This may raise some controversy, but I'm going to put it out there anyway. First, in about 15 years of riding beach Cruisers, and few more riding a Scwinn 10-speed, I have never used a helmet. When I was a child, learning to ride a bike, helmets were unheard of, so I never picked up the habit. I never even gave it any thought until I started reading on Bike Forums. That may have to do with the infrequency of my wipe-outs.

As I was reading about recumbents, one of the claims I came across was that head injuries in recumbent wipe-outs are nearly non-existent, as the reclined position and lower base of gravity keep the rider from being hurled over the handlebars. The rider, instead, tends to be tossed onto his/her butt or suffer having a leg dragged under the bike. In fact, one of the claims I read said that a helmet was unnecessary on a recumbent.

My main concern is the upcoming installation of the electric assist, which will allow me to go a lot faster than I'm accustomed to going. I do see potential for a few wipe-outs when I get comfortable with the speed. But if it's going to be a leg-breaking, road-rash event, perhaps I should be more concerned about protecting my limbs?

...Who wears a helmet on a recumbent? Does anyone have any evidence that it is either necessary or unnecessary?

What feature on a recumbent will keep your head from hitting the pavement or a curb? Do they make them with roll cages now? Are the chances of being hit by a car decreased on a recumbent? It does not matter what the distance is between the road and your head. The road is still very hard.

All sarcasm aside. Wear a helmet. I was on a casual ride on the bike path near my house a couple weeks ago. I was unable to avoid hitting a rabbit that ran out in front of me and ended up dumping the bike. I was not going that fast, but my helmeted head hit the asphalt path. I am looking to buy a trike in the future and I will still wear a helmet even though chances are good that I will never dump that.

You never know what may happen.

[QUOTE=recumelectric;7262341]This may raise some controversy, but I'm going to put it out there anyway. First, in about 15 years of riding beach Cruisers, and few more riding a Scwinn 10-speed, I have never used a helmet. When I was a child, learning to ride a bike, helmets were unheard of, so I never picked up the habit. I never even gave it any thought until I started reading on Bike Forums. That may have to do with the infrequency of my wipe-outs.

As I was reading about recumbents, one of the claims I came across was that head injuries in recumbent wipe-outs are nearly non-existent, as the reclined position and lower base of gravity keep the rider from being hurled over the handlebars. The rider, instead, tends to be tossed onto his/her butt or suffer having a leg dragged under the bike. In fact, one of the claims I read said that a helmet was unnecessary on a recumbent.

My main concern is the upcoming installation of the electric assist, which will allow me to go a lot faster than I'm accustomed to going. I do see potential for a few wipe-outs when I get comfortable with the speed. But if it's going to be a leg-breaking, road-rash event, perhaps I should be more concerned about protecting my limbs?

...Who wears a helmet on a recumbent? Does anyone have any evidence that it is either necessary or unnecessary?[/Q

Not a recumbent rider...just a guy browsing the forum. I don`t see anything particularly controversial about your post. Millions of people around the world ride without helmets. I would guess just as many do wear helmets. Some non-helmeted riders have accidents and are killed. So it goes with helmeted riders. I, myself, had several years in a row where I rode 12k - 14k miles/year without a helmet, without a problem. Others may have different experiences.

I drive a car. I use a standard seatbelt. I bet I`d be safer in a modified vehicle with an 8 point restraint system. Why do I not go that route? I accept the risks. As I do in cycling.

Enjoy your recumbent. I think they`re pretty cool.

After today's ride, I will have done 200 miles on my recumbent on public roads. I don't own a helmet. On sunny days, I wear a cap.

I ride recumbent, I also wear a helmet. It does not have a scratch in it. My head does not have a scratch either.. My hope is that IF something happens the helmet gets the scratches and my head stays scratchless.

...Who wears a helmet on a recumbent? Does anyone have any evidence that it is either necessary or unnecessary?

This recumbent rider wears a helmet as a matter of habit and because I value it's limited protection against serious head injury.

There is no data showing either a lower or higher incidence of head impacts on recumbents as compared with DF's. This is, in my opinion, a good thing since our real risk levels depend on specifics of the bike, our skill levels, how we ride and where.

bicycle helmets are only tested to 14 mph. If you decide to be hit by a car, you should wear a motorcycle helmet.

Wear a helmet. Period. They don't cost that much and they won't hurt you. I can not think of any reason to not wear a helmet, either on our recumbent tandem, or on my Catrike. Like not smoking and sun screen, it just makes sense. Wear a helmet.

I ride recumbent, I also wear a helmet. It does not have a scratch in it. My head does not have a scratch either.. My hope is that IF something happens the helmet gets the scratches and my head stays scratchless.

Well said!

This recumbent rider wears a helmet as a matter of habit and because I value it's limited protection against serious head injury.
...

Ha! That's good, too!

Also, my helmet has a rear-view-mirror on it. When perfectly adjusted, I can see anywhere I want by turning my head. I feel blind without my helmet on. Also, whenever I'm on the bike, my eye habitually checks the mirror every now and then; when there's no mirror, that means I keep looking up in the sky for no reason, which gets really annoying! The helmet plus mirror combo becomes a habit that's hard to break.

I find that modern helmets are very useful for bicycles, particularly recumbents, for these reasons:
-- safety against brain injury (see details below)
-- attachment of rear-view mirror (another safety consideration)
-- attachment of an extra-long visor to block the sun (see http://www.lobosolo.com/visor/)
In addition, they weigh virtually nothing, cost a lot less than a hospital stay ($10k/day for a non-ICU room), and are virtually unnoticeable once you get in the habit of wearing one.

Helmets are mainly designed to protect you from falls that are equivalent to falling sideways for the distance from your normal riding position to the ground (VERTICAL distance). That being said, the risks for a recumbent, mountain bike, and road bike are essentially the same, even at low speed: falling sideways moves your head VERTICALLY down to the concrete. This destroys the helmet when it absorbs a serious impact, thus cushioning the impact to skull, hence reducing the chance of a concussion. Think about what happens when a modern, safe car hits a wall: the front-end collapses, leaving the driver's cage intact. See figure below.

http://fp.images.autos.msn.com/merismus/IIHS%5Cgallery%5C174_2.jpg

The same is true of a helmet: the helmet collapses, leaving the brain cage intact. See figure below.

http://www.kangarooconnection.com/image12LisaP.gif

A friend of mine was involved in a low-speed bike accident, with no helmet. His main injury was caused by falling sideways off the bike and hitting his head on the concrete. As a result, he PERMANENTLY lost the ability to form new long-term, non-procedural memories. Example: I shared a house with him for over a year, and each day he "met" me for the first time. A helmet would have reduced or eliminated this life-changing injury.

There is no reason not to wear a helmet, and every reason why you should. Need more convincing? See the helmet pictures and stories here:

Helmet Photos (http://www.kangarooconnection.com/Helmetsaveheads.html)
Stories about Helmets Saving Lives (http://www.helmets.org/crashes.htm)

When I had a tadpole recumbent trike, I figured I didn't need a helmet until some idiot on a MTB passed another cyclist in a blind curve on a path, right in front of me.

I was able to avoid the collision, but had we collided, I have no doubt I would have suffered a "head on" impact.

...Who wears a helmet on a recumbent? Does anyone have any evidence that it is either necessary or unnecessary?

I do, and have since the MSR "bucket" first came out. Evidence of necessity (or not)? No, but what's the big deal? Modern helmets are light, cool and comfortable.

SP

Okay, so putting a helmet on your head is for the same reason eggs come in a styrofoam box -- so the eggs don't crack so easily if you drop them to the ground. Okay, you talked me into it. I'll get one after I get a frame pump and paint my bike and get headlights for it. Oh, I forgot to say that I got a rearview mirror that I mounted to a balsa stick and taped the stick to my sunglasses when I ride. That way, I can see behind me.

I've never crashed my bent so I can't testify to the need for a helmet on a bent. But,

I have trashed a helmet on an upright when I went other the handlebars head first on an upright. Better a trashed helmet than my head. I also would have had an uncle if not for his hitting his head on a curb when he was a kid.

Reasons enough for me.

...Who wears a helmet on a recumbent? Does anyone have any evidence that it is either necessary or unnecessary?

I always wear my helmet. I forgot once on my way to work, felt naked, turned around and went back and got it.

I always wear my seatbelt in the car too. I guess it depends on your comfort level. I'd rather protect my head, I don't care about how it looks.

Oh, and mirrors. The helmet mount mirrors are way better than handlebar-mount. I have used both. I can turn my head to see anything I want behind me.

... As I was reading about recumbents, one of the claims I came across was that head injuries in recumbent wipe-outs are nearly non-existent, as the reclined position and lower base of gravity keep the rider from being hurled over the handlebars. The rider, instead, tends to be tossed onto his/her butt or suffer having a leg dragged under the bike. In fact, one of the claims I read said that a helmet was unnecessary on a recumbent. ...
I don't wear a helmet. I used to all the time after switching from upright bikes to recumbents, but after a while I couldn't see the point, so I stopped.

The matter here is the frequency of specific injuries, and the relative severity of a head injury vs. anything-else-injury. On an upright bike it's more sensible to wear a helmet because in most kinds of frontal collisions there's a good chance of the rider getting launched head-first. On a recumbent that just isn't so.

Yes it would be safer.
What would be even more safe is to wear a full off-road motorcycle kit--a full-face helmet, riding leathers, riding gloves and boots. But at some juncture you have to make a decision about what the likelihood of injury is, compared to what safety gear is practical or even enjoyable to wear.

To that end, there's no helmet that feels as good as "no helmet".

------

I strongly feel that a good head-mounted rear-view mirror is much more important to riding safety than a helmet is. A good mirror helps you avoid crashes, where a helmet only mitigates the injuries in a crash. And "crashing while wearing a helmet" will never be as safe as "not crashing in the first place".
~

bicycle helmets are only tested to 14 mph. If you decide to be hit by a car, you should wear a motorcycle helmet.

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

I doubt that any studies have been done comparing recumbent safety data to upright safety data.

In an impact, helmets can lessen the forces that cause brain injury. Brain injuries are to be avoided.

Wearing a helmet doesn't guarantee that you won't suffer a brain injury but they do lessen the risk.

I always wear a helmet. Couple months ago saw a guy go down off a curb and hit his head. Helmet cracked almost in half. He was just dazed for a while. If you ever do any organized rodes it wil be required

Probably wouldn't hurt.. Myself I am not in the habit of wearing one because I often change hats while on a ride to deal with conditions, and a helmet would prevent that. Brimmed hat for rain, fleece earwarmers, knit hat as appropriate to conditions and temperature, which can vary rather a lot over a typical trip to a business meeting. Also, I can't use helmet/glasses mirrors. They're worse than useless for me.

I am looking to buy a trike in the future and I will still wear a helmet even though chances are good that I will never dump that.

You never know what may happen.

I rolled my trike, it's an 05 Road. I've heard of a number of others that have also. I don't think I hit my head on the ground cause I was leaning very hard to try and prevent the rollover. BTW, I was still clipped in when I came to a stop and that saved me a whole lot of scrapes. However, my arm and side were torn up quite a bit. That said and at the time thinking I would never roll my trike, I now realize that a helmut is for "just in case".

I always wear a helmet while riding my recumbent. For me it's just a matter of comfort -- Tucson is warm, so I want the airflow that a helmet gives. But still want the visor to help with glare, so a cap doesn't sound comfortable at all.

I've ditched the trike before this, taking a corner far too fast. Although my head wasn't ever anywhere near the ground, I was still glad I had a helmet on... just in case. (I ended up scraping my hand up a bit, though, which is why I now wear gloves, too)

So for me it's more comfortable to wear a helmet than it is to go without. The safety issue is just a bonus.

What more can I say except..

why not wear a helmet?

Some thoughts that I have not seen in this thread thus far:

1.There have been court judgments against injured bicyclist who did not wear a helmet at the time of their accident. The insurance company thus paid only a portion of the medical bills because the cyclist was judged to be party at fault due to the fact that they could have reduced their injury by wearing a helmet.

2.Professional riders historically did not wear helmets, even when they were available. They do wear them now.

3.The old pictures of David Gordon Wilson show him wearing a helmet on his Avatar, even though he thought it to be a much safer configuration compared to a standard bicycle. His quest was for the safest bicycle, when he found it he still wore a helmet.

4.Not all accidents are falling accidents. Not all accidents are frontal. Not all accidents are the cyclist’s fault.

With all that being said, the fact of the matter is that any person who regularly rides two wheels, will eventually crash or be crashed. That’s the ugly truth. Knowing that truth leads to the fact that wheelmen must manage their own risks. Safety equipment is just a one of the items that can mitigate a rider’s risk.

Training, proper speed, maintenance of equipment, not being cocky and trying to show off, knowing your limitations, staying alert and proactive, obeying traffic laws, keeping track of your health, knowing safety maneuvers, riding with ID, knowing the road you are on, etc. are other examples of things that must be managed.

Ride Safe!

Sincerely,

Michael

Rans Stratus – 3 Schwinns (1road 2 mountain) – Lightning P-38 –Yamaha XV750 Virago – Yamaha XT225 – Honda CRF230F

Even when crashing an upright, I hit my head on the side far more often than going over the bars. I've crashed my recumbent once, and again cracked it on the side. It's worth having a helmet, I reckon. The visor keeps the sun out of my eyes too.

The only way this could possibly become an issue would be if you didn't let me
wear my helmet!

In other words, it's your head and you're an adult. Ride how you like.

Just my opinion of course.

Happy Trails

There is a larger percentage of bikers wearing helmets today then in the past. I guess Darwins Theory was right.

I've ridden motorcycles for too many years and have been down at the same speed possible on a bicycle and without a helmet, I would likely be dead. Just remember, no one NEEDS a helmet BUT you're really going to WANT one if someone hits you (or you get a blowout at high speed).

I rolled my trike, it's an 05 Road.

That's exactly why I didn't get a trike, despite the fact that they looked like they could haul more stuff. For me, 3 wheels feels more dangerous than 2. 3 wheels definitely have the potential to flip at a turn or on an unexpected bump.

What more can I say except..

why not wear a helmet?

Because it seems hot and sweaty and causes that despised helmet-hair.

I actually have been looking for one, though. The BF is starting to persuade me on this issue. I've been trying to get something that's white, has a lot of vents, and actually fits me. The third part is the toughest. I'm finding the standard adult helmets are too big, and the kids helmets are too small.

I wear a helmet - a bmx one. I've had a couple of crashes on my HiRacer however it wasnt my head that i always landed on, it was my hip. I'm thinking of getting some armoured/impact shorts.

...Who wears a helmet on a recumbent? Does anyone have any evidence that it is either necessary or unnecessary?

I was recently riding my recumbent home from work. While riding on a residentual, low traffic street an oncoming car turned into me with no warning. I was pushed over and hit my helmet on the pavement. The only head damage was to my helmet. My bike, back and skin were not so furtunate.

Driver was ticketed and his insurance company has accepted full responsibility for bike damage and any injuries.

That's exactly why I didn't get a trike, despite the fact that they looked like they could haul more stuff. For me, 3 wheels feels more dangerous than 2. 3 wheels definitely have the potential to flip at a turn or on an unexpected bump.
That depends on the trike and its center of gravity. One of the things I really like about the Greenspeed is that the COG is pretty low -- much lower than another trike I tried (don't recall the brand, though). Obviously you can tip a trike over as I've already mentioned, but I don't think they're any more unstable than a two-wheeler. In many cases they're much more stable.

And if you're going around a corner and hit a bump on a two-wheeler, you think that's somehow more stable than a trike? I'm not disagreeing with the fact that you think it feels more unstable, but I think that's a subjective feeling.

Okay, so putting a helmet on your head is for the same reason eggs come in a styrofoam box -- so the eggs don't crack so easily if you drop them to the ground. Okay, you talked me into it. I'll get one after I get a frame pump and paint my bike and get headlights for it. Oh, I forgot to say that I got a rearview mirror that I mounted to a balsa stick and taped the stick to my sunglasses when I ride. That way, I can see behind me.

That was funny. Sorry, I just found this thread...
I grew up at that time when racers wore the leather-net bike helmets. Some...
And car drivers wore seat belts. Some...

That said, I am looking for a helmet myself. In an odd fashion, my age suggests that now I have something to protect :o

I always wonder about the bike messengers i see bombing around. None of em seem to wear a helmet even though (i think) its the no. 1 most dangerous job to have in a city - there always having accidents. Think its a fashion thing

Oh, I bet that highway workers have a more dangerous job than bike messengers. I wear a helmet and I don't care if anyone else does. Just don't make a mandatory helmet law for bicyclists. THAT is unsafe. Bicycling is a very safe form of transportation and the more bikes are being ridden, the safer for all. If cars are used to seeing bikes, they start to watch out for them.

That's exactly why I didn't get a trike, despite the fact that they looked like they could haul more stuff. For me, 3 wheels feels more dangerous than 2. 3 wheels definitely have the potential to flip at a turn or on an unexpected bump.

If I'd had ridden any two wheel bike, bents included as hard as I ride my trike, I would had a lot more injuries to show for it. Even with a helmet. Flat out, my trike is the safest thing I've ever ridden. There are many places another here with sand or loose gravel just waiting for some unaware cyclist to try and turn or stop on.

And if you're going around a corner and hit a bump on a two-wheeler, you think that's somehow more stable than a trike? I'm not disagreeing with the fact that you think it feels more unstable, but I think that's a subjective feeling.

It could be. I don't have any statistics to throw out on one side or the other. ...A lot of it may have to do with the fact that I have way more experience on 2 wheels than 3, so I know how 2 wheels will handle. So it makes it safer for me.

...Also, as a kid, I was allowed to ride motorbikes, but never 3 wheelers, due to the flipping potential. (They did make me wear my helmet with the motorbikes, too. ...Just not with a bicycle, since it was virtually unheard of back then.)

The majortiy of bicyclists in my community do not wear helmets, either. This includes kids, who are required to wear them by (little-enforced) law. And I have seen a lot of crazy Amsterdam-type riding around here. Passengers on handlebars and rear pegs, carrying various items of handlebars, etc.. I hear very little about accidents.

...Of course, none of that means that I shouldn't wear a helmet, but I have yet to get one. :innocent:

An old girlfriend was a nurse that worked in a neurological ward. She told me that the majority of head injuries she dealt with were from children riding bicycles without helmets. Vast majority were from crashes while going slower that an average adult jogs. That sealed the deal for me to make it a habit to always wear a helmet. With the new designs, I find them just as comfortable on a 100+ degree day as wearing a baseball cap. I just toss on a baseball cap to combat "Helmet Hair"

I live in Washington State where there is no state law requiring a helmet, but a good number of cities do. I like the thought that if all others also wear helmets, there is less chance of my tax dollars ever having to pay for someones medical bill if a helmet would have kept them out of the hospital.
Color Me Greedy

I grew up with out wearing a helmet riding a bike and I survived. I never hit my head while cycling. I did use to hit my head on a regular basis on cupboards, benches and other obstacles at head height, however.:rolleyes:

When I shifted briefly to Adelaide it was mandatory to wear a helmet and my parents enforced the helmet wearing vigorously. Now nearly 20 years later I feel naked without a helmet when riding a bike. I have since had a couple of falls when cycling where the helmet has smacked into the ground rather than my unprotected head. Three times were when inattentive drivers knocked me of my bike and the other couple have been loosing the front wheel on slippery surfaces such as black ice.

I think that wearing a helmet is a very sensible thing to do when riding a bike. After all brain cells don't regenerate like skin and bones. I'm keen to do what I can to protect the few that I have left.

This may raise some controversy, but I'm going to put it out there anyway. First, in about 15 years of riding beach Cruisers, and few more riding a Scwinn 10-speed, I have never used a helmet. When I was a child, learning to ride a bike, helmets were unheard of, so I never picked up the habit. I never even gave it any thought until I started reading on Bike Forums. That may have to do with the infrequency of my wipe-outs.

As I was reading about recumbents, one of the claims I came across was that head injuries in recumbent wipe-outs are nearly non-existent, as the reclined position and lower base of gravity keep the rider from being hurled over the handlebars. The rider, instead, tends to be tossed onto his/her butt or suffer having a leg dragged under the bike. In fact, one of the claims I read said that a helmet was unnecessary on a recumbent.

My main concern is the upcoming installation of the electric assist, which will allow me to go a lot faster than I'm accustomed to going. I do see potential for a few wipe-outs when I get comfortable with the speed. But if it's going to be a leg-breaking, road-rash event, perhaps I should be more concerned about protecting my limbs?

...Who wears a helmet on a recumbent? Does anyone have any evidence that it is either necessary or unnecessary?

It's YOUR head. I'm surprised that you would need to seek advice, since you claim to have 15 years of experience.

Three times were when inattentive drivers knocked me of my bike

You mean you're actually still alive after being hit three times by cars!:injured:

My last crash on trek MTB left me knocked out cold, broken arm and cracked helmet. I still wear a helmet and no longer ride an MTB.

I wear a helmet always. It's definatly worth it if you want to protect youself. Also, i want to be taken serously as a cyclist. If I ride without a helmet I feel like a kid who thinks they are too cool to wear one. People who are seriously into cycling wear a helmet. I don't race but my bicycle is my vehicle. I comute to work, grocery store ... everywhere....(Except I did drive my car to take my bike to Hotter n' hell yesterday!) I think it's important to wear it for safety no mater how minimal the chance is you might think you need it. And it may encourage others to wear one too! Just my 2 Cents.

Just ask "What would Sheldon do?"

Just ask "What would Sheldon do?"

IIRC, Sheldon had a little statue mounted on his helmet... While I'm not a helmet crash tester, it looks to me like it would have made the helmet more dangerous in the area where it was mounted, due to providing a penetration point (as opposed to spreading the energy of an impact)

(They did make me wear my helmet with the motorbikes, too. ...Just not with a bicycle, since it was virtually unheard of back then.)
:innocent:

Bike helmets have been widely available in the US since the mid-to-late 1970's.

(Don't know when you were a kid.)

IIRC, Sheldon had a little statue mounted on his helmet... While I'm not a helmet crash tester, it looks to me like it would have made the helmet more dangerous in the area where it was mounted, due to providing a penetration point (as opposed to spreading the energy of an impact)

Sheldon had an eagle from a $10 flag kit superglued to his helmet. In the event of a crash, it would have broken off and gotten lost.

We have helmet laws here ($50odd fine for not wearing one) and what really gets me is the people who 'protest' and wear the helmet without doing it up, or hang it off the bars. Ain't no good unless its on and up!

Bike helmets have been widely available in the US since the mid-to-late 1970's.

(Don't know when you were a kid.)

I lived in rural areas. Began riding bicycle as a kid in the early 70's. Continued in the mid-70's. Got more into it in the mid-80's, when I went to college. No one, and I mean no one, was wearing a helmet in my college town/city. I literally never heard of such a thing until my stepson started on a bicycle in the early 2000's. Then some adults started saying that an inexperienced child should wear a helmet.

Now, in my community (Phoenix-metro area) , I see less than 25% of riders wearing a helmet. In fact, it's way, way less than 25%. What I see is much more like the Amsterdam photos I've seen. Balancing more than one person and/or stuff like groceries, etc. on a bike and no helmets for anyone.

I do think that I should probably wear one, since I'm getting older and the motor makes my bike much faster and I'm riding more in traffic these days. I went once again to shop for a helmet the other day, and still couldn't find one with a decent fit.

...My main fear is the idea of ending up drooling with a feeding tube, with friends and relatives who don't have the sense to end it. I'm OK with my final exit being getting my brains blown out on the road...as long as I don't know what hit me. I'm actually worried that a helmet might keep my brains from being blown out, and give just enough protection to keep me alive for the feeding tube.