Face/Breathing Masks

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stowie

Legendary Member
I cannot see how a cheap mask would actually filter pollution in the first place - the filters are too coarse. And the restriction on breathing must feel horrible.

I would suspect that if one wanted to filter the air with any efficiency that the mask would have to be pretty big and rather expensive.
 

benb

Evidence based cyclist
Location
Epsom
You'd be better off with a SCUBA tank.
 
In the 'olden days' when I worked for (the now defunct) Covent Garden Cycles I sold all of my stock of Respro masks to two guys. When I asked them why they were buying them they said that they were for BBC reporting crews. They were going out to report on the open air mass graves in Rwanda. They reckoned that even with doubled-up filters they didn't get rid of all the stench but just enough to allow them to get close enough to film.
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
they are a waste of time, money and effort if you ask me.

but, if they make you happy go get one, plenty of people wear them (why? I dont know) so you wont look odd or anything.
 

Lozatron

Well-Known Member
I saw a woman in the city taking off her breathing mask to light a fag! Yes...she was on a fixie with brightly coloured handlebars...
 

bicyclos

Part time Anorak
Location
West Yorkshire
I enquired about a Respro mask a number of years ago on a different forum and a reply from a guy in the know said that the particulates from diesel fumes etc are soooo small they just enter the mask plus you have to breathe more deeply because of the restriction. His advice was to change the commute to work which restricts the amount of time on heavy polluted roads. Thats what I have done for a few years now( back street hero)........
 
I could be argued that wearing a mask which restricts air flow and increases the work expected of the muscles associated with breathing might be a good form training. Much like altitude training.
 

Davidc

Guru
Location
Somerset UK
Lozatron said:
I saw a woman in the city taking off her breathing mask to light a fag! Yes...she was on a fixie with brightly coloured handlebars...

With a bit of luck she'll have put it back on while smoking her fag, to protect the rest of us from her fumes!
 

HJ

Cycling in Scotland
Location
Auld Reekie
bicyclos said:
I enquired about a Respro mask a number of years ago on a different forum and a reply from a guy in the know said that the particulates from diesel fumes etc are soooo small they just enter the mask plus you have to breathe more deeply because of the restriction. His advice was to change the commute to work which restricts the amount of time on heavy polluted roads. Thats what I have done for a few years now( back street hero)........

+1

Yep, Respro masks will not filter out the PPM10 particulates, they are a waste of money, unless you like the look :laugh:
 
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