Should the riders be allowed to ride without helmets on the MTFs?

[Libertine Seguros]

What about on climbs such as this, this, this, this? Do we let the riders discard the helmet only after the last downhill section is done or do we let them decide whether to risk it?

 

[jens_attacks]

What about on climbs such as this, this, this, this? Do we let the riders discard the helmet only after the last downhill section is done or do we let them decide whether to risk it?

for those, the helmets would be mandatory.also any lagos de covadonga,pandera,tre cime.

 

[BroDeal]

As mentioned before, voted no. 2 years back a friend of mine fell during a race, with a helmet on. He got a severe trauma, and it took him a year and a half to talk, walk and interact the same way he did before the accident. W/o a helmet he'd been dead.

How do you know that? Did you perform an experiment too see what the result would be without a helmet?

Bonking your head at 50 km/hr with a helmet imparts the same impact energy as bonking your head at 45 km/hr without a helmet. Physics is a harsh mistress.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

Should be able to take off helmets because it looks much cooler imo!

With helmets and sunglasses the riders look less human.

Yes, I now it's only cosmetic, but given the whole sport is an exercise in marketing I think looks should count.

...well, maybe if we were only talking about making a sequel to the movie "Breaking Away".
(can I change my vote now?)

 

[ggusta]

Off topic

How do you know that? Did you perform an experiment too see what the result would be without a helmet?

Bonking your head at 50 km/hr with a helmet imparts the same impact energy as bonking your head at 45 km/hr without a helmet. Physics is a harsh mistress.

Sorry, OT.

I used to ride motorcycles and live in Connecticut (where the rider still has the option to go without). At times I did and at times I did not. I have always been very consistent about my inconsistency.

Anyhoo.. I noticed that when I rode without a helmet, my degree of caution would be markedly higher almost to a fault. One shouldn't be so cautious as to be unrelaxed and distracted by things unworthy of being distracted by. My speed also slowed.

With helmet, my speed went WAY up.

When I ride a bike, I love descending. I typically won't go over 40 mph under any circumstance. It's just me. But I won't hesitate to attack descents right up that - WITH a helmet.

Sorry, anymore and I guess another thread should be opened up.

 

[Fatclimber]

Once they start the final climb, they should be able to discard or hand off to a team car or neutral vehicle if they choose.

There should be a speed limit as they approach the selection portion of the climb so that it is not very chaotic. We don't need the entire peloton tossing their helmet like a college graduation while traveling a flat section at 35-45 km/h.

Just my .02 I realize I am in the minority and don't care. I am used to that with cyclists.

Yes, a lot of it is for aesthetics and if you want to flame me for sacrificing safety for aesthetics go ahead. But I am talking about them traveling uphill at likely no more than 25 km/h.

Brilliant graduation analogy.

For some reason headgear requirements spur strong emotions from a lot of people. I've seen it a lot in the military and on construction sites. Who the heck wants to wear a 5 pound Kevlar helmet in 100 degree heat? Nobody does, but don't let your platoon sergeant see you with it off. Plastic hardhats aren't anywhere near as heavy but people complained just as much. I suppose it was probably for the same reason as some here state, they look pretty darn cool without it. To me it alleviated a lot of hardship and conflict to just quit whining about it and wear the stupid thing.

Seems like way too high of a hassle/benefit ratio for everyone in the group to be ditching them at the same time regardless of the method. And do you really want to see Horner and Leipheimer without them on? It's part of the teams' uniform, they should wear them.

 

[jens_attacks]

How do you know that? Did you perform an experiment too see what the result would be without a helmet?

Bonking your head at 50 km/hr with a helmet imparts the same impact energy as bonking your head at 45 km/hr without a helmet. Physics is a harsh mistress.

because the helmet is totally psychological.never wore one but i perfectly understand people who wear them.it gives you confidence.

 

[RedheadDane]

(Too lazy to go back and quote so will just state two claims, and tell ya all why I don't agree! )

It's easier to recognize riders without helmets: Yeah. Maybe it's a little easier to recognize riders without helmets. But it's not impossible to recognize them with. After all; it's not full-face helmets they are riding with.

Helmets are hot'n heavy: It's only been about nine years since helmets were made mandatory. Without being an expert on the subject I'm still pretty sure a lot has happened when it comes to making helmets light and ventilated in that relatively short period-of-time.

 

[bobbins]

Isn't the speed they ride uphill the speed that helmets are effective at?

 

[jens_attacks]

Isn't the speed they ride uphill the speed that helmets are effective at?

indeed.
but i think the odds of a tragic accident happening when riding uphill at 20 km/h are like the odds of having an asteroid hitting atlantis next year

 

[Maxiton]

The riders hace a greater chance of killing themselves while walking to the sign-in with cleats on than they do climbing without a helmet.

Everybody knows that slower speed crashes are often the ones that do the most damage. And in any case it's not a good idea, in my view, to try to put the helmet genie back into the bottle. Now that the riders and the public are used to helmets on all the time, let's leave it that way.

A helmet has saved me from death or profound injury at least twice. I'm sure it's saved many in the peloton, as well. There's really no good reason not to wear them.

 

[BroDeal]

Everybody knows that slower speed crashes are often the ones that do the most damage. And in any case it's not a good idea, in my view, to try to put the helmet genie back into the bottle. Now that the riders and the public are used to helmets on all the time, let's leave it that way.

A helmet has saved me from death or profound injury at least twice. I'm sure it's saved many in the peloton, as well. There's really no good reason not to wear them.

Riders should have to ear helmets on the podium. They could slip and fall off the steps. Despite the probability of this happening being so low, we cannot take the chance. There is really not a reason not to wear them during the podium ceremony.

 

[Maxiton]

Riders should have to ear helmets on the podium. They could slip and fall off the steps. Despite the probability of this happening being so low, we cannot take the chance. There is really not a reason not to wear them during the podium ceremony.

OK. We'll tell the sponsors it was your idea. I'm sure the riders will love it.

EDIT: I'm at least as old school as you are. If it were up to me bike races, including time trials, would be ridden on steel road bikes. But when it comes to head safety, I think we have to give the nod to helmets.

 

[VeloFidelis]

How do you know that? Did you perform an experiment too see what the result would be without a helmet?

Bonking your head at 50 km/hr with a helmet imparts the same impact energy as bonking your head at 45 km/hr without a helmet. Physics is a harsh mistress.

Yes she is a harsh mistress... and your assertion, aside from being unprovable, is complete bullsh!t.

 

[cyclingPRpro]

I keep hearing "most train without helmets"... I know quite a few pros, every single one of them puts a lid on when getting on a bike to train or race in kit...

 

[Michielveedeebee]

How do you know that? Did you perform an experiment too see what the result would be without a helmet?

Bonking your head at 50 km/hr with a helmet imparts the same impact energy as bonking your head at 45 km/hr without a helmet. Physics is a harsh mistress.

The fact that his skull still cracked whilst wearing a helmet, means that the impact was pretty damn severe. And the doctors that performed surgery on him -My dad being one of them- told hime he was superlucky to even be alive.

Also your physics statement has nothing to do with what I said, which was that his helmet saved his life

 

[Parrulo]

The fact that his skull still cracked whilst wearing a helmet, means that the impact was pretty damn severe. And the doctors that performed surgery on him -My dad being one of them- told hime he was superlucky to even be alive.

Also your physics statement has nothing to do with what I said, which was that his helmet saved his life

now we know why you have a ridley noah

sorry just couldn't avoid it lol my position helmets still remains and its the same as VDB's

 

[Arnout]

Riders should have to ear helmets on the podium. They could slip and fall off the steps. Despite the probability of this happening being so low, we cannot take the chance. There is really not a reason not to wear them during the podium ceremony.

I agree with this.

In the Netherlands the main discussion of the last months is the increase in speed limit from 120 to 130 km/h (very surprised that its even being seriously proposed in this world of greenery we have nowadays, but lets not dwell on that).

Anyway, studies showed this increase will result in 5 to 8 more road deaths per year, which according to me falls in the insignificant margin as I don't believe you can predict such a small number accurately with some statistics / models / I don't know what.

Some people take this very seriously though, running in circles with their arms in the air talking about how lethal the motorway will be from now on, how it is a ridiculous thing to do etc etc. To which I respond that we should lower the speed limit to 30km/h. Considering the safety of cars nowadays, we can nearly 100% surely say no-one will die in a head-on accident of 60 (30+30) km/h (unless you drive an eco-box, which are called sustainable, but least so for the driver in my humble opinion). Anyway, we don't do this because it would be unnerving. Its simply a choice we make in life and IMO there's nothing wrong with discussing it now and then.

After all, studies showed that Kililev would've died, regardless of his headwear choice. Despite this, this tragic incident was the start of the helmification of pro cycling.

 

[Ria1942]

Helmets optional?

Helmets S/be required. We've had too many victims of higher paced, crowed, more technical stages/races. Remember G.Hincape showing his Split helmet. Without it may have died. Jens, is another.
Most riders under 25 have always written with helmets used to them and they need the limited protection in a peleton of 200, down hills at 60mph, slick roads with hot tar. No discernible benefit

 

[jens_attacks]

Helmets S/be required. We've had too many victims of higher paced, crowed, more technical stages/races. Remember G.Hincape showing his Split helmet. Without it may have died. Jens, is another.
Most riders under 25 have always written with helmets used to them and they need the limited protection in a peleton of 200, down hills at 60mph, slick roads with hot tar. No discernible benefit

read again the title please.
MTF-mountain top finish.i've never brought the discussion of riding without the helmets in other type of situations.
i'm sorry but the safety aspect when riding uphill and the stage finishes uphill without any descent or something(not even flat lol) is ridiculous.that's my humble opinion.

 

[BroDeal]

Yes she is a harsh mistress... and your assertion, aside from being unprovable, is complete bullsh!t.

Do the math, if you can, for the amount of kinetic energy for a helmet certification test and compare it that at 50 km/hr then get back to us.

 

[BroDeal]

After all, studies showed that Kililev would've died, regardless of his headwear choice. Despite this, this tragic incident was the start of the helmification of pro cycling.

Don't forget about Casartelli, who is also often referred to. He smacked into a solid piece of concrete with enough force to shove the upper part of his spinal column into the lower part of his brain. A bike helmet would have done nothing.

People always look at consequences. They never look at probabilities. In the history of cycling how many riders have died while riding up the final climb, falling, and suffering a fatal head injury? I will guess that the chance of dying in an auto accident while driving to the race is far far higher. Maybe riders should wear helmets while driving to races.

 

[jens_attacks]

the chasing back on the descents of the guys dropped by the peloton is probably the most dangerous move i've seen in all the sports.how can i forget feillu this year at 10 cm of the car in front yelling "ca va.allez allez!"you know that's 10 cm close to certain death.where was the outrage then and all the million times this happens?
but no,no,not wearing a helmet when riding uphill at 20 km/h is dangerous lol.you learn something every day on these forums

 

[BroDeal]

the chasing back on the descents of the guys dropped by the peloton is probably the most dangerous move i've seen in all the sports.how can i forget feillu this year at 10 cm of the car in front yelling "ca va.allez allez!"you know that's 10 cm close to certain death.where was the outrage then and all the million times this happens?
but no,no,not wearing a helmet when riding uphill at 20 km/h is dangerous lol.you learn something every day on these forums

Everything is dangerous. You could die from a heart attack while boinking your girlfriend. You could die while walking on a sidewalk and tripping. It happens all the time. The scam diet guru Atkins died just that way. It always comes down to a question of risk and reward, or in this case risk and unreward. Sprinting in a group has a high risk of crashes. Bike helmets do not offer much protection at high speed, but because of the frequency of crashes you might as well decrease your odds of serious injury a bit. If nothing else, helmets decrease cosmetic injuries. The chance of falling and dying while riding up hill is neglible. It is in the same range as dying while slipping in the shower. No one would seriously suggest that people should wear helmets while showering, so it is ridiculous to insist that helmet use while riding uphill is important.

 

[meat puppet]

Impact absorption per se is one thing, and at that helmets' benefits might be lesser than we (would like to) think. But I always thought that the main thing the helmet actually does is reduce friction between tarmac and the head - or helmet in this case. This then, would redirect the impact vector, ie. let the head slip a bit and lead to a reduced impact energy too. Is this true? I suck at physics, but have crashed a couple of times.