it’s down to the individual with what they feel keeps them safe IMO

If you’re riding as an individual, yes. In a group, the group decides.

Wait until they start insisting on mudguards…

and there are plenty of other ways to die than hitting your head.

*removes head from drum of running cement mixer*

but we all try and minimise the risks, eh?

*replaces head*

I would be interested to know their reason. If its due to liability insurance etc, then fair enough, cant argue. However if its based on a whim that riding a bike with a helmet on makes you safer then I think I would question if I would want to ride with them.

Just out of interest have they all passed their cycling profficiency test? 🙂

its all gravy baby x

You win this week’s Wankiest Phrase award………truly appalling.

Did you tell them that helmets are dangerous and can lead to your head being ripped off? And that they’ve never saved anyone’s life?
I’m sure that’s what I read on here.

DezB – Whilst theres a lack of true statistics either way then people can make exaggerations on both sides of the argument, just see some of the commments above!

Local club around here won’t let you go out unless you have a pump and tools

It doesn’t effect anyone else if you choose not to carry them as they could simply abandon you
People aren’t generally like that though [even if you tell them you don’t mind] so they’d like you to help yourself a bit to save them having to bail you out

I suspect it’s so they don’t have to be seen riding with people wearing ‘stylish’ Rapha caps

http://www.rapha.cc/rapha-cap

people can make exaggerations on both sides of the argument, just see some of the commments above!

I must confess I didn’t have my head in a cement mixer, I was exaggerating.

how dare you nickf, i’m sure i heard craig david or someone of equal stature say it, there.. not ****. 😆

Local club around here won’t let you go out unless you have a pump and tools

I went out last night spare tubeless 🙁 after having a valve blow out on the way tot he ride, then one spare being duff, leaving me with no spares. Was I OK and I’ve just been conditioned into thinking that not carrying round half the LBS stock is the only acceptable way, or am I to be grouped together with ramblers and shot for crimes against group riding etiquet?

>I would be interested to know their reason,<

But then simply asking that question of them wouldn’t have got you X pages of handwringing on STW 😉

great PR for the club – man head crushed like a melon

what about ‘mans head crushed like a melon, but it was ok because he was wearing a helmet’

what about ‘mans head crushed like a melon, but it was ok because he was wearing a helmet’

Then they’d have taken reasnoble steps to ensure his safety on a group ride.

real shame but I guess he took all the precautions!

A club being an established group will need protocol to maintain being an organisation. Some people will have a more senior role in the club and therefore liability. Rules and disclaimer prevent stupid claims when someone has not taken responsibility for them selves, although it can be argues that this issue has gone too far.

A club is a very public example of people participating in the sport, as such role modelling is an issue as they represent the sport to a degree. Them allowing you to join for the first without protection is just them being nice, it’s pretty logical if you think about it.

Does their club coach carry a hammer and have an unusual way of encouraging greater speed on hills?

Why the problem?….the group/club chooses the rules…this happens everywhere.

I’ve been to kick boxing clubs that wont let you spar without a head guard whereas other clubs only insist on a gum shield….other clubs wont let you spar using gloves less than 14oz whereas other will let members spar with harder 10oz fighting gloves.

If you dont like their rues then find another group to cycle with.

Start your own club, i did

Well put Mr Shake. Every rider is an ambassador for their club. Though TBH I’ve never had to enforce it.
I just really think a modern light lid isn’t an issue. And as a fair few road riders participate in events they might as well just get used to wearing one.
Has anyone ever even thought about their lids while wearing them?

Local club around here won’t let you go out unless you have a pump and tools

We have to enforce this, although it’s a club and therefore a group you never know when you might need to be self suficient.

On that note would I be here today writing this if I hadn’t been wearing my Giro last month, that was split in six different places and the slide ripped the laminated cover off, my head hit the Tarmac first 😐

[TJ] you can be certain that the helmet saved your life [/TJ mode]

My local road club introduced this rule after a mate slid off on a club ride banged his head on the road and died, he wasn’t wearing a helmet. Don’t know if it would have helped or not…… but I’m quite happy to go along with the rule, and I wish my mate was still coming along on the rides.

Personally, I wouldn’t ever ride with someone who uses the acronym ‘PPE’ in casual conversation (if that could be used to describe what this is).

(EDIT – post removed, I CBA)

Personally, I wouldn’t ever ride with someone who uses the acronym ‘PPE’ in casual conversation (if that could be used to describe what this is).

You know that’s what a helmet is don’t you?

To answer a few more questions, it’s not an image thing, it’s just what I ride in and as for the rapha comments…. I ride in an icebreaker merino and lycras on the road bike, the MTb, the track bike and the tourer. Trendy I am not.

Will I ride with them again? Probably not if they insist on dictating how I should dress.

In my opinion, with the speeds we do on the road and the risk of collision with a much faster moving car, nothing but a motorbike helmet, neck brace and back protector is really up to the job. But that’s not practical so safety is being compromised for speed. Funny how you don’t see people taking the moral high ground on that one.

Anyway, thanks to those who’ve managed to answer without just being abusive.

I ride with ‘Bad Brains MBC’ Our policy is no lid no ride. No problem to me as my opinion is it makes total sense.

i atill don’t understand why you didn’t ask why?

Start your own club, i did

Who’s in it? 😉

In my opinion, with the speeds we do on the road and the risk of collision with a much faster moving car, nothing but a motorbike helmet, neck brace and back protector is really up to the job. But that’s not practical so safety is being compromised for speed.

No one claimed a helmet would help prtect anything other than your head, but it might just be the difference between a headache and a broken arm and a dead body with a broken arm.

Funny how you don’t see people taking the moral high ground on that one.

Two words for you

The French (check their rules for raceing downhill)

thomthumb, the anti choice brigade can get a bit aggressive if questioned 😉
In all seriousness I should have. Don’t know why I didn’t but I will. that’s probably why I’ve posted this here.

the anti choice brigade can get a bit aggressive if questioned

And yet you were expecting them not to have a choice of whether you rode with them or not

they probably feel they want to minimise the risk of your injury in a collision (which is more likely when cycling in a group..) kind of like refusing to drive someone who doesn’t wear a seatbelt – you’re not doing it for the passenger as such, more your piece of mind.

The local rides round here have a simple rule, if you can keep up you’re in. You soon learn…

A lid isn’t “attire” it’s safety equipment and you can chowp all you like about it, but the fact remains that you spazzing yourself on a little fall because you’re too cool to wear one will ruin everyone else’s day.

Grow up and wear one, maybe? Or ride on your own?

Will I ride with them again? Probably not if they insist on dictating how I should dress.

I can hear the sobs of the membership secretary from here 😉

Jeff, I like that analogy and fair point on increased risk in a group. Belowski, you have issues.

Clubs with rules – well I never…

Why not start your own helmetless club?

Big_n_daft, it’s more of just a group of people that ride together, no subs, hence in my mind I’m the only one responsible for me, no one else is liable so I didn’t think there would be an issue.

How can you possibly not expect such a question to become a debate about the merits or lack thereof of helmets? Helmets are stupid! 30 odd years of cycling and I have never landed on my head and wnyway, the protection a lid offers to landing on your head is not significant unless it is a very sharp (small area) object you land on. Certainly they do not help much in vehicle impacts, and motorists have been found to drive faster and/or closer around cyclists wearing helmets. Though they tend to give mnore room to pretty ladies regardless of whether they are wearing helmets… a bunch of sheep.

To me it is a question of freedom. I choose to not wear a helmet cos I don’t see the value and I don’t like a covered head… if a group of cyclists demanded I wore one I would seek another group. Because I would see that bunch as intellectually inferior..