[Closed] No helmet. The urge was strong.

I feel naked without my helmet for some reason.......

I don't really notice to be honest. Since I've started wearing contacts and bug eye sunglasses I have noticed that those buggers steam/sweat up FAST though and have taken them off on more than one climb in the heat.

If it is warm I always take helmet off on climbs.

Rode on Saturday without mine. T'was only on towpaths and the local woodland with the wife though.

Wouldn't ever do it on a proper ride.

I ditched mine altogether yesterday, I went out at a stupid time, the trails were extra busy with walkers etc, so I just had a nice pootle instead of a mad thrash. Sue me.

Helmet free ride on saturday - a deliberately chosen route of minimal gnar and speed. Highly enjoyable

Often take mine off on the climbds, had to on Saturday. Sadly I keep forgetting I have a lack of covering on my head these days so it was little tender yesterday.

i know its 'hot' out thre guys n gals..... but always wear a helmet please... you see so many of those nasty injury pics in the bike mags...so next it could be your noggin ! ride safe !

I put it back on for most descents, honestly on the climbs it wasn't worth it but thanks so much for your concern.

elaine anne

I am an adult. I am capable of deciding for myself.

helmet off on climbs is fine imho, putting a cold, sweaty helmet back on after is not so fine so i tend to keep mine on for this reason!

Blissful helmet-free ride on Saturday here too...

Did anyone here die from not wearing there helmet at the weekend, can you post please so we can get a little survey?

I'm also someone that sometimes takes their helmet off for long steep climbs. The way I see it is that I'm going about the same speed as if I were walking, and I don't wear a helmet when I'm walking, so where's the harm?

Tandem dude..... yep i know you can make decisions for yourself but but the times ive passed dads with their little kids(no helmets)... (saying look- shes, got a helmet on.....gud idea me thinks !
especially for Decents..... ah well...dont come crying to me :mrgreen:wen ya laid up in the hospital recovering from brain surgery ! 8)

5hr ride involving a bit of XC to get to a local jumpy DH spot yesterday - no helmet.
too hot, I very rarely ever hit my head, I'll make my own decisions too thanks.
think the only time I've worn a helmet this month was for Glencoe SDA - Although I had a pretty big crash and a few small ones I didn't actually hit my head there either.

I've never really fussed about taking the helmet off for climbs, it's probably because I'm too lazy tbh.

Do remove my glasses though

I'm the same if I try to ride without a helmet though, just feels 'wrong' now..

can we please ban anything with the word helmet from this forum its getting rather tedious having this argument come up every 5 mins.
(i know the op didnt really mean for this discussion the happen again)

ditched the lid for commuting (5mi road) back in march.

but i try never to take the xc lid off when on the mtb, cos i hate putting a wet sweaty lid back on.

I went for a long country lanes/paths ride on Sunday. I spent quite a bit of effort on saddle bags, camera bags, zip-ties, velcro and stuff to let me take everything I needed without carrying a rucksack, because it's so nice to feel free and breezy on a bike ride.

Didn't take a helmet for the same reason. Lovely day. A pint of Aspalls in Dedham helped the last 9 miles home too.

I might post some pics when I get them off the camera this evening. (If they're any good!)

No helmet commute into town today, quick trip helmetless to Hammersmith at lunchtime, then helmetless commute home tonight.

I set off for a family ride on Saturday and turned back when I realised I left my helmet. It did feel nice, but I decided to set an example to my two kids. I was pretty certain mine wouldn't be needed, but young Master Dab needed his when he decided to race a train as it went past. He looked back, wobbled, collided with a wall and went OTB!

Didn't wear my helmet for any ride last week... although they were only out with the dog taking him for a run, although I did manage to ride some lovely singletrack, and then down some steps and not die.

Actually, the closest I came to having an accident was when I was out trail running and thought it would be a good idea to run down a steepish slope... it got a bit steeper than planned!

Should I be wearing a helmet for running now, as on a ratio of time spent to likelyhood of injury, I am thinking that running is looking far more dangerous!

[i]I put it back on for most descents, honestly on the climbs it wasn't worth it but thanks so much for your concern. [/i]

She's probably seen you ride Drac, hence the concern.

this again, oh well, for my (road) ride on saturday

- i took my helmet off for a while as my head was cooked. it made an annoying rattley noise on the bars but other than that i was not killed, the only thing that was rotational was my wheels, i did not reveal a handy foil hat and no flying saucers flew out

- i wore lycra rather than baggies. no women, small children or innocent animals fled at the sight of me. two confirmed bachelor types shouted encouragement at me but so far attitude magazine has not phoned

- i did not wear a rucksack, camelbak or any other over the shoulder encumbrance. i took two 1.5l bottles for an 80 mile ride. it wasn't enough

- i did take gels but didn't 'eat' them. i did not eat cake, at least not until i was done. i stopped for coke (the drink) and ice cream and fine it was (see above for the not botheredness of the passersby re the lycra)

- i passed about seven roadie types. a cheery wave was returned by all. of the people on mountain bikes (as opposed to mtbers) only about four of the twelve or so responded likewise. as this isn't normal for these parts i put it down to them being non-locals or southern types for whom the sight of some 'scotch' type speaking at them seems to evince bewilderment or fear. i should point out that my shandy drinking other half suggested that perhaps they just didn't understand my 'brutish northern dialect'

does that cover all the bases?

if not add the obligatory i'm faster than you/i can cycle further/road/mtb/bmx/cx/my chopper is better/any or all the above/you are fatter/thinner than me/you is slow cos you is old

Elaine.... TJ and helmets.. Youll learn but it may be a painful process for all of us

I'd never ride without one as I'm quite capable of falling off at any point on a ride, not just the downhill bits!

I crashed heavily yesterday on one of the easiest sections of the route (riding under trees and the dappled sunlight made visibility of roots more difficult). Given I hit pretty much head first I'm very glad I had a helmet on, and my head is one of the few bits that don't hurt today.

Good point samuri. Only time I fell off was crossing a dry peat bog and hit a large lump of marsh grass. Stopped me dead and a spd moment.

When I take my eldest out I always wear one so she gets in the habit.

[i]does that cover all the bases? [/i]

What kind of pedals did you have?

Aha... so one would be forced to stop [s]for a rest[/s] to put one's helmet back on at the top of climbs. Sounds ace.

Couldn't dream of not wearing a helmet even for the short space of a climb, I had a really bad accident when I first started riding, managed to hit my head on the only rock on a large grassy decent.

I'm fairly sure if it wasn't for the helmet I wouldn't be here right now.

PnM

Why would be forced to stop? Easy to put it back on while riding.

swiss01 - Member
i did not eat cake, at least not until i was done. i stopped for coke (the drink) and ice cream

Good job you mentioned the cake at the end/ice cream or we'd have needed to see about burning you for heresy. 😉

I was helmetless on all my climbs yesterday was too hot. Super dry, fast and dusty coming down so helmet was useful for that..

Wish me luck, I'm cycling to Hammersmith sans helmet.

I survived! Was very nice coming back alongside the River too.

I used to ride with no lid but I've gone totally the other way now. I bought a downhill helmet for wharnecliffe and I feel so exposed with nothing in front of my face I don't like my xc lid any more.

perhaps I just crash too much

I went and baked myself for 70 miles in the Peaks yesterday, but didn't take my helment off. Mainly because I'd forgotten my biretta, which is my preferred choice of hot, steady climbing headgear. I sweated like a Catholic priest in an orphanage.

Tonight, I may well ditch the lid for some of the ride home. I suspect I shall survive.

"I am [s]an adult[/s][i]human[/i]. I am capable of [s]deciding for myself[/s] [i]making mistakes[/i]. "

Forum lurker on the Surrey hills ride concussed himself "Just riding allong" (and straight into a low branch)

is this a new niche?

no-helmet niche?
no skills, no helmet?

wtf? If you do not want to wear a helmet, don't bother me with it.
Is it really worth a discussion?

hmmm what colour pants should I wear? maybe go commando? lets ask stw......

Actually, on my last 2 rides there have been crashes with heads involved, the STW ride on Sunday, and a kid (helmetless) for which it probably ended with a trip to casualty at Swinley.

I reckon there must be an intermediate temp at which helmets are uncomfortable, as on the STW ride in 27deg heat it was fine, but at Swinley on Friday it was unbearable on the climbs. must be the perspiration evaporating quicker making it more comfortable despite the heat.

Why would be forced to stop? Easy to put it back on while riding.

Because I'm out of shape and take any excuse to stop at the moment? 🙂

What I love on these thread is people from great britain removing the helmet because it's TOO ****ING HOT....
Don't make me laugh people please...

Usually don't get drawn into these but there is something strange about not wearing a helmet makes me feel like a kid again but it also stops me from doing things that are a bit silly due to the extra PERCEIVED risk. If I want to try something that I think is a bit dodgy I will wear my full face and knee pads. I might make tomorrow mornings ride a gentle pootle with no helmet, it certainly makes the hair look a bit more acceptable if going directly to work where there are no showers.