Firstly can I just state for the record that I am not complaining about this hot weather, it’s great.

Right, due to this lovely weather we are having nature is shaking it’s thang and spewing out $h1t loads of flys and beetles and bumble bees which is ace. Well it is ace until I jump on my bike and poodle off down the bridleway, every single ride in the last month has seen me pull up rapidly and throw of the helmet due to a large bug of some description dive bombing my helmet and entering t via the air vents.

Anyone have a clever solution to this? I am sure my last helmet had a plastic sort of netting inside closing the entry point for such beasties.

I had this problem,but damaged my lid on my last off,so I’m awaiting a Catlike Leaf,which has a built in bug net.A lot of the helmet manufacturers seem to design them in now.
Ian

I read a post on here recently where someone recommended putting a hairnet over the outside of the helmet.

Now that hair net is a cracking idea. My wife is only 40 though so she doesn’t have any yet. Maybe nick one of her stockings and whack that over.

I have the same thing a lot around my neck of the woods. It normally involves me ditching the bike and running around screaming like a girl.

I try to do it very calmly in case someone is close by but inside I am doing exactly what you describe trolleywheels

Hair net update. Turns out we do have some as used for daughters ballet stuff, down side is that I found out that wife doesn’t own stockings 🙁

had a bloody bumble bee land in my helmet the other night then decided to sting me!! Cue lots of laughter from bystanders

Fill the air vents with bits of open cell PU foam – the air will still get through but the foam will catch the bugs.

mrs antigee once had a child on rear seat road interface drama following a bumble in helmet panic – thank goodness for high sided kiddy seats! – lots of helmets used to come with netting in – think its one of those things that cheaper you go more likely to get

I have a UVEX helmet that has bug mesh on the front vents. They still get into the other vents, though! 👿

Thousands of them, especially along dark overgrown hedges. I don’t mind them in the helmet (fnarr), but I get loads in the eyes which hurts for days.

I got a wasp in through my open jersey which migrated (unknown to me) into my bibs. First I knew about it was the sting – only way to get it out was to undress while jumping around swearing.

I seriously worry about breathing in a bug as I generaly breathe through my mouth not nose.

I breathed in a small insect last week. Cue dropping the bike and me running round hawking like a cat with a hairball. Those who have seen my folically challenged skull will appreciate the irony here.

Re the helmet thing, don’t generally get many big ones but when I get home after a ride I find that cranial sweating has caused many small insects to drown. Not a good look.

Have a KED lid with a mesh built in at the front. Stops things like bumble bees (pointless cos they always aim for your face anyway), but small bugs just go straight through. So you have stop to free the wriggly thing anyway.

I never finish the last 2 mouthsful of water from my bottle for this reason – always ready to swallow/flush a bug.

RE Breathing – when there’s lots of bugs around [next to hedge etc] I sometimes [when no-one’s looking] pull my lower jaw a bit back and give myself a simpson’s-esque overbite so there’s no direct flight-path down my throat as I breathe. Shades are a must too.

How about this approach under the helmet?The stockingcap I mean, not the MMA skillz. Though having thought about it, MMA moves are the only way to get rid of horse flies when you stop for a breather.

Try a different helmet?

I got nailed by a bee right between my eyebrows as the bee got trapped under the frame of my glasses.
My friends thought it was hilarious as it was such an accurate head shot that left a target of blood bullseye, white ring then red ring right between my eyes. I wasn’t too amused as I was going full pelt downhill at the time and couldn’t stop to free the wee beastie.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/buff-under-your-helmet-in-the-heat

Yup, got a wasp in there once. Once you’ve had an angry wasp trapped under your helmet for several minutes, other forms of pain seem insignificant. 😯

Swallowed numerous wee beasties as there is a part on my regular ride full of em. Have noticed one or two buzzy things in my helmet recently but managed to dislodge them with a vigorous shake of the head. Think I might do the screaming girl thing if I hadn’t. Always wear glasses so I don’t get them in my eyes.

Clegs like to get in that way for a swat free lunch – especially on a long climb.