Vehicular Cycling (VC) - Helmet Chin Strap?

Does anyone prefer a chin strap with their helmet? Has anyone made their own? I have a very strong gag reflex (especially in the morning when my sinuses aren't fully clear) and I do a lot of riding with my helmet unstrapped. It's that or pull over and wretch for awhile. I emailed Bell this evening and would appreciate anything you all might teach me. Thanks.

Uvex helmets have a chin strap that is adjustable on the fly.

Unless I'm WAY off here, riding a helmet without strapping it is about the same as not wearing it at all. In a fall or collision, your helmet would go one way while your head would go the other. This is all well and good until your head suddenly stops against something hard.

I'd at least go super-loose until you find a chin strap you like.

What Dallas said...

The chin strap is what holds a helmet in place so that it can do its job when you really, really need it. Even a loose strap causes problems because the helmet will scoot right on back over your head and expose your tender parts to the pavement or trail.

Had a new rider last summer loosen his straps, and about halfway through the ride he touched wheels with the rider in front of him. His loose helmet rolled back and his forehead took the brunt of the head-first impact with a chipseal road back in a part of the county where we have to pipe in daylight, much less everything else.

Wearing your helmet without the chin strap, or with a loose chin strap is the next best thing to not wearing a helmet at all.

I've got a cheap Bell helmet and even on this cheapie, there are ways to adjust the fore/aft straps on either side to position the fastener further forward or rearward under my chin. What kind of helmet do you have? On my helmet, the forward strap and rear strap come together in one of those double-slotted adjustable plastic thingies--to move the fastening location forward, I loosen the rear and tighten up the front where it goes through that thing.

Does anyone prefer a chin strap with their helmet? Has anyone made their own? I have a very strong gag reflex (especially in the morning when my sinuses aren't fully clear) and I do a lot of riding with my helmet unstrapped. It's that or pull over and wretch for awhile. I emailed Bell this evening and would appreciate anything you all might teach me. Thanks.

Wearing a helmet unstrapped is like not wearing the helmet at all.

I had an uncomfortable strap on an older helmet once and turned it into a chin strap... I found one of those chin cups off an old football helmet and slid the bike helmet straps through it and repositioned the straps so they would rest on my chin instead of under my chin. It was OK.

Since then however, I have gone through many other helmets without out any problem... using them as they ere designed. Perhaps you just need a better helmet.

Maybe you could fit this lacross chin cup to your helmet:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MKRVRI/ref=asc_df_B000MKRVRI704439/?tag=shopzilla_rev_1235-20&linkCode=asn

Be aware that if you do that, the CPSC certification will be invalid. You'll need to ensure that the strap system is as good as the original, and that will be your responsibility.

John

what's a 'helmet'?

what's a 'helmet'?

Big foam hat that is supposed to cushion your head in case of a fall. ;)

May as well not bother wearing a helmet if the chin strap isn't properly adjusted and fastened. The main reason I wear one anymore is that it's a convenient place to mount my helmet light.

Read this about adjusting straps properly. They should not be so tight that they squeeze against neck causing gag reflex.

http://www.helmets.org/fit.htm

I too often have a strong gag reflex also sinus clog/release related. If you do start to gag try forcing a smile, it often eliminates the reflex.

Al

Something like this?

Yes, exactly. Who cares if I die? As long as I can look that cool!