With all due respect there is nothing in this story that states that wearing a helmet has really saved you from anything more than a cut on the top of your head, which is never anything that bad (head wound bleed alot thats what makes them look bad most of the time). Of course it is impossible to know how you would have fared without a helmet one way of the other so to be honest my theory of a cut is no more valid than yours.

I'm not saying don't wear a helmet but I am saying don't think that just because you had a crash and hit your head that helmet made a significant difference. (Unless you are considering road rash to be significant). Some times a helmet does help some times it does not. There are so many variables that it is incredibly difficult to say. I agree that most of the time wearing a helmet in a crash is more likely to help than is is to harm but to suppose all the time that the helmet made a big difference is wrong. You can barely ever come to a conclusion on this factor without very complicated analysis.

I say this as someone who does wear a helmet.

Fair point. No one can tell what would have happened with no helmet. However, i can see the state of the helmet and the damage done to it. There must be a very good chance that that damage would have been done to my head with consequences that might have ranged from concussion to a broken skull. The damage to the pedestrian's head might also have been worse without the dissipation of force that the helmet achieved.

It is up to everyone to decide whether to wear a helmet or not. I will continue to do so and for the sake of others, I hope that my story helps them form a view before experiencing the type of crash that might convince them that a helmet is a good idea.

so which shops carry a wide array of helmets?? i suppose trying one on before buying one is a good idea in terms of fit and general fugliness factor.

Giro Ionos and Atmos for me. Good fit, reasonable looks, plenty of ventilation.
The only downside is that you can't remove the straps to give them a soak - which is an issue if you regularly ride hard - as the straps get caked with salty sweat.

As far as hitting peds goes - some idiot stepped out into the road at last years london tri. We were nailing it along towards tower bridge and the guy <10m in front of me had it to deal with.

It happens SO quickly there's almost nothing which can be done. Ped steps out, rider shouts, swerves, ped steps back/stops, rider hits him. I think the front wheel made contact first, but then it was a kind of endo with the guy's shoulder and head doing the damage. He just pile drove(?) straight into him.

The ped went down like a sack of shit and was spark out on the deck, with the rider going down too. But was able to jump up, grab his bike. It was a race and there were enough people around to deal with it so we carried on (london entry is big coin so you don't want to be wasting it). After the turn around we passed the ped. He was back in the world of the living, sitting on the kerb, but his face looked like someone had given him a lick of post box gloss.

Point being, you can have a plan, but if it happens that quickly all you can do is go with gravity and make sure you've got something on your head.

Now racing is different

When racing you are much much much more likely to come a cropper

Because if you slow down you lose the race

Get a helmet that fits (different brands are different shapes), and is comfortable. There is absolutely no point having a helmet that is so uncomfortable that you undo the straps all the time to ease the pressure.

I found that Giro's are too wide, whereas Spesh fit just right - my head is long and thin.

It's also important to get the straps right. The straps should hold the helmet tight enough that you can't push the helmet around on your head. Too many people have their helmets loose, or pushed back on their head.

Also be careful with the helmet - a hard knock with a lock, say, whilst the thing is on the floor, or in your bag, will compromise the helmet. And make sure you replace the thing after a couple of years.

Most helmets will not protect you from impacts over 20km/h. When I was playing polo the other day, I contemplated the thought that it made more sense to wear a helmet playing polo than racing.

my helmet of choice.
http://www.powerkiteshop.com/images/...tylehelmet.jpg

Howdy pard ner,

Stetson X4 seminole made out of reeel buffalo fur...



wen im break'in a new steer...

I got myself one of these. Lots of ventilation, and you hardly notice you're wearing it. They don't look particularly cool but they are a bit different.

Catlikes are meant to be very good and airy. I thought of getting one until my wife objected. Something to do with a phobia she has.

Women are odd.

Phobia of cats? Or airvents? Or Spanish helmets? Or you?

Does anyone have the URL of that site that had comparisons of different helmets each year? Was vaguely international, more of an awareness-building site than anything else.

edit -

Ah, it's www.helmets.org, imaginatively.

I do wonder why all bicycle helmets look so horrible though... Do you think they do it on purpose?

Hopefully a clever company will understand one day that some cyclists don't want to have that pseudo-futuristic look.

Now I don't say it's an excuse not to wear them, but personally it doesn't really help.

think i have one of these(maybe older model) -
http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...tegoryrn_31259

fits ok and doesn't get that hot. Have never seen the point in spending a lot of money on helmets as they are all ugly and essentially disposable - one crash/drop it/drop domething on it and you are probably looking to replace it.

Always wear one having crashed twice (including head first into the side of a car) and the helmet meant check ups in the back of an ambulance rather than a ride in one.

also have one of these too for messing about in forests (is ok but a bit hot)
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Si...et/5360035106/

where is the rapha helmet when you need it?

how would you make them look (within the constraints of materials used and cost)?

Well, I would just forget about that aerodynamical look with tons of different colors and make them in uniform matte (why are they always glossy?) colours.
Just an idea I'm not a helmet designer. But it should be possible to make something that's looking ok but still light and not too warm, no?
Something between these that look great but are to warm:


And this that is light but looks horrible (IMO):

It's being hand-carved from coral and sea-sponges by Tyrolean craftsmen while Bolivian shepherds collect vicuna wool to weave the chin-straps.

I have a Specialized Chamonix which I use everyday but my forehead is getting extremely hot in the summer now. So much so that a pool of water collects and in the front padding.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/-_-/5360028389/

Any suggestions? You think simply more air vents will help at all?

I used to get that. I'd compress the inside front of the helmet against my forehead intermittently to wring out the pad, but it just killed the pad.

Either use a Buff (coolmax one in the summer) which soaks up and wicks away the sweat, or there's a headband available from the States that has a hard rubber strip stuck to the inside which channels the sweats to your temples.

The Buff's worked best for me. It doesn't scream cool, but I'm wearing a helmet anyway, so who gives a fuck.

Black one of these?
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Gi...et/5360027154/

I might just get rid of the massive pad at the front and use some of the smaller ones which came with the helmet...

had a met estro. i was getting loads of sweat buildup on the forehead pad on that one. i now use a met inferno. bigger vents on the forehead area. still get some sweat in there but noticeably less, even with the warmer weather. dunno if it's cos of the bigger vent or better padding.

Pads? HTFU
Crown of thorns..

I wear a Grio Atmos... Not particually cool but certainly does the trick in terms of protection and cooling..

Is an Atmos really worth double the price of a Monza?

get the s-works. It's similar but has a big air scoop at the front that points at your forehead. If you wear the (optional) plastic peak, that directs air into the scoop.


otherwise I hear great things about catlike and giro

Doesn't work. And neither does a forehead vent if you operate at high physiological temperatures - I'm not sure if this correlates with people who are high beaters. Myself and another rider who have the top couple of heart-rate zones about 20 bpm higher than our peers are both prone to suffer from stinging eyes (usually at the most inopportune moments).

You could also try a cotton cycling cap to soak up sweat under the helmet if Buffery is abhorrent to you.