Finally Bought a Bicycle Helmet

I dont wear one
Never have
Ride often at night
Dont use a front headlight
I tend to believe most helmet impacts never would have impacted your actual bare head
Just the bulk of the helmet hits the ground
Ive gone over the handlebars once
Got up rode off

Hit by a car?
Probably messed up regardless
Save your head probably a minor lottery win

Better idea imo to wear one while driving a vehicle
Many more serious crashes
I would think
 
In most all states of the Union, the motor vehicle laws also define bicycles as vehicles which are mandated to be on roadways, streets, and marked bicycle lanes where present - not sidewalks, not off the road, and not in pedestrian areas. The overwhelming message of MV laws is "Share the Road". As most riders pretty much try to keep a decent pace of 15 to 25 mph, yes, they cannot always ride at or near the posted speed limit for automobiles.
That's true--bicycles have every right to be on the road as automobiles. And I should add that cyclists also have to respect the same laws on the roads as automobiles as well, including traffic lights, stop signs, etc. I admit to going through some stop signs, but that is only when there is no traffic present. In fact, I surprise drivers when I actually stop at a stop sign or traffic light, and most wave me through anyway.

The Michigan laws pertaining to bicycles on roadways are such, and I suspect they are similar in other states:

http://www.lmb.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21&Itemid=38

For my own purposes, I do wear a helmet (bought a new one last year), and I also use lights front and back on the bike, even in daylight now, as they both have flashing daytime modes. If I'm on a trail then I may not keep them on but if I'm out anywhere near automobile traffic, they are on. I don't trust the local distracted and/or hostile drivers in southeast Michigan, especially if they are one of the drunk/high urban rednecks in a pickup truck, to which traffic laws apparently do not apply.

Nine years ago, I had a bit of a wipeout in front of a new subdivision that had over-watered their new sod, and I had slipped on what was a muddy/mossy patch on the sidewalk (on a curve) that I didn't even notice until I found myself laying on my side. It was like hitting a patch of ice. I did knock my head a bit--no concussion, but it was without a helmet. I did mess up my shoulder and needed it operated on.
 
Any time you`re out on the road on two wheels, it pays to be on the defensive. I can`t count the number of times that (on both bicycle and motorcycle) I was approaching an intersection with appropriate caution, and, even after making eye contact with the car`s driver, they proceeded to pull right out in front of me !

I know this has happened to lots of other riders as well. It`s like drivers have some sort of subconscious mental block, where their brain fails to recognize any vehicle smaller than their own as a threat or a danger. Many moons ago, I took a HPDE course (High Performance Driver Education) for motorcyclists, where we were taught defensive emergency maneuvers, and I found these extremely useful a few times while on the bicycle.
 
I dont wear one
Never have
Ride often at night
Dont use a front headlight
I tend to believe most helmet impacts never would have impacted your actual bare head
Just the bulk of the helmet hits the ground
Ive gone over the handlebars once
Got up rode off

Hit by a car?
Probably messed up regardless
Save your head probably a minor lottery win

Better idea imo to wear one while driving a vehicle
Many more serious crashes
I would think


Your a smart one.
 
Ive been closer to getting hit while crossing a crosswalk on foot than while on a bicycle
Im not gunna walk with a helmet for the potential

Ive had fairly close calls where a shoulder dropped off or my foot slipped off a pedal
But i save it
I also ride in the dark with no hands for miles

I like it. Some people like to get drunk.
Im smarter than a drunk
 
Ive been closer to getting hit while crossing a crosswalk on foot than while on a bicycle
Im not gunna walk with a helmet for the potential

Ive had fairly close calls where a shoulder dropped off or my foot slipped off a pedal
But i save it
I also ride in the dark with no hands for miles

I like it. Some people like to get drunk.
Im smarter than a drunk

You are every trauma surgeon`s wet dream....
 
Thats not nice

You guys are great at insults not so great at proving yourselves
Or merely supporting your claims

Not that i choose not to wear based on study findings but read a few
But instead of searching for what you want to find
Search for
Bike helmets dont save lives

Today i saw an older heavyweight couple riding with helmets
Shaky and maybe 9mph

If youre so unconfident that you need ahelmet for slow speed bike rides on your lonely road
Or sidewalk lol
the smartest thing you could do is get a stationary

But please tell me why you dont helmet up while in the car or walking on the road
Much more likely to get into an accident


Youre just scared cyclists for some reason
You really should wear one in the car
But you feel protected
So you think its dumb
 
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Tracy, I hope it is okay when I post this in your thread.

Niklas was 26 years old. He, his two years younger brother and his parents became our neighbours in 1995, very nice people. So I knew him since he was five years old and I saw him growing up daily.

Last weekend he died at a so called "Klettersteig", as we say in German, a via ferrata close to the Lago di Garda in Italy when he was hit by a stone. His girlfriend was with him. He was wearing a helmet, of course, but the stone hit him in his face. It was heartbreaking when I gave Ines, his mother, a hug yesterday. Rest in peace, Niki.
 
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Died on a protected climbing route when hit by an errant stone falling from above, probably the stone reached a 15-20 mph velocity and accelerating under gravity. Tragic accident, and of course, hit on an unprotected area of his head. Helmet may not have saved him as even a hit on the helmet could have rendered him unconscious or unable to hold on. RIP.

structurally similar to what happened to Michael Schumacher.
 
I think they call those
Not to be crass
A death block?

Not all climbers wear helmets, either
Helmets protrude so they can stick you in tight spots
Keeps your head away from the face
Whatever else
 
I read in the paper about a 93 year old gentleman here in Germany who crashed at a very low speed with his bicycle. He was not wearing a helmet. He injured his head, and died.

Tragic.
 
Low speed crashes can be just as harmful as high speed crashes. You tend to slam the ground. AMHIK. Broke an arm a few years back in 8 places at less than 5 mph. Good thing it wasn't my head although I do wear a helmet.
 
I've got a new one on the way after finding a crack in my current one. I always wear one and consider the helmet thing and how/where I ride as two separate sets of risks that have some overlap. I recognize that a helmet won't do much to protect me in some situations, but since I don't get overheated easily it's not a hard choice.

As mentioned elsewhere in the thread I also want to set the example for my kid, so even if I'm just cruising on the sidewalk with him to the park I have one on. I managed to survive my own childhood without one, but looking back I did some pretty dumb stuff on bikes. My kid has also already taken some headers and cracked one helmet.
 
Resurrecting this old thread to advise vintage and modern cyclists here on AK of a very nice cycling event called Eroica California, April 6-7 This year will be the fifth year of this event and the start / finish will be in Cambria, California, on the edge of the Central California coast. The ride celebrates the riders of vintage steel bikes before 1987 when most bikes did not have any major advances in technology to help. There are 4 routes ranging from 35 to 110 miles and 1500 to 8300 feet of climb with some climbs approaching 10-18% grade and descents just as stiff. All routes have many miles of unpaved and gravel roads just as some of the Giros in Italy and the Tours In Europe had. And there will also be the NOVA Eroica ride for modern bikes that want a crack at a similar route and that will be held on April 6.

Last year we had 1100 riders and hope to increase it to over 1250. This will be my 3rd year riding and it’s great to see all the fabulous bikes and meet up with so many nice people. More info at www.eroicacalifornia.com

And yes, strongly recommended to wear helmets and personal protective gear plus lights if your departing group leaves before dawn. Hope to see some of you folks there.

Here’s my original high school ride, a 72 Italvega Super Speciale, Columbus SP tubing, fully Campagnolo equipped, running on 700C x 35mm clinchers because I’m definitely not as light as I used to be back in 1972.

As ridden in 2017:
upload_2019-1-14_4-37-48.jpeg

As ridden in 2018 with improved gearing, and with two more bikes I brought for display at the concours.
upload_2019-1-14_4-39-39.jpeg
 
I splurged on a POC Octal AVIP w/ MIPS technology last year. It was pricey & the jury is still out on the technology contained within it to prevent MTBI.

A simple, boxy design, that fits me well. The adjustable retention system is decent and air-flow is very good.

I'd rather have cutting edge protection that is somewhat 'questionable', than nothing at all,...especially on the roads around me.


POC-Octal-AVIP-MIPS-Helmet.jpg


No affiliation.
 
I splurged on a POC Octal AVIP w/ MIPS technology last year. It was pricey & the jury is still out on the technology contained within it to prevent MTBI.

A simple, boxy design, that fits me well. The adjustable retention system is decent and air-flow is very good.

I'd rather have cutting edge protection that is somewhat 'questionable', than nothing at all,...especially on the roads around me.


POC-Octal-AVIP-MIPS-Helmet.jpg


No affiliation.

Sounds impressive! :thumbsup:

(What does it mean?):idea:

:)
 
I am considering doing one of the rides. I think my 1984 Centuran Pro Tour 15 with the Lug frame will qualify. Bought it new in 84 and still ride it constantly.

Definitely would work, got pics? Come out to join us in Pasadena every first Sunday at 10:30am for a vintage bike ride - see http://www.velo-retro.com/roseBowlVintRide.html

We have a 72' Proteus here not running at the moment.

View attachment 1386259 View attachment 1386260

Interesting, looks newer than 72 with the brazed on shifting bosses? What's with the rear brake being mounted on the underside of the bridge?

Definitely rare and looks like a very capable and head turning bike. Hope you and your wife would come down, not terribly far for you.
 
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