Touring - sunshade with helmet

If you a will be riding all day while wearing a helmet, how do you keep your neck, ears, etc. from getting sunburnt?
I was thinking of putting a bandana over my head before putting my helmet on.
Any other ideas?

Sunscreen. (Disclaimer: I work for the company that makes Coppertone.)

If you a will be riding all day while wearing a helmet, how do you keep your neck, ears, etc. from getting sunburnt?
I was thinking of putting a bandana over my head before putting my helmet on.
Any other ideas?

Finally, a subject to which I can provide some expert input! :D

Some cyclists ride with a buff with a visor however I have come up with what (for me) is the ultimate solution to protect my face, ears, and neck from sunburn. In addition to the strongest sunscreen money can buy I use a Columbia Bahama Hat under my helmet. It has a very wide brim, extra generous sun flap and the hat is rated 30 UPF. Its lightweight and has good ventilation with mesh panels at the sides. Yes it may look dorky to some, and other cyclists may ROTFL :roflmao2: but without sunprotection I will absolutely not be able to tour.

Having had my nose removed from bridge to tip due to skin cancer (and re-built by a plastic surgeon so I don't look like a total freak! :o ) I can highly recommend this hat:


http://summer.columbia.com.au/products/productDetails.cfm?prdID=29

I was disappointed when I first tried it on under my helmet as I thought it would compromise my hearing and vision while riding, however with use I have decided it does neither while offering excellent sun protection.


Also: no matter how hot the weather, I cycle in very lightweight, hitech wicking fabric, well ventilated (mesh from underarm and down the body of the shirt on both sides), long sleeve travel shirts as I have had skin cancers on both arms. If its cold I add wool under the shirt or a vest on top or both.

I don't care what I look like, nor am I influenced by fear of what others might think, I'm happy to be alive and enjoying cycling in the great outdoors, and plan to stay that way for another 30 - 40 years!

My hair protects my neck.

Sunscreen protects my ears.

Cycotourer discussed the sun-hat-under-the-helmet bit, which I too recommend. Here are various similar options:

1. Helmet cover:

http://www.adventurecycling.org/store/index.cfm/product/141_40/headliner-helmet-cover.cfm

http://www.adventurecycling.org/store/images/products/sun_helmet_cover_lg.jpg

2. Fishing had with extra long bill and removable rear sunshade, e.g.,

Columbia Tamiami Cachalot Hat
Columbia Bahama Hat
Dr. Shade Cap with Zip-Off Shade

I use this one, Fishing Cap with Removable Sunshield by Dorfman Pacific (bought for $9 last month at Agri-Supply). The long bill is very nice and has dark underside that reduced glare well:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/71K1j9AuTjL._AA280_.gif

If you get one of these, I recommend one with a removable back flap, and one that is thin material, especially around the edge/bottom of the cap so it does not put extra pressure on your head when wearing a helmet.

3. Some folks wear a cap under the helmet and tape/strape/adhere thin fabric to rear for neck protect, essentially #2 above.

4. Here is an option I've not seen elsewhere; I think Mr. Potter made this. It looks like a neoprene visor with a cotton rag tucked under it in the back:

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/pics/crazyguyonabike/docs/00/00/09/33/small/Day41-6.jpg

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/pics/crazyguyonabike/docs/00/00/09/33/small/Day67-3.jpg

Source: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/BikingPhil2005

Why spend a lot of bucks?

Cheap baseball cap under helmet (adjusted to accommodate).
Bandanna under cap.

Hot pink not only is visible to motorists, but seems to repel mosquitoes.
Also, make sure that the underside of the cap visor is dark to reduce glare.

Why spend a lot of bucks?

Cheap baseball cap under helmet (adjusted to accommodate).
Bandanna under cap.

.

That option would certainly provide good sun protection but by spending very few more bucks, you get a one layer solution under the helmet (cooler), UPF fabric, lightweight, mesh ventilation in the crown of the cap to vent heat, better adjustability, etc. (Though I admit to a higher rank on the dorkiness sacle with a non removable neck flap!)

Not sure how much budget you had in mind for a cheap cap and banadana but the Columbia Bahama Hat is just US$14.95 on this site:

http://www.streamsideflyfishing.com/bahamahat.html

I paid about AU$29.95 at Trek and Travel in Sydney and was happy with the "investment".

Machka: I could use my hair to (inadequately) protect the back of my neck but that option for me is too hot, sweaty and irritating, and doesn't protect the sides of my neck. Chemical sunscreen by itself is not as effective as the hype. Do you like your ears the way they are, or are you happy to have them surgically removed? :p

"Slip, slop, slap: slip on a shirt, slop on sunscreen, slap on a hat!" courtesy Cancer Council of Australia.

Sunscreen. (Disclaimer: I work for the company that makes Coppertone.)

I don't work for a sunscreen manufacturer, and I think it's a good idea.

I kind of like the Bahama cap or something similar.
I will be on a group ride where I'm required to wear a helmet. In the summer I always wear a boonie hat when riding. Boonie hats shade your entire head. I seldom if ever wear a helmet.
I'm also bald so I don't want to get any weird tan lines on my noggin. I'm looking for something that fits comfortably under the helmet.
Thanks for all the ideas so far.

I wear a "Headsweat" bandanna under my helmet that almost always seems to keep me warm in the cold, and reasonably comfortable in the heat. Last year I purchased a pair of Slimstreamz ear covers that fit on the helmet straps. One purpose is to place iPod earbuds outside the ear canal so I can listen to music and still hear traffic/riding companions, but they also provide good wind and sun protection for my ears, which burn easily.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=16264&subcategory_ID=1340
http://www.slipstreamz.com/content.asp?subID=8

I forgot to mention that after several years of riding with the plastic clip-on sun visor that came with my helmet, I finally realized that it was giving me neck pain, because I had to keep looking up to see past the visor. So I removed that, and have been pain free since then. I wear polarized non-glare prescription sunglasses and don't miss the visor at all. Plus, I have a wider, more enjoyable (and safe) view of my surroundings.

I forgot to mention that after several years of riding with the plastic clip-on sun visor that came with my helmet, I finally realized that it was giving me neck pain, because I had to keep looking up to see past the visor. So I removed that, and have been pain free since then. I wear polarized non-glare prescription sunglasses and don't miss the visor at all. Plus, I have a wider, more enjoyable (and safe) view of my surroundings.

Hmmm. My clip-on visor detached and blew away on a windy day, and come to think of it, I didn't miss it!

I'm another bandanna fan. Mine covers the top of my head, ears and back of the neck. The rest of my face and throat gets slathered in sun block. A long-sleeved jersey keeps the sun off my arms. I'm more comfortable than I used to be, even in extreme heat.

Machka: I could use my hair to (inadequately) protect the back of my neck but that option for me is too hot, sweaty and irritating, and doesn't protect the sides of my neck. Chemical sunscreen by itself is not as effective as the hype. Do you like your ears the way they are, or are you happy to have them surgically removed? :p



7+ months of the year I'm in a balaclava or winter headband when I ride. During the <5 months of the year that my ears don't need the extra warmth and protection from the cold .... they are set free to be exposed to whatever sun rays they can catch!!! I do use a dash of sunscreen if I'm going out for a randonneuring event, but that's it.

A bandana and seme velcro...
http://www.vwvagabonds.com/Bike/sitebuilder/images/BikeBellHelmetAmanda-245x596.jpg

So there are some other folks who look like Bedouins, too.
I swear by covering as much as possible. Sunscreen elsewhere.

A bandana and seme velcro...
http://www.vwvagabonds.com/Bike/sitebuilder/images/BikeBellHelmetAmanda-245x596.jpg

So that's where Michael Jackson's hiding these days...

Just found this hat for a helmet (this will keep sun off your head):

http://spottedbynormanncopenhagen.com/2008/04/21/summer-hat-bicycle-helmet/

And the Sheik Flap:

http://www.easystreetrecumbents.com/stuff/gen_accs.html

Just found this hat for a helmet (this will keep sun off your head):

http://spottedbynormanncopenhagen.com/2008/04/21/summer-hat-bicycle-helmet/

And the Sheik Flap:

http://www.easystreetrecumbents.com/stuff/gen_accs.html

I'm afraid the boys would hit on me if I wore the dolkadotted hat.

Fancy stuff...I'm more of a T-shirt on my head guy,helmet on top of that

It covers the back of my neck and I pull the side that has the sun on it over my ear....

Works well on really hot days when I pore water on my head.

The cotton holds some of it for cooling but I can rinse it out easily enough.