When is a full face helmet advisable ?

I have been moutain biking for little over a year and have started to become more daring , going
down rocky hills at 20 mph ( as indicated on my Cat-Eye ) I've only Endo'd once going over the bars
down a 2'nd rocky step that I failed to keep my weight back on , but I was able to break the fall
with my forearms and keep my head and especially chin away from the ground . My Giro helmet has
served me well protecting my head from side impacts on falling .

For those who wear full face , how fast do you ride and in what conditions . Is these a certain
speed at which a fall or endo could cause an unavoidable face impact ? Am I on borrowed time , not
wearing a full-face ?

> I have been moutain biking for little over a year and have started to become more daring , going
> down rocky hills at 20 mph ( as indicated on my Cat-Eye ) I've only Endo'd once going over the
> bars down a 2'nd rocky step that I failed to keep my weight back on , but I was able to break the
> fall with my forearms and keep my head and especially chin away from the ground . My Giro helmet
> has served me well protecting my head from side impacts on falling .
>
> For those who wear full face , how fast do you ride and in what conditions . Is these a certain
> speed at which a fall or endo could cause an unavoidable face impact ? Am I on borrowed time , not
> wearing a full-face ?

Basically, if you're *that worried about a head injury, it's time for a full face. The Mad Max is an
excellent helmet and you can't beat $100. If has pretty good venting too, but any decent full face
will get hot in warmer weather and during the climbs.

Just make sure if you do buy one, it fits perfectly....should be pretty snug and not rattle around
when you shake your head up & down /side to side. Fit is the most important part, not which one
looks the most bitchin, although it's cool when you can get both ;^ 0
--
Slacker

"John Wayne Hussein" <jwh@usa.com> wrote in message
news:askLa.37355$xg5.16183@twister.austin.rr.com...
> I have been moutain biking for little over a year and have started to
become
> more daring , going down rocky hills at 20 mph ( as indicated on my Cat-Eye ) I've only Endo'd
> once going over the bars down a 2'nd rocky step that I failed to keep my weight back on , but I
> was able to break the fall with my forearms and keep my head and especially chin away from the
> ground . My Giro helmet has served me well protecting my head from side impacts on falling .
>
> For those who wear full face , how fast do you ride and in what conditions
.
> Is these a certain speed at which a fall or endo could cause an unavoidable face impact ? Am I on
> borrowed time , not wearing a full-face ?
>
>
>
>
>

If you are too ugly otherwise. And want to take it easy on the eyes of riding buddies

TJ

> I have been moutain biking for little over a year and have started to
become
> more daring , going down rocky hills at 20 mph ( as indicated on my Cat-Eye ) I've only Endo'd
> once going over the bars down a 2'nd rocky step that I failed to keep my weight back on , but I
> was able to break the fall with my forearms and keep my head and especially chin away from the
> ground . My Giro helmet has served me well protecting my head from side impacts on falling .
>
> For those who wear full face , how fast do you ride and in what conditions
.
> Is these a certain speed at which a fall or endo could cause an unavoidable face impact ? Am I on
> borrowed time , not wearing a full-face ?

I use a Mad Max II when I'm dirt jumping and doing various downhill style courses. The helmet's
great. 17 vents for cooling and makes you feel really secure - perhaps this could be considered a
down point

Small Black Dog

John Wayne Hussein wrote:
> I have been moutain biking for little over a year and have started to become more daring , going
> down rocky hills at 20 mph ( as indicated on my Cat-Eye ) I've only Endo'd once going over the
> bars down a 2'nd rocky step that I failed to keep my weight back on , but I was able to break the
> fall with my forearms and keep my head and especially chin away from the ground .

Only one endo in a year. Either I'm a clown or you're real carefull.

> My Giro helmet has served me well protecting my head from side impacts on falling .
>
I got one also, nice except havin to readjust the straps all the time because they slide.

> For those who wear full face , how fast do you ride and in what conditions . Is these a certain
> speed at which a fall or endo could cause an unavoidable face impact ?

It's not so much speed as it is the exact way you go over and the nature of what you land on. 4
weeks ago I did a endo messing up a landing after jumping a ditch and pretty much landed on my face,
but it was on forrest dirt so it hurt but harly broke any skin:-)

> Am I on borrowed time , not wearing a full-face ?
>
If you are then I am to:-)

Top speed down a couple of the steeper large hills is around 45-50 mph, but most of the time I
hardly pass 20 mph and crashes are normaly in very technical places which equals slower speed
so I feel pretty safe. (Wonder if writing this is inviting Nemesis in which case I should have
kept quiet).

Regardless - if you don't feel safe now you should go full face, and maybe start saving up for body
amour because soon you'll go faster:-)

Regards

Bruno

"John Wayne Hussein" <jwh@usa.com> wrote in message
news:askLa.37355$xg5.16183@twister.austin.rr.com...
> I have been moutain biking for little over a year and have started to
become
> more daring , going down rocky hills at 20 mph ( as indicated on my Cat-Eye ) I've only Endo'd
> once going over the bars down a 2'nd rocky step that I failed to keep my weight back on , but I
> was able to break the fall with my forearms and keep my head and especially chin away from the
> ground . My Giro helmet has served me well protecting my head from side impacts on falling .
>
> For those who wear full face , how fast do you ride and in what conditions
.
> Is these a certain speed at which a fall or endo could cause an unavoidable face impact ? Am I on
> borrowed time , not wearing a full-face ?
>

I had a similar wake up call 'downhilling' and started wearing a full face. I ain't that pretty but
don't want to make things worse.

Mike

"Slacker" <slacker7@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message news:bdkv4e$ts866$1@ID-191655.news.dfncis.de...
> I have been moutain biking for little over a year and have started to
become
> more daring , going down rocky hills at 20 mph ( as indicated on my Cat-Eye ) I've only Endo'd
> once going over the bars down a 2'nd rocky step that I failed to keep my weight back on , but I
> was able to break the fall with my forearms and keep my head and especially chin away from the
> ground . My Giro helmet has served me well protecting my head from side impacts on falling .
>
> For those who wear full face , how fast do you ride and in what conditions
.
> Is these a certain speed at which a fall or endo could cause an unavoidable face impact ? Am I on
> borrowed time , not wearing a full-face ?

Basically, if you're *that worried about a head injury, it's time for a full face. The Mad Max is an
excellent helmet and you can't beat $100. If has pretty good venting too, but any decent full face
will get hot in warmer weather and during the climbs.

Just make sure if you do buy one, it fits perfectly....should be pretty snug and not rattle around
when you shake your head up & down /side to side. Fit is the most important part, not which one
looks the most bitchin, although it's cool when you can get both ;^ 0
--
Slacker

that was exactly my answer too - If you've even thought about it you should get one

"Slacker" <slacker7@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message news:bdkv4e$ts866$1@ID-191655.news.dfncis.de...
> > I have been moutain biking for little over a year and have started to
become
> > more daring , going down rocky hills at 20 mph ( as indicated on my Cat-Eye ) I've only Endo'd
> > once going over the bars down a 2'nd rocky step that I failed to keep my weight back on , but I
> > was able to break the fall with my forearms and keep my head and especially chin away from the
> > ground . My Giro helmet has served me well protecting my head from side impacts
on
> > falling .
> >
> > For those who wear full face , how fast do you ride and in what
conditions .
> > Is these a certain speed at which a fall or endo could cause an unavoidable face impact ? Am I
> > on borrowed time , not wearing a full-face ?
>
>
> Basically, if you're *that worried about a head injury, it's time for a
full face. The Mad Max is an excellent helmet and you can't
> beat $100. If has pretty good venting too, but any decent full face will
get hot in warmer weather and during the climbs.
>
> Just make sure if you do buy one, it fits perfectly....should be pretty
snug and not rattle around when you shake your head up &
> down /side to side. Fit is the most important part, not which one looks
the most bitchin, although it's cool when you can get both
> ;^ 0

The guys in the bike shop at the bottom of Snowshoe mountain were thinking about mounting the front
fork of a DH bike to a paint can shaker for a 'helmet fit checker'. It started as a joke and then
sounded more like a good idea. They never followed through on it though.

Mike -