Fenix L2D on helmet safe?
 

While thinking of ways to helmet mount my L2D I got to think in the event of a crash do I really want a stiff long tube of aluminum on my head? A dreadful thought but it would give new meaning to the word "headlight."

There are 2 ways to look at this. There are people who will tell you that to attach anything to a helmet makes it less protective. OTOH, a helmet light is very useful to look to the side while turning, to read street signs, or to flash drivers who may not see you. Having the helmet light makes an accident less likely. Personally I use the helmet light.

Make it a shoulder light instead.

I agree with that. I'd rather have the extra margin of safety and utility provided by the helmet light and live with the associated risks...as opposed to not having the helmet light and living with the risks associated with no helmet light. I use the helmet light, too. ;)

Not really questioning the usefulness & safety of a helmet light, but rather if a Fenix L2D on the helmet is riskier then a purpose built bike light. Dunno if bike specific light manufacturers design their helmet mountable lights in such a way that in the event of a crash it will break away & won't penetrate your helmet & your skull. But it seems to me that an L2D being a long small diameter tube of aluminum could potentially be more dangerous in the event of a head on crash.

I think that one of the problems with trying to answer a question like that is that there are so many variables involved that it's difficult to predict what might happen in any given scenario with any given equipment setup. I'm not really convinced that manufacturers of bike-specific lights go through a lot of effort in taking safety concerns into account in terms of doing impact testing and actual safety assessments related to their equipment (or comparing the safety merits of their own equipment to other equipment configurations). I could be wrong about that, but personally I've not seen such data or test results anywhere, in my limited experience (but, I admittedly have not done a lot of research in that direction).

It could very well be that a long tube of metal with a "rubber bumper" of a mount (like an L2D and a bikeblock) between it and your helmet and head might be safer than a more traditional "dollop-like" headlamp that's more directly in front of your skull. Maybe the forward light would be more prone to being driven into your skull in a head-on by virtue of its position. I dunno...again, there are so many configuration possibilities and so many possible impact scenarios...

I can't really picture how you would mount it that would be a risk on a head on crash. Wouldn't you mount it on top of the helmet? Or maybe on the side above your ear? Either way it's not going to penetrate your helmet.

My wording on this will probably be awkward...but I think that purist safety advocates argue (correctly) that anything that is attached to a helmet (especially hard objects that protrude) can compromise the designed ability of that helmet to offer the kind of protection if would normally offer. Impacts that should be absorbed over a larger area of the helmet surface might become worse by having unpredictable impact points that could possibly push an object into or through a helmet first rather than allowing the helmet to absorb the full blow over a larger surface area. Attached objects could also potentially cause sharp twisting of the head/neck and worsen injuries, depending on the nature, direction and force of the impact (picture someone being flung over the handlebar and landing on the top of their head/helmet). Again, I think I'm wording this awkwardly...but anything that is attached to a helmet becomes more or less a wildcard in the impact equation. I'm no expert in this sort of thing, though. And I still ride with lights attached to my helmet... ;)

I run an L2D on top of my helmet. Although it is secure, in any crash it is going to get ripped away, which is what I want to happen.

Being able to easily change the light from low/medium/high is incredibly useful.

Running a tail light on the back of the helmet is not as good. In the event of an accident it won't depart the helmet short of being smashed off. Not good.

Out of curiosity, may I ask how you do the helmet attachment?

On mine, I currently use a TwoFish bikeblock, which I actually view as TOO secure from a safety standpoint. I recently got some DealExtreme universal mounts which would likely allow the lights to come free more easily in an accident (whereas the bikeblocks are a lot less likely to turn loose of the flashlights by virtue of the way the strap wraps around the lights...unless the straps were significantly shorted, which I've never done).

When mounting mine I made sure that the ends of the light were well away from any vent openings that they might slip through in a crash. Problem solved.

I believe Light and Motion bicycle specific helmet light mounts and probably other brands have a breakaway disc. This is case it is used in mountain biking situations and low hanging branches are encountered that would cause a hazard if the light did not breakaway. I believe their bar mounts have this also.

IMHO if you have a helmet mounted light in a road application the only thing that will happen is you will hit the road sooner and then only if you land on the top of your head which is highly unlikely.

If you really want to know, ask the helmet manufacturers. I think they will tell you that it is not a problem.

I use the genuine innovation co2 mount which is available in some shops.. IT works very well with the fenix lights.. It is easy to install and take off after riding..

http://www.genuineinnovations.com/bi...=5&prodid=1044

My helmet's vents and ridges are such that the flashlight sits in between two ridges while being centered. A velcro strap around the flashlight and through the vents hold it to the helmet, and a piece of velcro under the flashlight keeps it from sliding.

Here are a couple of pics:

http://web.mac.com/ronsmithjunior/cy...or-outside.jpg
http://web.mac.com/ronsmithjunior/cy...sor-inside.jpg

Now I want to copy your baseball cap visor idea. I like the concept. :thumb:

socalrider, gotta get me one of those. Or two of them. ;)

I use two Fenix flashlights. They fit in the ridges of the helmet.

I have them strapped on with zip ties, with a little bit of foam under the front of the lights to move the beam higher.

I would hope that the zip ties would shear off in a crash.

But, thanks ... something else to worry about!

So I may cut off the zip ties I'm using, which are pretty sturdy, and replace them with some thinner, more delicate ones.

By the way, I just started riding with this light setup. Works well for me, and another cyclist on my second ride (I adjusted the beams up after the first) gave me a shoutout -- "Great lights!"

Which is EXACTY what we all need... :notamused:

;)

don't crash :P

Thanks, it works well. I have changed it using a visor about half the size. It still gives me plenty of shade while reducing the fred factor. These things are important, you know. ;)

With the visor attached the helmet I am free to wear whatever I want under the helmet. Normally I wear a skull cap, but I also want the option to use a head band, or nothing.

Last year I did Paris-Brest-Paris. A lot of it was in the rain. Either of the two visors would have been a really good thing to have.

Baseball cap visor idea rocks!

i run two fenix l2d lights on my helmet mounted by trimming some old tubes and stretching and looping and fiddling with it until it's right. i like the rig a lot and i don't really mix not having a bar mounted light.

Got a photo you can show, by any chance? I'd love to see how you rig it and how two L2Ds look one a helmet via your method.