Road Cycling - Visors on Helmets

I was in the local bike shop the other day and heard a salesperson say that "a roadie would never be caught dead wearing a visor on a helmet" to a potential buyer. Is this true? I am a MTBer who is turing to the world of road cycling and absolutely love my Giro E2. Will I be the laughing stock of the roadie world? Im so scared!!!:cry: Just kidding. Would like some opinions though. THX!

If I'm not mistaken, the visor just snaps off on your Giro model???? Frankly, if you like it to shade your eyes, use it. It's just an aerodynamics thing, but, yes, the LBS guy was right - most true roadies don't use a visor. The important thing, I think, is just to get out there and pedal.

Yeah it does snap off!! I looks good w/out the visor as well. To get out there and pedal is the important thing! Nicely said.

I'm a roadie, and I use a Louis Garneau (sp?) visor all the time, with wraparound sunglasses underneath. I've had some mighty big bugs bounce off the visor last summer. The visor came with velcro attachments, which didn't keep it on too well. So I bought two shallow screws and screwed the visor onto the helmet. You can clean the visor with a little Windex while it is still on the helmet. It cost me about $9 through BikeNashbar.

Wrong kind of visor trmcgeehan. He's talking about the one that sticks out forward like on a ball cap. As far as the "no visor for roadies" rule bwaaahh ha ha ha ha I like my visor and would wear it even if I rode a Trek 5900 decked out L.A. style.

Originally posted by Brahman Bull
"a roadie would never be caught dead wearing a visor on a helmet"
It's like anything... there are those that will ridicule you for being out of uniform. Who needs 'em? I wear a helmet with a visor for commuting... useful for shielding my eyes against headlights and low sun.

Helmet visors stick out too far forward for visibility while riding in the drops. A roadie cap worn under the helmet will give you more than enough wind deflection to keep bugs out of your eyes, and still allow you to see what's ahead.

FWIW, a year or so ago I remember seeing a picture of Lance taken at the prior year's Ride for the Roses. Guess what? Big ol' visor on his helmet, sure as shootin'. I did a double take as I have always heard roadies don't use visors.

I've got nothing against visors, but I'm kind of with D*Alex. I wear a cycling cap under my helmet because it serves a sweatband and sunshade that I can flip up out of the way if necessary. I cut the top out of an old cap for improved ventilation in our brutal summer heat and humidity.

I often use my visor on the road (also an E2) and am teased mercilessly by the roadies but i also live in texas, like lance, and depending on the time of day it's make perfect since. The sun can be totally blinding even with sun glasses on, hell #8 tented welding shields have a hard time blocking the rays sometimes :)
Just shrug it off and snicker at the roadies because all that sun is damaging to your eyes.
They stop laughing when i drop their asses 60 miles in on a hill like their standing still. It's even more fun to bring the mtb and put them in their place :P

Wouldnt ride without it.My giro goes up and down and it keeps the sun off my face and a cap under a helmet doesnt let the head breath much.

I wear a cycling cap under my helmet that's often useful as a visor.

You guys are awesome!! See thats my mentality also, ride b/c you love it. Hell, I would ride in jeans and a t-shirt if that is all I owned. Why, Because I LOVE IT which most cyclist fail to realize! Kepp the opinions coming!

Usually when I'm riding my road bike I forego the visor that came with either of the helmets I use. It feels like it constricts my field of view (and like others, I can slip on a bike cap underneath). However, if I expect rain I snap on the visor, as it keeps most of the water off my sun[rain]glasses. In this case the decrease in the field of view is more than offset by the advantage of the (mostly) dry glasses.

Originally posted by UncaStuart
However, if I expect rain I snap on the visor, as it keeps most of the water off my sun[rain]glasses. In this case the decrease in the field of view is more than offset by the advantage of the (mostly) dry glasses.

Smart. I'm going to try that.

Originally posted by UncaStuart
Usually when I'm riding my road bike I forego the visor that came with either of the helmets I use. It feels like it constricts my field of view (and like others, I can slip on a bike cap underneath). However, if I expect rain I snap on the visor, as it keeps most of the water off my sun[rain]glasses. In this case the decrease in the field of view is more than offset by the advantage of the (mostly) dry glasses.

I usually have my visor installed, but I do find that it helps quite a bit with light rain. In heavy rain, its useless for keeping the water off the glasses, so they go into the pocket. (Thankfully I don't need prescription glasses).

As for ridicule as to visor or not to visor, its just dumb. The things people get catty about. It begins to sound like bored housewives. :rolleyes:

I don't know what you have to do to qualify as a 'roadie'. I put about 3,000 miles on my bike last year - all on the road, and all with a visor.

I bought a cheep Bell helmet when I started riding. It had a visor with some holes in it for aerodynamics. I didn't think it would do much but found that it works well to keep the sun out of my eyes and it doesn't block anything for me.

I don't give a rat’s rear what other people think I look like (cyclists or pedestrians). I ware what works.

I have stopped at a mickey D's before where the road bikers get coffee and when i pulled up,somebody in the bunch said,dump the visor or get on your mountain bike,everybody laughed it up but me but it didnt stop me from having one.In fact it makes me use it because they have a problem with it. Its really stupit,use it or dont no matter what you ride.

Along with reasons already listed, I also use the visor to deny or limit a driver's eye contact with me. By tipping my face downward a bit at strategic times, I can keep traffic in sight but give a dawdling driver one less thing to stare at.
I know it sounds kinda wierd, but on many occasions when I've come to an intersection, I've noticed that if a driver can maintain eye contact with me, he/she will stare at me like I'm The Creature From Outer Space. They sit there with a vacuous expression, their mouths drop open, and their brains fall out. It is really annoying to wait for them to wake up and go, when they have the right of way. Especially knowing that if I had the right of way and made my move, they would stomp on the gas to cut me off.
It feels like the stop-n-stare interval is somewhat shortened by this technique. Somebody could probably finagle a PhD in Human Factors, Psychology, or Industrial Engineering (time & motion studies) by investigating this phenomenon in detail.
I have gotten good results at intersections, by giving drivers a brief glance to let them know we can see each other. Then the question of who's gonna go seems to resolve itself smoothly. :)

Normally I don't ride with a visor on my road bike but I do carry it with me if I think it is going to rain. As was stated previously, The visor is totally up to the person and what helps him! I don't think a visor helps the other guy on the other bike... at least it doesn't here! I use a visor on my recumbent always due to the laid back position I'm in. Thanks also for the hints, RainmanP, I going to "de-top" a road cap for the heat relief!

Rick

I use Rain-X on my glasses/sun glasses, and also on my face shield. It enables me to see clearly even in a total downpour. It is my understanding they use this stuff on sports/race cars where the top speed is so high, the windshield wipers are blown off the glass. I also use Rain-X on my '69 VW bug windshield. The antiquated wipers are too slow moving in a downpour, but the Rain-X keeps the windshield completely clear and fog free. I only have to renew the Rain-X about once every six weeks.

My question about visors.. How do they work in foggy conditions.. Sunglasses fog up something fierce.. Does the visor create a warm air space behind it and still cause fogging in either the visor or under your sunglasses?

Originally posted by cyclezealot
My question about visors.. How do they work in foggy conditions.. Sunglasses fog up something fierce.. Does the visor create a warm air space behind it and still cause fogging in either the visor or under your sunglasses? I've never had a visor fog up ;) , but my glasses are another story. :p
I presume you are referring to the microclimate in that nether region somewhere around you forehead? IMO, you gotta experiment and find that answer out for yourself. There are so many variables to consider (temperature, humidity, your speed, how hard you're breathing, wind direction and velocity, helmet/visor aerodynamics, etc) that it's hard to say if a visor will cause your sunglasses to get fogged (actually I'm a little confused, is it wear the visor or the sunglasses? or wear both and take a chance with fogging?). I've probably confused you more than helped you, sorry, it's way past my bedtime, there's a thread around here somewhere on how to keep glasses from fogging but I'm too tired to find it, gotta crash I'm so dang tired, zzz zz ...

Originally posted by Raiyn
I like my visor and would wear it even if I rode a Trek 5900 decked out L.A. style.

Is this some kind of derogatory statement or a compliment?;)

My Pneuno visor has never been out of the box. Mabey I'll give it try, someday.

I guess my question.. With a visor on and in cool, humid conditions, do you find that either fog congregates either behind the visor; or with the visor on, behind the glasses.

I guess my question.. With a visor on and in cool, humid conditions, do you find that either fog congregates either behind the visor; or with the visor on, behind the glasses
I've been reading the posts in this thread and I think that we may have been talking about 2 different things. There is the "face shield" that comes down from the helmet and covers the front of your face. Then there's the removable "visor" that is like the bill on a baseball cap. It sticks out in front of the helmet and provides shade for you eyes.

I was under the impression that we were talking about the baseball cap bill type "visor". It could be that I'm the only one who is confused - I've sat on the dunce stool before.

As for ridicule as to visor or not to visor, its just dumb. The things people get catty about. It begins to sound like bored housewives.

Couldn't have said it better myself.


I have stopped at a mickey D's before where the road bikers get coffee and when i pulled up,somebody in the bunch said,dump the visor or get on your mountain bike,everybody laughed it up but me but it didnt stop me from having one.In fact it makes me use it because they have a problem with it. Its really stupit,use it or dont no matter what you ride.

I would have asked him if he had a D1ck or was just being one?

I also wear a Camelback when I ride my roadbike. Totally taboo for the "Roadie" crowd. I live in FL, and when it's hot, 2 bottles aren't nearly enough.

I also where my mtn bike shoes and Time A.T.A.C. pedals. Why? 1) it's easier to walk around when off the bike, and 2) same pedal that's on my mtn bike, and I like to keep the "feel" consistant. BTW, my "mtn" shoe is the same exact shoe as the "road" shoe except for an additional layer of lugs glued to the bottom.

For me, practicality take precedence over fashion. Function over Form!

L8R

I use the time carbon and have had guys looking at my bike and the eyes always stop ay my flat bars and pedals.I guess they want them.LOL

visors? helmets? what? The crazy things people wear these days!

I dont wear a visor for the same wierd reason I dont like wider helmets. Anything that gets in my line of vision drives me nuts. When I raced mt bikes I used to get crap about not wearing one. Who gives a crap what other people think. I just remind them that their granny panties are showing thru... that usually shuts them up and their buddies get an even bigger laugh at their expense.

I am glad this topic came uo. I was wondering what the general consesus of this was. I ride both road and MTB, I snap my visor off for road and out it back on for the trails.

I can't wait to get the new green goo giro e2, I will use it on both bikes.

I took my visor off the first day I rode in a cross wind. I've been visorless since. Unless it's raining outside, then I put the visor back on.

Originally posted by a2psyklnut
For me, practicality take precedence over fashion. Function over Form!
L8R

Puh-leeease, whut-eveeerr. It's all about fashion dude. Who cares if you pass out from dehydration???? It's better the have the coolest water bottle cages and the lightest water bottles than a stupid camelbak...yuk!!. If you can't do the LOOK pedal waddle into the coffee shop, then you should have an L on your forehead for LOSER!!! Who says shades are for protection from UV??? Shades either make you look cool, or they make you look stupid..function doesn't matter, so get the ones that make you look coolest. If they fog up, be cool about it and stick them in your helmet, don't slide them down on your nose trying to get them to defog, that is friggin ********!!! Remember, fashion fashion and fashion, that is the key to cycling. Don't forget to memorize the terms and meanings for things such as pain threshold, lactic acid, anaerobic threshold, aerobic base, power intevals, VO2 max, lung capacity, intervals..If you don't race, you've gotta be able to talk like you do.. And no hair or stubble on those legs!!!!

fubar5, style extra-ordinaire:)

fubar5, style extra-ordinaire:)

Geez, I remember when this KID only rode his mountain bike on weekends.

You've come a long way baby!

If I only rode on weekends, I'd die. A few weeks ago I went 3 days without riding, and I was in a terrible mood. When I finally got on my bike everything got better.

It's all about fashion dude.

And if you realy get the fashion down you get your own column in Bicycling.

an older helmet i used to wear had a visor that was attached with velcro. i tried to use it but because i was riding a road bike, (i imagine it would have been the same on my recumbent), i could not see ahead all that well, visor came down to low. now on a mtn bike it probably would have been fine. so i never used it.

on my new helmet, the TREK vapor, the visor snaps on and it is not as long as the older models. it still doe the job of helping to shade my eyes but it is cut back a little to allow me to see down the road.

i dont think using a visor is all that big of a deal. especially if you use one for its practical purpose and not just as a stylish statement.

Originally posted by Bobatin
And if you realy get the fashion down you get your own column in Bicycling.

Bingo.:beer:

Who da man? FUBAR! :beer:

I'll add my own bit of sarcasm here!

Note for all you overly sensitve people here. This is just a joke!


And no hair or stubble on those legs!!!!

Hair on legs? Of course! Only sissies and women shave their legs!

L8R

Originally posted by a2psyklnut

Hair on legs? Of course! Only sissies and women shave their legs!
L8R

Well, I'll bet there's a few women here that could kick your arse...;)

Originally posted by fubar5
If you can't do the LOOK pedal waddle into the coffee shop, then you should have an L on your forehead for LOSER!!!

:lol: :roflmao: :lol: I've done this and fallen down... guess I should get my L out :D



Originally posted by a2psyklnut
Hair on legs? Of course! Only sissies and women shave their legs!

when I first started riding road, I had a mtb helmet with a visor (it did help with the sun a bit)
I swore I would never wear those 'tight' spandex pants
and I would have laughed at anyone who asked me the question of 'do you shave your legs?'

however, as I'm getting ready to head out the door, I'm getting into a pair of lyrca and my legs are pretty hairless... guess this is what it means to be a roadie :D

Originally posted by trmcgeehan
The visor came with velcro attachments, which didn't keep it on too well. So I bought two shallow screws and screwed the visor onto the helmet.
Just a thought Mac ,those screws,if you were to hit the road with the front of your head you could punch those screws into & through your skull :(

Greywolf: My skull is too thick for any screw to penetrate it. (so my wife sez) :crash:

Originally posted by trmcgeehan
Greywolf: My skull is too thick for any screw to penetrate it. (so my wife sez) :crash: :D :D :D :D :D your wife sounds like mine:beer: