Mountain Biking - Do you wear helmet for pavement riding?

I think everyone should wear a helmet , always. But people here at work think its fine to go without a helmet if your doing leisurely riding on a quiet path. What do you think?

On a quiet multiuse path sure, but otherwise I always wear my helmet. You can't predict when an accident will happen.
Case in point, A few years back, bicycling magazine has a letter from a guy who was riding without a helmet on a powerline trail with his kids (who had helmets), His tire hit something, bike wobbled, handlebar caught tower support, bike and his head hit tower support. He stated that he felt he was lucky he didn't die from the head injury, and now always wears a helmet.

I am probably one of the most accident prone people on earth so yes I always wear a helmet.

And most drivers in So Cal (and I'm sure everywhere else) drive fast and have the attention span/reaction time of a braindead monkey so i never know when I'm going to get sideswiped.

I post this link (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=313842&highlight=rip) out of respect for Rev.M...may we remember him fondly and learn from his passing.


(BTW...it was this story that makes me wear a helmet so often, and I owe my noggin to him on more than one occasion)

I'm more likely to bail off-road, but the impact is usually not quite as bad. On the road, the falls are few and far between, but the impact is very... impactful. This means that I wear a helmet all the time.

Leisurely riding on a quiet path? ..no helmet.

Do you wear a helmet while driving or showering, or cutting the grass? Those are dangerous activities you know.

Leisurely riding on a quiet path? ..no helmet.

Do you wear a helmet while driving or showering, or cutting the grass? Those are dangerous activities you know.

It could happen anywhere, I guess. I don't really wear a helmet when I ride on the sidewalk to work. I should, and my wife would prefer me to do so. Every time I hit the woods where I know I'll be pushing it a little bit...I bring one.

Nope, only off-road. It's my choice so don't argue with me goddammit :)

I wear a helmet ALWAYS. It is a long-ingrained habit from my motorcycling youth and has served me well.

ocz800 - - Don't make a big deal of it with co-workers though, especially ones above you; there could be some advancement opportunities.

I think if you are riding with kids, you should always wear a helmet, to set a good example

otherwise, whatever floats your boat man

"Do you wear a helmet while driving or showering, or cutting the grass?"

Actually yes, once in awhile I jump in the shower with my helmet on to stop it from getting a funky smell, it also protects me from smacking my noggin into the shower head.

If I'm tooling around camping with the TGMBG then no but riding any distance on any terrain means helmet time.

If I'm just going for a short ride up to the shops, no I wont wear one.

But if I'm going anywhere else, always.

I once came off my bike because some ****head kids threw a football at me, landed right in front and my wheel jerked to the side. The way I landed meant I hit my head on the corner of a concrete slab covering a storm water drain..

Had it not been for my helmet, who knows what could have happened...

Pretty much always. Every once and a while I will not wear it on the .6mi round trip to the store but I usually even wear it in on that ride as well.

i always wear my helmet.

I was raised without riding a helmet. I never cared. Since 2000 I completly stopped riding bikes. After I got my last bike, April 2008, I asked the store to include helmets. For some reason I feel only comfortable with it when I ride. The other day I got on my bike while my helmet was still in my back pack. I pedalled about 20 meters and felt like something was really wrong.

the only time i don't wear a helmet is when i'm testing out my bike after repairs down the road (system check ;)). otherwise, i always wear a helmet. i'm a "roadie" and a "mountain biker," so it doesn't really matter where i ride, i have a helmet.

Riding rail trails or multi-use trails? No. Lots of urban/road? Yes. Actual MTB'ing? Always.

Yes, doesn't matter where I am riding

Many uniformed/paranoid people think that a Styrofoam hat is some kind of a panacea.

Sometimes I wear a helmet (tree slaps suck) many times I don't, especially riding multi-use paths with the spawn.

Always. And always eye protection.

for paved riding??? nah.

for trail riding i do helmet, glasses, gloves so its not because im too cool for. but its unnecessary i think in certain situations

but its unnecessary i think in certain situations

Famous last words, prior to an accident. ANYTHING can happen, even a 2 block ride to the store, freaky stuff happens.

Do ya feel lucky..................?

I always put mine one even if I'm just going down the drive way and a cross the yard checking my shifting adjustments

only takes a second of not paying attention to pitch over the bars

as strange as it sounds one of the worst crashes I've seen is on a crusher dust path.... 2 guys going opposite directions taking the inside line on a blind corner

I used to be one of those people who only wore my helmet when on singletrack or riding with traffic, but never if I was just out cruising on a MUP or Greenway.

Then I wrecked.

It was a familiar path, familiar turn, one I'd ridden countless times before. Pavement was damp, not that wet, from a storm the day before but the bike still got out from underneath me. I managed to control my fall this time...but what about the next freak wipeout? Now I always...always wear my helmet. Better safe than sorry...

im suprised at how many of you go without a helmet just because its a leisurely ride. I wear mine everytime i step onto my bike.

Always wear a helmet. It is not a difficult concept. Your head is important. You should protect things that are important.

Always wear a helmet.

Yes I agree. Make it a full face. With goggles. And always wear gloves. And elbow pads. And knee pads. And shin guards. And a full pressure suit. And tie a pillow to your ass for good measure.

You can't be too careful.

A friend of mine couldn't walk for two years becaue he fell off his bike in his driveway without a helmet.

Yes I agree. Make it a full face. With goggles. And always wear gloves. And elbow pads. And knee pads. And shin guards. And a full pressure suit. And tie a pillow to your ass for good measure.

You can't be too careful.

Seriously, stop stalking me. I saw you in the bushes taking those pictures and giggling to yourself the other day. The pillow was because I was tired!

Geez...

Two helmet-related TV stories.

1. On NBC Night News they had a story about an 82 year old woman who rode her bike a lot. No helmet. I'm guessing that at 82, it wouldn't take much of a knock on the head to kill you.

2. I saw a video about a guy who "can teach anyone to ride a bike in five minutes." Shows video of an adult on a bike for the very first time. No helmet.

My Dad who is 67 wes riding his bike(Ironhorse) to a lake to fish a couple of night ago and crashed. It was all gavel road. Just goes to show ya,you never know when it will happen.

Yes I agree. Make it a full face. With goggles. And always wear gloves. And elbow pads. And knee pads. And shin guards. And a full pressure suit. And tie a pillow to your ass for good measure.

You can't be too careful.

Yes. I do this, in fact. And if you recall, I only ride indoors on a trainer with some rocks and sticks strewn about my living room to simulate the great outdoors.

Yes. I do this, in fact. And if you recall, I only ride indoors on a trainer with some rocks and sticks strewn about my living room to simulate the great outdoors.

Why bother messing up your living room with sticks and rocks, riding on gravel roads is now considered mountain biking. Heck, this thread is about riding on pavement.

Why bother messing up your living room with sticks and rocks, riding on gravel roads is now considered mountain biking. Heck, this thread is about riding on pavement.

Riding on gravel would make me a poser.

Yes. I do this, in fact. And if you recall, I only ride indoors on a trainer with some rocks and sticks strewn about my living room to simulate the great outdoors.I think you could spice that up with a set of rollers; then you wouldn't need the sticks and rocks ;).

Maybe we can discuss, in great detail, the types of rollers that are available, including the advantages and disadvantages of the features supplied with each brand. I would like to finish derailling this thread, if possible.

An occaisional dead possum, and a hiring a redneck to throw beer bottles at you, completes the simulation. !!

aplogies to JD;

gavel roooooaaaaaads, take me hoooooommmmmme , to the plaaaaaaaace, I belooooooong!

wear you hellllllllllmets, mountain biking mamaaaaaaaaas, take me hooooooooome, gavel roaaaaaaaads.

On multi use paths, no I don't. Roads yes, trails of course.

^^ Have you seen how I ride on your multi-user paths? You would wear a helmet if you knew you might encounter me :D

^^ Have you seen how I ride on your multi-user paths? You would wear a helmet if you knew you might encounter me :D

Considering all of the wobbly little kids that use the multi-user paths with their parents around here, I use a helmet. Never know when one of those little rugrats is going to get all tied up in your spokes. Actually, it is why I tend to stay away from the MUPs.

MUPs around me wind through forests. Forests = deer. On multiple occasions, I've almost been clipped by one. They love to dart out of the trees at you. So I always wear a helmet, even on MUPs. Getting railed by a deer doesn't sound fun.

MUPs around me wind through forests. Forests = deer. On multiple occasions, I've almost been clipped by one. They love to dart out of the trees at you. So I always wear a helmet, even on MUPs. Getting railed by a deer doesn't sound fun.

I can imagine...I had one hit my car (I didn't hit him, he hit me) one day, i stopped and it turned out the deer was OK. He walked up to my car and started eating the sheet metal. I guess he wanted to prove to me how tough he was or something...

Not to be outdone though I backed up over him. He's dead now. His head is on my wall.

I win.

Still, a bike would be different.

I don't know where I'm going with this story.

^^ Have you seen how I ride on your multi-user paths? You would wear a helmet if you knew you might encounter me :D

I have seen how most downhillers ride it, yes (I love all the little wall rides on the way to my house, makes a dull road ride at least a little exciting). hahaha...but if that were an absolute truth, I should be wearing a helmet when I walk too haha.

MUPs around me wind through forests. Forests = deer. On multiple occasions, I've almost been clipped by one. They love to dart out of the trees at you. So I always wear a helmet, even on MUPs. Getting railed by a deer doesn't sound fun.

I agree that getting railed by a deer sounds uncomfortable. But how does a helmet keep a deer from sexually assaulting you?

I agree that getting railed by a deer sounds uncomfortable. But how does a helmet keep a deer from sexually assaulting you?

Deer don't like nerdy cyclists... I thought that was common knowledge? :innocent:

I agree that getting railed by a deer sounds uncomfortable. But how does a helmet keep a deer from sexually assaulting you?

I think only an aluminum foil helmet can prevent that.

Anyone ever run in to helmet Nazis? I rode with a helmet Nazi once. He'd shout at every helmetless cyclist we passed like the guy was a baby killer for not wearing a helmet. Not a fan of that. I always wear a helmet but I don't care at all if anyone else does.

Anyone ever run in to helmet Nazis? I rode with a helmet Nazi once. He'd shout at every helmetless cyclist we passed like the guy was a baby killer for not wearing a helmet. Not a fan of that. I always wear a helmet but I don't care at all if anyone else does.

Not out here, but if I did, I wouldn't ride with them long, zealots of any kind annoy me. Have an argument, define it, tell me, if I care I will listen, but it is really not a topic worthy of debate.