bici_mania

Everything was fine while this thread about cranial adornments but now its about helmets and...

RubeRad

Now these look like some well-ventilated helmets (esp. the green ones on team movistar)...



And I bet they're really light.

But I bet they cost over $200 each.

RubeRad

Found it. More like $300. Unless you want a closeout from last year for "only" $135.

wphamilton

There have been many helpful suggestions.

Consider it logically. There are many people for whom the extra protection provided by helmets is insufficient to justify, for them, the inconvenience of wearing one. Much of the inconvenience, most often alluded to by this group, revolves around the blocking of air flow, the weight, the bulkiness, and the appearance.

There are also people, who do wear helmets consistently, and who value the increased airflow, reduced weight, and at least some sort of styling enough that many of them pay considerably higher prices for those qualities. Even of those who don't religiously wear helmets, there are many who value those qualities. So this group values the same attributes that I've enumerated.

A third group, while skeptical that the risk calculus justifies doing anything extra, wear helmets at least occasionally for other reasons, which have been discussed here.

The intersection of these three groups has non-null membership. Any member of that intersection will necessarily value the considerations of wear-ability, comfort, reduction if bulk, and appearance more than considerations of safety enhancements. Simple declarative logic.

wphamilton

Very nice. If only they were thinner, without the bulk in back, and were reasonably priced they'd be close to perfect.

wphamilton

Where do you ride where they are NOT pervasive? I've even been nagged about it in a bike shop.

Thinking of that, an advantage of the cut-down version (I cut a good 2 inches off the bottom all around) is that it would be much easier to strap on a rack, or even inside a pack, on those rare occasions where you may want a helmet-like hat for part of a ride, or after one.

RubeRad

I hope my suggestions were helpful, but I don't think that indicates endorsement or interest. I offered my ideas for purposes of amusement and entertainment.

I don't know that I've seen anybody in this thread identify as being in any of your three groups. Personally, I usually wear a helmet. When I don't wear a helmet is when I go on a short, easy ride (short ride to the local park or easy trail ride with kids, short errand to the store, etc). When I commute, or go on a "serious" recreational ride, I would never consider not wearing a helmet. I don't feel a need for an in-between solution.

RubeRad

I just found my next helmet...

wphamilton

You aren't seriously suggesting that all, or any of those groups don't exist?

RubeRad

I'm suggesting that people in those groups are (a) rare in the commuting subforum (which is very safety-oriented), (b) not evident to me in this thread (except for yourself)

Here's the only thread I could find about non-helmet commuting, very few respondents said they don't wear a helmet. I didn't count, but I'd guesstimate about 10% (of self-selecting respondents to that post, not in the commuting forum)

wphamilton

It's even named for the 41! Amazon.com: Docooler 41 Vents Road Race Hero Bike Bicycle Cycling Safety Helmet with Visor Adult Unisex Red: Electronics for those who refuse to use that other site.

wphamilton

Helmet vs no helmet we'd better relegate to the purgatory thread, but I have about the same amount of actual data about how rare they are as you (ie, none). I'd be very surprised if they're really rare. Since the three groups comprise just about everyone - people who wear helmets religiously, people who seldom or never do, and people who do wear them situationally. The filter relates to preference for the most highly marketed aspects of helmets, so it's likely in my mind that it reflects the majority. So it's difficult to see how you arrive at the prognosis that they're rare.

In your linked thread at least 5 of the respondents in the recent 30 posts said no, they don't always wear one commuting vs 15 who said yes, always. (10 posts off topic)

BTW, I am as safety-oriented as they come. I think that's where the departure is. You're assuming that a different opinion regarding head gear means a lack of regard for safety. I can assure you that this is not the case.

RubeRad

I'm not seeing "religiously" in your 3 categories. There is "consistently AND willing to pay for lighter/ventier".

I am a consistent helmet-wearer, but way too cheap to consider lighter/ventier as a purchasing criterion. I think my #1 criterion is, can I buy it at Costco.

wphamilton

Union, everyone who does not wear them religiously but values the marketed features, together comprises that group.

Maybe the set theoretic illustration was not the way that the concept is most easily described. Just suffice it to say that "hypothesizing" someone who doesn't believe that his risk of head injury is all that high, that person might logically and reasonably have different priorities for his head gear than you perhaps do. And it can't be very rare or it wouldn't be so controversial.

RubeRad

Fair enough. In situations where I judge my risk of head injury to be acceptably low, I don't wear a helmet, nannies be damned.

Leisesturm

Get a room you two!

Medic Zero

You're the problem. It's not "careening" due to the OP. I'm actually impressed at how well he's handled everyone's "contributions" to the thread, despite his being quite clear about the intent of his project, from the beginning.

Personally, I'm a helmet advocate, but it's a free country, so I'm not going to come into his thread and wreck it like it is a firearms thread here*, just because I believe differently. Why do people have to do stuff like that? Just leave the thread alone if you don't agree.

I'm disappointed with the folks trying to force what is and isn't appropriate for the commuting forum, particularly by saying that since no one has responded that they are in the same camp as the OP means that there isn't anyone out there that is. I'm sure these forums get a lot of folks that only lurk, and I'm equally sure that given how people respond to anyone suggestion that goes against the grain, that there are some folks that post here that don't want to "out" themselves.


* That wasn't worded well, I'm not out to wreck anyone's thread, but subjects like this one remind me of what people do to firearms threads here.

TransitBiker

- Andy

I-Like-To-Bike

No doubt the bike shop jackass had just the correct thing on hand to sell to you to correct the alleged error of your ways.

Actually few people hassle me about helmet wear, none do a second time. I certainly do not wear unnecessary stuff just to impress well meaning know-nothings or rude imbeciles.

You don't tell the nattering nabobs in a polite way to mind their own dang business, or at the very least ignore or laugh at the dingbats? If not, why not?

I-Like-To-Bike

Good advice, suggest the OP do the same, especially given the capabilities of the item in question to alter the level of risk in any meaningful way.

Walter S

Touche! Give the OP a break. He's looking for a head-wear solution that suits his purposes. If you don't like his purposes, so what? It's a free country. I personally always wear a helmet - no exceptions at all. I won't ride five feet without it. But I spent 12 days in a comma as a result of an injury in 1996 from which I never fully recovered. If I can say live and let live, then anybody can.

wphamilton

You can, most of the time. There are also times where you need mold their perceptions without direct interaction. Primarily political and professional settings.

Medic Zero

I REALLY doubt the OP is doing this to impress anyone. It would appear he is trying to not have to regularly have these negative interactions with people by defusing it ahead of time. I can empathize (in a general way, like I said, I always wear my lid, but to each their own).

wphamilton

Thanks zero.

I was already impatient waiting for the fake CF vinyl so I carved out version 0.8 and used duct tape, digital camo style because that's what the craft store had. It will probably get sticky in the rain, but the adhesive from the vinyl is also.

Anyway, it's even smaller, lighter, and looks a little better.


It's still recognizable as a bike hat I think. When my CF looking stuff comes in I think I'll cut the ribs even smaller.

fietsbob

Thats a bad fitting helmet , might as well wear a Dunce Cap.