Helmet or no helmet??

[HJ]

It is your choice, if you want evidence there is plenty here to help you make an informed choice.

Knee problems are often sorted up by bike tuning, cycling unlike say running is not load baring, so are more likely to be repetitive stress, this can easily be avoided be setting up the bike properly.

 

[slowmotion]

I posted this before, so apologies to the usual suspects, but I will re-tell it anyway.

I spent some time with a pathologist who did a couple of post-mortems on cyclists in Sussex in the last year. We had a brief discussion about the pros and cons. She said that she wore a helmet. My best guess is that she had formed a reasonable opinion about the effect of trauma on the human body over a long career, and that her helmet wearing was a result of this.

Will that do?

 

[HJ]

It is about personal choice. If your only experience of people who buy lottery tickets was those who had bought winning tickets, you would probable conclude that buying a lottery ticket was a sure fire way to get rich.

 

[philipbh]

I bought one of these because of the "peripheral adjustment mechanism"

http://www.gbcycles.co.uk/eshop.asp?wci=product&wce=PHLAZ09G01&desc=LAZER+GENESIS+HELMET

 

[StuartG]

Sadly this is a subject where anecdotes and current statistics for ordinary adult cycling do not give a definitive answer to the question "Is it safer to wear a helmet".

That is because the evidence for helmets mitigating cranial impacts has not scientifically been balanced against the possible extra risk of accidents by wearing one. That is very hard to do and is unlikely to be done in the foreseeable future.

The other arguement that helmets put people off cycling is independent of a personal decision about your own head. So its best to go with the solution you are most comfortable with. And respect everybody else's personal decision.

 

[philipbh]

So its best to go with the solution you are most comfortable with.

+1

You can only do that by trying a selection for yourself, as others have suggested.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

i hate helmets too. but i have found one which actually fits comfortable. its a bern skater style which meet the higher american standards. it has what's called 'cool
flow' and it actually works better than the usual vented types.

i have read the usa is passing legislation to ban the usual style in favour of the skater style ones. the reasons are the rotational injuries with the tear drop shapes snagging and / or pulling the lids off. the usa standards also don't allow the straps to be anchored outside of the helmet, again due to snagging.

the skater style ones look snazzy and have press stud attachments, eg, a summer peak with extra sweat band and a full furry lining for winter. oh they also have press stud earpieces for mp3 players (but that will cause the old music or not debate).

 

[Chrisc]

Thanks Chris, that's what the research i've just done suggests, rest, easier said than done but you're right. Can't seem to get the saddle height right, think that may be half the problem?

To ease it you need your saddle a little lower than usual, maybe 1/2" lower and as it's an overuse injury, the now conventional wisdom about spinning little gears goes right out the window. The less revs the better if, your ligaments are up to it and you can push a bigger gear that is!
BUT rest, ice, etc.etc. and if it doesn't clear up, see a physio. The range of exercises I've been given are nowhere near the knee but all designed to stabilise it and prevent it happening again. So far so good!

PS sometimes I wear a helmet, sometimes a cap, sometimes nothing. Depends on my mood that day!

 

[robbiep]

Thanks Chris & Brompton,

I'm going to my local bike shop this weekend for a measure up, see if I can get it done properly once and for all.

I'm grateful for the 'other side' of the helmet argument, I've not come across any other threads since I signed up but it does seems to be a well debated topic! I'm worried that I do not wear a helmet and I listen to music, my wife wants me to take out insurance, maybe this is the reason........I can hear members blood boil from here!!!

Robbiep

 

[StuartG]

I would worry about the headphone thing more than have/have not helmets. The point is not to get into crash situations.

If you read cyclecraft you will be aware of the importance of listening for traffic and getting clues as to what vehicles are doing. It is an important input and one we usually are not aware we are using. Music kills that. My daughter is deaf and so cannot use that input but is painfully aware of the increased danger and like many deaf people has learnt to use her eyes more than hearing people as compensation.

On the otherhand if listening to music relaxes you so you can cope with road rage better - then it may not be a disbenefit. But I would think deeply about it. Try with/without on a similar long journey and decide ...

 

[robbiep]

Yes Stuart, it was just that I was reading about a cyclist on the LEGOG who would just plug in and go, 8 hours a day seems along time without 5 live!

 

[ufkacbln]

I posted this before, so apologies to the usual suspects, but I will re-tell it anyway.

I spent some time with a pathologist who did a couple of post-mortems on cyclists in Sussex in the last year. We had a brief discussion about the pros and cons. She said that she wore a helmet. My best guess is that she had formed a reasonable opinion about the effect of trauma on the human body over a long career, and that her helmet wearing was a result of this.

Will that do?

I think the Thudguard will be welcomed by many parents as a piece of equipment that may provide protection for children from a head injury. This can only be a good thing as even one accidental head injury is one too many. Avoiding head injury means reducing potential visits to the A&E department, which in turn may potentially save the NHS resources.


Dr Diana Macgregor
Associate Specialist
Accident & Emergency, Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital

Will that do?

 

[ufkacbln]

my wife wants me to take out insurance,

Robbiep

This may not be a good thing?

Has she booked any holidays, put a deposit on a sports car ......

 

[4F]

I posted this before, so apologies to the usual suspects, but I will re-tell it anyway.

I spent some time with a pathologist who did a couple of post-mortems on cyclists in Sussex in the last year. We had a brief discussion about the pros and cons. She said that she wore a helmet. My best guess is that she had formed a reasonable opinion about the effect of trauma on the human body over a long career, and that her helmet wearing was a result of this.

Will that do?

This thread was going so well,

Off to hunt out some thudguards now ....

 

[robbiep]

This may not be a good thing?

Has she booked any holidays, put a deposit on a sports car ......

I would start to wonder then!

Regarding insurance, is there a company that would provide cover for a cycle trip like (9 days) LEJOG, to cover life, equipment etc? Sorry I haven't researched before posting this but I wondered if anybody else had used short term cycle cover?

Thanks