If you get hit by a lifted pickup a styrofoam cap won't help you. At all.

There is a great pleasure in riding without a styrofoam cap. I ride MUP's to work on a rigid bike with 2.5 tires. I never wear a helmet and it is glorious. I also noticed that looking back and hearing cars coming is greatly enhanced without the helmet. Try it and see!

There is not doubt that at least some (or a good part) of "helmet culture" is supported by the helmet industry (or the car industry to prevent more people from cycling if you believe the conspiracy theorists).

If you look at the stats for real (not the regularly quoted close calls or "doctors say") the jury is still way out on their efficacy.

Nonsense. Of all the parts of the body the brain/skull can not take a hit as well as any other part. You don't need a helmet on your arms or legs, etc. Talk to someone who works in an ER and see if you still think so.

How in the heck has this thread remained in the Commuting forum for two whole months?

This should have been packed away to the Helmet Thread long ago.

I wish I could go helmet-less, but living is cool too.

This is the No Helmet Thread, that's very different, opposite even.

i have loved three helmets over the course of my bike commuting career.

the one i currently have, and the two that were destroyed when my head collided with the pavement after being struck by a motor vehicle.

If nothing else, my helmet is for another layer of visibility. One of those bright chartreuse Garneau things that Performance sells. I find on my commute that when cars are coming out of driveways or their vision of me is somehow blocked, I can stand on the pedals and let them see the helmet coming. It seems to work (along with eye contact).

That Dutch video is great. I wonder, though, if Dutch bicycles are considered vehicles, as here.

An appropriately colored baseball-type cap also serves that purpose and has the advantage of being lighter, more comfortable, better ventilation, is cheaper and keeps the rain and sun out of the cyclist's eyes.

Wow you must have a lot of natural protection of all your internal organs and femoral arteries if your skull is the most vulnerable part of your body. When a lifted pickup hits you, it doesn't aim for your styrofoam cap.
Here's a brain surgeon's view:
https://www.cnet.com/news/brain-surg...cycle-helmets/

In comparison, yes, totally

lol, you're so missing out! The innovation, the creativity, this thread has it all!

You need more protection if you're not a competent cyclist. I think that's where he's coming from. Seems reasonable, at least.

Today I did some errands on my commuter bike. As I was coming back home, about 20 mins after leaving the last shop, I noticed something strange about my head. I had left my helmet at the counter. Went back and there it was.
Guess after riding 50+ years without helmets, I haven't really incorporated them yet.

From the article:
Ah, the The University of Bath study again. It was barely scientific, and has not been replicated. The author was his own test subject. Yet this "study" is uncritically cited in article after article.

My logic for wearing a bike helmet - If I fall off my bike and hit my head, it would be better protected if I was wearing a helmet.

Here's an article backing-up my assertion

It all boils down to risk assessment and subjective feel of "safety".
If humans could live for 10,000 years, then even cycing itself would be an unnacceptably risky sport, since you are most likely to get killed, or become an invalid within your first 5,000 years of cycling.

However, that is not the case. So, while cycling itself has its risks, just like cycling without a helmet does, I'm all for helmets not being obligatory. However stupid it may sound, I've trained judo as a small kid and it's helped me never hit my head, or break any bone, after decades of football, cycling and motorcycling. And I do fall down A LOT. Really. Been hit by cars too - never hit my head.

On the other hand, I've seen people fall down on flat pavement, while on foot, and hit their head real bad. For them it would be wise to wear a helmet when walking.

I wear a helmet on group rides, since I assume there's a lot more chance of things going wrong (10 tightly packed cyclists, if either of them in front of you goes down, you are likely to go down too, in a pile of other cyclists, hitting you and potentially preventing tuck and roll body movement). When riding solo - almost never. Don't like it and consider the extra risk too small to warrant it - just like I don't wear a helmet when walking.

I also teach my kid to think ahead, access risks and take responsibility for their actions and choices.

irregardless, the point of the OP was not to debate helmet efficaciousness, but to note how much more pleasant it is to ride without a helmet.

Yes, but once you utter "helmet" three times, you summon the helmet debate spirits, and once dead arguments rise from the grave to haunt us.

I love the Thread Police on here. So vigilant

I've missed this ****fest, can someone get up to date so that I can, er, um, contribute?

? Are you saying you want to give me money?

My helmet has saved my life during 3 different accidents. Wear your helmet people!

The guy in this photo is me, this is traffic camera footage. Car ran red light at high speed. I could not see it coming behind that red honda. My helmet was smashed to bits. Got away easy with open fracture of tibia and fibula of the left leg, got a nice titanium rode in my leg almost free of charge. Bike did not make it.