Helmets

The price range from $10 - $200. What are the differences ? Are
expensive helmets safer or more aero-dynamically designed ? What to look
for besides fit and color ? TIA

yk wrote:

The price range from $10 - $200. What are the differences ? Are
expensive helmets safer or more aero-dynamically designed ? What to look for besides fit and color ?

Fit is very important. Look for a helmet that comes in at least three
different sizes, not one size fits all (like some cheap helmets). Also
look for a helmet that offers enough adjustments to get the helmet
properly positioned and snug. Finally, get a helmet that fits the shape
of your head. It's best to buy at a bike shop where you can try several
on, and get them adjusted properly.

Price is often driven by style and is not necessarily an indication of
protection.

See:
http://www.bhsi.org
for lots more information.

Art Harris

"yk" wrote...
The price range from $10 - $200. What are the differences ? Are
expensive helmets safer or more aero-dynamically designed ? What to look
for besides fit and color ? TIA

Ventilation is a big factor in price, designing and building a helmet full
of holes that will still offer nominal head protection is trickier and
presumably more expensive than molding a solid chunk of polystyrene foam
into a head shape. Really cheap helmets come in one size only, with maybe
some pads to shim them up so they don't rattle around on your head. Better
helmets may have a sturdier retention system. Better helmets come in a wider
range of sizes. It's worth noting that a closely fitting helmet is necessary
for optimum protection, so the one size fits all cheapos *really* only work
for the larger heads.

Also worth noting is that the higher priced helmets are designed to barely
pass impact tests while being as light and well ventilated as possible. The
extra time it takes to design a helmet this way is probably reflected in the
price. Cheap helmets are designed to pass impact tests by a comfortable
margin without too much R&D time being spent making them ultra-lightweight
or well ventilated.

In other words, look for fit, color, an acceptable level of ventilation and
a reasonably sturdy retention system. And keep in mind that they really
won't help much at speeds over 12-15 mph, and they won't do much good in the
typical cyclist/car collision.
--
mark

mark wrote:
In other words, look for fit, color, an acceptable level of ventilation and
a reasonably sturdy retention system. And keep in mind that they really
won't help much at speeds over 12-15 mph, and they won't do much good in the
typical cyclist/car collision.

It depends. If you go head first into a windshield, it will absorb some
of the energy, as will the windshield itself. It is certainly better
than nothing, but it is not designed to provide full protection from
that type of impact. If you are launched into the air, it will absorb
the energy of the fall from whatever height your head reaches, up to
about 6' (IIRC), due to the acceleration of gravity, and maybe will
have some capacity leftover to absorb some deceleration from any
frontal impact. All in all, your higher brain tissue may be left intact
while the rest of your body (including brain stem)gets beat to hell. I
would say that it will do a lot of good in a typical collision, but it
will not always be enough.

Also, don't forget that in a collision where the bicyclist is hit by a
car from behind the closing speed may well be in that 12-15mph range
after the idiot in the car finally steps on the brakes.

In article , yk wrote:
The price range from $10 - $200. What are the differences ? Are
expensive helmets safer or more aero-dynamically designed ? What to look
for besides fit and color ? TIA

Cheapo helmets usually come in only one size and are hard to fit properly
if you have a smaller or larger than average head. Saftey is about the
same at all price ranges, but only if you can get a good fit. Comfort
is also related to fit. More expensive helmets tend to have better
ventilation for hot weather use. Cheapo helmets used to be much heavier,
but they are getting pretty lightweight these days.

wrote ...


mark wrote:
In other words, look for fit, color, an acceptable level of ventilation
and
a reasonably sturdy retention system. And keep in mind that they really
won't help much at speeds over 12-15 mph, and they won't do much good in
the
typical cyclist/car collision.

It depends. If you go head first into a windshield, it will absorb some
of the energy, as will the windshield itself. It is certainly better
than nothing, but it is not designed to provide full protection from
that type of impact. If you are launched into the air, it will absorb
the energy of the fall from whatever height your head reaches, up to
about 6' (IIRC), due to the acceleration of gravity, and maybe will
have some capacity leftover to absorb some deceleration from any
frontal impact. All in all, your higher brain tissue may be left intact
while the rest of your body (including brain stem)gets beat to hell. I
would say that it will do a lot of good in a typical collision, but it
will not always be enough.


That's nice, I'll be sure and go through the windshield the next time a car
hits me, and I'll make sure not to get launched more than 6' into the air.

Also, don't forget that in a collision where the bicyclist is hit by a
car from behind the closing speed may well be in that 12-15mph range
after the idiot in the car finally steps on the brakes.


I won't forget that. Am I missing something, or is a cyclist hit from behind
by a car going to get accelerated rather abruptly to the car's speed at the
time of impact, regardless of closing speed?
--
mark

Hence his nom-de-net.


wrote in message
oups.com...


mark wrote:
In other words, look for fit, color, an acceptable level of ventilation
and
a reasonably sturdy retention system. And keep in mind that they really
won't help much at speeds over 12-15 mph, and they won't do much good in
the
typical cyclist/car collision.

It depends. If you go head first into a windshield, it will absorb some
of the energy, as will the windshield itself. It is certainly better
than nothing, but it is not designed to provide full protection from
that type of impact. If you are launched into the air, it will absorb
the energy of the fall from whatever height your head reaches, up to
about 6' (IIRC), due to the acceleration of gravity, and maybe will
have some capacity leftover to absorb some deceleration from any
frontal impact. All in all, your higher brain tissue may be left intact
while the rest of your body (including brain stem)gets beat to hell. I
would say that it will do a lot of good in a typical collision, but it
will not always be enough.

Also, don't forget that in a collision where the bicyclist is hit by a
car from behind the closing speed may well be in that 12-15mph range
after the idiot in the car finally steps on the brakes.

"yk" wrote:

The price range from $10 - $200. What are the differences ? Are
expensive helmets safer or more aero-dynamically designed ? What to look
for besides fit and color ? TIA

Fit is high on the list. If you don't like it, you won't wear it, it
won't be there when, not if, you need it. Christopher Reeves became a
paraplegic from a fall from a horse. Yes he was higher but dirt is
softer than asphalt.

Ventillation is up there also.

Wear your helmet, smiling beats drooling,

Wes


--
Reply to:
Whiskey Echo Sierra Sierra AT Alpha Charlie Echo Golf Romeo Oscar Paul dot Charlie Charlie
Lycos address is a spam trap.

yk wrote:

The price range from $10 - $200. What are the differences ? Are
expensive helmets safer or more aero-dynamically designed ? What to look
for besides fit and color ? TIA


The expensive ones have more marketing effort put into them. They're
also lighter and better ventilated. Having said that, the difference
between this year's $200 helmet and last year's $100 helmet is neither
here nor there.

wrote:

"yk" wrote:

The price range from $10 - $200. What are the differences ? Are
expensive helmets safer or more aero-dynamically designed ? What to
look for besides fit and color ? TIA

Fit is high on the list. If you don't like it, you won't wear it, it
won't be there when, not if, you need it. Christopher Reeves became a
paraplegic from a fall from a horse. Yes he was higher but dirt is
softer than asphalt.

Assuming he wasn't wearing a helmet when he was injured (I have no idea),
how do you suppose a helmet would have prevented his spinal cord injury?

--
Benjamin Lewis

"Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips
over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come."
--Matt Groening