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I would class my riding style as "Mincing-Lite"
the more i think about it, the more it seems like a good idea to wear a helmet fell running........rock tastic
Watch it though, the falls are likely to be people losing their footing and falling forward, perhaps putting arms out and breaking a wrist or something (should they wear other body armour?), or their feet sliding out from under them and landing on their arse.
Compare that to on a bike, where you're more likely to land on your head as a first point of contact, or where a sudden deceleration occurs from hitting a tree or sommat, which isn't going to happen running as you can 'dodge' obstacles more effectively. I think it's pretty clear why it makes more sense for riding than running.
It is indeed clear that it makes more sense. But most people's attitude to helmets with cycling (certainly on here) seems to be if there is [i]any[/i] risk then you'd be mad not to wear a helmet. Reduced though the risks are for fell running, the risks are surely still there?
I think there is rather more "helmet being part of the uniform" for mtb than we admit, or see.
It's compulsory for any competition under BC/UCI rules, and has been the case on MTBs since the start I believe, whilst the governing body for fell running clearly doesn't see an issue.
If that's relevant!
It's compulsory for any competition under BC/UCI rules, and has been the case on MTBs since the start I believe
Is that for safety reasons or because Giro, Met, Bell et al are pretty big sponsors of the sport?
Not that the governing body would issue rules on what can and can't be worn because of sponsorship issues *cough*DH*cough*skinsuits*cough*
Probably is relevant - the degree of risk for cycling being higher, so in risk assessment terms making helmet compulsory makes sense.
What doesn't make sense is some people's idea of risk assessment - to say that any risk at all however small warrants a certain response makes no sense. Since it is still theoretically possible to sustain a fatal head injury even with a helmet the logical extension would be that you were left with no choice but to avoid cycling completely.
To relate it back to the OP, it is assessment of risk that is important, not existence of risk with no regard for the frequency or potential severity. In those terms quite a lot of cycling could quite sensibly be done without a helmet.
You just can't predict when you'll need your lid. I've needed mine just once in the years and years I've been riding and racing.
Ten years ago massive off, no broken bones but I went a good few metres and I could feel the helmet cushioning the blows as I slid into the kerb and over the pavement.
The lid was worn away in some places and had a crack through it but my head was saved, but I have scars from my ankles to my shoulders from that.
God bless lids.
And remember XC riders will often be out in the wild and won't know what's around the next corner unlike a downhiller or jumper'ist.
And aren't most fell running injuries to do with limbs?
oldgit, not saying you have to, but did you read the foregoing? Yes fell running injuries mostly limbs, far fewer head - but some head risk injury still exists, therefore if you employ the "any risk at all warrants a helmet" logic they should wear a helmet.
Which is an interesting way to look sideways at our own helmet policy. If we went slowly on easy tracks, for example, would be get the head injury risk down to the level of competitive fell running?
Interesting point from the OP. For me it depends on the type of riding - RSF style wandering around the scenery then no helmet. Wheels off the ground - helmet.
There is very little logic in all this. Cycle helmets are distinctly flawed in testing and design. There is no good evidence of them reducing head injuries.
Different sports of similar head injury risk wear different helmets or none in some cases. Often there seems no rhyme or reason behind this.
Mtbers mainly wear helmets as a part of the uniform with no great consideration behind why. Head injury risks are low, helmets are not tested in MTB type crashes
Which is an interesting way to look sideways at our own helmet policy. If we went slowly on easy tracks, for example, would be get the head injury risk down to the level of competitive fell running?
What if we compare the relative dangers of pootling along with no helmet and downhilling in full body armour? I know which I think is safer.
Sorry read the OP ages ago.
But to a degree yes we could. The thing with biking and XC in particular are all the unknown factors that you probably don't get in something like fell running, bearing in mind we'll often incorporate a bit of road so you have to think of.....
Motorists, the stick man, a low hanging branch that wasn't there yesterday!, bike failure, less predictable changes in the terrain including ice and diesel. As I said earlier if your not in a play area, or a trail centre you just don't know what's round the corner.
And although fell running has it's own dangers they are more obvious to the runner
TandemJeremy
Yay, he's ok!
Why do XC riders wear helmets?
Branches - rare is the ride that I don't hear doik sound as my helmet hits a tree branch
Branches - rare is the ride that I don't hear doik sound as my helmet hits a tree branch
I bet you'd be more careful with no helmet...
Yay, he's ok!
Nice to see normal service is resumed, I admit.
WooHoo for TJ! 😉
Branches. We get that a lot, if you can finish a ride after rain or snow without banging your head you've done well. No open fells in these parts.
There is another reason though....The STWers haircut of NO CHOICE
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Tempting fate, but...
I've never had a crash on a bike where I've needed a helmet but I [i]have[/i] had a branch stick into a vent on the helmet and stop me dead in my tracks.
I bet you'd be more careful with no helmet...
OTOH I might not, I'll let the plastic/polystyrene take care of the branches as I take care not to pilot my steed 😉 into a tree
Because we are all ****ing gay!
and your a super tough, ninja freeriding downhillin guru.
OTOH I might not, I'll let the plastic/polystyrene take care of the branches as I take care not to pilot my steed into a tree
I did that once. But I'd forgotten that I wasn't wearing a helmet 🙂
Cycle helmets are distinctly flawed in testing and design.
Leaving aside my own anecdotes of the times I have dented helmets and thought how much it would have hurt if I wasn't wearing one, what's wrong with the way helmets are designed and tested ?
There is no good evidence of them reducing head injuries.
How could such evidence be gathered without subjecting live humans to identical simulated crashes with and without a helmet ?
Have you ever seen other STWers with no lid on 😯 it's like riding with the 'Hoods' appriciation society.
Is that for safety reasons or because Giro, Met, Bell et al are pretty big sponsors of the sport?
Only became compulsory on the road (more publicity) after some reasonably high profile deaths from head injuries, most notably Andrei Kivilev in the Paris-Nice. So it seems extremely unlikely it was to do with sponsorship revenue.
I've been knocked unconscious twice (once on a tree, once on a car) and head/face planted many times while not wearing a helmet.
Still, I only wear one if I think I'm going somewhere where I may need it, otherwise I wear a hat.
Why? I don't like it. If I could find a nice comfortable, good looking helmet I would wear it all the time, but I have a weird shaped napper and usually helmets just perch on top of it.
I had a Giro Rift and got rid of it because of this. I bought a Met Predatore because it is big, but still don't like it. I fancy something the style of Giro Hex, but I'm reluctant to get on for this reason. I actually fancy a pisspot type helmet, although I only ride XC / Trail.
Any advice on good helmet styles??????????????
Only became compulsory on the road (more publicity) after some reasonably high profile deaths from head injuries, most notably Andrei Kivilev in the Paris-Nice. So it seems extremely unlikely it was to do with sponsorship revenue.
But that was a change. Road riding and change don't really go hand in hand...
If it was about money, they'd have gone for it.
MilitantGraham - MemberCycle helmets are distinctly flawed in testing and design.
Leaving aside my own anecdotes of the times I have dented helmets and thought how much it would have hurt if I wasn't wearing one, what's wrong with the way helmets are designed and tested ?
They are designed to meet the tests which basically is dropping the helmet onto various shaped objects from 5 ft.
Independent research shows that all helmets can create and exacerbate rotation forces which cause serious injury and cycle helmets are worse for this than other designs of sports helmet. However no testing is done as part of the standard testing to look into this.
There are other arguments about helmet testing standards as well - I suggest you have a look at the actual tests if you are interested
Of course, a branch might fall just as I pass beneath but the chances of that are infinitesimal.
Not quite! Top 20' of a tree fell on me whilst at Llandegla. Over the bars, cut chin and eyebrow. Helmet completely split down the front. Was a bit dazed!!
Helmets are cool! 😉
Paul
I love my ROAD helmet.
That's my ROAD helmet for all you h8ers! 8)
The sponsorship (on the road) argument does have some relevance.
When the helmet compulsion came in, the riders were allowed to take off their helmets at the end of mountain finishes,
The sponsors were livid at the sight of riders universally ripping off their helmets and chucking them down at the side of the road, at the earliest opportunity.
FWIW, I think roadracing is less visually interesting, now that all you see are a field of nodding plastic-covered heids, less individual, and you dont really see the sweat and suffering faces you used to.
Independent research shows that all helmets can create and exacerbate rotation forces which cause serious injury and cycle helmets are worse for this than other designs of sports helmet.
What was effectively gleaned from that research, IIRC, is that heads offer lower frictional coefficient to hard plastic over a foam base. I really really struggle to see that being the case, though I suppose the skin does move fractionally on the bone. Still, one paper on it hardly constitutes accepted scientific research. I'd actually really like to repeat this testing myself, I have the kit to do it if I can set up a rig and find a human head to drop 😆
FWIW, I think roadracing is less visually interesting, now that all you see are a field of nodding plastic-covered heids, less individual, and you dont really see the sweat and suffering faces you used to.
I like DH racing for the opposite reason - you don't have to look at a bunch of gurning blokes with faces like rucksacks full of dented bells. 🙂
I had a friend fall of her bike doing 6mph, hit her head on the kerb, lost her memory for 2 years, she had to learn who all her friends were along with lots of other life skills, Kinda puts it into perspective,Doctor said at the time a helmet would have saved all the heartache.
I never ride without a helmet, you can fix most part of your body but the brain is not so easy.
cant stand watching sports anyway, rather get out and do it - watching it is just frustrating.
This thread has been a credit to all concerned on this subject, with everyone displaying restraint, maturity and a lack of hysterical guilt-tripping...
...then jd_boy shows up with that anecdote
I had a friend fall of her bike doing 6mph, hit her head on the kerb, lost her memory for 2 years, she had to learn who all her friends were along with lots of other life skills, Kinda puts it into perspective,Doctor said at the time a helmet would have saved all the heartache.
I never ride without a helmet, you can fix most part of your body but the brain is not so easy.
Lots of people have the same experience in the shower. That's why I always wear a helmet while showering.
I had a serious concussion while in the kitchen, the doctor said I 'almost certainly' would have been fine, had I been wearing a helmet.
(no, he didn't)
5mph 30+mph muppet
Because everyone comes off! And if you’re using your XC bike to commute you’ve got pot holes the size of bomb craters and drivers that think you’re a hood ornament.
That said what true rider would get far without his helmet?
That said what true rider would get far without his helmet?
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Well, I seem to be living proof that non-wearing of polystyrene hat = not necessarily dead, despite being a 350 mile+ a week rider at one point.
RSF boys? Some of them don't wear helmets. True riders I guess
That photo illustrates a good point, that is, the number of pro road cyclists that died from head injuries, before the helmet-mania, is really almost surprisingly small, despite non wearing being almost total.