Advocacy & Safety - What About A Full Face Helmet For The Road?

Is there a full face off-road helmet light enough for road riding? A cyclist was severely injured here recently. He was hit from behind, and landed on his face, doing much damage to his teeth, nose, etc. If he had had a full face helmet, he might have gotten off alot better.

I'm still waiting for my bicycle body suit.

I run a Pryme AL fullface. Laminated fiberglass, plenty O' venting and a good face covering. Designed for BMX racing, it comes in at 970 grams. The feeling of safety I get from this is awesome. It kinda spooks drivers a bit as well.
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/372/prymealblk0bp.jpg

Is there a full face off-road helmet light enough for road riding? A cyclist was severely injured here recently. He was hit from behind, and landed on his face, doing much damage to his teeth, nose, etc. If he had had a full face helmet, he might have gotten off alot better.


???

Sounds like the problem was not the helmet, but the fact that he was hit from behind!

If he hadn't been riding his bike he'd gotten off alot better.
Or if he'd been in a car.


Throwing hardware at the problem only helps to a certain point. Bicyclists will bloat up like big big "safe" cars and SUV's. We'll have airbags before long.


To each his own. Good luck in your search.

Heres a MET on eBay

http://cgi.ebay.com/MET-Para-Chute-Freeride-Downhill-Bicycle-Cycling-Helmet_W0QQitemZ7216152110QQcategoryZ42325QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Is there a full face off-road helmet light enough for road riding? A cyclist was severely injured here recently. He was hit from behind, and landed on his face, doing much damage to his teeth, nose, etc. If he had had a full face helmet, he might have gotten off alot better.

Safety first, eh? To keep from hitting the ground bicycling safety paranoids needs more proven safety equipment.Training wheels or full steel cage protection around the head and body, or both, that's the ticket. See below:

Seriously, Facial injuries are certainly nothing to laugh about but it seems like the victim of a car collision from the rear could have suffered, and normally would, a lot worse, helmet or no helmet.

On a much less serious note....I face-planted in December commuting on an icy day with tricky weather. 11 stitches, an ambulance ride, and a trip to the ER later (not in that order, of course), my wife's thinking about getting me a full-face helmet. :D

I'll be sure NOT to show her that BMX helmet. She'd run right out and get me one.

lol....full face protection in case I kiss the car, or the tree.

lol....full face protection in case I kiss the car, or the tree.
Perhaps you should slow down and look where you are cycling. That seems to keep me from cycling into objects in plain sight.

Well as for kissing the car still hasn't happened yet thank goodness, I'm not about to slow down though. And sometimes things do get a little out of hand on the trail, I like to push my abilities, it's how I get better and faster.

On the trails and downhilling, a full-face would make me feel more secure. On the streets with the way traffic in N.A. treats cyclists, I think a helmet is enough. What happened to the cyclist that got rear-ended was unfortunate, but also rare. The same rare accidents happen to pedestrians walking down sidewalks too and no ones saying peds should be wearing safety devices.

I don't know I've seen a few peds that could use one of those blow up sumo outfits. lol

Well as for kissing the car still hasn't happened yet thank goodness, I'm not about to slow down though. And sometimes things do get a little out of hand on the trail, I like to push my abilities, it's how I get better and faster.
Sounds like you might need as much safety equipment as you can if you take that attitude to the street. Hopefully you will grow up before you find out how ineffective that equipment is in a collision with an automobile.

Dude I'm retired messenger, and have been playin in traffic for over twenty years.... thanks for your concern but I'll be fine.

***legal disclaimer****
Just don't try to follow theres barely room for one, let alone two. I don't recommend my style of riding for the casual rider or the faint of heart. I'm very experienced and well versed at what I do. :p

I see some people wearing full face helmets and riding downhill mountain bikes out on the streets. Maybe that's the only gear they have. If you want a full face helmet for city riding, it's a free country. Do as you like. It's your choice and anybody who feels they have to tell you it's a stupid choice, well, you don't have to listen.

Dude I'm retired messenger, and have been playin in traffic for over twenty years.... thanks for your concern but I'll be fine.

***legal disclaimer****
Just don't try to follow theres barely room for one, let alone two. I don't recommend my style of riding for the casual rider or the faint of heart. I'm very experienced and well versed at what I do. :p
Hopefully you will grow up before you can't.

Everyone has one......
Keeps me young....remember that?
We all have differing views on life and what makes it rewarding and fulfilling.
I respect your choices, I may not undstand them but I do respect them.

Should I get rid of my skateboards and skis and snowboards too in case I get hurt? Doesn't sound like livin then.

Should I get rid of my skateboards and skis and snowboards too in case I get hurt?
Yes, if you "play in traffic" with them and then boast about it.

Should I get rid of my skateboards and skis and snowboards too in case I get hurt? Just lose the snowboard, and buy more skis. ;)

planker..... ;) I may give it all up for some extreme quilting though...lol :D

You get snow this year? Not that matters but in playing in traffic, it's that I travel as fast or faster than the automotive river. Yes wizzing past the sea of cars is fun.

I've mentioned before that I use a full-face (same as jammers) for general riding in the winter. It's pretty comfortable, keeps my face warm, and offers a bit more protection in the event of a crash.

I don't think anyone suggested a heavier helmet is a substitute for not running into things.

A cyclist was severely injured here recently. ... landed on his face, doing much damage to his teeth, nose, etc.
When I crashed my motorcycle, I went face-first into the ground. I was wearing a full-face helmet and landed right on my face/chin. No injuries. My helmet was all scratched up, but my manly good looks were unscathed. :D

I run a Pryme AL fullface. ...



I gotta get this......

I don't think anyone suggested a heavier helmet is a substitute for not running into things.

+1,

It's good to know that there are options for folks that would like a little extra protection.

-Marcus

When I crashed my motorcycle, I went face-first into the ground. I was wearing a full-face helmet and landed right on my face/chin. No injuries. My helmet was all scratched up, but my manly good looks were unscathed. :D

Agree. I fell off (motorcycle) at about 5-10 mph. I was wearing a full face helmet, which got pretty well gouged and the face shield was so scratched it was unusable. I was stupidly wearing short sleaves and had road rash from my pinkie to above the elbow. If I hadn't had the full face, I'd look like quasimodo now.

I would definitely wear a full face bicycle helmet, if there were such a thing, but the motocross helmets seem too heavy/bulky for bicycling.

I ride the streets with mine everyday...never seems too heavy

I ride the streets with mine everyday...never seems too heavy

How's the visibility/comfort when you're on the drops of a road bike?

I ride with my full-face downhill helmet when it's cold or I will be dealing with a lot of traffic. Visibility is reduced a bit. You really have to turn your head to see behind you. Also the helmet can get very warm when you stop at a light (if you're into that kind of thing). I have gone off face first on the trail and been very happy I was wearing a full face. I am looking at getting a Giro Xen to get some of the back/side of the head protection without the chin bar. Also, when I was looking for my full-face, I remember seeing a road-style helmet with a very thin chin bar. It was for sale online from a British bike shop.

How's the visibility/comfort when you're on the drops of a road bike?

Visibility suffers a bit. It can also press against large backpacks while in the drops. Without the pack, it's no problem.

I run my MTN bike with slicks on the street. The over the shoulder look is a bit slower as you need to look over a wee bit more, and the under arm peek is virtually impossible. Other than that the visibility is great. Comfort is fabulous unless it's 34+C, super venting. Good vents for your hearing as well. I love it, as I consistently ride as fast as traffic or faster. A little heating at the lights when I do stop....did I say that out loud? Loads of room for your custom graphics. There is another model higher for serious DH'ing applications.

What happened to the cyclist that got rear-ended was unfortunate, but also rare.

It happened to me this past summer ... I don't think it's all that rare.

jw

Thanks, gentlemen, for all your valued input regarding a full face road helmet. Something to think about. One thing for suire: I need to replace the yellow Skid Lid helmet I bought in San Diego in 1978! ;-)

I ride with my full-face downhill helmet when it's cold or I will be dealing with a lot of traffic.
As I posted above, a full-face helmet protected me when I crashed my motorcycle. I was thinking about this more... when I go on a fitness ride or commute to work, I have a section where I go down the mountain at 40+ mph, and in traffic. Maybe a full-face bicycle helmet isn't such a bad idea after all. If you hit your chin, even at low speeds, you can fracture your jaw and the surgery & recovery is awful. I've seen accidents where Harley guys only wear the dome helmets and end up smashing & grinding their jaw and lower face into the pavement. In one of my bad bicycle-car accidents (right hook @ 33mph), I was thown from the curb to the middle of the street and knocked out. When I came to, I had a bruise on my forearm. It turns when I landed headfirst, I stuck out my left arm and my face hit that instead of the asphalt.

Are the full-face bicycle helmets strong enough to take a direct blow to the chin and protect the jaw? It's worthless if it breaks and plastic shards jam into my face.

What do you think of the Pryme on the previous page?
There are several robust DH helmetsm Bell makes a nice one but $$$

The Pryme is laminated 'glass and feels like it'll take a substantial hit. It's flexible and should take alot of the impact's energy away before it fails, if it fails. I've been trusting my teeth and chin to it for about a year now.

Yeah, Bell's got the Bellistic (http://www.bellbikehelmets.com/productDetail.asp?prodID=6) helmet.

I just wonder how much more dork factor a full-face helmet adds...

Green touring bike w/ bright yellow bags - kinda dorky
Fenders - kinda dorky
Orange/Yellow flashing LED safety vest - dorky
Full face helmet - the big D

I'm not trying to go for that 40-year old virgin look. :D Ah, full armor looks so cool on a SuperSport bike, but not a bicycle. Maybe if I color-coordinated everything - green & yellow - and get a green safety vest, it wouldn't look dorky. :p

lol... I suppose you'll have to coordinate better to remove the 'dork' factor.
I've never been laughed at a light or anything that I've noticed. I think drivers kinda take me a bit more seriously. I ride with them not the other bikes on the road.

I'm still waiting for my bicycle body suit.

Does it look like this:

http://www.jimlangley.net/brake/lochinvar.jpg

+10

Does it look like this:

http://www.jimlangley.net/brake/lochinvar.jpg

You thought chain maintenance was bad.

Chain Mail maintenance must suck. Forget about riding in the rain, full fenders wouldn't help at all. And you'd need a 55 gallon drum of chamois butter to stop the chafing.

lol... I suppose you'll have to coordinate better to remove the 'dork' factor.
I've never been laughed at a light or anything that I've noticed. I think drivers kinda take me a bit more seriously. I ride with them not the other bikes on the road.

I reckon sitting at the lights on a slightly 'brutal' looking bike wearing a helmet that says 'not only do i go really fast, but if i hit you, it won't hurt me*' is liable to remove the 'dork' factor, and up the 'nutter' factor; they'll give you space, the same way the guy who talks to his shopping on the bus always gets a seat to himself... :-D

I'd wear that helmet, but mine was cheaper**...

*as much. Probably.
**Yes i know, but you should see my paycheck.

Serious full-body protection for the serious cyclist:
http://nawtythings.com/novelties/costume/costumes_condom.jpg

Serious full-body protection for the serious cyclist:
http://nawtythings.com/novelties/costume/costumes_condom.jpg
Especially if they are known as a rotten *****.

I reckon sitting at the lights on a slightly 'brutal' looking bike wearing a helmet that says 'not only do i go really fast, but if i hit you, it won't hurt me*' is liable to remove the 'dork' factor, and up the 'nutter' factor; ...
You can compensate with one of those face masks you see some motorcycle riders with. Covers the face and replaces it with a skull or skeleton teeth. Very scary. Nobody will ever say "nutter" to your face with one of those on.

I have had the unhappy privilege of seeing many face and jaw injuries on cyclists... have been working on an MS150 ambulance during the Houston - Austin ride over the last few years.

How hot is this helmet in the heat of mid-summer? And how hot do Toronto summers get?




I run a Pryme AL fullface. Laminated fiberglass, plenty O' venting and a good face covering. Designed for BMX racing, it comes in at 970 grams. The feeling of safety I get from this is awesome. It kinda spooks drivers a bit as well.

You're ******** if you ride with anything less than this

http://www.improbable.com/news/2002/may/troy-new-suit.gif

I have had the unhappy privilege of seeing many face and jaw injuries on cyclists... have been working on an MS150 ambulance during the Houston - Austin ride over the last few years.

How hot is this helmet in the heat of mid-summer? And how hot do Toronto summers get?
Then the solution is obvious. Stay off those dangerous bikes and ban the MS150 Houston - Austin ride; Voila! No more bike injuries, especially that horrendously dangerous charity ride. Yeah, that's the safety ticket.

Well the few days that I haven't worn it in the summer, temps were 33C-35C.
Too early for the conversion sorry. We get pretty good summers up here in terms of heat and humidity.

^^LOL^^ Isn't that one of those bear suits?

A dangerous charity ride?.... Bad riding surface?

I would definitely wear a full face bicycle helmet, if there were such a thing, but the motocross helmets seem too heavy/bulky for bicycling.


http://www.flex-abc.com/smet/Img_2620.jpg

More pics:http://cgi.ebay.com/MET-Para-Chute-Freeride-Downhill-Bicycle-Cycling-Helmet_W0QQitemZ7216152110QQcategoryZ42325QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

Are the full-face bicycle helmets strong enough to take a direct blow to the chin and protect the jaw? It's worthless if it breaks and plastic shards jam into my face.

Depends on what you get. They all have failure points, but a good downhill helmet should take most of the force out a fall before reaching failure. Some hands-on investigation can give you a general idea of a helmet's strength. Look for a non-removable, non-adjustable chin bar that doesn't flex at all. Also, padding around the jaw line can help, but in front of the chin it will interfere with breathing. If weight is an issue (but $s aren't) look into carbon fiber versions of big-name downhill helmets.

Safety first, eh? To keep from hitting the ground bicycling safety paranoids needs more proven safety equipment.Training wheels or full steel cage protection around the head and body, or both, that's the ticket. See below:

Seriously, Facial injuries are certainly nothing to laugh about but it seems like the victim of a car collision from the rear could have suffered, and normally would, a lot worse, helmet or no helmet.
+1