why do people wear cycling caps under their helmets?

[mustang1]

I use one to keep sweat off my eyes as it has a band around the front that absorbs the sweat. However sometimes towards then of my ride, the sweat band is saturated and the sweat then trickles down the helmet and falls off in front of my eyes.

Better to wear a McEnroe style head band, no?

 

[GuyBoden]

 

[PaulSB]

Cycling caps have flippable peaks to avoid exactly this problem but still gives you the option for shielding when needed.

Yeah I know but I've never really got in to that. No idea why!

 

[PaulSB]

but doesn't it then get seriously nasty and smelly? And I had the idea that many, being essentially cheapo products, don't take well to washing.

Sorry - not convinced - much prefer headbands - pretty much a must when it's at all hot.

Oh yes they definitely can smell and I've had cheap ones which smell very bad and don't wash well.

My club does caps for around £15. I've had two for three or so years. Worn on every ride and washed after every ride. Still as good as new though the colour is a little bleached. That's after 200+ washes each.

 

[hoopdriver]

I'm wishing I hadn't clicked the link, now feeling ashamed about the amateurish pics I take with my phone.

Don’t be - I do this sort of thing for a living and even so it takes a lot of time and effort and planning. It’s fun but it’s hard work too.

 

[hoopdriver]

Gave up on wearing a casquette (to give it its poncy french name) after finding out that when descending at a decent lick, the peak creates enough lift to pull the helmet off, with only the chinstrap keeping it from flying off…

Yikes!

Oh, and thanks for the revealing the pondcy French name. Can’t wait to use it...

 

[yello]

Lots of poncy French names in cycling, and some not so poncy. Funny that.

 

[johnblack]

Wear one most of the year bar summer as my head just over heats. I also have a problem with the sizing, quite a few tend to be too small for my over sized melon.

While we are on the subject of peaks, I am never able to justify wearing a helmet with a peak, even on my MTB, just looks wrong.

 

[yello]

I always wear a cap and sometimes a helmet (over the cap) Sans helmet, the cap keeps my bonce warm, or dry, or stops sun burn/stroke, or mops sweat, or is used as a carrier to stick my gloves etc in on cake stops... and even - on some occasions - acts as a scoop to pour water over myself. The cap's peak is invaluable for shading the eyes. On the occasions I wear a helmet, the cap makes it more comfortable... bearable actually.

I would not ride without a cap.

 

[Blue Hills]

Lots of poncy French names in cycling, and some not so poncy. Funny that.

yes - wouldn't dream of using any myself, but think we should invent a few more - with definitions.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

you wouldn’t want to know what other uses the pros have had for them

 

[yello]

you wouldn’t want to know what other uses the pros have had for them

Oh but I think I do know

 

[MichaelW2]

Prevents 'helmet hair'

View attachment 472479

This deserves a whole thread to itself. Helmet hair photos.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Ever tried wearing a cycling cap on the outside of a helmet?

 

[johnblack]

Ever tried wearing a cycling cap on the outside of a helmet?

You'd look like a jockey