Anti-pollution masks

[EasyPeez]

How many people wear these? I see absolutely nobody wearing them in my city. Am a bit reluctant to stand out and look daft, and also not sure about how effective they really are against diesel PM 10s etc...
But I am doing a lot more cycling in traffic now with my daily commute and would rather look a twerp and prtect my health if they are genuinely useful.
Thoughts?

 

[ianrauk]

Tried one when I first went back to cycle commuting. Hated the damn thing. They get very hot and sticky making it hard to breath. They also don't keep out the smallest of particles (fuel) which are the most harmful.
I am also of the opinion that if you are going to wear one on a bike, then you might as well wear one when you are walking down the street or driving a car as there is very little difference in air quality.

And yes, they do look daft.

I do see one regular cycle commuter who wears one.

 

[classic33]

How many people wear these? I see absolutely nobody wearing them in my city. Am a bit reluctant to stand out and look daft, and also not sure about how effective they really are against diesel PM 10s etc...
But I am doing a lot more cycling in traffic now with my daily commute and would rather look a twerp and prtect my health if they are genuinely useful.
Thoughts?

Not really effective and will require replacing every five miles or so. They'll keep the larger stuff out, but not petrol or diesel. Closed system required for that job.

 

[classic33]

See for details on what they can cost.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Useless. Unless you have a perfect seal, in which case you would suffocate anyway (without carrying gas tanks).

Air pollution is a health issue for all, as classic33 rightly points out, the problem doesn't just stop when your off the bike, you are still being slowly poisoned indoors, in the car, on a motorbike on a bus...

Its shocking about what little is being done about air pollution.

 

[jonny jeez]

I'm not a fan. they look daft, and as Ian says if you are really worried you should wear one all the time...perhaps Bain is just a concerned cyclist.

or an attention seeking numpty

 

[confusedcyclist]

or an attention seeking numpty

He's reformed don't you know.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBg4g8IUbxc

 

[ClichéGuevara]

I doubt they'll be fine enough to keep the nasty's out, but they can be a warm damp home for a colony of germs for you to breath in.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Even if they were effective (which they aren't), you'd be better off wearing one in a car than on a bike:
http://www.copenhagenize.com/2008/03/cyclists-can-breathe-easy.html

 

[tumingfns]

They'll keep the larger stuff out, but not petrol or diesel. Closed system required for that job.

 

[Recycle]

How many people wear these? I see absolutely nobody wearing them in my city. Am a bit reluctant to stand out and look daft, and also not sure about how effective they really are against diesel PM 10s etc...
But I am doing a lot more cycling in traffic now with my daily commute and would rather look a twerp and prtect my health if they are genuinely useful.
Thoughts?

The problem with < PM10 is that it behaves more like a gas than dust. You can't filter it without making it nearly impossible to breath.

 

[Dan B]

I saw a runner wearing one the other day. Masochism and auto asphyxiation both at the same time, I thought that was pretty hardcore kink

 

[classic33]

I saw a runner wearing one the other day. Masochism and auto asphyxiation both at the same time, I thought that was pretty hardcore kink

Resistance training?

 

[slowmotion]

I tried to wear a respirator at work and it's utter misery. It's hard to breath, your face gets sweaty and the mask digs into your skin. I'll take my chances with PM10s. Despite riding in central London during "Severe Air Quality" alerts from the Met Office, I have never felt threatened by particulates. And yes, you do tend to look like a militant cyclist t!t as well.

 

[classic33]

You'd be looking at something along these lines for them to be effective.