Expensive Bike Helmets

[Andy in Germany]

"A meta-analysis has been conducted of the effects of bicycle helmets on serious head injury and other injuries among crash involved cyclists. 179 effect estimates from 55 studies from 1989-2017 are included in the meta-analysis. The use of bicycle helmets was found to reduce head injury by 48%, serious head injury by 60%, traumatic brain injury by 53%, face injury by 23%, and the total number of killed or seriously injured cyclists by 34%. Bicycle helmets were not found to have any statistically significant effect on cervical spine injury. There is no indication that the results from bicycle helmet studies are affected by a lack of control for confounding variables, time trend bias or publication bias."

Can you provide the link to that? I recently checked, and the only study found was the deeply flawed one from the 90's, that was so bad at least one author has since distanced themselves from the findings. I'm not sure how you can make such bold claims as that without a control group.

 

[Happy_Days]

Can you provide the link to that?

Here is the link to the meta-analysis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29677686/

 

[rogerzilla]

My mate, who is somewhat accident-prone, actually had a textbook crash where his helmet performed as intended (crushing at the temple). He talked gibberish for 30 seconds after crashing but was found to be ok after a trip in the meat wagon and a CAT scan (the road rash kept him awake for a fortnight, though).

The main moral of the tale, however, is not to show off by sprinting on a fixie with loose cleat tension.

 

[Katana]

While the helmet did protect the head of the chap where I’m from, who was crushed by a passing vehicle against a parked one, it made no difference to his survival. Nor did his level of skill. But then every time you get out of bed, it’s a coin-toss whether you make it back into bed again.
Wear a helmet, or don’t. But don’t delude yourself it will ‘keep you safe’. On average some 1% of the population die each year. With a population of 70 million, that is about 700,000, making it a 1 in 700 million chance of dying. 80 cyclists died on the road last year out of 600,000 total deaths, one death in every 10,000. Sacrificing to the Gods of Cycling is just as likely to ‘keep you safe’.

True that an high impact collision say with a vehicle will be lethal irrespective of the type of bike helmet you are wearing. However where good quality bike helmet comes into to play is when you fell off a bike and hit your head on the tarmac. I on three occasions landed on a ground with no serious injuries other than few bruises but I am sure of one thing that I would have sustained more injury to the head had I not been wearing a helmet as on all three occasions my head did came in contact with the ground.

 

[Punkawallah]

True that an high impact collision say with a vehicle will be lethal irrespective of the type of bike helmet you are wearing. However where good quality bike helmet comes into to play is when you fell off a bike and hit your head on the tarmac. I on three occasions landed on a ground with no serious injuries other than few bruises but I am sure of one thing that I would have sustained more injury to the head had I not been wearing a helmet as on all three occasions my head did came in contact with the ground.

Survivor bias? I have hit the ground multiple times without a helmet and am still hale and hearty. Therefore helmets do not prevent injury, obviously.

 

[classic33]

Survivor bias? I have hit the ground multiple times without a helmet and am still hale and hearty. Therefore helmets do not prevent injury, obviously.

I hit my head on a solid marble floor and did no damage, I hit the same head on a wooden floor, cracking my skull in two places.
The head travelled the same distance to both, therefore solid marble floors are safer than wooden floors.

 

[YMFB]

My opinion is, if you don’t think a helmet provides enhanced protection then don’t buy one.

Having hit my head on the ground at least twice when cycling and maybe more times skiing I always wear one. I have to wear one at work and when motorcycling so maybe I see the importance differently.