Road Helmet or None?

[Hacienda71]

Not a safety debate please, just an aerodynamic question.
I know the use of helmets is not mandatory withe the CTT, is a cycling cap going to be much better aerowise than a standard vented road helmet in a TT?

 

[JasonHolder]

No discernible difference. And I've been bald before for that reason. More legs works better

 

[ufkacbln]

No discernible difference. And I've been bald before for that reason. More legs works better

Trouble is most bikes are designed for two legs

 

[palinurus]

No idea, but when I wear a cap it's got to be peak facing rearwards unless it's raining.

 

[ufkacbln]

Just to putthe cat amongst the pidgeons!

There is a "third way" with an aero helmet.

Gone are the days when these were a simple shell that smoothed windflow, some pass the same safety standards as "normal" road helmets, but certainly claim to have aerodynamic benefits

 

[Hacienda71]

I was just trying to gauge the difference between with road helmet or without.
I am trying to get a long 23 in on my road bike before any additional expense on TT specific kit. I am riding 24's now so am getting close, just looking for some cheap aero advantage.

 

[Sharky]

Normal road helmet, but tape over all the air vents with duct tape or similar.
Keith

 

[400bhp]

I don't know enough about the aerodynamics of a helmet/no helmet.

Although a helmet makes a larger frontal area, its overall shape might be better.

An educated guess would be no helmet is better.

You have tri bars don't you? What about your overall position on the bike?

I would say you ride position is pretty agressive, but if you use bars, then have a go at putting the seat slightly forward (no more than 10mm) and drop the stem up to 10mm.

Issue is with road bikes and tt bars is you end up too stretched.

 

[Rob3rt]

A naked shaved head is worth about 30 seconds over a 10m TT.

Probably not far off!

 

[Hacienda71]

I'm going to ride next weeks TT with just a cap, peak to the rear and see how it goes. I think I will look at relative placing rather than time to see if it gave me much of an advantage.

 

[montage]

If I see people competing without a helmet in anything but a hill climb, they instantly get placed in the nobber category. You say you don't want a safety argument, but at the end of the day it is dumb and sets a terrible example - what happens if you do knock off 30 secs from your PB, the rest of your club notice that and decide to lose the helmet next time? How would you feel if one of these guys crashed?

Just be responsible, wear the friggin helmet, if anything so you don't look like a tw@t. Tape up the vents or borrow a TT helmet if you want to experiment.

 

[Hacienda71]

If I see people competing without a helmet in anything but a hill climb, they instantly get placed in the nobber category. You say you don't want a safety argument, but at the end of the day it is dumb and sets a terrible example - what happens if you do knock off 30 secs from your PB, the rest of your club notice that and decide to lose the helmet next time? How would you feel if one of these guys crashed?

Just be responsible, wear the friggin helmet, if anything so you don't look like a tw@t. Tape up the vents or borrow a TT helmet if you want to experiment.

That is your opinion which I respect I will not comment on it as I specifically said I don't want a helmet debate.

 

[mcshroom]

If I see people competing without a helmet in anything but a hill climb, they instantly get placed in the nobber category. You say you don't want a safety argument, but at the end of the day it is dumb and sets a terrible example - what happens if you do knock off 30 secs from your PB, the rest of your club notice that and decide to lose the helmet next time? How would you feel if one of these guys crashed?

Just be responsible, wear the friggin helmet, if anything so you don't look like a tw@t. Tape up the vents or borrow a TT helmet if you want to experiment.

That's your opinion that I personally have very little respect for, but the OP has asked for this not to be a helmet debate.

 

[montage]

That is your opinion which I respect I will not comment on it as I specifically said I don't want a helmet debate.

Yes a cap will be more aero - but please have a think about the wider implications of not wearing a helmet beyond your own safety. If you are posting sub 24s, then (course dependent) you're approaching the times that the younger ones and newcomers are starting to look up to and may consider the removal of their own helmet as necessary for progress.

By nature people try to emulate the actions of those posting fast times, especially if it involves cheap/ free gains, please just set a good example rather than consider it as a matter of personal safety.

Above all, TTing in a cap or with nothing just isn't a good look - why waste a good photo opportunity?

 

[Spinney]

Mod message: as above - please stick to the topic of this thread, and don't turn it into another 'helmet debate' of the usual kind!