Better helmet?

MichaelJP said:

Is there anything I can get which would be lightweight but offer
better protection and more sensible design? Something like a lighter
climbers or skiers helmet?

Wearing a helmet specifically designed for cycling is sweaty enough, so I
should imagine wearing anything else would be unbearable. BTW, I think the
design principle behind most mainstream cycle helmets is to aid ventilation.
It's TT helmets which give better aerodynamics.

MichaelJP said:

I don't want to open an argument about whether it is better to wear a helmet
or not, but as a recent convert to pedal power from motorcycles I don't
understand the design philosophy behind cycle helmets. I should say I'm no
expert on cycling so feel free to inform me where I'm going wrong.

On a motorbike the engine is doing almost all the work for you and you
have a nice cooling breeze. On a bicycle you are doing all the work and
heating up as a result. A large proportion of that excess heat is lost
through the head. If you strap a thermally insulating polystyrene
helmet over the majority of your head all you would do is get extremely
hot, sweaty and uncomfortable. Even with one just covering the top of
the head, the advertising focus is on how many vents...i.e heat build up
is a major problem.

In addition if it was to do anything useful it would need to be like a
motorcycle helmet with a brace to prevent neck injuries. Feel free to
try your commute using your old motorbike helmet to illustrate to
yourself why it is a bad idea.

Quoted message said:

Is there anything I can get which would be lightweight but offer better
protection and more sensible design? Something like a lighter climbers or
skiers helmet?

Nothing is better than a helmet ;-)

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham

Simon Bennett said:

MichaelJP said:

Is there anything I can get which would be lightweight but offer
better protection and more sensible design? Something like a lighter
climbers or skiers helmet?

Some of the language makes me feel that this /must/ be a troll

Quoted message said:

Wearing a helmet specifically designed for cycling is sweaty enough, so I
should imagine wearing anything else would be unbearable.

In the dim and distant past (1991ish) I used a hang gliding helmet for
commuting which had a rigid injection moulded polythene shell with some
small foam pads inside. It had a few vents and left ears exposed (wind
noise is how hang gliders judge air speed changes). It seemed ok at
the time.

best wishes
james

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

MichaelJP said:

I don't want to open an argument about whether it is better to wear a
helmet or not, but as a recent convert to pedal power from motorcycles I
don't understand the design philosophy behind cycle helmets. I should say
I'm no expert on cycling so feel free to inform me where I'm going wrong.

On a motorbike the engine is doing almost all the work for you and you
have a nice cooling breeze. On a bicycle you are doing all the work and
heating up as a result. A large proportion of that excess heat is lost
through the head. If you strap a thermally insulating polystyrene helmet
over the majority of your head all you would do is get extremely hot,
sweaty and uncomfortable. Even with one just covering the top of the
head, the advertising focus is on how many vents...i.e heat build up is a
major problem.

In addition if it was to do anything useful it would need to be like a
motorcycle helmet with a brace to prevent neck injuries. Feel free to try
your commute using your old motorbike helmet to illustrate to yourself why
it is a bad idea.

Definitely! Way too heavy.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Is there anything I can get which would be lightweight but offer better
protection and more sensible design? Something like a lighter climbers or
skiers helmet?

Nothing is better than a helmet ;-)

Tried riding with nothing at all. I felt a bit exposed but it's how we all
used to ride round as kids.

I was thinking of something that still had vents but was more hemispherical
than ovoid in shape.

MichaelJP said:

I don't want to open an argument about whether it is better to wear a
helmet or not, but as a recent convert to pedal power from
motorcycles I don't understand the design philosophy behind cycle
helmets. I should say I'm no expert on cycling so feel free to inform
me where I'm going wrong.

Compared to what I'm used to, all the helmets available seem to offer
little or no protection to the ears, temple, base of the skull. They
also stick out front and rear which would seem to offer neck-twisting
leverage for an impact with anything solid. This seems to be purely
for aerodynamic reasons which may be very important on the Tour de
France but has zero relevance to my commute to work.

Is there anything I can get which would be lightweight but offer
better protection and more sensible design? Something like a lighter
climbers or skiers helmet?

I think any helmet that could provide very much better protection with
currently available technology would be too heavy or not well ventilated
enough for normal cycling.

However, there is a fair amount of variation when it comes to the amount
of material sticking out so maybe you could find a more rounded helmet
than the ones you've looked at so far.

~PB

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Simon Bennett said:

MichaelJP said:

Is there anything I can get which would be lightweight but offer
better protection and more sensible design? Something like a lighter
climbers or skiers helmet?

Some of the language makes me feel that this /must/ be a troll

Not a troll - I was actually trying to be non-controversial as I know the
issue can lead to flame wars🙂

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Wearing a helmet specifically designed for cycling is sweaty enough, so I
should imagine wearing anything else would be unbearable.

In the dim and distant past (1991ish) I used a hang gliding helmet for
commuting which had a rigid injection moulded polythene shell with some
small foam pads inside. It had a few vents and left ears exposed (wind
noise is how hang gliders judge air speed changes). It seemed ok at
the time.

best wishes
james

MichaelJP said:

I was thinking of something that still had vents but was more
hemispherical than ovoid in shape.

BMX helmet. You'll look like a [censored], though. Especially if you're over 20
years old.

MichaelJP said:

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

MichaelJP said:

I don't want to open an argument about whether it is better to wear a
helmet or not, but as a recent convert to pedal power from motorcycles I
don't understand the design philosophy behind cycle helmets.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Nothing is better than a helmet ;-)

Tried riding with nothing at all. I felt a bit exposed but it's how we all
used to ride round as kids.

this wears off in les than a week, I found. You know where to look if
you still have residual concerns...

best wishes
james

Simon Bennett said:

BMX helmet. You'll look like a [censored], though.

Only if it's pink with a little red bobble on top.

IGMC...

d.

Tony Raven said:

Nothing is better than a helmet ;-)

Thank you for this helpful suggestion.

Where might I go to purchase this nothing? I understand that the Chancellor
has not had nothing reduced in VAT for the past several budgets. Does this
mean that it is more tax-efficient to buy the helmet?
--
Ambrose

MichaelJP said:

Tried riding with nothing at all. I felt a bit exposed

Try a traditional cyclist's cotton peaked cap - which is also useful
for keeping sun out of eyes and mopping up sweat.

d.

MichaelJP said:

Tried riding with nothing at all. I felt a bit exposed but it's how
we all used to ride round as kids.

I had that feeling strongly when I gave up wearing my helmet (cos it was
too bloody hot and unformfortable in non-freezing weather) but it
completely disappears after a while. Now I'd feel confined if I wore one.
Regardless of whether a helmet would be any use, you're unlikely to hit
your head in the first place if you ride reasonably sensibly, even if you
do fall over.

~PB

MichaelJP said:

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

Nothing is better than a helmet ;-)

Tried riding with nothing at all. I felt a bit exposed but it's how
we all used to ride round as kids.

Maybe soon you'll enjoy the freedom.

Reassure yourself by remembering how the speeds you are travelling at are
within the design speeds of the reflexes and healable impact absorption
facilities of the primate family, unlike when you're on a motorbike.

i.e. People can normally cope with falling at cycling speeds.
--
Ambrose

Ambrose Nankivell said:

Tony Raven said:

Nothing is better than a helmet ;-)

Thank you for this helpful suggestion.

Where might I go to purchase this nothing? I understand that the
Chancellor has not had nothing reduced in VAT for the past several
budgets. Does this mean that it is more tax-efficient to buy the helmet?

You buy it at the place you pay your road tax for bicycles ;-)

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham

MichaelJP said:

I don't want to open an argument about whether it is better to wear a
helmet or not, but as a recent convert to pedal power from
motorcycles I don't understand the design philosophy behind cycle
helmets. I should say I'm no expert on cycling so feel free to inform
me where I'm going wrong.
Compared to what I'm used to, all the helmets available seem to offer
little or no protection to the ears, temple, base of the skull. They
also stick out front and rear which would seem to offer neck-twisting
leverage for an impact with anything solid. This seems to be purely
for aerodynamic reasons which may be very important on the Tour de
France but has zero relevance to my commute to work.

Is there anything I can get which would be lightweight but offer
better protection and more sensible design? Something like a lighter
climbers or skiers helmet?

I doubt those will work, for the reasons elsewhere in the thread.

Many years ago, there were cycle helmets which were much more rounded, with
some ear/temple coverage. There is a chap at work who still cycles with one.
He's a slow trundly cyclists so probably not getting over heated, and he's
on a bike most days (so good for him for cycling to work !) I've no idea
if the helmet is suffering brittle aging of polystyrene, I would expect it
is.
No idea if anyone still sells such things.

I'd suggest doing without as the risks are pretty low and the evidence for
protection is also slight, but that might open a helmet war :-)

- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

MichaelJP said:

I don't want to open an argument about whether it is better to wear a helmet
or not, but as a recent convert to pedal power from motorcycles I don't
understand the design philosophy behind cycle helmets. I should say I'm no
expert on cycling so feel free to inform me where I'm going wrong.

Compared to what I'm used to...

Compared to what you're used to, you're going at a fraction of the
speed so you have rather more reaction time, other vehicles can
react more easily to you, and if it still goes TWOTP then there's
less energy to dissipate. So you so have rather less need of a
helmet in the first place.

Quoted message said:

Is there anything I can get which would be lightweight but

offer better

Quoted message said:

protection and more sensible design? Something like a lighter climbers or
skiers helmet?

The lighter climbers' helmets are modelled on, ummm, cycle helmets.
They also have considerably less ventialtion so will be much
sweatier. Skiers' helmets are designed for use in sub-zero
temperatures with serious windchill on top and little
cardiovascular effort: you'd sweat terribly.

Note that you're at similar risk of a serious injury to a
pedestrian. So if you don't feel the need for a helmet as a ped
then no particular reason to wear one as a cyclist. I used to wear
one every trip until I looked at the research to see how little use
they really are. Now I wear a cotton cap, seems to do me okay.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

Skiers' helmets are designed for ... little cardiovascular effort

You need to ski harder! ;-)

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham

Tony Raven said:

Peter Clinch said:

Skiers' helmets are designed for ... little cardiovascular effort

You need to ski harder! ;-)

Proper skier's ski uphill, usually with a fair bit of cardiovascular effort.
And without helmets.

:-)

- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

Nigel Cliffe said:

Tony Raven said:

Peter Clinch said:

Skiers' helmets are designed for ... little cardiovascular effort

You need to ski harder! ;-)

Quoted message said:

Proper skier's ski uphill, usually with a fair bit of cardiovascular effort.
And without helmets.

Indeed, and that's why we don't own any ski helmets 🙂
We do have rock climbing and river/surf kayaking helmets though.

Roos