Do You Wear Protection?

[Chequered Flag Racing]

When riding your MTB, Hybrid, Roadbike etc?

Here's a personal appeal from James Cracknell

Use your head

Use your helmet

[Si Coe]

The weird thing about helmets is if you own one, you HAVE to wear it, but you rode around safely for years without one.
These days I lid up for a trip to the shops - not because its actually dangerous, but because you just know the one time you aren't wearing your helmet......

[Chequered Flag Racing]

Originally Posted by Si Coe

The weird thing about helmets is if you own one, you HAVE to wear it, but you rode around safely for years without one.
These days I lid up for a trip to the shops - not because its actually dangerous, but because you just know the one time you aren't wearing your helmet......

Don't think helmets were out back in the 70's when I was a teenager and rode quite a lot.

Got my first helmet free with a works 20 year service award along with a MTB. Haven't been without a helmet since.

They may be seen as 'uncool' but James C would propably not been here today if it were not for his helemt.

[Cardnim]

+1 big time.
So so so important, I would personally have cracked my skull open many times without it.

Lid up gentlemen (and ladies!)

[Big G]

every morning we see a kid riding his bike to school with the helmet on the handlebars lol

I'm looking to get a new road bike (maybe this weekend) and still have a decent giro helmet from my MTB days many moons ago

[cwilson]

i have never worn a helmet and i've never had any problems. but then again i only ride a mtb. and thats mostly on road.

[Cardnim]

Not trying to be rude, but thats a bit like saying "Ive never worn a seatbelt and Im still here".

Its the one crash which will be the exception; and unfortunately buddy, one crash is sometimes all it takes.

[eyeayen]

Originally Posted by Big G

still have a decent giro helmet from my MTB days many moons ago

Sweat deteriorates the quality of helmets, you won't be able to see it though, you should probably invest in a new one.

[simoncrabb]

I was cycling and hit a pedestrian who stepped off the pavement without looking in central London about 10 years ago.

I was wearing a cap and my helmet was at home. All I could think as I was approaching the ground was 'why is my helmet at home?', amazingly I kept my head off the ground.

The pedestrians head hit the side of my head, and I had a whopping bruise for weeks.

Helmets might not be cool, but that incident really taught me that looking cool isn't important...

[stegger]

Me and the Mrs bought new bikes recently, while in the shop we were taking the pee out of each other. Due to the state we looked but i wouldn't be without our helmets. It's there for that unexpected moment, just like a seatbelt !!!!!!

[Feight]

I agree with helmets on the road, I've come off twice onroad and have been lucky, now I don't ride on the road anymore.
My bike isn't good for roads, too heavy on tarmac, ace on the dirt though and a full face downhill helmet makes you feel like a dick unless you're in a forest

[bodgit]

Just out of interest do any of you wear gloves? I saw some photographs on a police course I did of someone who came off their motorbike (at low speed) Automatically you put your hands out to save yourself, this lads hands were torn to the bones.

[craigosh]

Wear a Bern hardhat type helmet for easy trail center riding. Fullface for dh and fast aggressive trail riding! Goggles as well with the fullface. The face coverage has saved me some nasty high speed injuries in the past. Hate gloves so dont wear em. Wear knee pads all the time. But mine are sensitive to knocks and can seize up with even a slight knock in the wrong place.

Thing i don't get is why road/xc helmets have so little coverage at the back of the head, that's a really critical part of your head, especially the lower bit by the neck. If i commuted on my bike I'd wear the Bern so I have that protection to the back of my head and sacrifice the ventilation.

[bzb]

im like the pope, if i don't feel anyting on my #### i don't care..

oww its aout mtb

[Chequered Flag Racing]

Originally Posted by bodgit

Just out of interest do any of you wear gloves?

Yes. Finger less when warm & full when colder.

All so use Altura Night Vision reflective clothing 90% of the time.

[smokes]

do you wear goggles or shades, that is also important you can get some nasty eye injury if your not careful

[Chequered Flag Racing]

Originally Posted by smokes

do you wear goggles or shades, that is also important you can get some nasty eye injury if your not careful

Yes. Freebies from work. Sperian Safety Glasses with a slight tint

[Si Coe]

Originally Posted by craigosh

Wear a Bern hardhat type helmet for easy trail center riding. Fullface for dh and fast aggressive trail riding! Goggles as well with the fullface. The face coverage has saved me some nasty high speed injuries in the past. Hate gloves so dont wear em. Wear knee pads all the time. But mine are sensitive to knocks and can seize up with even a slight knock in the wrong place.

Thing i don't get is why road/xc helmets have so little coverage at the back of the head, that's a really critical part of your head, especially the lower bit by the neck. If i commuted on my bike I'd wear the Bern so I have that protection to the back of my head and sacrifice the ventilation.

The easy answer on the XC lids is comfort - specifically airflow. Out in the Alps with my freeride bike I'd often take two helmets with me - Full face for descents, XC lid for the trails along the top. You'd see a lot of other riders doing the same trails with their full facer on the bars or their backpack - too hot to ride in. But then they get no protection from it at all.
.
I always wear a helmet and gloves, but these days since I've grown too old for DH/FR its mostly an XC lid and fingerless gloves. I've still got a full face, body armor and armored gloves from my DH days, but would never wear them anywhere I might actually have to pedal!

I wear glasses these days anyway, but when I wore contacts I always used shades/clear glasses/goggles. Peak District trails are too muddy not to.

XC helmets only offer limited protection, but limited protection you wear is better than full on armor you leave at home.

[stegger]

I'm after some fingerless gloves, are there any that people would recommend as i'm getting numbness in the base of my thumbs due to pressure !

[blue_pinky]

I've cycled for on and off road for years and and always worn a helmet...but even then once in a while something happens to make you think about things...

My girlfriends best friend lost her brother in a cycling accident on the road in Bath about a year ago. We went to see her friend a day or so after the event, and as you can imagine the emotions we were greeted with were still so so raw.

It's a memory I will take with me for some time. You'd be totally crazy not to be as safe as is practicably possible whenever you are cycling, in particular sharing the road with cars, and other people. Not only for what you can do to yourself, but also for what other people can do to you.

The pain it could cause you, and even worse the pain it will cause your family in the event of something actually devastating happening is just unimaginable.

I will always lid up, you'll look even more stupid when your smashed up in intensive care because you didn't wear one