Okay, I guess I'll get a bit of flack, but I don't wear a helmet. I grew up when no one wore one. I am not alone in my choice as I see other commuters/riders without helmets. I feel a mild discomfort, not so much because of saftey stuff, but because of social stuff. My non-biker friends ask me why I don't wear a helmet. As old as I am, 39, my mother has taken an interest in my helmet wearing. For Mother's Day she told me that for a gift she wanted a helmet for me. What a motherly guilt trip. I love the woman forever but still no helmet.

I have had another barrier to getting a helmet that I've kept as a secret now being revealed to BF commuting thread readers. I have tried many helmets and found that due to my large head size that none really fit. Oh the large helmets do fit on my head but the straps when fully extended have just been a bit too snug on my throat for comfort. Fast forward to yesterday when I was introduced to the Giro Atlas II helmet at City Bikes in Wash DC. It fits. It is so large in fact that it would fit a person with locks, braids, twists, or with a cranium larger than my own. Okay, perhaps I am real late on this one. It does not have alot of vents so I can imagine that it would be a bit hot as the days get warmer and I do like the cool breeze rushing over my short faded afro. And really it was only about 40 bucks. I didn't buy it. Oh well. Perhaps I'll wait for the high performance model...bigger vents.

I'm 35, and grew up wearing a helmet. I guess things changed pretty quickly, when they did.

You're right, I see a lot of commuters without helmets, too. Not a majority, though, probably about 20 percent or so. Helmets do feel weird when you first try them out - I know that when I get a new one, I can get a headache or an achy jaw from the chin strap on a long ride. But, once you're used to it, it actually feels weird to ride without one.

Whatever you decide, ride safe out there.

The Bell Triton (formerly Sequoia) is also a good helmet for really big heads (if you get the "UL" or Universal Large size). It's the only helmet that really fits me properly but I have the same problem with the chin strap (it just barely fits). My hat size is around 7 7/8-8. I haven't found an Atlas II locally to try out. I have an unused Bell King Head saved in my basement in case they stop making the big helmets. Beyond that, I probably would have to go helmetless as, while I can squeeze into some regular-sized helmets (e.g. Bell Ghisallo, Sweep R), they don't really conform to my head properly and thus are probably of little value in a crash anyway.

As for the chin straps, go to your local mountaineering outfitter (e.g. REI, EMS, etc.). They should have an assortment of webbing and connectors of various sizes so you might be able to rig up a strap extension.

The Giro Eclipse (large) fits my bulbous mellon with room to spare. The chin straps are very long also.

I have a big head and my last 4 helmets have been Giros. Before that I had the Bell Kinghead, but I didn't like it, it was the wrong shape for my head.

If you have a big head go for the Giros. My head measured(circumference) around 24 inches and the only helmet that fits are the Giros. This is what I got for commuting. Comfy as hell and ready to deal w/ the LA madness.

I too have a big head, and a Giro Atlas II was the only thing that fit. I've not had any problems withs the straps being too short on mine.

Giro or Bell seem to fit the Fat Heads! LOL

I too was in the era where no helmets were worn... (I am 48)

Course now with 3 kids under 12, I HAVE to wear a helmet, which I don't mind at all.

Funny thing though... I always wear a helmet going 15-20 mph, but get on a Harley going 40-90 mph.. Hmmmmmm YES I have CHANGED.... damnit... I do wear a helmet on the HOG also.

Gotta be a role model don't ya know!

Bell Metro is available quite large.
My pumpkinhaid (61cm) doesn't fit into most X-mart helmets, but I'm wearing a Bell Citi (large) now. The Metro comes in one size bigger than that.
Unfortunately it's not a cheap helmet. But if you can find someone selling last year's model, you might get one cheap. I only paid $25 for the Citi, because it was an '05 at the end of the year after the '06's came out.

hey, I don'wear a helmet either.
not because my head is big, but here in jakarta,indonesia, in my very own opinion, I assume that the common people would look at a cyclist wearing a helmet as someone serious about biking, and thus presume that the cyclist is riding an expensive bike, quite wealthy, riding as a hobby etc.
this is contrary to most bike commuters, who have to ride bikes, because they are quite poor. they don't even have enough money to pay public transport fare.

so, to avoid misunderstanding, because I often come home quite late (10-12pm) , even though I am fully aware that helmets are necessary,
I opt to not wearing a helmet.
I am just afraid, that when I wear a helmet, bad people might think I am rich.
which I am not. I am only riding an 1980 bike, which cost 137 soviet rubels when new.(20 us dollars!!)

I surely know about foreign riding being a whole different paradigm. I rode to work at a local Gold mine in South Africa. There it didn't matter if I wore a helmet or not (not, there wern't any). I was the only adult with White skin riding a bike in a mining town of some 60,000 people so everyone knew exactly who I was and what I rode.

I have a medium-large head (no sizing problems) and I like Giro and Bell also. I've found that other companies aren't really that comfortable for the shape of my head I guess. Giro and Bell are actually parts of the same company. I sent a Giro back for warranty replacement and a new one was shipped back to me by Bell.