Commuting - to leave or bring the helmet?

Just got a helmet, and am a bit anxious everytime I leave it with my bike. I go to class, and lock it with the U-lock. And I'm wondering, what are the incidences of getting it ripped (cut) off? Should I just not bother worrying and leave it, or should I just lug it around, dangling by my side, as if to say: "Yeah, I cycle. What's up?"
I see motorcyclists leave their helmets all the time, and those are heaps more expensive than mine, but hardly ever with bikes.

I lock mine up in my lock as well... I find it cumbersome to carry and figure the chances of JUST my helmet being stolen are pretty slim. Hence, I leave mine. Mind you, I live in a lower crime city than many people do and figure that if mine DOES get stolen I can just buy another one. After all, mine's 2-3 years old and could probably stand a replacement.

Think about it this way, if they want your helmet they'll have to cut the straps which makes it completely useless. If it's a very expensive helmet then i'd take it with me, but if it's just a 40 dollar pos, i'd leave it.

exactly... why would anyone steal JUST a helmet anyway... I'm sure it's possible to purchase new straps for any given helmet, but that's money that the thief would have to spend, which is what they're avoiding by stealing it in the first place. I say leave it in most cases.

mentioning all this hoopla I need a helmet...My head fits comfortably in whatever cryogenic wears ( Large, I think) options? under 100 bucks plz :)

$100 http://www.specialized.com/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=10032&JServSessionIdroot=3dpeoiured.j27010

mentioning all this hoopla I need a helmet...My head fits comfortably in whatever cryogenic wears ( Large, I think) options? under 100 bucks plz :)

http://www.node7.org/nj-files-view/user_files/specter/threadjacked.gif

Anyways Im using a Giro Indicator (havent seen it on the Giro webpage) MTB helmet with visor. Its comfy and has saved my face from getting slapped from branches a few times (yay visor). I like it and only cost me $35+tax. Just go to your LBS and look at the helmets and pick one you think looks good. If your hair appears clean you can prolly even convince them to let you try it on. :p

the LBS we'll be going to sell Specialized and Giro... not sure if they sell Bell. I currently own a Bell Nemesis, which I like quite a bit.

Damnit this means I'll have to take a shower...dang it! Actually I'm going to shave my head tonight....it's that time again.

Even if your helmet doesn't get stolen, it might still be tampered with.
A malicious person could cut the straps part of the way, so that you possibly wouldn't notice, or compromise the helmet's safety in other ways.
I keep my helmet on my head when I leave the bike.
In class, I just keep the helmet next to me.

http://www.supergo.com/profile.cfm?LPROD_ID=25436&lsubcat_id=1561&lcat_id=7604&referpage=
Awesome helmet

Then again your helmet could get slimed by various and sundry substances too. Used to know a practical joker at work that would leave a trail of door knobs, toilet seats and hard hats slimed with ultrasonic gel.

Even if your helmet doesn't get stolen, it might still be tampered with.
A malicious person could cut the straps part of the way, so that you possibly wouldn't notice, or compromise the helmet's safety in other ways.
I keep my helmet on my head when I leave the bike.
In class, I just keep the helmet next to me.

That's just getting paranoid. I'm sure if they reallly wanted to hurt you they'd do something to your bike not your helmet. Unless they're thinking you fall off your bike every other meter so that the "compromised safety" comes into play.

You can run a cable through one of the vents similar to cables used to secure wheels, saddles (on bike with quick release seatpost binder). I have locked mine by the straps, but if I left helmet with bike regularly, I would probably use a cable through vent.

I like being paranoid. It keeps me safe.

But even if that doesn't happen, styrofoam helmets are fragile and should the bike accidentally fall over (in a crowded bike parking area), the helmet might crack and be "compromised" anyway.
I can (and always do) visually inspect the bike before every ride. Nothing stuck in the wheels, chain on properly, FD/RD in order, brake and shifter cables undamaged, tyres properly inflated and so on...
A styrofoam helmet can be damaged without it being visually detectable.

Mine sits on top of my head till I make it in the door at school and then I usually just leave it sitting on the floor by me in class. Had someone pee in a friends motorcycle helmet and have never even thought about leaving my helmet unattended since then.

My helmet stays with me - one less thing to lock.

My helmet stays with the bike - one less thing to carry :p

I take my helmet with me. It's light, and I can attach it to my backpack.

I take my helmet with me. It's light, and I can attach it to my backpack.

same here. i never see 'em locked to bikes here in the city. just figure there's probably a reason for that.

My helmet stays on my head... well most of the time. I wear one on patrol 8 hours a day so it becomes like an apendage...

Never liked to leave it where it could be tampered with... who knows when I will need it in a crash...

I guess living in a smaller city, it's less of an issue... If I lived in Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, etc. I would take it with me wherever I go.

You can run a cable through one of the vents similar to cables used to secure wheels, saddles (on bike with quick release seatpost binder). I have locked mine by the straps, but if I left helmet with bike regularly, I would probably use a cable through vent.

In fact, on most helmets, you can fit one of the shafts of your U-lock through the helmet's ventilation holes. That way, if a person wants to steal it, they actually have to break it into pieces.

On a separate note, I think all the worry about people doing weird stuff to helmets is silly. I mean, if someone wants to be malicious and destructive to your bike, they could just slash the tires or clip the brake cables, but that stuff doesn't happen too often. It's like the razor-blade-in-apple myth at Halloween: random cruelty and violence to strangers is no fun unless you get to see the payoff, so people don't usually do it unless they can be there to see you get hurt.

Lastly, if you do lock your helmet to your bike, try to lock it in an upright way or under cover of some kind: I know from experience that it can be very unpleasant on a cold, rainy day to have to wear a helmet with soaked padding.

On a separate note, I think all the worry about people doing weird stuff to helmets is silly. I mean, if someone wants to be malicious and destructive to your bike, they could just slash the tires or clip the brake cables, but that stuff doesn't happen too often. It's like the razor-blade-in-apple myth at Halloween: random cruelty and violence to strangers is no fun unless you get to see the payoff, so people don't usually do it unless they can be there to see you get hurt.


You're dead right.

Though I take mine with me since I saw a dog cock his leg on my bike - helmet was secured by U-lock right in his line of fire. New helmet from the LBS that very day...

I take everything I can with me, I work in a high theft area, and people who come to my workplace, well, some of them would do damage just to "get even". And I have to tell people no everyday, so it is not unusual for someone to be mad at me.

In fact, on most helmets, you can fit one of the shafts of your U-lock through the helmet's ventilation holes. That way, if a person wants to steal it, they actually have to break it into pieces.


Exactly what I do.

Nobody wants your sweaty helmet any more than they want your sweaty gloves. Run your lock through the straps and don't worry about it.

Thankfully most of the time I can just leave my helmet hanging on my seat in my office bike room. When I lock it on the street however, I take the helmet with me and just buckle it to my bag strap.

Surely it's not a big deal to walk into your local grocery store with your helmet on your head?
I make a point to unlock the straps and cock it backwards a bit to look "loose"...

I can't stand to wear my helmet on my head any more than absolutely necessary... so I just leave mine locked up in my lock.

I'm in the habit of bringing my helmet everywhere when i'm at school, grocery store, etc. This keeps me from forgetting it. (Because i'm in the habit of checking whether I have my helmet every time I go somewhere.) It also keeps the helmet from getting left out in the rain, which is my main concern. I don't think people around here would do anything to damage my helmet, and they'd certainly not bother stealing and selling it considering how cheap it was when it was new and still looked nice.