I put my helmet to rest on my handlebars after every ride, that way I'll be prompted and remember to put it on to ride (I used to lock it to the bike to remember, too). I won't ride without it, in almost all situations. I rode a buddies bike a bunch one night when all my bike gear was at home, and I was transiting that day. Each to their own, I make my choice and don't expect anyone to agree or disagree - it's mine to decide.

I have the Forte campus pedals from performance bike, and they're two sided. Seems just fine to me, slight clipping-in troubles here and there when starting from lights (I put this down to me being new and possibly having them ill adjusted as well as lack of practice), but the choice to have either is just fine - these pedals will make the move to my MTB once I have some $$ for dedicated clipless on my roadie. I'm sold on clipless, but I'm also sold on the "get on and go" style, so the two sides allow that for me. It's never been a hassle, even in amongst traffic, to flip the pedal and clip-in (even to look down, etc. too).

Not riding with a backpack certainly makes me feel free. Whenever I ride these days it's almost always loaded up with something (longer trip = tools/spares/pump, commutes=clothes & commute spares/tools) so it's nice to break free for an evening ride. I've had my first ride in today with rack/pannier - which is also a nice change (though that weight is still there slowing me down ;)).

I survived my childhood pretty much devoid of safety gear and doing a lot crazier things than I do now.
Roller skates (metal wheels, etc.) and no helmet/kneepads/elbowpads/wristguards. Learned to ride a bike wtihout wearing a helmet, and continued to ride w/o one (including dirt jumps and homemade BMX tracks) until I started racing at age 13 and the ABA required wearing one. I used to do flatland freestyle and not wear any gear. I skateboarded vert ramps with only a pair of second-hand Rector kneepads for safety gear.
The statistical likelyhood of getting into an accident is roughly equivalent over 6 x 10min rides as it is for 1 x 60min ride (for the same conditions), the ride conditions vary greatly enough that I'm not concerned on my 5 minute grocery trip. When I'm out on a 3 hour weekend ride, I'm either riding with a group of cyclists on the MUP or with 1 or 2 people on the streets. A group ride introduces the danger of human unpredictability. Riding on the streets; same thing, except with 3000 pound cars instead of just 20 pound bicycles. I wear my helmet for these rides. When I'm riding alone, through my quiet apartment parking lot and across the street to the grocery store (long visibility when crossing the street) I'm far less likely to encounter any problems.

Ken wasn't a 'no helmet' advocate....he was a 'live your life as you see fit and don't let the fear mongers scare you into dubious BS fashion statements' advocate. I been riding without a helmet for over 40 years...yeah someday I might have an accident and die from a head injury...oh well...lots of helmeted riders die from head injuries too. The point being, do what you want, respect the choices of others and save the moral BS for church. ;)

I don't think helmets are for everyone. No two people have the same skull thickness. It's a judgement call.

I wear one, but then I did do an endo onto my head once and my daughter was hit by a kid on a Big Wheel and hit her head. Broke her arm and dented the helmet but her head was ok. So, helmets are good for me but make your own choice...Oh yeah, don't think my head was damaged but then it was questionable to begin with...

Boy, that just conjures up all sorts of possible correlations between "having a thick skull" and "need for a helmet". ;)

I wear mine proudly and tell people why. I don't harshly berate people who don't wear helmets, but I won't shed a tear over someone who sustains fatal head trauma without a helmet, either.

I believe it's a bastardized russian proverb. "God only cares about those who care about themselves."

So as far as I'm concerned, helmetless fatalities are natural selection at work.

What really gets my goat is when a cyclist gets run over by an automobile, and the newspaper story contains the line: "The cyclist wasn't wearing a helmet."

A helmet does no good when your spine is being crushed by an SUV being driven by a cell-phone talking idiot, but reporters only care whether a helmet was worn or not.

</rant> So, one of the reasons I wear a helmet is to prevent that line being used in the event that a driver decides to run me over.

As far as I'm concerned, the fact that I and millions of others worldwide have managed to survive and reproduce all these years might indicate that you are one of the weaklings of the herd, thus requiring artificial protections to survive at all. :rolleyes:

One silly statement deserves another. ;)

As we all know, the sheer numbers of helmetless fatalities are causing worldwide populations to dwindle, right?
http://cms.westport.k12.ct.us/cmslmc...des/Page23.jpg

Easy there trigger...it was just a question, and I wasn't attempting to preach. As stated, I have at times forgotten my helmet as well, though I am a habitual helmet user.

Twas a general statement, not directed at you. ;)

I just wear a helmet to look cool.

I wear a helmet when I forget not to wear one.

:lol:

I didn't say there were droves of helmetless fatalities. For what it's worth, there are times I forget the skid lid, and I don't usually make the effort to go back up and get it, especially if it's going to be a short ride. I do feel a little odd, though.

Chipcom +1 :lol:

I encourage idiots not to wear helmets. Might end up with fewer of them on the roads someday.

One can dream.

It's not working. As evidenced by every helmet thread on BF, quite a few of them have ignored your advice and are wearing helmets but later posting on BF regarding how only morons ride without helmets.

Good grief. Wear a damn helmet every time! You can fall over from a standstill and hit your head and sustain a serious head injury.

Didn't we just have this discussion? Helmet, no helmet; did not, did too: blech.

I will say that if you have a hard time remembering your helmet, keep it on your handlebars or (if you aren't keeping your bike indoors) lock your helmet to your bike. You'll never accidentally forget again.

Was 114 thanks to humidity yesterday, glad i didn't have to go anywhere :p

In 5 years of commuting (plus several years of riding in high school and college) I have yet to try anything but flat pedals. I am told I would appreciate clips or clipless if I tried them, and I have no doubt I would, but not having experienced them yet, I don't know what I'm missing and therefore have no desire to go through the learning curve to find out. I don't want to fall over in traffic. I have sometimes used straps (after purchasing second-hand bikes that had them) and I don't care even for them, so they have always come off pretty quickly. The grippy things (I forget their names) sound good, so I might try them eventually. I like not having to have special shoes, and being able to accelerate quickly from an intersection stop without worrying about my feet.

I have no comment on helmets at this time. :)

Ack! I suppose I should pad the headboard on my bed as well.

Excellent way to make my point. :D

No helmet for me yesterday, Bike #1 left at work over weekend, so wheeled out bike #2, only to realise I had no helmet or bike shoes.

I did feel more comfortable without a helmet, but 18 miles in work shoes on the clipless pedals took some acclimatisation...

Ed

It's like makin' love without a rubber. :eek: I know the feeling. :D

I do it sometimes. Easy and free.

But as a general commuting practice, I wear my funny hat. Never even notice it's on. Even feel kind of special, wearing it. ;)

I was knocked off my bike on purpose by a pedestrian around mid-August, 2001. (This happened on the road, not the sidewalk.) When I got up, four ladies who got out of their cars were standing, staring at me.

"His teeth went through his lip," said one. That's all I remember, except the part where I said, "I'm really ok." :( (Fortunately, my teeth didn't go through my lip--why would anyone say that, like I'm a zoo-animal, or something? :mad: ) Anyway, I had split the skin above my lip beneath my nose, and the plastic surgeon said, "you should wear a mustache from now on." I do.

I got some morphine and wore an ugly facial scab at work for a while.

Anyway (TMI,) my helmet was crushed in the front (read: "frontal lobes") and saved my brain.

Helmets are the cheapest kind of insurance. Wear it like you're a rebel. :)

(P.S.--Louis Garneau, the helmet company, replaced my busted helmet for free.)