Full face helmet for the city
 

I want to buy a full face helmet. I ride in the city with a city bike. No downhill mountain biking or similar.

All the helmets design I saw are rather "extreme sports" oriented in their design. Sharp angles at the chin area of the helmet, multiple strong colors etc.

Can anyone point me out to a full face helmet that is more rounded and mild in its design and looks like it is made for someone who rides in the city and not in the mountains trails?

Giro Disciple?

https://www.jensonusa.com/Giro-Disciple-Mips-Helmet

It’s for downhill but pretty restrained styling.

The Disciple was going to be my suggestion, as well. The problem, of course, is that full-face helmets are used in the more extreme cycling disciplines, so they are designed to appeal to that market -- kind of like heavy metal guitars.

You might want to look into a "convertible" helmet with a removable chin bar for your more subtle excursions. Otherwise, rock the downhill look and own it!

I wonder if those would get hot after a while. I think they're intended for short events.

What is the need for a full face helmet in the city? The only time you would need that is for urban downhill, I think Red Bull runs that race but in that case any good downhill helmet would work but probably would stick to my sponsor if I had one.

I don't see any downhill helmets looking like the belong in the city. Nobody aside from a motorcycle rider would be wearing one and there is really no need for that much stuff for the city unless you are again riding downhill or doing something rather extreme and probably quite dangerous. I have not felt the need in any of my city riding to need a full face in fact I think a full face helmet would actually be a hinderance and cause more issues than they might protect against.

You can get full face downhill longboard skateboard helmets with dual certifications.

You can find a smoother look, but downside will be lack of ventilation.

John

Why? More expensive, much hotter, and except for landing on your chin, nom much improvement in protection.

What City Is It?

As seen in my avatar, I use a POC ski helmet with an added plexiglass shield. No chin protection, per se, but keeps objects and wind out of your face while providing air flow.

Been riding in the (currently) 6th most populous city in the US. Also don’t understand the need for a full face helmet.

If you want it not-dirt-bike style in order to look "normal" I don't think you are going to achieve that either way. If you want face protection the dirt bike style with goggles is the right choice. Full face helmets for sport bikes use ram air to defog the visor and you are going too slow and breathing too hard for that to work. A bunch of other reasons too but that's the main one. The only other category I can think of is time trial helmets.

If you get one sold for enduro racing rather than downhill it will have plenty of ventilation.

I don't think I need armored gloves either and yet my broken thumb is telling me maybe... everyone gets to choose their level

Bear in mind that, for the extra protection offered by full face, you're giving up a significant degree of situational awareness, in term of all-round visibility and hearing. Full face is fine and dandy for downhillers - they don't have to worry about things approaching from the side to behind - the sort of stuff with which city riders have to contend.
However, I take your point that most/all the available cycling helmets are quite aggressive "extreme" looking. Another option might be a convertible helmet like this, or a lightweight motorcycle helmet like this.

Surprisingly I can see how a city trek could be just as Knarley as a down hill single track.

In some areas you may need a Ballistic vest as well...

I live in "The" City (NYC) and ride those Citibikes as well. FWIW, I look for small-ish helmets as I have to go inside tiny offices and what not carrying bags, papers, computers, tablets, whatever. A big bulky helmet is not what I am looking for. My two cents. FWIW Giro seems to make the most compact regular helmets. POCs are huuuuge

My take is that the OP may have had some surgery or procedure that has dire consequences if he impacts his face, chin, etc.

Hockey players that sustain facial injuries, nose, cheekbone, etc., wear facial protection until it heals to be able to get back on the ice.

John

I'd stay away from a motorcycle helmet, as they are significantly larger, and more importantly, several times heavier than a bicycle helmet. They are also, as noted, severely lacking in ventilation that works at bicycle speeds.
I've worn a lot of full-face motorcycle helmets over the years, and I've never noticed a 'severe restriction in vision' but what you do give up is hearing acuity. Motos are loud, so moto helmets provide some degree of hearing protection; on a bicycle, unrestricted hearing is a lot more important.

user1617 If you really want to explore the full-face route, without the "X-treme" look of a BMX/DH helmet, then whitewater kayak helmets might be an option to explore.
Similar in construction / protection to a bicycle helmet, but without as agressive of a look.
https://coloradokayak.com/products/2...gn=sag_organic
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f57eff292f.jpg

Just trying to understand the issue.

BTW.,,I fractured my thumb is three places and avulsed a ligament off of both bones walking on the sidewalk 14 months ago.

If you had been wearing your full suit of armor this wouldn't happen! Jeez I don't go anywhere without a full suit of armor just in case something happens.

I frequently see a guy in Chicago who commutes on a bicycle while wearing a full face visor motorcycle helmet. He also wears a yellow safety vest. I don't judge... wear whatever you want. A motorcycle helmet seems like it would be insanely uncomfortable for biking, both hot and heavy. I have tried wearing a ski helmet (not full face) for winter riding and even that felt very bulky and heavy, though it did keep my head nice and warm.

I'm assuming something like the Giro Disciple would have much better venting than anything you'd find in the ski or motorcycle world, but probably still runs pretty hot and heavy compared to a regular bike helmet. Pair with goggles for maximum effect.

POC Coron Air Spin:


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8dec131eef.png

POC offers this in a carbon fiber shell model as well, which will be lighter on the head and in the wallet.

There was an aero road helmet kickstarter two or three years ago with a chin face guard that was minimal but designed around helping with a faceplant crash.

Didnt reach goals and never heard from it again. Or perhaps I remember wrongly and it was simply an artistic rendition of an idea.

this was it:
https://bikerumor.com/ventoux-cyclin...ng-protection/

A full face mask would be very dangerous in the city. One needs all their peripheral vision to avoid pedestrians and cross traffic and anything that interferes is dangerous and this includes many types of sunglasses that have thick side arms that block the view of the wearer.

More important is to learn defensive riding as a cyclist in traffic and to be as visible as possible. God knows why but few city cyclists bother to wear a bright yellow or green jacket or a bright helmet and don't seem to care about being seen by motorists who are driving along with multiple distractions and not looking out for people on bicycles.

Yeah, they pretty much had this figured out with motorcycle full face helmets by the early 1970s. Not a problem.

I think a helmet that covers your ears and degrades hearing will be more dangerous in city riding.