Visors on Cycling Helmets?
04-11-12 | 12:25 PM
#1
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From: Wilmington, North Carolina
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Visors on Cycling Helmets?
I was wondering why you very rarely see a visor on Cyclist Helmet. It seems like only the Mountain Biker or the nerd uses a visor on their helmet. I was wondering if it is just personal preference or it hinders performance?
04-11-12 | 12:29 PM
#3
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04-11-12 | 01:00 PM
#5
Pedals, Paddles and Poles
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From: Vegas Valley, NV
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I have a visor on my helmet. I do mainly ride a mountain bike, but do some charity rides on skinny tires. The visor has never been a problem for me in the drops. And I am old and stiff necked.
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04-11-12 | 01:16 PM
#6
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From: Ohio
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who needs a visor when they make those cute little flip-up brims on cycling caps.
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"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
04-11-12 | 01:21 PM
#7
Dharma Dog
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From: Vancouver, Canada
Bikes: Rodriguez Shiftless street fixie with S&S couplers, Kuwahara tandem, Trek carbon, Dolan track
Better to wear a cycling cap underneath the helmet, although my position is still too tilted-forward to be comfortable. I tend to look UP when I ride, due to my low position (even on the tops) cultivated over 40 years of racing, and even the small visor on a cycling cap blocks the view too much for me. But a lot of guys wear the cycling cap in the rain because it not only shelters the eyes from the driving rain, it protects the head from the cold wind coming in thru the vents, and if you do it right, you can tilt the peak upward.
In the winter, I wear a cycling cap backwards underneath the helmet. This helps keep water off the back of my neck, and it keeps my head a little warmer, even when it's raining and even though most caps are made of cotton.
The visors on helmets tend to be too big and just get in your way. They also have too much of a motocross look to them to my taste.
I find that Oakleys fit perfectly into the front of Bell helmets (the expensive ones, anyway). I usually insert my Oakleys upside-down when I'm riding at night, but in the rain, you can insert them right-side-up and they hang down over the front of the helmet and act somewhat like a visor.
Luis
In the winter, I wear a cycling cap backwards underneath the helmet. This helps keep water off the back of my neck, and it keeps my head a little warmer, even when it's raining and even though most caps are made of cotton.
The visors on helmets tend to be too big and just get in your way. They also have too much of a motocross look to them to my taste.
I find that Oakleys fit perfectly into the front of Bell helmets (the expensive ones, anyway). I usually insert my Oakleys upside-down when I'm riding at night, but in the rain, you can insert them right-side-up and they hang down over the front of the helmet and act somewhat like a visor.
Luis
04-11-12 | 01:43 PM
#10
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04-11-12 | 01:53 PM
#11
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From: Nederland, Texas
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OP, I resemble (resent) that remark about only nerds have visors on their helmets! I have a visor on my helmet and I have no problem riding in the drops for miles... My bike may have a more relaxed geometry than a pure racing bike, so that may be one reason I feel comfortable in the drops. I also kinda have a long neck, so I'm sure this feature of my anatomy helps in this situation. I also keep my take-a-look mirror mounted on my visor like this:
04-11-12 | 02:12 PM
#13
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From: West, Tn.
All 3 of my helmets have visors. Never notice a thing. Then again I'm used to dirt bike helmets with visors, so...
Nerd? If anything the ones without visors look nerdy to me.
Have fun riding into the sun...
Nerd? If anything the ones without visors look nerdy to me.
Have fun riding into the sun...
Last edited by bigbadwullf; 04-11-12 at 02:16 PM.
04-11-12 | 02:29 PM
#14
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From: Owings Mills, Maryland
Bikes: 2011 Trek 8.4 DS hybrid; 2012 Felt F-75 road bike; 1990 Specialized Stumpjumper MTB; 1992 Guerciotti road bike (inactive)
Been wearing one the last 4 yrs while riding my hybrid or MTB on the road and MUPs w/o any problem whatsoever! I don't ride road bikes any more; would not wear a visor if I did. As a former road racer, a visor wouldn't meet my look-like-a-pro-road-racer-at-all-costs look.
Nevertheless, as cool as today's helmets look (even the lower priced ones), compared to how they looked 25 yrs ago, I don't think that that little visor puts you into nerdom.
Nevertheless, as cool as today's helmets look (even the lower priced ones), compared to how they looked 25 yrs ago, I don't think that that little visor puts you into nerdom.
04-11-12 | 09:00 PM
#19
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From: Nederland, Texas
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04-11-12 | 09:24 PM
#20
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From: Kansas
I have three helmets, one with and two without visor. I can't say that I can notice much difference at the top of my field of vision.
Now I guess I have to worry about looking like a nerd if I wear the helmet with the visor.
How old do I have to be before it just makes me look like a crusty old dude with a lot of character?
Now I guess I have to worry about looking like a nerd if I wear the helmet with the visor.
How old do I have to be before it just makes me look like a crusty old dude with a lot of character?
04-11-12 | 09:50 PM
#21
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From: Paoli, Wisconsin
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+1
I love my visors when on my bents. I have one old helmet without a visor and have accidentally taken it a couple of times when on my bents. Hated it. As to them falling off, my most frequently used helmet is 4 years old and the visor has never come off.
I love my visors when on my bents. I have one old helmet without a visor and have accidentally taken it a couple of times when on my bents. Hated it. As to them falling off, my most frequently used helmet is 4 years old and the visor has never come off.
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"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." Louis L'Amour
There are two types of road bikers: bikers who are faster than me, and me. Bruce Cameron - Denver Post
04-11-12 | 10:03 PM
#22
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From: Newcastle, WA
04-11-12 | 10:39 PM
#23
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04-11-12 | 10:43 PM
#24
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From: Paoli, Wisconsin
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"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." Louis L'Amour
There are two types of road bikers: bikers who are faster than me, and me. Bruce Cameron - Denver Post
"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." Louis L'Amour
There are two types of road bikers: bikers who are faster than me, and me. Bruce Cameron - Denver Post
04-11-12 | 10:59 PM
#25
I commute east in the morning and west in the evening, read sun in eyes. Cycling caps are too warm in the summer. Thus I use a visor when commuting but no visor when recreational road or mountain biking.
The reason many mountain bikers use visors is because they are bothered by the quick light intensity changes when riding in the woods.
And when it does rain, the visor helps keep the rain off the glasses.
The reason many mountain bikers use visors is because they are bothered by the quick light intensity changes when riding in the woods.
And when it does rain, the visor helps keep the rain off the glasses.
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