helmets: too tight, thin, and unsafe?

[Gonkisback]

I have been looking at the new helmets especially by Giro, and Specialized. they seem too thin at the temple and forehead.
How can a helmet provide adequate buffer when it fits so tight to the skull?
was this a factor with the recent death of Wouter Weylandt??? I read that the helmet had to be cut away from his skull.
I had a bad accident only 3 days ago and hit my head pretty hard. result: the 2003-2005 Gratoni Helmet (new) broke in about 8 places (but held together) and not even the hint of concussion!
broke my pubic bone and elbow though. Your thoughts please!

 

[Stingray34]

Sorry to hear about your accident. Hope you heal well and start riding again soon.

It sounds like your helmet did the job it was designed to do: absorb the shock of impact and break. Helmets aren't designed to be used again after an impact.

The fact you have no concussions - and let's hope you don't get a delayed one, so get checked out again if you start to feel woozy and get headaches - suggests the Gratoni was an excellent purchase.

 

[Oldman]

I have been looking at the new helmets especially by Giro, and Specialized. they seem too thin at the temple and forehead.
How can a helmet provide adequate buffer when it fits so tight to the skull?
was this a factor with the recent death of Wouter Weylandt??? I read that the helmet had to be cut away from his skull.
I had a bad accident only 3 days ago and hit my head pretty hard. result: the 2003-2005 Gratoni Helmet (new) broke in about 8 places (but held together) and not even the hint of concussion!
broke my pubic bone and elbow though. Your thoughts please!

Ouch! Sounds like the full package crash. It sounds like the helmet did it's job and having busted both a Giro and a Specialized they did the same. They also stayed relatively in place rather than rolling away from the face saving other injuries.

 

[Gonkisback]

Top racing Helmets: safe enough?

I have posted this in condensed form under equipment. but want a response because of W.Weylandt.

I have been looking at the new 2010/2011 helmets especially by Giro, and Specialized. they seem too thin at the temple and forehead.
How can a helmet provide adequate buffer when it fits so tight to the skull and is sooo thin? Would it help to have a dual compound to the Polystyrene foam???
Was this a factor (Tight/slim Giro helmet) with the recent death of Wouter Weylandt??? I read that the helmet had to be cut away from his skull.
I had a bad accident only 3 days ago and hit my head pretty hard. result: the 2003-2005 Gratoni Helmet (new) broke in about 8 places (but held together) and not even the hint of concussion! I note that my helmet had space between the foam and my temple and at the back. I landed on the top/ back of the head.
broke my pubic bone and elbow though!. Your thoughts please!

 

[fujisst]

I knew this was going to come up - sooner than I thought.

Consider for a long moment that your helmet more than likely saved your life.
A bicycle helmet is not designed to prevent all injuries (even fatality) in ALL circumstances. Referencing WW's accident is ridiculous in this regard, and totally in bad taste (IMO).

People still die in auto crashes, irrespective of their seat belt use - right?

 

[Wigry3]

speed kills. not route or helmets.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

I have been looking at the new helmets especially by Giro, and Specialized. they seem too thin at the temple and forehead.
How can a helmet provide adequate buffer when it fits so tight to the skull?
was this a factor with the recent death of Wouter Weylandt??? I read that the helmet had to be cut away from his skull.
I had a bad accident only 3 days ago and hit my head pretty hard. result: the 2003-2005 Gratoni Helmet (new) broke in about 8 places (but held together) and not even the hint of concussion!
broke my pubic bone and elbow though. Your thoughts please!

Firstly - you want a helmet that is "tight" (yet comfortable) as the last thing you want is the helmet to be loose and move if there is an impact.

It sounds like your helmet did its job. Hope you recover quickly from your injuries (and especially the pubic bone - that hurts!).

 

[VeloCity]

speed kills. not route or helmets.

Speed is a bit route-dependent.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Your helmet did its job.

Also - you want a helmet that is "tight" (yet comfortable) as the last thing you want is the helmet to be loose and move if there is an impact.

Sadly for Wouter, he fell from a height, so no cycling helmet would have saved him. Yes, it was cut off but that was due to the swelling.

Hope you recover quickly from your injuries (and especially the pubic bone - that hurts).

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

if you land flat on your face like Weylandt, a helmet has no effect. But what do you want to do... give them face masks and protection pads everywhere? That is impractical.

 

[hrotha]

Of course helmets can, should and are improved all the time, but I don't think any of us will ever see a helmet that would have protected Weylandt.

 

[flicker]

I have posted this in condensed form under equipment. but want a response because of W.Weylandt.

I have been looking at the new 2010/2011 helmets especially by Giro, and Specialized. they seem too thin at the temple and forehead.
How can a helmet provide adequate buffer when it fits so tight to the skull and is sooo thin? Would it help to have a dual compound to the Polystyrene foam???
Was this a factor (Tight/slim Giro helmet) with the recent death of Wouter Weylandt??? I read that the helmet had to be cut away from his skull.
I had a bad accident only 3 days ago and hit my head pretty hard. result: the 2003-2005 Gratoni Helmet (new) broke in about 8 places (but held together) and not even the hint of concussion! I note that my helmet had space between the foam and my temple and at the back. I landed on the top/ back of the head.
broke my pubic bone and elbow though!. Your thoughts please!

I don't know what you are talking about. I saw his picture. Without going into details, a similar thing happened to someone in a group of riders I knew.
Luckily the woman survived but the injury was similar. CPR, cardio, helicopter, etc. No helmet would have helped in any case.
I have smacked down in a helmet, no concussion. The helmets help, to a certain point. The rider in question, I don't think so.
Hitting as hard as he did, there is no helmet would have helped him without serious brain injury. If he had lived, he would have been disabled.

 

[goggalor]

By the way, Wouter was wearing one of these Bontrager helmets:

 

[humble]

Actually, full face helmets are common in BMX and Mountain biking for very good reason. Such a helmet certainly would have better protected the rider in the case of a facial impact.

Whether they are applicable to road bikes is another matter.

If the GIRO insists in dirt roads, where any facial exposure in a fall can be catastrophic, and epic descents with decayed tarmac, then perhaps it is a discussion worth having.

/h

 

[Fus087]

If the GIRO insists in dirt roads, where any facial exposure in a fall can be catastrophic, and epic descents with decayed tarmac, then perhaps it is a discussion worth having.

/h

Actually, I think hitting face first on tarmac is worse than hitting a "Strada Bianca".

 

[Gonkisback]

helmets

Actually the worst injuries I have had have been at moderate speeds 25-30kph
i haven't seen the video of W.W. and I don't want to! but I have been feeling concerned about the reduction in mass of the polystyrene core for some time.
good point about the space but there is typically space at the back as Helmets are NOT custom fits. ditto by the temple, if the plastic Fit-adjustment bands come that far.
What sort of testing is done on the newest helmets???
I would like an informed response not reactions please

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

they made a reconstruction of Weylandt's fall by the way, there was an article about it on Velonews I believe.
He hit a little stone wall on the left side of the road (near the barriers) with is left pedal, then was catapulted to the other side and hit the wall of the mountain there... After that he slid down and 20m further on the asphalt...

When you are catapulted into a solid wall, I don't think anything can help, unless dna modification is done to make humans have rock hard skin or something...

 

[Gonkisback]

if you land flat on your face like Weylandt, a helmet has no effect. But what do you want to do... give them face masks and protection pads everywhere? That is impractical.

I am not asking for absurd solutions, but a general discussion on the construction of the helmets and who independently tests them.
I need a new Helmet, but I am not so sure of these new ones. my helmet had carbon... does it run under the plastic (I don't think so) and what might be the trade off between rigidity and the ability to absorb the higher speed impact?

 

[Gonkisback]

I knew this was going to come up - sooner than I thought.

Consider for a long moment that your helmet more than likely saved your life.
A bicycle helmet is not designed to prevent all injuries (even fatality) in ALL circumstances. Referencing WW's accident is ridiculous in this regard, and totally in bad taste (IMO).

People still die in auto crashes, irrespective of their seat belt use - right?

I didn't see the video and consider THAT bad taste. Did you know him personally? thanks for the IMO
actually this thread is gong on under the the Pro Racing thread as I thought more would respond.
I want to know if there is sufficient tests doner to make a wise choice on a new Helmet

 

[Arnout]

I am not asking for absurd solutions, but a general discussion on the construction of the helmets and who independently tests them.
I need a new Helmet, but I am not so sure of these new ones. my helmet had carbon... does it run under the plastic (I don't think so) and what might be the trade off between rigidity and the ability to absorb the higher speed impact?

I think all the top models are decently safe. They are for one time use only, so the only thing they are supposed to do is take the hit once, and they are designed for doing that.

 

[Gonkisback]

I think all the top models are decently safe. They are for one time use only, so the only thing they are supposed to do is take the hit once, and they are designed for doing that.

mmmmm that seems to be the concensus. Thanks, over from me

 

[euanli]

All helmets have to meet the same safety requirements. The difference between the bottom and top models tends to be comfort

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

I think all the top models are decently safe. They are for one time use only, so the only thing they are supposed to do is take the hit once, and they are designed for doing that.

Indeed I think the current ones are safe.

In our own cycling group I once whitnessed one of our guys hitting a three with 30/35km/h HEAD first...
His helmet had a large crack in it but it did save his life that day.

 

[Benotti69]

It will be interesting whether the police investigation into Wouter's death will make a comment about his helmet.

It regards to your queries abouts Helmets, why not contact all the major manufacturers and ask them. I imagine they have testing in place and i imagine they will be re evaluating their designs in the light of what happened yesterday, especially bontrager helmets.

Sorry to hear about your crash, sounds sore! Glad your head was unscathed.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

I am not asking for absurd solutions, but a general discussion on the construction of the helmets and who independently tests them.
I need a new Helmet, but I am not so sure of these new ones. my helmet had carbon... does it run under the plastic (I don't think so) and what might be the trade off between rigidity and the ability to absorb the higher speed impact?

To the best of my knowledge there is no uniform or agreed standard to helmets.

Also -more expensive helmets do not automatically mean 'safer' or better designed helmets - it just usually means they are lighter or more ventilation.

If you are looking for advice - as I said earlier it would be to get a proper fit helmet. This does not mean that the helmet will cover all areas but that it does not slide or move if involved in an impact.