surgeonstone

Well the obvious really does not need to be stated. Sure, wear the helmet and add a set of leathers to protect from road rash.

I-Like-To-Bike

And mouth protection, and goggles, and training wheels, just in case; can't be too safe, ya know.

rydabent

I like
Any suggestions on just where I would attach training wheels to my recumbent tadpole trike???

I-Like-To-Bike

To your helmet?

surgeonstone

It(the head) would be low enough on a bent to accept training wheels. Then since so low and since the helmet is designed to protect from normal upright verticals fall, skip the helmet and staple wheels to head.

njkayaker

A motorcycle helmet would be way-too uncomfortable for bicycle riding: they are very heavy and lack sufficient ventilation. Everything is a trade-off.

jim hughes

It has more to do with the name-calling and the wild exaggerations.

DScience

I've lived in Davis CA for a year now, and casual riders tend to stay away from helmets. I followed this lead, until now. I have this forum to thank for that too. After reading of the horrific accidents people report on here, I had some sense knocked into me (pun intended!). What did it most was a nice gentleman who posted about his wife being struck by a car from behind and how she didn't even realize her helmet was damaged. It made me think. I used to assume that if I was careful enough I could avoid careless drivers. But now I realize there are times where you just can't react or make any decisions in time.

Well, I tested it out and it's not as bad as I thought! I actually like it! It's very low profile: Specialized Echelon. It's cheap and I feel like it will be okay for my daily commutes. If anyone thinks that this inexpensive helmet isn't as safe, please let me know!

Protect the most amazing piece of matter on earth...the human brain!

Chris516

Here is the rating on the Specialized Echelon, from the Bike Helmet Safety Institute:

https://bhsi.org/helmet12.htm#brands

Echelon: has a three piece shell, but many areas of exposed foam with no shell at all. We would avoid it for that reason. It has the newer compact shape, but retains some rear points. It retails for $60.

nevermore1701

exactly.... that story did it for me too... i went and bought a helmet yesterday... tried on giro's and bell's. bought the bell because it just fit better \m/\m/

rydabent

Motor cycle helmet no. But as I posted several pages ago back in the 80s Bell sold a helmet called the Tourlite I believe. It had a lexan shell that was super tough, and it was not that heavy. I wish they still made it.

mystang52

Glad you bought the helmet! Small amount of $$$ for significant peace of mind.

Brian Sharpe

I started wearing a helmet quite a few years ago after spending the night in emergency with my wife after she suffered a head injury in a biking mishap (she has no recollection of exactly what happened to this day but we suspect her front wheel got caught in a storm sewer grate or something similar).

Helmets have come a long way in terms of both protection and comfort. My helmet and my RoadID are two items I never go riding without.

Monster Pete

Remember that helmets are not designed to protect against brain damage or other serious injury- minor cuts and scrapes are about the limit of what they can do. If you're conscious about safety, you should also make sure you are highly visible in traffic and have effective lights and reflectors at night. Hand protection of some sort is also useful, since the instinctive reaction in a fall is to put your arm out to break that fall. Don't fall into the assumption that a helmet is the first and last word.

tagaproject6

Sweet, a new helmet thread!

Closed Office

You can't get me to ride any distance without a helmet. I posted in detail an accident that left me appreciating my helmet, at bike helmets.

I have a hard shell helmet that weighs about a pound. Lance and plenty of people here wouldn't like it. It looks like it would stop the first couple of bullets that hit it.

I'm not one of those people who is trying to save a few grams here and there.

danmc

You had the accident described in the link and ended up going to work!!?? I would have had to clean the crap out of my underwear, at least, if I went through that.

mconlonx

Try the Poc Backcountry Receptor MIPS. If that's a bit out of your price range, any of the more skate/snow/multi-use oriented action sports helmets with a shell as an equivalent.

Monster Pete

Not intending to present a pro or anti-helmet stance here, since as you pointed out, that's what the other thread is supposed to be for. Just giving information, for the OP to act on as he sees fit.

mconlonx

Just make sure you're getting a helmet for the right reasons, for what a helmet actually is designed to protect your head from... I.e., other posters are correct when they say that a helmet will be less than effective regarding serious head injuries, without much research done regarding less than serious head injuries.

A mid-priced helmet is around $65, or the same price as a LAB Traffic Skills class in your area, which would go a longer way toward keeping you out of any kind of accident in the first place.

Doohickie

I bet that by the time the "exposed foam" began to degrade in any way, the innards of the helmet (pads and straps and halo and stuff) would be worn enough that the helmet would be replaced anyway. My current helmet is about 3 years old and I think it's about time for a new one.

DScience

Oh no guys, I better return my helmet. I though that it did more than just protect my skull, I thought that once a car was about to hit me the helmet grew wings and lifted me away, saving my life in any circumstance.

I think this is so funny. People here are obviously scientific researchers studying the infinite ways a bike helmet can interact during an accident. "Make sure you know exactly what the helmet is for before you go buy one!"

Seriously, I don't think the helmet is an end all. What i'm saying is that Davis is the bike capital of the US and few people ride with one. I just wanted to thank the forum for encouraging me to get one. It's not just cars I am worried about. The people here can be crazier on bikes than vehicles, and a nice crash into a unsuspecting freshman could easily result in my head coming int contact with a hard surface. No one needs to convince me that having a helmet on is a good choice in ANY SORT OF HEAD TRAUMA! No, it's not going to protect you from everything! But it's just ignorant to say that a helmet is good for only some minor scratches.

DScience

Yea, lol I'm not worried about a little exposed foam.

SlackerInc

Huh? Then how can motorcycle riders wear them? Are you saying their necks and lungs are stronger or something? LOL

RobertHurst

In a truly violent collision it could easily do more harm than good. Kind of like putting a doorknob on your head. Torque.

But don't listen to me. I'm just another ignorant good-for-nothing, and you've already got it all figured out.