Helmuts suck

[marinoni]

Bring back leather hair nets.

I saw one just the other day. BTW, I forgot something in my other post about the crash I had. My team owner kept my bloody, busted *** helmet behind the counter of his shop. Anyone who bought a bike and no helmet got treated to that grisly sight. Yeesh. Maybe that had something to do with him going out of business.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

As one whose ridden up some big climbs in the heat, believe me, it's nicer without the helmet.

I agree we need to bring back the rule of helmets off on final climbs. They just needed to have a giant vat of laundry bins part-way up where riders could toss them. The way they had it riders had to hand the things to team cars, which was a mess.

I can think of no major injuries from a climber going uphill and hitting their head in pro cycling. Not one. And yes, it is more aesthetic.

Hairnets have a nostalgic feel, but don't do much for protection.

Insurance probably is an issue.

 

[ElChingon]

Hummm... what happens if IF somebody accidentally falls off a ravine while going up hill? As you know not all roads in Europe have the super safe barrier to keep you on the road and even if they do, what keeps one from accidentally going over it? Sure he can try to hold on to something but accidents are named that way for a reason. Not likely to happen but could and if the UCI has to deal with the insurance and safety issues, which it does. Helmets are here to stay.

Heck I've seen people get hurt falling off in a Track Stand... odd yea but happened.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Kivilev was killed on on the way to Saint-Étienne, tangling with other riders at fairly high speed. It was definitely not going up a major climb. The helmet rule would not have applied in that situation.

Hummm... what happens if IF somebody accidentally falls off a ravine while going up hill?

But nothing like that has ever happened, ever. Maybe the worst crash I've seen going uphill was Lance tangling with the kid's musette and taking Mayo down with him. Neither were seriously hurt.

Can anyone think of any others? Giuseppe Guerini running into the photographer. But any crashes? Like, bad crashes? I can't think of one!

 

[Leopejo]

Can anyone think of any others? Giuseppe Guerini running into the photographer. But any crashes? Like, bad crashes? I can't think of one!

After watching Tour of California this year and those crazy fans, I'd say keep helmets compulsory and add some other protections as well.

 

[marinoni]

Kivilev was killed on on the way to Saint-Étienne, tangling with other riders at fairly high speed. It was definitely not going up a major climb. The helmet rule would not have applied in that situation.



But nothing like that has ever happened, ever. Maybe the worst crash I've seen going uphill was Lance tangling with the kid's musette and taking Mayo down with him. Neither were seriously hurt.

Can anyone think of any others? Giuseppe Guerini running into the photographer. But any crashes? Like, bad crashes? I can't think of one!

No, I can't think of one. I said early in the thread I thought Kivilev died on a climb but I checked it out and no. However, I agree with El Chingon that crazy accidents happen. I once read that in the U.S alone 40 people die every year from bedding mishaps. Thats pillows and blankets! And its not babies being smothered either. It's crazy but thats why they're called accidents. It doesn't seem to be a big deal with the riders now that they've had time to get used to it, so why take the chance?

 

[Anonymous]

i think the original post is that they look rubbish from a spectator point of view...

my thoughts.. i was lucky enough not to have to wear one, and as such i hate them..

then again, when you remember things like Fabio Casartelli you argue they are needed (but then again would that have saved him)

but from a viewing point of view, they are a pain in the bum.. make it a right pain to identify riders from a distance in the pelaton..

 

[ElChingon]

Well I can identify the riders with and without the helmets, pretty much the same way I can spot a friend riding down the road with a helmet. If you can't tell the difference between riders riding you are not looking close enough, most you can tell by the way they lean or don't lean on the bike, lean as in riding style or positioning. Some are very similar but all have a distinct difference, subtle at times but there are differences. Maybe I just watch them too much? Oh well.

It may take time but if you really try you'll figure it out. Yes, takes more time/effort but that is the way it is as it is now.

 

[biker jk]

I am not talking about the--often small--increase in safety. I am talking about race pictures. They just do not look as good as they did ten years ago, especially in the mountains.

What do you have against Germans?

 

[tashimi76]

wow. angry much? as if there weren't enough threads taking the fun out of cycling, some people have a light hearted discussion (and quite probably tongue in cheek), and you start calling them a bunch of morons.

And if you looked at the start of the topic you will find that the original poster talked about them looking dorky in pictures. so maybe your safety rant was off topic?

1/3 of cyclists killed in my country are illegally not wearing helmets. People that don't wear them are essentially organ donors in waiting. If you're talking about style they're about 100 times better than they were in the 80s. And yeah I am angry about people suggesting that they don't do anything, or you 'look better' without them. Everyday I, and other people I ride, with get harrassed and things thrown at us for just being on the road. Cyclists are probably the most stereotyped group of sports people in that we're constantly told that we're always breaking the law, don't wear helmets, run red lights etc. etc. and it only reinforces the cycle of hate (pardon the pun) that we have to put up with.

Yeah they could look better than they do, and you can pick on certain types of models or whatever, but I stand by what I said. If you don't wear one and advocate not wearing one you are a moron. And frankly, good don't wear one, because it's natural selection in place when you get killed. But I don't want my kids looking at pros not wearing helmets and then thinking it's a good idea not to wear one.

Fabio Casartelli broke his neck and the base of his skull I believe, and he was wearing one - it was on a descent.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Tashimi - Casartelli was not wearing a helmet. Link here (Wiki). Detailed link here.

I want to do a refresh here. I'm not saying it's okay to never wear a helmet, and no racer should have to wear one. I'm just saying let's go back to where we were from 2002-2003 or so, where riders could ditch them on the final climb of the day if it were over 5km, and over 7% gradient, that's all. I'll even add the rule only applies if the air temperature is forecast over 27c/80f.

I think this is a very reasonable rule change with extremely low chance of danger - probably less than a rider descending with their helmet on, and it is far more aesthetic, and the riders would likely all support it.

 

[davidg]

Tashimi - Casartelli was not wearing a helmet. Link here (Wiki). Detailed link here.

I want to do a refresh here. I'm not saying it's okay to never wear a helmet, and no racer should have to wear one. I'm just saying let's go back to where we were from 2002-2003 or so, where riders could ditch them on the final climb of the day if it were over 5km, and over 7% gradient, that's all. I'll even add the rule only applies if the air temperature is forecast over 27c/80f.

I think this is a very reasonable rule change with extremely low chance of danger - probably less than a rider descending with their helmet on, and it is far more aesthetic, and the riders would likely all support it.

Agreed. We could have a separate thread on pros/cons of wearing one, which will probably run as wild as the LA and doping threads.

 

[mamasan]

They may be going ottawa escorts slightly slower but it's still possible for them to crash (a la Armstrong on Luz Ardidenne - I know ottawa asian escorts I spelt that wrong), hit their head and die from the injuries on a mountaintop ottawa asian escort finish.

I was actually just admiring the ottawa escort catlike ones Cervelo wore in the TTT.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Admin! Get rid of this SPAM!!!

They may be going ottawa escorts slightly slower but it's still possible for them to crash (a la Armstrong on Luz Ardidenne - I know ottawa asian escorts I spelt that wrong), hit their head and die from the injuries on a mountaintop ottawa asian escort finish.

I was actually just admiring the ottawa escort catlike ones Cervelo wore in the TTT.

 

[Anonymous]

Admin! Get rid of this SPAM!!!

you saying you didnt notice the asian ladies cervelho where all wearing on their heads not as effective as a helmet, but much prettier..

 

[R.0.t.O]

As far as useless goes, I had a horrible crash 9yrs ago. I hit a guard rail head first at 55-60kms/hr. My training partner said my helmet hitting sounded like a shotgun blast. I had a severe concussion, cuts to the scalp, and had an ear pretty much ripped off. My helmet was in 3 big pieces. I don't need to be an MD to know what my head would have looked like without it. So, I don't think they're useless. Just not very romantic or stylish.

Go and look up the impacts that cycle helmets are designed to protect you against. It was next to useless in your accident as you describe it. Helmets are designed to absorb energy by crumpling, thereby reducing the energy transferred to your head. Yours didn't crumple because the impact was too great, it shattered into 3 pieces, meaning that it absorbed little or no energy. Unfortunately the impact studies show that cycle helmets would be more use to the guys sat in the team car rather than the guys on the bikes.

However, Rot0's first rule of cycling forums states that every cycling forum must have a pro/anti-helmet-compulsion thread and it shall continue indefinitely. Lets try to avoid having another one because it's pointless.

 

[Angliru]

Well I crashed in a race from what I recall was 28 mph on flat terrain and had I not been wearing my helmet, which was cracked in its rear, it would have been the rear of my head that was cracked. Foolish me grabbed my helmet, groggy as I was, put my rear wheel back on my bike and tried to finish the race. The EMS technicians that looked at me after I DNF'd after one lap, said
I likely had a mild concussion. Would've been much worse without the helmet.
I never go without it on my bike. That's just me.

 

[nightfend]

I've had my head skid across the asphalt in races before. The helmet saved me from some nasty road rash on the head. But that's probably all it really did. In my bad crashes, I still got a bump on the head even with the cracked helmet.

Problem with helmet safety is that everyone just assumes that their bad crash would have been worse without a helmet. But it's just an assumption.

But I agree, I do hate the mushroom look of helmets.

 

[boalio]

1/3 of cyclists killed in my country are illegally not wearing helmets.

So 2/3 of people killed were wearing a helmet? Be careful of using statistics.

I don't want to get too off topic, but i have to disagree that abuse from motorists has anything to do with the wearing or not of helmets. Are you saying that the abuse was worse before helmets were made compulsory? But i don't really want to hijack this thread with that discussion. As its a huge debate that has been thoroughly discussed in many other forums.

Don't get me wrong, i am all for wearing helmets. I have always worn a helmet (except a long time ago, when racing as a junior. we only had to wear the leather strip style in races). I would never let my children ride without them (if i had kids).

All I'm saying is that i thought it was a bit harsh to call people a bunch of morons because you don't agree with what they say.

 

[jaylew]

Helmets are mandatory in Australia? Everywhere? Even riding beach cruisers and such?

 

[jaylew]

However, Rot0's first rule of cycling forums states that every cycling forum must have a pro/anti-helmet-compulsion thread and it shall continue indefinitely. Lets try to avoid having another one because it's pointless.

No kidding.

 

[ElChingon]

So 2/3 of people killed were wearing a helmet? Be careful of using statistics.

I'd rather be in the 1/3 section if that's true

 

[philcrisp]

1/3 of cyclists killed in my country are illegally not wearing helmets. People that don't wear them are essentially organ donors in waiting. If you're talking about style they're about 100 times better than they were in the 80s. And yeah I am angry about people suggesting that they don't do anything, or you 'look better' without them. Everyday I, and other people I ride, with get harrassed and things thrown at us for just being on the road. Cyclists are probably the most stereotyped group of sports people in that we're constantly told that we're always breaking the law, don't wear helmets, run red lights etc. etc. and it only reinforces the cycle of hate (pardon the pun) that we have to put up with.

Yeah they could look better than they do, and you can pick on certain types of models or whatever, but I stand by what I said. If you don't wear one and advocate not wearing one you are a moron. And frankly, good don't wear one, because it's natural selection in place when you get killed. But I don't want my kids looking at pros not wearing helmets and then thinking it's a good idea not to wear one.

Fabio Casartelli broke his neck and the base of his skull I believe, and he was wearing one - it was on a descent.

Have you read any of the following?

http://www.nisu.flinders.edu.au/pubs/reports/2007/injcat107.php
http://www.cyclehelmets.org/papers/c2022.pdf (not sure that this is peer reviewed, but the arguments are repeated in a number of peer review papers by the same author, I've included it because its available without a subscription)
Plenty more at http://www.cyclehelmets.org/1146.html not related as directly to the Australain experince.

 

[elapid]

Helmets are mandatory in Australia? Everywhere? Even riding beach cruisers and such?

Yes they are mandatory regardless of what and where you are cycling.

 

[elapid]

I don't want to get too off topic, but i have to disagree that abuse from motorists has anything to do with the wearing or not of helmets. Are you saying that the abuse was worse before helmets were made compulsory?

Actually there is evidence (I forget where and when) which suggests that "abuse" is more common for riders wearing helmets because the assumption by motorists is that helmet-wearing cyclists are more experienced and safer. As a result, motorists are more likely to drive closer (and hence interact) with helmet-wearing cyclists and give non helmet wearing cyclists a wider berth. Doesn't stop me wearing a helmet though.