Originally Posted by
weavers
10k miles on one helmet? either you ride a hell of alot or the helmet is really old. you really should replace them ever 3-5 years, and as a commuter and locking up my bike and helmet, my helmet is always geting dinged/dented/strached up and probably making is less safe. not to mention the UV damage, weather both rain and heat here, and the natural degration of stryofoam.
Well, I ride 25 miles a day commuting about 220 days a year. I run over 5000 miles per year so I guess my helmets should be good for 15000 to 25000 miles per your estimate. Also I don't subject my helmets to much UV exposure since I ride in the dark for about half the year.
another thing, a herendious crash at 18mph? over on the road form i read all the time, "crashed at 40mph, hit a brick wall and walked out of the ER with narly road rash. ontop of all of that 'no damage to carbon fiber bike.'" and they post pictures. its hard to belive that road cyclist crash safer
Airbags go off in a car at impacts above 12 mph. I think you are skipping a lot of crash dynamics variables in dismissing an 18 mph crash as soft.
I know of a person who crashed a motocycle at 75 mph and was unhurt. He mostly slid (in leathers) and dissipated all of the energy in sliding.
In my crash I didn't slide at all. I have zero road rash because I stopped completely in one solid SLAM into the pavement. I dissipated my entire 18mph energy in my left hip and thigh plus my helmet. Try riding your bike into a brick wall at 18 mph and let me know how you fair.
Thanks to everyone's comments and well wishes. I started taking 800mg/8 hours Ibuprofen right after the wreck and I'm down to 200mg/8 hours now with reduced swelling and pain. I think I will be back on the bike next week.