Helmet

[Scottkelly]

Oh I see!

 

[zizou]

Full face for downhill, but they are very unpleasant to wear for xc or any sort of riding that is non gravity assisted. Far too hot, not enough ventilation and reduced visibility.

I wear knee pads for trail centres, they work pretty well and have saved a few abrasion injuries over the years. I use spd pedals but if i was to use flats then id probably wear shin pads too

 

[mcshroom]

If you haven't seen them then these videos are pretty good
http://www.cyclewise.co.uk/index.php/whinlatter-trails-altura-trail-and-bike-hire

 

[Scottkelly]

Yeah I see the disadvantages of the full face.

My pedals are flats and I've skinned my shins a few times with them. Not nice

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

but they are very unpleasant to wear for xc or any sort of riding that is non gravity assisted. Far too hot, not enough ventilation and reduced visibility.

Important point the reduced visibility, Can also be a safety consideration as trails often feature dog walkers, familys and children.

 

[MikeW-71]

If you are doing the blue trail, you'll want a normal helmet. Your head will boil inside a full face on the climbs.

Even on the red, only the toughest sections right at the top "need" a full face.

Ride and enjoy, you'll love it however fast or slow you go.

 

[ScotiaLass]

I like my Bern helmet, most comfortable helmet I've owned but looks less like a mushroom on your head.

 

[Scottkelly]

Where from and how much was that bern helmet? I quite like the look of that

 

[vickster]

If you google, Bern seem to run from £40 upwards, the cap underneath is extra

 

[cuske]

I went to Dalby forest as a one off last year and just used my snowboarding helmet, very similar looking to the bern one above and it did the job fine but I would have preferred more ventilation. Although I enjoyed it I wouldn't go again as I was lucky to come away with just cuts and bruises. I went over the handle bars twice, once off a drop off and the other I went flying at speed, went off a gravelly bend into a downed tree. On top of that there were numerous close encounters with trees, boulders, edges, etc. It was ace at the time but afterwards I thought about how screwed I'd have been for work, etc if I'd been unlucky as I normally am.

 

[Scottkelly]

I think I'm going to go with the bern helmet. A lot of colours to choose from. Matte white with a matte grey beak.