anga

I am not advocating for the use of ski helmets. Just came across a description of a ski helmet and it seemed a good fit for winter cycling. Hence this query.

Ski helmets are designed with ear flaps, warm lining, full coverage of rear of head, and adjustable vents.
Seems to offer desirable qualities for winter cycling.
How does it perform on the safety front? Any experiences?

mdarnton

Can't speak to that but I use ski goggles in the winter and they're great! With a wool watch cap under my helmet and a big scarf I'm nearly 100% covered.

BobbyG

I think they'd be too hot....at least for me. I bike year round down to 5F. At that temp I wear a light balaclava over my face and ears, plus a headband over my ears, and sometimes over that the hood to the hi-viz yellow windbreaker, which is enough, even with my highly-vented helmet.

You don't mention how cold a temperature you plan to ride in. I know that in Minnesota and Canada there are many who bike ride down below 0F and into the negative teens.

One of the best things I learned from bikeforums early on was to not overdress in the winter. Dress for 12 to 15 minutes into the ride when you are all warmed up. Less sweat equals warmer, more comfortable riding.

I've been commuting year-round for 30 years in Colorado Springs where it's usually in the mid-teens and 20s above 0F in the morning in the heart of winter.

Of course, everybody's different, and if a ski-helmet works for you, then use it.

dedhed

I'm sure you'll find some threads here.

​​​​​​https://www.bikeforums.net/winter-cycling/

tcs

From time to time an actual bicycle helmet company will offer a winter helmet. I've got an old Bell Metro with the winter kit I use in cold weather.





They usually don't sell well and are dropped after a year or two. Snag one when you can if that's your bag.

FloBike

I think they will also provide safety.

veganbikes

Care to expand?

A bicycle helmet is designed for cycling and the impacts one could get while cycling a ski helmet is designed for the impacts one could get while skiing. While yes it is likely that a ski helmet could provide some similar protection it may not be rated to the same standards and also potentially with the added material especially around the ear it could be harder to hear traffic but I am not a skier and have really only done it once so I don't have much time in a ski helmet.

My regular cycling helmet with a balaclava underneath and maybe a windproof cover on the outside usually is enough for most stuff.

zandoval 

Living down here in the south I had to look up ski helmets. Looks to me a Ski Helmet would go just fine on a bicycle. But I am not sure a bicycle helmet would do on the ski slopes unless it was the only thing ya had...

Viich

I disagree that ski impacts are less than cycling. Also - I ride down well below -20C, down into the ranges where C and F are pretty much the same. Wearing enough to be warm underneath a helmet just isn't comfortable, and probably not effective at all in a crash (yes, I use a helmet cover in the shoulder seasons). I wear a poly balaclava, but before I got the Bollé ski helmet I'd sometimes go without the bike helmet to wear a second balaclava and touque to be warm enough.

I really think that something like Ski helmets are a great solution - as other people mentioned, winter biking specific helmets have been few and far between, and typically expensive. Ski helmets, at least here, are readily available.

veganbikes

What are you disagreeing with? I made no statements on whose impacts are more or less I stated they are potentially different and potentially the same. I was sort of neutral on the damage because I don't know, I have skied once and while to some that would qualify them as an expert to me I still know almost nothing and all I can remember is my butt hurt more than anything and doing a 30 mile ride the next day was excruciating...LOL

In terms of that cold yeah probably a warmer helmet would help quite a bit. I love biking but I personally have my limits but really cool that you are going out in that but I don't think I could do it. Once it goes to negatives I am inside with some mulled cider and a good movie. Now I guess if I had a fat bike and a place to use it, it might slightly change my tune a little maybe? But I really don't like it that cold.

DangerousDanR

I wear a Kali road helmet year round for both on and off road cycling. As the temperature drops I progress from ear muffs to a nomex NFPA 1970 (structural fire fighting) rated balaclava, to a Cold Avenger, and finally the Cold Avenger over the balaclava.
I also have a yarmulke under the helmet all the time, but I doubt that it adds much warmth.
I haven't looked at the standards for ski helmets vs bicycle helmets, but I would guess that they reflect the higher speeds on skis and the tendency for ski crashes to be on a softer surface than concrete. Also, because they tend to be on steeper inclines, the ski crashes I have seen involved multiple impacts.
I do wear a hockey helmet for white water kayaking and I know that they have a much more rigid shell, and mine uses a gel that works for multiple impacts. I wouldn't wear it on a bike.

rumrunn6

I wear a hat or balaclava under a regular helmet. but I do use a helmet that fits a hat better. as opposed to a smaller lighter summer helmet