Helmets, how much?

[Bigsharn]

Hey all, because I'm going to start going on a few more country (60mph) roads for my commute I was looking into investing in a helmet, some of them ranging from £20 to £170. In honesty I aren't fussed if it's made of Carbon fibre and is half an ounce lighter than the next best competitor, I just want something to keep my head safe if I come a cropper going down a hill at 40mph.

So I ask, how much would you recommend spending a decent (protection wise) helmet?

 

[BSRU]

Hey all, because I'm going to start going on a few more country (60mph) roads for my commute I was looking into investing in a helmet, some of them ranging from £20 to £170. In honesty I aren't fussed if it's made of Carbon fibre and is half an ounce lighter than the next best competitor, I just want something to keep my head safe if I come a cropper going down a hill at 40mph.

So I ask, how much would you recommend spending a decent (protection wise) helmet?

At 40mph you will need an expensive motorbike helmet.

 

[Jezston]

At 40mph you will need an expensive motorbike helmet.

Quite!

Other than that, get a helmet that fits you. That's all that counts.

 

[2Loose]

Not trying to fuel this...but the OP needs to know that bike helmets are generally rated for impact UPTO 12mph.

 

[Bigsharn]

Ah, well that's a slight pain in the arse then, guess I'll have to keep my speed a bit more controlled then, unless of course there are MTB helmets that do the job better than roadies?

 

[Dan B]

Pretty much all helmets made today are built to en1078 - which covers on-road, off-road, skateboarding and rollerskating (and as far as I know doesn't distinguish between the different uses). You may be able to find one built to the more exacting Snell spec if you do some research, but the weaker standard is cheaper to test for and I think has mostly displaced it.

 

[Davidc]

No, they're all the same.

Use the search button on this forum and you'll find links to the performance standards for helmets. Then look at online shops - you should be able to get one that meets the highest snell standards for about £30. I did but it was a while ago and they've all changed.

You are in danget of setting off a thread 351 pages long wih a load of caustic arguments between the pro and anti helmet lobbies!

In my case the helmet saves me from the injuries I'd get from Mrs DC if I didn't wear one. It also stops the bridges across the canal hurting as much as they would without it.

 

[Bigsharn]

In complete honesty I only want one for out-of-town riding, If a car hits me while I'm doing 20 (assuming they're keeping to the speed limit) I only want a helmet that'll stop me being knocked out cold at 40 so I can move out of the road, If I can't get one I'll invest in a motorbike helmet, simple as

 

[siadwell]

You may be able to find one built to the more exacting Snell spec if you do some research, but the weaker standard is cheaper to test for and I think has mostly displaced it.

The only major name in cycling helmets in the Snell list is Specialized.

See http://www.smf.org/c...-90C_B-95C.html

 

[Davidc]

Motorbike helmets would give better protection but are too heavy and hot for cycling.

It's important to keep the risk and dangers in perspective when thinking about any activity. You need to bear in mind that cycling on roads is by normal standards a safe activity and putting on a helmet for the possibility of a vehicle collision is looking to protect from a rare event. By far the most common bike accident is the one vehicle variety - just the bike and its rider - and the majority of those are at speeds where a helmet may well save a sore head.

Cyclists have a longer average lifespan than non-cyclists, some of us are only alive as a result of cycling, that's the fitness difference it makes.

The perception of risks in cycling is much higher than the reality. I don't expect you wear a helmet when out walking, and statistically that's at least as dangerous as on road cycling! I'm not decrying helmet use, just saying that it's a nice to have extra, not a necessity.

I haven't seen many car drivers and passengers wearing helmets either, and at the risk levels for road use they aren't all that much safer (time based) than cyclists either.

None of the statistical analysis helps much if you're the person killed in a motorway crash, or who gets hit while walking across a pedestrian crossing, but it's important when thinking coolly about the likelihood of being hurt

Sometimes this forum doesn't help, as we tend to highlight every cycling fatality, without doing the same for other road casualties. There are roughly 9 non-cycling deaths for each cycling one.

 

[Ravenbait]

In complete honesty I only want one for out-of-town riding, If a car hits me while I'm doing 20 (assuming they're keeping to the speed limit) I only want a helmet that'll stop me being knocked out cold at 40 so I can move out of the road, If I can't get one I'll invest in a motorbike helmet, simple as

At the risk of adding fuel to the debate, you really need to research what cycle helmets can and can't do. A cycle helmet will protect you from low-speed impacts that might otherwise have caused injury to the scalp or skull, with some amelioration of the injuries caused by the brain bouncing off the inside of the skull. However, at an impact speed of 40mph the most serious head injuries are most likely going to be a result of the brain being bounced around inside the cranium, and/or whiplash to the neck, and a helmet won't mitigate that impact very much (might even make the latter worse).

If your main concern is being hit at high speed by a car, you'd be better off investing in training so you are better equipped to recognise situations where that might arise and mitigate them by changing your riding style or position, and buying a really good set of lights. A motorcycle helmet is no answer. They are heavy and hot and you'll end up giving up either the lid or the bike.

Sam

 

[Cardiac]

My take...

It must fit well. Loose can be as bad as no helmet in some cases. A slightly loose helmet can result in the chin strap cutting into the skin if hitting the ground at the wrong angle. (Daughter had to have stitches in her chin some years back, but was still better than not having a helmet at all.)

Fit is more important than price, in my view.

Make sure there are no hard points of contact inside the shell - some that fit around the head won't fit correctly on top, for example.

Don't forget gloves. It's nice to protect your head, but hands collecting gravel is very painful.

 

[numbnuts]

...and make sure you like it, if not you won't wear it

 

[colinr]

...and make sure you like it, if not you won't wear it

So true! I don't like mine at all... and don't wear it.
The Boardman ones look pretty smart though.

 

[adscrim]

Get out and try on as many as you can. Shape varies from one manufacturer to the next - as an example, I can't wear Giro helmets as the large is too large but the medium is too narrow at the front.

If you're travelling at 20 and a car hits you at 60, I'd pray rather than be thankful you have a helmet on. I wear one to make use of the limited protection it offers, that largely being me falling off of my own accord. I'm under no illusions of invulnerability.