thinking of buying my GF a new 661 recon helmet as part of her birthday because

A…she is using an old giro one of mine just now

B…the recon is really nice (i have a fox flux similar design)

C… we are planning a wee alps trip next year so the extra protection at the back would be good

but she currently puts her hair in a pony tail when on the bike, so would the lower back of the recon interfere with this??? thoughts please?

I usually wear bunches when I am out on the bike, no problems fitting a helmet on the top, and (fairly) good in terms of reducing awful post ride helmet hair 😳

my wife sticks her ponytail out through the gap between the bottom of the helmet and the adjuster for the cradle – bit of a faff every time she takes her lid on and off, but she says it’s much more comfy that way.

So male riders with pony tails arn’t allowed to have an opinion on this. Thats very sexist of you.

Ask Junkyard…

(S)He’ll know.. 🙂

ahem, I was wondering if my/our opinion would be of any use.. but men tend to wear the ponytail lower IME and so it’s isn’t an issue (for me anyways), even with a lower back to your helmet like a Xen.

Anyways remember, underneath every ponytail is an a***hole 😈

As already said I’ve always found the easiest way to wear a ponytail is through the hole in the locking system. If I’m honest a lot will depend on her hair, I have long hair past the shoulders and it’s thick (as in there is lots of it, the hair itself is fine..if you know what I mean? Women will!!) so I have a larger ponytail to get in the way. I tried on lots of helmets prior to buying the one I have. I tried Xen’s, Hex’s and variety of others and the best one was the Giro Skyla (not only is it women’s specific but it’s also bargainatious!) The others were all too annoying, either the locking system was so small I couldn’t get my ponytail through the gap without a massive faff, or I had to wear my ponytail so low it just stuck to my neck and all my hair got in the way. This is what I love now:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Womens/11/Giro_Ladies_Skyla_Helmet_2011/5360054113/

A lot will also depend on how high she wears her ponytail (as already mentioned). Hope this helps!

Why not thread your hair out through the thoughtfully provided slots in the shell of the helmet?

I have relatively short hair (and am male) and mine always sticks out through them without any assistance from me so that must be what they’re there for. I assume this feature is to allow the wearer to be protected from head injury and yet still enjoy a “wind in you hair” feeling.

PMSL @ Wombat I like your thoughts, but think mine is far too long for that, it would brush in front of my face and annoy me, but thanks for the suggestion.

Pleats for Mme Moontress

Pleats for Mme Moontress

Lol – not David Pleat I hope!

Rather annoyingly if I plait my hair, my helmet doesn’t fit 🙁 It wasn’t something I’d thought about when buying it.

Tight bun for me. I’m a bloke.

Women’s specific helmets have a larger hole between the lid and the retention system to admit ponytails, tbh.

Mrs Grips goes for the Pippy Longstocking look:

Curly thick hair goes in a low pony under my giro just fine (which is fairly low at the back too) ;-D
Photo took agres to find….why is is impossible to find rear view shots when you need them – they always seem to be there when you don’t want them to be?!?!

You heartless b’stards.

You evil heartless swine.

SOME OF US ARE SUFFERING FROM MALE PATTERN BALDNESS AND YOU JUST DON’T CARE.

missus uses Skyla, slots between retention and bottom of helmet just fine.

LOL @ Clareymorris oh so true!!!!