[Closed] Full face helmets for natural trail and trail centres. Thoughts...

They don't pedal uphill.

Stu.
Ex MX rider.

So does nobody breathe whilst riding MX? I thought it was meant to be really physical... 😛

Pisses me off that we have to worry about strangers opinions.

He asked for opinions on a public forum 😯

Funny that we don't all agree. 😉

I thought it was meant to be really physical..

Oh it is.

Thing is though if you're going quick there's plenty of airflow. 🙂

If I could climb at MX speeds on a pushbike I'd wear a FF. 😉

@eulach, that's a pretty old model Viper I think.

Click this link and scroll down the page ,
http://www.pedal.com.br/forum/capacete-cratoni-cmaniac-quase-full-face_topic67550.html
Found this when researching the cratoni.
Do not know the facts as not in English.

Last year I had a fall from a decent height, onto my face. Full on my face.

Wearing a 661 recon.

The peak saved my nose and teeth, although my mouth wasn't so lucky. Many stitches, many weeks of recovery, and now I look awesome again.

I ended up buying an Archi Enduro lid, which I've used once, and then realised that I've ridden a hell of a lot of hours, and only once landed on my face.

I wear what I want when I ride, and everyone else should. If you're thinking you really need a full facer, give it a go and see if its for you, don't worry what anyone else thinks.

Fwiw I replace the recon with an Enduro Matic.

Its meant to be fun this sport so if you feel you will enjoy yourself more wearing a ff then do it. It's your safety no one else's.

Whilst going up hill for any period of time over sat 12degrees I'll always take any helmet off (hateful things). If you worry about 'falling' whilst pedalling up, pushing or riding along a flat bit of trail you really should invest in cushions strapped around the house. Just incase.

I would like to wear a FF all the time but the heat makes it too unbearable. Ok in winter though! I feel much more confident descending with one and I've still managed to cut my chin up even with the FF on.. I only took a FF to whistler, riding the undulating Valley and Green Lake trails sucked with just that as I was constantly taking it on/off.

If you worry about 'falling' whilst pedalling up, pushing or riding along a flat bit of trail you really should invest in cushions strapped around the house. Just incase.

I've had 3 brokeen arms now, the last two were on the flat at either jogging pace or almost stationary. Sometimes crap just happens when you don't expect it.

Ive a full face for uplift/downhill. I feel sillier riding the same type of trails on a ride in my xc lid but it would be too heavy to carry all day for a few minutes of trail.

Sometimes crap just happens when you don't expect it.

A friend of mine badly broke his ankle walking down his stairs at home, he put his foot down 'wrong' on the step and had to have a few operations to correct. Mrshora's friend at work badly broke her arm falling over in the supermarket.

From the age of 2(?) right upto 30 I never wore a helmet and rode all my bikes daily. True nowadays I will wear a helmet but only because I have loved ones. Some people though do have bad luck, or....do you have an inner ear-inbalance?!!

my bad crash in December was on a routine bit of trail at Cathkin that I'd ridden loads. It made me realise that

Sometimes crap just happens when you don't expect it.

At 48 yrs of age and average riding ability I'm not one for extreme stuff, or anything 'gnar', just fun riding within my limits. The unexpected can and does happen though, it's just part of it.

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Tricky one really. I now wear a FF at BPW, but i wouldn't at Afan/LLandegla probably... it's nothing to do with other people laughing/mocking me... it's more to do with how i percieve saftey levels and comfort zones to be.

In all honesty when i'm out and about doing local riding i very rarely even wear a helmet.... but i guess that's again how i see things locally as being really simple... I've been trying to adapt to wearing one more, but i find it hard to get the enthusiasm to do it.

The FF though, that just 'feels' far far more secure... far nicer on my head and i can see why people rave about them. The more i use it, the more i think "wow"... and i'm more inclined to be an all or nothing kind of rider.

Depends on your definition of "natural" - went up Snowdon last year, coming back down the snowdon ranger, most of us took full faces strapped on our bags and one of our number went OTB and landed on his face on the scree slope. He's glad he took it with him now!

That said, from personal experience over 15 years across a lot of riding buddies I have seen/heard of relatively few facial injuries while "trail" riding. I've got through about 8 or 9 helmets so I do land on my head, but seemingly on the sides, top or back as a rule. Not saying it doesn't happen but it seems to be quite rare compared to the bumped knees, elbows, ribs, collarbones, broken fingers etc etc...

I'll be using the full face for uplifts, big mountain (one big up/one big down) and alpine riding though, especially where it's very rocky. There are some rides in the lakes I think I'd take it for but would most likely take 2 lids (again stuff with very long & distinct climbs and DH's like Helvellyn, nan bield, stuff like that)

The problem is a head injury could be instant lights out. A similar impact elsewhere is just a broken arm which while painfull and inconvenient will heal. Which is why downhillers happily wear just a neck brace and full face. Pressure suits and the like only really protect against soft tissue injuries.

Going back to my initial post. Whenever I see someone with a full facer on 'normal' trails it doesn't bother me- a Hello/hi/etc does. Thats just me I guess.

Everyone is different and some people(?) have better natural balance (NOT bike skills- balance) than others. My bike skills aren't great but I can balance very well off the bike etc on one foot etc etc.

Its coming upto warm weather. I suffer concentration issues from dehydration on long rides so my 'trade off' is less kit = safer for me.

I'm in line for the new MET Parachute but it has now moved to being released in June/July not April looks the best compromise I have seen. Tried the Urge Archi but it was too hot and for me that's the problem, if my ride is going up as much as down I just overheat. Full face are for uplifts only at the mo but hopefully the MET will counter that.

The new Parachute certainly captures the zeitgeist, but does anyone know what they've done to it aside from cosmetics?

If I saw somebody bimbling down a blue run in a full set of armour I might wonder why, but I'd assume they had their reasons. At the end of the day it doesn't do me any harm and as long as they are enjoying themselves it's all good.

So, wear whatever makes you comfortable. I'll be the guy bimbling along on an Orange Five and walking anything slightly tricky. I know that it will take 6-9 months before my fracture is strong enough to risk another fall and I know what a massive PITA it will be for my family if I break it again. But to most people I'm just a comically overbiked guy with no skills. It still beats sitting on the couch though.

The new Met Parachute looks a good compromise between protection and overheating offered by the FF, cool colour schemes IMHO!
Here is their info
http://www.met-helmets.com/index.php/index.php/mtb/13-products/mtb/87-mtb-parachute

roverpig- everyone bimbles along. Those shredding the gnar down wide open trails thinking they are 'quick' are on borrowed time as we all were.

Plus who are you impressing? I couldn't care less if someone I ride with thinks I'm quick or slow. When I ride solo (alot) it just shows how much I love riding/the only person I'm impressing is me on solo rides. 🙂

My 2p...

I used to wear plenty of armour when 'starting out' in DH. Chest, knee, shin, etc. Used to look like a proper Stormtrooper..

Upon reflection, I found that being "padded up" gave me a false sense of security, therefore I'd take higher risks. A week in hospital with a shattered ankle and wrist still didn't deter me.

It was also too restrictive - I couldn't tuck/roll/bail so easily.

Now I ride with some g-form pads (knee/elbow), full-face lid, and occasionally a spine board on the bigger tracks (POC vest).

For "trail" riding (basically, any riding [b]not[/b] on the DH bike), I just wear a "normal" XC lid and gloves.

Do I take fewer risks? Not sure on that one, but perhaps "experience" plays a part in it now. I'm concious of the lack of armour (and lack of big suspension travel), therefore don't even consider taking some risks.

When I see a "stormtrooper" on the blue/red routes at trail centres, I do wonder why they are padded up so much - either inexperience, recent knock in confidence, or just extra safety-concious.

stilltortoise - Member

The new Parachute certainly captures the zeitgeist, but does anyone know what they've done to it aside from cosmetics?

Old one was basically an XC helmet with a removable chinpiece, new one according to CRC is a nonconvertible fullface, but with xc helmet venting.

I just did a week riding in Southern Spain last week. No injuries or big smashes at all with my normal xc lid despite techy, gnarly uplifty riding.

Then the day before leaving I managed to crack my head open on the window bars outside our apartment while putting the bike in its bag - blood, dizziness, the lot.

Not really sure if this is related at all other than to say you can wrap yourself up in as much cotton wool as you like....but you can never escape the law of the sod (or general stupidity). Or maybe it means don't take your helmet off until you actually go to bed??

I have an old Parachute (that I never use) and have just had a look at the new one on the website. Maybe I'm being a tad cynical, but to my eyes it still [i]looks[/i] like a chin-guard bolted onto a helmet. The big difference is that the helmet is a trendy enduro-shape instead of a XC shape. It's not clear to me what makes it a "true full-face helmet" (to quote the Met website).

To give it credit though, it does look a lot better than the old one.

I see at least one every time i go to Dalby, to be fair they don't get as many funny looks as someone without a helmet.

When i was 15 I probably would have been stood their in my ROOX t-shirt laughing at you, but now I don't care, tis your head.

The Specializedv Deviant helmet is well vented. Carry a FF up on a pack seems very sensible, but its sods law you'll fall on a tame bit of trail when not wearing it an face plant. At least when you're going slower you have a chance to put your arms out. The market needs to catch up and offer more hybrid helmets with detachable chin guards

A mate rode in May in Spain (Sierra Nevada) with the Spesh Deviant and managed without melting in a pool of his own sweat. Looks the part too

A lad I know had a big off as some kids had stretched a wire across a trail. His missus now will only let him ride in a full face. He gets some looks, but as he had his face smashed in and got air ambulanced unconscious to hospital he isn't too bothered.

Are these people riding proper XC in full face e.g. Cwmcarn or CyB? I can't think of anything worse, you either get hot and tired on the way up or take it off, either way there are increased risks. Tiredness is a big factor in crashes. Then if at any point your route crosses a road the reduction in vision and hearing, will probably increase your chances of getting hit.

Full face for downhill tracks / uplift, but not XC IMO.

It's interesting that we have dropper posts so that we don't have to stop to lower our saddles for techy bits and at the same time an increasing trend for carrying a full face on your back so that you can stop and put it on for the descent. Maybe we just like an excuse for a rest 🙂

The Urge archie-enduro looks to be a reasonably open/airy full face helmet. Slightly odd looking though.

gaz552 - Member

The Urge archie-enduro looks to be a reasonably open/airy full face helmet. Slightly odd looking though.

TBH it's a bit of a weird thing all round, I've got the Down-o-matic and tried an Arch-Enduro, and they work more or less the same- the Archi- is slightly better breathing wise, though the Down-o is pretty good for that too with a spacious jaw and decent vents... But the ventilation around the head is exactly the same on both, ie, better than most but still miles from being well enough vented for normal riding, for me at least. So for that sort of thing it doesn't really make any difference, 10% less too hot is still too hot. It all kind of feels like a marketing exercise.

Don't want to be too harsh, I really like my Down-o, it's light, hugely comfy, and the venting is far better than other fullfaces I've worn which is really useful if you run hot like I do. But it's still for going downwards only- wearing it for the horrible pedally stages of the bluegrass enduro at kinlochleven was so grim I sacked off the race entirely rather than melt my head.

Bargain Deviant on ebay for anyone feeling vulnerable 😀
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SPECIALIZED-CARBON-DEVIANT-MTB-DH-ENDURO-CYCLING-BIKE-FULL-FACE-HELMET-2008-/351018515863?pt=UK_Sports_Leisure_Cycling_BikePumps_SR&hash=item51ba557d97

Was out yesterday morning doing the wall up afan.

Seen a group of guys, one wearing a ff and thought if it floats your boat and you feel and ride better for it crack on....but I will keep my newly purchased ff and my discreet Oneal under armour for the uplift day in afan I got booked.

Well, while I was pushing the limits (Strava I blame) on the final descent on the zig zags I took a bad line of a rock jump/drop and lost it! Ended up ploughing into the embankment face and shoulder first into rocks and roots and then being flipped because of the momentum down the side of the mountain around 10-15ft!!

I'm now typing this from the chair downstairs which is now my bed for the time being as I dislocated my shoulder, broke numerous ribs, damaged fingers and thumbs on both my hands, with a smashed in face and badly grazed arm from wrist to shoulder!!

Moral of the story was that I held my ff and under armour in my hand and thought shall I take this? Nah, I will be fine!! And if I had my ff like that guy was wearing my nose and mouth wouldn't be so shredded, and if I had wore my under armour I probably wouldn't be in such a bad way now!

So from now on when I go out, I will be taking my full face and under armour on every ride...unless it's a xc epic that is, and I won't give a monkeys what people will think of me, as they will think what they like anyway....

PS I got the Ventura downhill helmet of amazon, the jaw piece can be screwed on and off so can be used on the climbs as a xc helemt and then bolt the jaw piece back on for the fun.....so wish I wore it now!

Used to wear a FF all the time cos I smashed my face in a few times after taking "liberties" with my somewhat limited skill set. So now I just ride slower, smoother (arguably) and don't have to worry about turning up to work and explaining to the boss that I have NOT been in a scrap.
And to all the poor sods sitting there with busted wot-sits, don't worry it'll heal (I know this cos I done it), and the bonus is that you are now a legend and the story will live forever.

I did the SuperEnduro round in Tolfa last season with just my FF rather than the 2 helmet thing. 30c heat, 48k and I didn't overheat too badly. You get used to it and provided you're not XCing it up the climbs, you should be fine. Lots of Enduro racers in Europe just use their FF (it's compulsory on timed stages unlike here) all day and it's a damn sight warmer out there than in the UK......

I've been wearing my full face all winter since breaking my jaw in the summer (fell off the road bike). Often take it off for the fireroad climbs.

No complaints, it's been cosy all winter. Not sure if I'll be able to keep it up all summer though.

sangobegger - probably the post I empathise most with 🙂 . Being a limited skill set, nearly 50, busted wotsit, facially scarred from crash, legend myself 🙂

Weird thing about my 2 recent bad crashes is that I've chased away the mtb ghosts from the first one, but haven't been back on the velodrome since the 2nd. TBH a bit scared 🙁 what FF helmet for track riding at 25 degree temps ?

I've worn a MET Parachute for years as any small knock to my chin gives me concussion. I strap it to my back pack when climbing a hill of on the flat. The new ones look very good.

Slightly ot, but there's a guy I see regularly around Brightside in Sheff commuting on a HT 26er with a white 661 Comp Shifted on...

First time I assumed he was just on his way back from something epic (although coming from the direction of Meadowhell not quite sure what...) but I've seen him a few times this last few weeks as I'm back on 830's instead of earlier or later shifts...

Seems a touch overkill for commuting, but what they said about spoon feeding, I guess... 🙂