View Full Version : Does Anyone Ride Wearing A Full Face Motorbike Helmet?
Or have you ever tried it? Yesterday just out of interest I went for a 5-6 mile ride wearing a motorbike full face helmet just to see how it would feel, and see if it could be done without getting too hot. I found I could ride with the visor open and it wasn't too hot, and it made me feel awesomely comfortable and safe going through heavy traffic, although I did get some really weird looks off people. I just tried going back to my Bell Faction and it just felt wrong, so I'm almost considering making the change to just wearing the motorbike helmet all the time because I think I'll be way safer wearing that helmet than anything else if it all goes wrong.
Am I mad, or is it actually a pretty reasonable idea? I've never seen anyone else on a bike wearing a motorbike helmet, but it seems like it might be a pretty reasonable idea to me.
Any thoughts?
no motor?
03-14-06, 06:46 AM
I've always worn a full face helmet when riding my motorcycle, and wear a bicycle helmet when pedaling. The bicycle helmet still feels like it won't do much good in a fall, and even if that new research that most motorcycle helmets are too stiff, I still feel a lot safer in my motorcycle helmet than in the bicycle helmet. Wearing the motorcycle helmet makes me feel calmer and more focused on my riding, whereas the bicycle helmet just makes me feel like a huge dork and reminds me I'm about to go exercise.
Cycliste
03-14-06, 08:32 AM
There are full face helmets avaialble for cyclists but they tend to lack adequate padding on the chin protector. Most common are those for kids riding bmx, they think they are cool because of the stunt pros who wear them.
It's interesting to note that manufacturers are currently limited by consumers expectations who favor a smaller, better design outlook to more protective helmets. Another limitation to improving protection by manufacturer comes from the legislation that requires that any superior improvement be available all across the range. Source: Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute (http://helmets.org/whatneed.htm)
San Rensho
03-14-06, 08:35 AM
There was a recent post about using motocross helmets for bicycling. They are full face, which makes sense because there is a good chance you will do a face plant if you crash or go face first into someting.
Someone should really come up with a purpose made full face for cyclists. I would think it would be as easy as putting a chin bar on a conventional helmet. Similar to what receivers or quarterbacks have in pro football.
I haven't tried a motorcycle helmet, but I guess it would work since on my motorcycle I can get my chin on the tank, which would be the equivalent of being on the drops on a bicycle, but I think peripheral vision would be compromised.
jthistle
03-14-06, 08:42 AM
There have been several other threads involving full face helmets on this forum. I personally wear a Pryme AL (http://www.prymegear.com/) helmet. I wear this helmet because a year ago I was almost side swipped by a car and bailed to get away. When I fell I hit my chin. I didn't break anything but I was pretty bruised up. So, I wear the full face because I don't want to break anything if I go down again. I find the AL to be similar in design to road bike helmets but it also has the added protection of the chin guard.
There have been several other threads involving full face helmets on this forum. I personally wear a Pryme AL (http://www.prymegear.com/) helmet. I wear this helmet because a year ago I was almost side swipped by a car and bailed to get away. When I fell I hit my chin. I didn't break anything but I was pretty bruised up. So, I wear the full face because I don't want to break anything if I go down again. I find the AL to be similar in design to road bike helmets but it also has the added protection of the chin guard.
Nice helmet. Throw in some shoulder pads, elbow pads, shin guards, and a touch of light body armour and you might be dressed enough to face some pretty nasty traffic.
I really have wondered if sometimes all that armour is the way to go.
The tales of Spike Bike. (http://members.aol.com/clubnbc/spike_1.htm)
Cycliste
03-14-06, 01:17 PM
Nice helmet. Throw in some shoulder pads, elbow pads, shin guards, and a touch of light body armour and you might be dressed enough to face some pretty nasty traffic.
I really have wondered if sometimes all that armour is the way to go.
The tales of Spike Bike. (http://members.aol.com/clubnbc/spike_1.htm)
No kidding. While I am a strong advocate of bicycle helmets, anything more intrusive than a good light skull helmet is not very welcome IMO. The face protection is a good argument but, not to get off topic, I think we should amphasize other safety measures such as "riding defensively" and "crash avoidance techniques" before we go to protecting ourselves like this.
I can't remember were I saw a banner ad for a full body armor saying: "If you're not crashing, you're not riding hard enough". Well, that's about it ;)
Full face are good though for bmx on pipes, mtb racers and the like, body protection can also be justified. But in the street? hmm, I don't know. I'd like to see more innovation in helmet engineering as far as protection is concerned but with a limit on the intrusion on the cycling experience.
No kidding. While I am a strong advocate of bicycle helmets, anything more intrusive than a good light skull helmet is not very welcome IMO. The face protection is a good argument but, not to get off topic, I think we should amphasize other safety measures such as "riding defensively" and "crash avoidance techniques" before we go to protecting ourselves like this.
I can't remember were I saw a banner ad for a full body armor saying: "If you're not crashing, you're not riding hard enough". Well, that's about it ;)
Full face are good though for bmx on pipes, mtb racers and the like, body protection can also be justified. But in the street? hmm, I don't know. I'd like to see more innovation in helmet engineering as far as protection is concerned but with a limit on the intrusion on the cycling experience.
No matter what you wear, nothing is going to be as nice as a full set of surrounding air bags, if the worst should happen.
Your best defense is a good offense.
jthistle
03-14-06, 01:59 PM
I don't feel it intrudes on my cycling experience, except for on the hottest of days. There was another helmet I looked for but could not find, was a esentially a road helmet with a replaceable chin bar. The bar was significantly smaller than the full face. I found it once a UK site then never again.
Cycliste
03-14-06, 02:06 PM
No matter what you wear, nothing is going to be as nice as a full set of surrounding air bags, if the worst should happen.
Your best defense is a good offense.
I'm not very good at Photoshop, but if someone could paste a road bike on top of this GoldWing, just to get an idea :D
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/1949/aribaggedmotorbike3by.th.jpg (http://img477.imageshack.us/my.php?image=aribaggedmotorbike3by.jpg)
jthistle
03-14-06, 02:06 PM
Found the other helmet MET Parachute (http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=2407) .
Not sure if m/cycle helmets would do much good.
Dr Mayer Hilman's research into fatal head injuries among cyclists discovered that in about 92% of all the cases, the rider would have died anyway from other injuries. For instance, coming to an abrupt halt at 20mph can tear your aorta from your heart.
My own feeling is that, if you want to wear a m/cycle helmet and avoid the other fatal injuries, you should attach a rectangular frame round your bike to act as a crumple zone. This would avoid the necessity of wearing any body armour. Of course, the extra weight might,perhaps, require some external energy source to assist with the additional weight (and aerodynamic drag) involved.
A reduction in drag forces might be achieved by covering the frame with material which would smooth out the passage of air and thereby increase your speed. This might, in turn, require upgrading the external power source. This would also need to take into account the additional weight of the fuel supply.
Unfortunately, this could lead to a reduction in the superior manoeuverability of your machine so that further power would be required so that you could keep up with the general traffic flow.
Alternatively, wear a cycle helmet and stop worrying.
Great idea, or you could use ski, snowboard, hockey helmets . I think we had 3 kids die in sledding accidents last year mostly from head injuries hitting trees , poles or fences.
Lauren Hutton probally would have died without her helmet in her motorcycle accident.
"when at age 55 she was in a serious motorcycle accident while on a 100-mile ride near Las Vegas with bikers and fellow celebrities including Dennis Hopper and Jeremy Irons-who reportedly gave her a full face helmet just minutes before her crash-to celebrate a planned motorcycle exhibit at the Hermitage-Guggenheim museum. After losing control on a curve, she skidded about 100 feet and went airborne, ultimately suffering multiple leg and arm fractures, broken ribs, a punctured lung, cuts and bruises. The actress subsequently traveled down a long road of physical rehabilitation."
Four years ago I had the opportunity to "coast" down Mt. Haleakala on Maui in Hawaii. The bikes provided were heavy bikes with two disk breaks. WE were provided with full rainsuites and a motorcycle helmet with full face shield. I thought I was on the moon. If I recall, during the descent the rain on the shield made visibility a problem. I always wear my bike helmet... saved my noggon a few years ago.
Well, I'm gonna stick to wearing the motorbike helmet for the moment. Been out wearing it again today and I'm starting to kinda like it. Sure, there is no substitute for skillful riding, but I just feel so much safer and more comfortable wearing the motorbike helmet, especially as my face is properly protected wearing it.
I have a constant stream of people giving me odd looks in the street but I don't really care. I value my head and would like to keep it in one piece, so giving myself the highest level of protection I can find makes sense. I'm guessing it will be a little too hot to wear in summer, but hopefully not. It'll feel strange going back to my Bell faction after this.
I-Like-To-Bike
03-15-06, 11:53 AM
Well, I'm gonna stick to wearing the motorbike helmet for the moment. Been out wearing it again today and I'm starting to kinda like it. Sure, there is no substitute for skillful riding, but I just feel so much safer and more comfortable wearing the motorbike helmet, especially as my face is properly protected wearing it.
Last evening at about 5:45 I heard a thud outside my house. A motorcyclist hit a pickup truck in the side near my house. The motorcyclist was laying in the street right in front bof my house. I was by his side within one minute of the crash. The motorcyclist had no pulse. Someone else tried CPR before the emergency people arrived to no avail. His buddy on another motorcycle had to take his perfectly intact full face helmet off to attempt to give mouth to mouth before the emergency people arrived, but to no avail. The victim's face wasn't scratched and except for the bleeding from both ears and his mouth filled with blood couldn't see any visible damage. BUT his helmet was intact; and no it didn't save his life; nothing would have. He knocked both wheels off the rear axle of the pickup as well as ripping the topper completely off the pickup bed when he hit it with his body. The speed limit is 30 mph on the street.
Moral of the story - don't place faith in helmets of any kind to undue the damage created by physical forces beyond the capability of the human body and/or the helmet to absorb. Skillful, or at least careful, cycling is FAR more important than faith in magic.
fordfasterr
03-15-06, 12:05 PM
I wear a full face BMX helmet. I feel much safer in it than with my old bell bicycle helmet. This thing breathes quite well and I don't feel hot in it. I have always worn full face helmets from riding motorcycles so it was not a big deal for me to wear this all the time. I got it on ebizzle for $ 60. new ! =)
This is a picture of it:
http://i8.ebayimg.com/02/i/05/57/ba/b1_1.JPG
thebankman
03-15-06, 01:25 PM
Unless you go with a premium, lightweight fullface helmet, the weight is an issue. You won't notice the weight if you sit upright, but when you start to lean your head down in one direction the weight becomes noticeable and cumbersome. Bike helmets feel better to me since I have greater vision range and the light weight makes looking around and especially peering over your shoulder easier.
GuitarWizard
03-15-06, 01:46 PM
Well, I'm gonna stick to wearing the motorbike helmet for the moment. Been out wearing it again today and I'm starting to kinda like it. Sure, there is no substitute for skillful riding, but I just feel so much safer and more comfortable wearing the motorbike helmet, especially as my face is properly protected wearing it.
I have a constant stream of people giving me odd looks in the street but I don't really care. I value my head and would like to keep it in one piece, so giving myself the highest level of protection I can find makes sense. I'm guessing it will be a little too hot to wear in summer, but hopefully not. It'll feel strange going back to my Bell faction after this.
You only saw the people giving you odd looks, because you couldn't comfortably turn around to see them laughing their asses off.
I ride a motorcycle, and wear full body armor as well as a full-face helmet while riding it, but you typically are up against much greater odds of being killed or seriously injured on a motorcycle than that of a bicycle. I also don't need people spewing out statistics....anyone who rides both knows what I'm talking about. Statistics mean nothing when it comes to your time to crash.
DavidLee
03-15-06, 03:08 PM
I'm not very good at Photoshop, but if someone could paste a road bike on top of this GoldWing, just to get an idea :D
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/1949/aribaggedmotorbike3by.th.jpg (http://img477.imageshack.us/my.php?image=aribaggedmotorbike3by.jpg)
Sure, he's sitting on the back tire but it's the best I can do. :p
Moral of the story - don't place faith in helmets of any kind to undue the damage created by physical forces beyond the capability of the human body and/or the helmet to absorb. Skillful, or at least careful, cycling is FAR more important than faith in magic.
I don't have any illusions that a motorbike helmet (or any helmet) will save me from everything, or that wearing a helmet is more inportant than learning how to ride well in the first place. My point is that wearing the strongest helmet I can find makes sense to me.
You only saw the people giving you odd looks, because you couldn't comfortably turn around to see them laughing their asses off.
I don't doubt they were laughing their asses off. I haven't actually found it to be that restrictive, and if that helmet makes me feel safer (which it does) to be honest I don't really care if people do laugh at me.
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