SevenSpokes

No, I'm not trying to start a debate thread on here. Far from it! I have a question.

I've been watching a great deal of touring videos over the last few weeks as I dream about making an adventure around the world. One of the things I've noticed in many of the videos is that a lot of tourists have a helmet, but don't wear it. They often have it strapped to their trunk bags or what not; but often appear in other parts of the same video wearing it.

For those of you who do choose to wear a helmet sometimes, but not all the time, what are the deciding factors in your choice? Where do you stop and go 'No more helmet' or "Hmm, better put it on."

prathmann

You'd have to ask the individuals involved to be sure, but I'd think it would be based on balancing comfort vs. perceived risk. We have a local hill (3850' summit) that's very popular with cyclists. It's common to see helmets strapped to the handlebars of bikes headed up, presumably with the plan to wear them on the way down.

SevenSpokes

That's what I'm interested in; where is your balance of comfort vs. perceived risk? (Sounds like a great idea for a master's thesis! =) )

digger531

A while back I read a study that suggested one might be safer with no helmet because motorist assume that you are either a novice or more likely to be injured if they were to clip you and therefore gave more room and were more cautious. I am not saying I buy into this theory but I can say without a doubt, the less I look like a "biker" the more room motorists seem to give me. Also, I notice a steep drop in the "I think its funny to honk my horn while passing a biker". I actually quit wearing my helmet unless I am in an organized ride that requires it (and I have a high-buck, super light weight, all the rage helmet)

seeker333

I've always worn a helmet when bicycling.

I recently crashed primarily due to road being slick from rain after a long dry spell, at the apex of a sharp curve at the bottom of a little hill. I had been through this curve literally 20,000 times before and never had a problem. It was mid-day with no traffic and no other contributing factors, only the rain. I actually had slowed for the curve more than usual due to the rain. The front tire suddenly lost traction and the bike went out from under me in an instant like I was on ice, my hip slammed to the pavement, my head slammed pavement, then I rolled and slid a short distance. I was only going 16-18 mph when I went down. I'm glad this crash didn't happen on another section of this route where I routinely hit 30 mph.

My helmet was cracked all the way through on one side in one of the 4-5 rib sections between vents, and the adjacent section was compressed to perhaps 60% of original thickness where the impact occurred. I retired the helmet (Bell Citi). Based on damage to helmet, I suspect I would likely have been concussed and lost some hair/skin from head/ear/face if I had not been wearing helmet.

It took months for the road rash to heal. I now have scars on wrist, ankle, knee, shoulder and huge one on upper thigh.

This was my one-and-only crash in 12 years/60,000 miles of road riding. I was also involved in two collisions with motor vehicles (their fault completely), although I was not injured, but a bike was totaled.

In summary, you can't predict when you'll crash and if the helmet will play a role in protecting you and to what extent it may provide protection. In this case the helmet probably prevented a brain injury on one day, and on the other 1/2 x 4,382 days it provided some sun protection and the visor kept me from being blinded by car headlamps at night, otherwise it did nothing but make me hotter and sweatier for most of the rides.

The only way you can have the protection of the helmet for that one-in-thousand (or less) chance of crash+head injury is to wear it every ride. If you carry it around on the rack most of the time, then that's likely where it will be if-and-when you ever really need it.

You could probably ride around the world and never crash and never need a helmet. My crash happened 0.27 mile from the house.

Tourist in MSN

When I take a photo of someone that I am biking with and there is a very scenic feature in the background, I often ask them to take off their sunglasses and sometimes take off their helmet for the photo. You might be seeing some of those types of photos.

I think a lot of people from countries with a strong history of bike racing did not often wear helmets until the top pro racers started wearing them. But, I think more USA citizens wore helmets early on than many from other countries. I bought my first bike helmet in the 1980s.

bbbean 

If I knew when I was going to wipe out, I'd just stay home that day or take anouther route.

robert schlatte

If I am on a very lightly travelled road and it is hot, I will take the helmet off. Once the traffic picks up, I will put it back on. When I was growing up my friends and I lived on our bicycles and the thought to wear head protection never crossed our minds. So while I am not a huge advocate of helmets, I am used to wearing one, so I usually do.

Chris L

Oh goody! Another helmet thread. Just give me a minute to cook up some popcorn.

njkayaker

One study that showed that drivers drove (something like) an average of 3 inches closer to one rider (Ian Walker) in one place in England. I'm not sure if it's enough to base a decision on.

=====================

If you are carrying a helmet, I can see two situations where it might make sense not to wear it: 1) going up a hill in the heat, 2) fitting in with (not standing out from) the local population.

Caretaker

When touring France I don't bring a helmet because I keep to quiet roads and it's not required by law. Motorists in France tend to be considerate to cyclists also. When in Spain I wear one because it's against the law not to. In Portugal last year I didn't bring one because it isn't required there even though at times I was only a couple of miles from Spain.

Generally I would be a lot less likely to wear one going up a steep hill in hot weather than coming down.

bradtx

Having knocked myself out twice and broke the helmets I was wearing at the time, I'm pro helmet. Even so, every once in awhile I won't wear one and I can't define why.

Brad

MassiveD

Short answer is I ride through places where helmets are mandatory, though I still usually don't wear them, but at least I have them.

It seems at least on forums that people are either violently for or against helmets. The reality is that cycling is mostly no more dangerous than activities "nobody" wears a helmet for like walking, working off ladders, trimming their tree, or showering. And of course the biggie driving a car. Around here the stats show that in a given year the risk of fatal head injury is 10 times greater than cycling. I have never seen anyone wear a helmet while driving their car on public HWYs.

At the same time I own or have owned 5 helmets, two for cycking, whitewater, rock climbing, and hockey. I wear them when I feel like it, not like some zombie or hypocrite. WIth cycling I mostly wear one when I feel road conditions warrant. SO on one occasion I was tootling along at what I thought was my average speed, when a dude past me running to catch his ride. I guess I was actually doing around 10 mph, probably because all these guys got out from school. The runner wasn't wearing a helmet, and his head was higher off the ground and he was cutting traffic. On the other hand, long downhill, slick weather, etc... I might. If one is doing something that might get an expert sponsored by redbull, a helmet it is.

So why not wear one since one has it anyway. Mostly just comfort. To wear it when it isn't necessary, you have to be scared of something that is no more dangerous than many things, people don't wear helmets for. I'm not that irrational.

fietsbob

Where are you Going, & what is the local Law ?

No personal experience, but I read of the Mandatory Bike helmet law in Australia..

any feedback from the summer in January folks on that?

MassiveD

aa

MassiveD

I don't usually wear a bike helmet out of fear of traffic either. But I might. A bike helmet is the worst helmet I have ever seen or bought for any purpose, except falling off the bike while standing still. If you think for a second you need one because of the risk of being hit by cars, your actual reaction if you are rational should be to get a real helmet that might do some good, or get off the road.

RPK79

I like how the helmet keeps the sun off my noggin and sweat out of my eyes so I always have it on when riding. It's my understanding that it might provide some sort of protection in falls as well? I'd be annoyed having it hang off my bars when riding. I can see taking it off for pictures though since they do look pretty stupid.

BobG

Just the opposite for me. My helmet sweat band gets saturated when it's humid and creates a waterfall of salty sweat into my eyes. That's when it comes off. Safer to ride without than to ride with stinging, closed eyes!

JoshSlocum

I have one but haven't worn it since 1993 when wife #2 made me by one for a Vermont trip. I ride ~2000 mostly highway miles per year. Figure if I become grill fodder a helmet isn't going to help.

Simon Cowbell

Everybody draws the line somewhere. Compared to single-track mtn biking, casual touring on pavement seems pretty safe to me, and I'll often leave the bucket behind. I definitely ride more cautiously without one. I've also never been able to find the right combination of helmet/cover/hood that'll keep my head dry and warm when riding in the rain.

lhendrick

I wish I had protective shoulder pads last year. I fell hard on my left shoulder, and six months later it still hurts. My helmet was on and took a mild bump on gravel and did it's job. I was going 2 mph on loose gravel and very tired and just fell over in a turn.

Four years ago my motorcycle fell on my right calf, and I still have a swelled area that will never look right. I wish I was wearing even taller motorcycle protective boots. My helmet was scarred from a pretty good slide on pavement at 60 mph. My head was not injured.

I rode today with just a baseball cap, very comfortable, but I am concerned that I will have a low speed incident like falling over at a stop light because my foot slips on a banana peel and I hit my head on a curb and I'm paralyzed.

Or, a Florida senile-citizen (sorry) will rear end me and send me cartwheeling head over heels into traffic.

Bike safety is complicated. If a little voice says put on your helmet, do it.

Cyclebum

Ah heck. I'll chime into this never ending debate just for the hell of it. I wear a helmet when on the DF's. No helmet when on the bent. Not as far/as likely to fall. I've crashed twice on DF's, concussions with cracked helmets, but no obvious brain damage. Whatever.

The risk of riding sans helmet is monumentally small but there. Personal choice, time of your choosing.

Do you have dependents? Might factor that into the equation when analyzing the risk you chose to assume.

martianone

No helmet, unless required by law or road & traffic conditions.
So it is either strapped on my head or bike.

SparkyGA

I wear a helmet these days, mostly just because I like my little mirror that is attached to it. Though when its minus 30 and I'm wearing 3 toques to keep my head warm, I tend to not wear it...

Dave Cutter

I wear a helmet because my wife insist I do.... so I don't bother with reasoned thought as to why I should or shouldn't. But if I was getting my picture taken while touring.... the helmet and sunglasses wouldn't be hiding my identity. I'd want a recognizable picture of myself for Facebook!

I recently took a selfie while wearing winter bicycling gear.... which included a balaclava, goggles, and helmet. The selfie was intended to be funny... as I was wearing so much crap.... you couldn't tell who I was. And normally selfies and very revealing.

I'd guess most people ditch the helmet... to get a better picture.