We can't let that happen.

Not at the pinnacle of the sport. Carbon fibre monocoque that shreds (which is what we're talking about here) doesn't mix with a roll cage.

We're going to yell at you about not wearing a helmet in our fast pace line. There. That'll get things going again.

If the cracked helmet gives any hint to what would happen to my skull had I not been wearing it, I would gladly replace the cracked helmet and go around telling people that the helmet may have saved my life.

Just wanted to add a little in this thread. Maybe it's been said already - I couldn't be bothered to read through it all.

Being hit by another vehicle is NOT a situation a helmet is design to protect you in. One of the most common, if not the most common, cause of head injury for cyclists (at least here) is falling off the bicycle, without any other vehicle being involved.

Even a near-stationary fall from a bike is far more dangerous than falling while walking or running, because your body isn't free to move arms and legs to catch the fall and change how you fall. If you fall from your bike, the risk of a direct hit on the head is much, much greater. Add to that that the typical cyclist's head is a bit farther from the ground than the ped's, and you can see why the force of impact will be greater.

A bike helmet is designed to protect from the most common cause of head injury cyclists get. Being hit sideways by a car going 40 mph is not one of them.

Fixed.

There is an argument against clip ins if I ever saw one :D

:rolleyes: I can't believe this is still going.

No, that has nothing to do with it. Even with free feet, one of your legs will still be trapped by the bike frame, preventing you from moving your body to catch the fall.

In that case, you use the tuck and roll method mentioned earlier.

Can we discuss the best way to lubricate a chain now?

With brain matter from your helmetless skull.

In your case I think it has all been used up:D

And after that:
Shimano vs. Campagnolo
Clinchers vs. tubulars
Steel vs. other materials
The right of overweight slow people to own an expensive/light bicycle
The convenience of carrying a gun while riding
Etc...

I believe our late, great friend Sheldon Brown had that covered right here

Does weight really matter?

Now we're talking!

Sure, why not. It is perfectly OK for people to repeat topics for discussion.

Ruf, you forgot 'You'll get killed if you cycle with that iPod!'.

I only have the 4GB, so from a safety standpoint minimal video is best.

Hey I know I'm late into this thread but as far as I can tell; when I hit a pothole (a big one) that was full of leaves and I get launched headfirst over the handlebars into a tree (I really wish I had it on video, self deprecating humour anyone?), I think I'm pretty justified when I say the helmet helped me get away with just a concussion as opposed to something much, much worse. So yes, they help.

You need to repeat that experiment bareheaded for control. And you'll need to do it a couple of dozen times for a statistically valid sample.

That would, at the least, cut down on the number of smarmy "sample of one" helmet proselytizers the world has to put up with.

I'm not so keen on that but if we have any volunteers? Rruf maybe? Fly headfirst into a tree for me...let me know how it goes. Thanks mate!

Swing and a miss.

Okay... I thought even formula one had adopted a roll cage.