rolled the wrong way when hit. I got slapped to the ground faster than you can say "faster". The troubling part is my head smacked the ground for the first time in my entire bicycle riding career. There were lots of large and small rocks near the indentation my head left in deep, fluffy, soft sand. I'm pretty sure I would have a head injury right now if I hit anything harder. The reason I would have had a head injury? I don't wear a helmet except when riding in bike parks. This was on my daily, neighborhood woods ride and I believed none of that terrain required use of a helmet.

How often do you wear your helmet?

I ALWAYS wear a helmet by reflex when I go for any type of cycling. That saved my head last summer when I was riding in a rather slow pace down a dedicated cycling path and a pedestrian stepped right in front of me and went head first down hitting the concrete. This is how my Bell helmet looked like afterwards:

I’m sure my scull would have had equal fractures if not having the helmet saving me....... It happens when you least expect it and riding without is stupid beyond measurable.

Karsten

 

[V8EBR]

I ALWAYS wear a helmet by reflex when I go for any type of cycling. That saved my head last summer when I was riding in a rather slow pace down a dedicated cycling path and a pedestrian stepped right in front of me and went head first down hitting the concrete. This is how my Bell helmet looked like afterwards:

View attachment 14468

I’m sure my scull would have had equal fractures if not having the helmet saving me....... It happens when you least expect it and riding without is stupid beyond measurable.

Karsten

Funnily enough, I also have what appears to be exactly the same Bell helmet, however mine is dented on the side (just above my ear) from a few years ago when I rode over a drain cover on a blind corner in the wet and had the ground hit me in the head so fast that I didn't even get my hands off the grips (and I was only going slowly at the time).

Glad I was wearing a helmet that day, however, in truth I only first started wearing one when I had kids in order to set an example to them - have become a convert to always wearing since though.

 

[R120]

I believe in people choice as to wearing a helmet or not, and dont think you should be legally obliged too, but its pretty crazy not too. It doesn't matter what terrain you are riding, or how fast, you smack your head and it could be curtains to life as you know it.

 

[Mad Mark]

I always wear a helmet
Being a motorbike rider, I understand the importance of wearing a helmet - I always wear a full face helmet.....smashing your jaw into the floor does not appeal to me
Also if you give your helmet a good bashing ( oh er mrs ) you should replace it

 

[tedturbine]

Having suffered a brain haemorrage some years after a bang to the head (non mtb related) and still living with some after effects 8 years later, you really, really must protect your head. I'm one of the lucky ones who has recovered pretty well but to me it is a no-brainer (see what I did there) to always wear a helmet.

 

[MarkH]

As soon as the leave the tarmac riding without a helmet is just plain stupid. I actually fall off mostly on the simple innocuous stuff . My only decision is weather or not to fit the chin bar (Bell ).

Wot Lee said...

I should add I've got a lovely 4 inch scar on my forehead (makes me look like a Bond villain) from one time I didn't wear a helmet. So its a full face and body armour even if I'm going to the shops now

 

[MattyB]

I believe in people choice as to wearing a helmet or not, and dont think you should be legally obliged too, but its pretty crazy not too. It doesn't matter what terrain you are riding, or how fast, you smack your head and it could be curtains to life as you know it.

Completely agree. I personally would never ride without one, but there is quite a bit of evidence that shows legalsing them may not help in terms of improving safety, and also can reduce participation - well worth a read...

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

PS - My pet hate is adults who cycle along without a helmet whilst their children all have them, or sometimes even vice versa. Can someone please explain the thinking on that one to me? "Yeah, I have a brain worth protecting, but my kids? Nah, they're fine without..."!

 

[steve_sordy]

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!

 

[Slowroller]

The only time I don't is spinning circles in the driveway checking out the results of whatever I just adjusted in the garage. Other than that, 100% of the time. I'd say 50% of the injuries I hear about in my circle of riding friends happen in the proverbial JRA situation. Clip a pedal on a rock in an easy section because you're not paying attention, catch a handlebar on a tree branch you've ridden by 1000 times, take one hand off the bars to fiddle with something. It happens

 

[R120]

Main thing that has me wearing a helmet anytime I get on my bike now, is my kids, very hard to get them to wear theirs if I dont!

 

[ottoshape]

Based upon poll results so far, riding sans helmet is not very popular... I thought we'd at least have a few part-time partakers....

 

[R120]

Your not alone - I know one Forumnger who rides helmet less a fair bit

 

[Gary]

How often do you wear your helmet?

Rarely ever (def less than 1%)

Wore one yesterday for about 10 minutes in total (4 hour Enduro ride with some pretty fasst Enduro racers on pretty technical tracks and wore it for the descents only)
Hadn't worn one for about a fortnight. I ride almost every day probably ride on average 10-15 hours a week. actual moving time. split between 100miles ish commuting, hours pissing about and a few proper mtb rides) but only wear a helmet for fast/technical descents and remove it again straight after.
some weeks i never wear a helmet at all.

My kids to wear a helmet if we're actually mountainbiking, racing BMX or on a proper ride but not when just messing about away from roads.
(2 of them are adults BTW)


i didn't vote in the poll BTW

#SuchaRebel

 

[Doomanic]

#nothingtoprotect

 

[Gary]

The results aren't surprising.
most folk with a £4k+ bike also have £££s of gear to go with it. including ridiculously expensive helmets

 

[Doomanic]

All the gear, no idea...

I would say you are firmly in the minority Gary, at least down here in the flatlands. The only people I see without lids in the FoD are youths on BSOs in jeans and trainers.

 

[Gary]

the above wasn't a dig BTW.
I myself have 6 helmets.
including 2x TLD D2s that retailed for £300 at the time.

 

[Gary]

it's a kinda sheepy pastime Dom

 

[Gary]

#nothingtoprotect

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?

 

[R120]

The results aren't surprising.
most folk with a £4k+ bike also have £££s of gear to go with it. including ridiculously expensive helmets

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

 

[Gary]

bottom right?

are there a lot of grenade attacks in the Surrey hills?

 

[R120]

Thats my winter helmet to keep my bonce warm! Lazer Dissent, basically a slightly modified Snowboard helmet.

https://fat-bike.com/2015/04/lazer-dissent-the-long-term-winter-wear-review/

 

[Doomanic]

I've only got 2 and they could both do with replacing...

 

[ottoshape]

The thing that is bugging me is the area where I found gold is in the far back corner of the riding area. If I would have cracked my skull open or been rendered unconscious, it would have been verrrrry interesting. My general rule is live to play another day, not pin it to bin it. I shouldn't have been back there or I should have geared up.

FWIW, the once well-traveled track was recently plowed up for a fire-break. No one but me is trying to tackle that terrain. It is large and small rocks and ruts and you're getting thrown all over trying to motor through that section. I've ridden it 4-5 times with varying degrees of success and wasn't giving much thought to eating dirt.

 

[Gary]

'kin hateful things...

 

[Mad Mark]

Just wondering Gary do you have a fetish for "black" ?