Recumbent - The helmet question

I did have one crazy wipe-out about 5 years ago. I got the slow-motion adrenaline experience, which gave me the time to choose which part of my head would receive impact. I chose my cheek bone, which wasn't broken or anything. I was stunned for about an hour, but I figure (from stories here) that a helmet would have left me just as stunned.

On the other hand, I got a real good concussion and a bloody nose in my house one time. I was taking a new medication, and I blacked out. Ended up whacking my head pretty hard on the wall while walking down the hallway. I was stupid for a week, and ended up losing my cell phone during that time. Maybe I need a helmet to go down the hallway?

I finally got paranoid enough to buy and wear a helmet today. It wasn't quite as bad as I thought, but I was sweating a lot on my head when I got home. :(

I wear a helmet whether on an upright or bent. Yep, maybe not so far to fall as on but the helmet still will help prevent head injuries and more likely prevent scratches, lacerations and buises. Also, a car fender deosn'tr know if your head is riding an upright, standard recumbent or even a lowracer! Perfect, heck no! But if you have an accident where you head comes into contact with ANYTHING, a helmet can sure help!

dont know about you, but i wear a sweatband under the helmet. helps a lot.

Don't recall where I read it, but according to (at least) one authoritative source, with statistical backup, it ain't the speed that causes cycling-related head injuries: it's the distance to the ground.

SP

that's odd. i heard that e=mc squared. distance to the ground adds to the acceleration. acceleration is speed. have to get the physics back out. :)

that's odd. i heard that e=mc squared. distance to the ground adds to the acceleration. acceleration is speed. have to get the physics back out. :)

It's really the total kinetic energy you should worry about. If you're worried about relativistic effects, it's time to just kiss your ass goodbye. :)

that's odd. i heard that e=mc squared. distance to the ground adds to the acceleration. acceleration is speed. have to get the physics back out. :)

Actually, it's a bit different from a physics viewpoint. The part of physics you need to know is called "vector analysis." Here's a website:

http://www.math.hmc.edu/calculus/tutorials/vectoranalysis/

What is says is that each directional force can be broken into it's related force vectors (see the diagrams on that page). If you are traveling forward, for instance, and fall, you have two vectors. These are the forward motion, and the acceleration of gravity towards the ground. If the forward motion continues, or is slowely reduced like in a normal fall, then the only vector you need to worry about in the vertical one when the head hits the ground. This is an independent vector, and is represented only by the fall distance, typically 1.5 meters or less on a bicycle (less on a recumbant). The distance to the ground does not add to the horizontal vector, only the vertical vector. Therefore, the helmet will protect even in a 30 mph horizontal speed as that speed does not factor into the analysis (the decelleration is too slow in the horizontal direction to cause excessive g-forces on the skull or brain).

It is quite a different story if you hit an obstruction, such as a bridge abutment or worse (because of the opposite direction force) a car. Here, the helmet probably won't help at all.

I have fallen with my Rans Stratus recumbant three times, and none of them at high speed. But in each, the force was taken on my hip, and was about the equivalent of sliding into second base. I did not hit my head at any time. But I still wear a helmet for all rides, recumbant or not. I have had a very serious fall off my Schwinn LaTour, and without the helmet I probably would not be writing this now.

John

I wear a helmet because I need to protect my brain cell.

It's either a hat or a helmet for me, or the top of my head would be sunburned to a crisp. I wear a "shorty" skull cap under my helmet to keep the vents from leaving a funny pattern of sunburn.

So I pulled my first overconfident and stupid move with my new helmet today. I was riding towards some overhanging branches. When I used to ride motorcycle, I would use the helmet to get through such obstacles by lowering my head momentarily and pushing through. So I tried this today, while conveniently forgetting the lack of a face shield on a bicycle helmet. Ended up cutting my face on a branch.

...I'm really tempted to go down there this weekend and snip off that overhang. I'll post elsewhere on that dilemma.