Think skull

[srw]

From those lovely people at Ride London:

The brain is an incredibly vulnerable organ, vitally important yet protected by only a think layer of bone and skin

(my emphasis)

Do you think they couldn't choose between a pair of opposing adjectives?

http://www.prudentialridelondon.co.uk/News/Newsletters/Road_Helmets_on_test_s3_p18923.htm

 

[buggi]

i see they've overloaded their article with compelling scientific evidence and testing data to back up their claim. Are they also going to provide sweat wicking straps?

 

[swansonj]

They also seem to have a limited understanding of the role of the exhaust pipe in a car...

 

[Wobblers]

Is it just me or is something missing?

You know, the bit where they actually test those helmets to see how good a job they do at actually protecting one's head. I looked and looked, but they seem to have forgotten to put in the bit where they strapped those lids to a test dummy, simulated an impact and measured the acceleration forces. An oversight, I'm sure...

Come to think of it, isn't the bit at the top: "Advertising Feature by Wiggle" also missing?

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Some helmet manufacturers even claim some models cool your head more effectively than riding without a helmet

yeah ok, and they're going to be in this price range are they.

just for the record 50kph is ~31mph, so utterly irrelevant for 99%+ of cycling full stop and 100% of people this patronising, misrepresentative advertising drivel is aimed at

 

[Markymark]

Not wishing to start an argument but this bit about helmets only being effective up to 12mph, what's the fall-away form that? Does the protection become insignificant at 13mph or does it drop away gradually p to a much higher speed but still offer reasonable protection?

 

[shouldbeinbed]

I think it is more that the basic euro standard test is a 15kph (roughly 12 mph) impact than this being a limit on effectiveness.

I'm sure the manufacturers and plenty on here will tell you that despite this pitiful level of test you can be dropped from space onto your head and their helmet will keep you safe.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

incidentally I saw a guy on a motor scooter zipping along in 30mph+ traffic the other day wearing a cycling helmet.

a) cheapskate
b) stupid
c) suckered by this sort of advertising bo**@cks into thinking it gives motorcycle helmet level of protection.

 

[Markymark]

I think it is more that the basic euro standard test is a 15kph (roughly 12 mph) impact than this being a limit on effectiveness.

But what I'm asking is what happens at say 12-15mph or 15-20mph. Is it like best before dates where it may say 11/4/14 but I'll eat it well beyond that date and its fine. Or does it literally cease to be effective (to be clear INeffetive as opposed to less effective) anything above 12mph?

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Yes I get that, dunno TBH, i leave the studying helmet studies to others. You might get a better steer if you check out the higher level Snell testing to see if it answers the question but I suspect for a definitive grading of effect you'll have to buy a job lot of helmets and keep crashing at different speeds & assessing your level of injury as you go.

 

[jefmcg]

We were never designed to hit the ground at 50kph,

so why not add a layer of protection that is also not designed to hit the ground at 50km/h?

 

[siadwell]

From a report of an inquest into a cyclist who died in a collision last November: http://road.cc/content/news/116184-...-had-almost-twice-driving-blood-alcohol-limit

Coroner Mary Hassall asked if it would have made any difference if Mr al-Hashimi had been wearing a helmet.
Pathologist Dr Chin Along said: “I don’t think so. Bicycle helmets, the way they are designed, are not for velocity injuries.”

 

[ufkacbln]

Not wishing to start an argument but this bit about helmets only being effective up to 12mph, what's the fall-away form that? Does the protection become insignificant at 13mph or does it drop away gradually p to a much higher speed but still offer reasonable protection?

The problem is that helmets are PPE when it suits and not PPE when it doesn't

Take a building site.... the PPE ise designed to fulfil a function, and the use will remain within that function.

If you use PPE for something that it is not intended for, or outside it's design parameters than you are out of order

The questin is really ... should the see cyclists not be following standard HSE pratice and not cycling above the 12 mph that helmets are tested and "proven" to function at?

 

[Tim Hall]

The problem is that helmets are PPE when it suits and not PPE when it doesn't

Take a building site.... the PPE ise designed to fulfil a function, and the use will remain within that function.

If you use PPE for something that it is not intended for, or outside it's design parameters than you are out of order

The questin is really ... should the see cyclists not be following standard HSE pratice and not cycling above the 12 mph that helmets are tested and "proven" to function at?

The Royal Mail, whilst stating that Posties should were cycle helmets, concede that they're not PPE.

 

[Tim Hall]

What are they then, branding?

Uniform.