Are cycling helmets worth wearing? Studies, research and discussion

[rover07]

My theory is you shouldn't be cycling fast enough to need a helmet. At normal speed < 10mph you can break your fall with your arms.

If you're racing or hurtling down a mountain, well that's different.

 

[girasol]

Of course I hope to never ever have to test my cycling helmet, and there are other reasons for wearing it other than the obvious one: I can put a reflective band around it, I can attach lights to it, I can wear all sorts of silly stuff on my head to keep warm and the helmet covers it

 

[girasol]

This kind of thing. Lots of the research showing some support for a protective effect has involved these.

but they don't have a visor useful when it rains! Didn't realise they were 'safer', thought they were just trendy.

And how does one attach lights to that I ask?

 

[gentlegreen]

My theory is you shouldn't be cycling fast enough to need a helmet. At normal speed < 10mph you can break your fall with your arms.

If you're racing or hurtling down a mountain, well that's different.

or if your steerer rusts through at 8MPH... I was still concussed even though I was wearing my helmet..

Ironically, since I started looking after my bike better, I wear my helmet less.

And stopping your fall with your hands isn't without its problems - but I always wear gloves with that in mind.

 

[Dogsauce]

This kind of thing. Lots of the research showing some support for a protective effect has involved these.

I also thought these were a fashion thing, only having seen them in London. They look a bit like old-school BMX/skate helmets. Always though the lack of projection at the front made a bit of face-surfing more likely in the event of a fall.

Always thought one of these would be cool, though no idea if they offer much protection at all:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-JO...NG-HELMET-Hairnet-/281138905093#ht_1499wt_648

 

[Sprocket.]

This helmet is always a head turner, the problem is my sword getting caught in the spokes!

 

[sim667]

I also thought these were a fashion thing, only having seen them in London. They look a bit like old-school BMX/skate helmets. Always though the lack of projection at the front made a bit of face-surfing more likely in the event of a fall.

I think those tend to offer more protection around the base of the back of the head/top of the neck....... they're really helmets for skating/bmx, and they tend to be a bit more protective in those areas for when you crack that part of your head on the coping of a ramp.

My cycle helmet comes down low at the back like that too.

 

[damnhippie]

i saw this and thought of this thread, have we had it yet?:



the "invisible" thing is a bit of a red herring.

EDIT skip to about 2 mins in if you are impatient.

 

[Geri]

My theory is you shouldn't be cycling fast enough to need a helmet. At normal speed < 10mph you can break your fall with your arms.

If you're racing or hurtling down a mountain, well that's different.

Not necessarily. I fell off my bike at 2mph once and managed to hit my head, because I fell sideways and hit it on a metal barrier.

 

[Frances Lengel]

My theory is you shouldn't be cycling fast enough to need a helmet. At normal speed < 10mph you can break your fall with your arms.

If you're racing or hurtling down a mountain, well that's different.

Normal speed isn't less than 10mph.