exhaust filter masks

[Nick G]

I commute a round trip of 18 miles per day into the city of London. There's a fair bit of traffic as you can imagine. I've resisted getting a pollution mask because i think it will make it harder to breath and I've never been convinced that they really make a lot of difference. Even if I am breathing in some fumes and particles, I think my body can deal with them. Am I being dumb?

Do these things really make a significant difference? Is there any published evidence I can read that tells me I would be healthier if I used one?

Thanks

Nick

PS I've searched a few keywords for relevant threads here but not found anything, which surprises me.

 

[Keith Oates]

I'm not sure if the masks do any good regarding exhaust fumes but I suppose it depends on which brand you buy. Part of my commute is in a very dusty area and I usually wear a mask for this stretch of road. It is not a very fine mesh but it still affects the breathing, if I'm pushing hard, but after a few days the mask is very dirty so it must be stopping something. As for the fumes I can still taste the fumes when a truck belching out black smoke goes past!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mickle]

A chap I went to college with is responsible for the Respro range of anti-pollution masks. One only has to look at the filters to see how much crap they remove from the air entering ones lungs. Although they are head and shoulders above anything else on the market they are a bit uncomfortable and yet another thing to attach to ones body or bike along with helmet, over shoes, eyewear, gloves, ankle bands, lights etc. I was never convinced that the benefits outweighed the faff and the mask rarely made it out of my bag.
One of the benefits I suppose is that wearing one sends a strong message to other road users, reminding them that they are spewing noxious chunks out of their exhaust pipes but that never was enough reason for me to wear mine.

The bottom line is that motorists trapped in their vehicles are exposed to much more airborne pollution than cyclists.

 

[stu20001]

I tried one in the summer and quickly gave up on it. It may be stoppng fumes but it quickly got pretty mingingly sweaty and stinky and I found the whole sensation of wearing one quite suffocating.

 

[BentMikey]

I think the biggest problem is that whilst they trap the larger particles, they don't trap the most dangerous ones which are too small. Therefore mostly pointless.

 

[hackbike 6]

Well if BM doesn't recommend them im getting one.

Seriously I had one in the early 90's but stopped wearing it as I wanted to breathe.

 

[fossyant]

Back in the days before catalysts and clean diesels were about, you could guarantee my bike and any light clothing/helmet were covered in a sooty mess - and that was setting out early, and mainly country lanes..... it's better now though.

I've never bothered -health benefits outweigh the negatives, and as Mickle mentions, it's much worse in a car..... I think the masks are too restrictive.

 

[Tynan]

tried a good ne back in the day and din;t like having to heave air in through it

as for cars, they're only tidal breathing so I'm guessing they're not necessarily sucking the crap into their lungs and blood as much

only an issue in summer I reckon anyway

 

[ianrauk]

Also tried one... once... and that was it. Far too restrictive

 

[HJ]

They are just a waste of money, don't bother...

 

[Nick G]

Thanks everyone, that's pretty overwhelmingly against.
I'll just have to spend the money on something to bling my fixie with instead ;-)

 

[swee'pea99]

As a blackly comic footnote, every year people wake up in their cars with a splitting headache, after taking pills and going to sleep with the garage doors sealed and the engine running, having failed to take on board the difference catalytic converters have made to the noxiousness of exhaust fumes over the last couple of decades.

I'm not saying breathing exhaust fumes is good for you - but it's nothing like as bad as it used to be.

 

[jimboalee]

Cycle masks.

They will catch most particulate matter down to m10. 10µm.
Less than 10µm, forget it.
Carbon Monoxide, forget it.
Oxides of Nitrogen (Nox ), forget it.

I've never used them. Even in the centre of Brum.

Exposure limits are on HSE website. City concentrations should be on your council's website, but it might take a bit of searching!

To filter the nasty gases, buy a filter that has Activated Carbon Air Filtration, like the ones worn by Funny Car drivers.

 

[skwerl]

To filter the nasty gases, buy a filter that has Activated Carbon Air Filtration, like the ones worn by Funny Car drivers.

Or the Respro http://www.respro.com/protection-faqs/

They're also claiming sub-miron particulate filtration.

Still won't get me wearing one again. hard work, sweaty and made me break out in spots/sweat-rash so I ended up looking like a 15 year-old computer geek

 

[Mr Phoebus]

Ride more gently, breathe in less.