Remember kids... always wear a helmet. (The almighty bikeradar helmet thread)

Do what you want etc.

However I find it interesting that people will wear gloves, but decry helmets as giving zero (or worse than zero) protection.

If I get two volunteers, run a sheet of rough sandpaper (in this experiment acting as road surface) vigorously over the head of one of them, then repeat with the other who is wearing a helmet, which of my two volunteers is going to be happier?

Sure, but gloves increase comfort, and actually both times I've had a fall (before buying mitts) I've grazed my palms and had to pick out gravel/glass.

(maybe I need to learn how to fall better)

Erm, that's my point- gloves would have prevented the gravel/glass, or at the very least mitigated the damage.

I only wear gloves to a) keep my hands warm in winter and b) act as a sacrificial ablative layer in case of accident

Oh I see what you mean. I'll adjust my point then to say both times my head didn't touch the ground but my hand(s) certainly did.
I never thought I'd post in here. Things become far more interesting when you have three days to finish an essay.

Youre not doing it right.

I often land on my head. But then I'm a fuckwit, and should probably wear a helmet at all times when I am not sitting or lying down.

I only wear gloves to a) keep my hands warm in winter and b) act as a sacrificial ablative layer in case of accident, and last but certainly not least c) to wipe snot

FTFY.

I should really do some work. My posting is worse than usual.

I would never buy a second hand helmet.

Sorry Sumo.

you're a...

No worries.

Oh I see what you mean. I'll adjust my point then to say both times my head didn't touch the ground but my hand(s) certainly did.
I never thought I'd post in here. Things become far more interesting when you have three days to finish an essay.

And I agree with you- I always wear gloves as my hands almost always get minced in an off, whereas as you say head is less likely.

I'll wear the lid when I intend on doing more than pootling along though.

Today I cycled to work in beautiful sunshine wearing gloves and a cap, helmet back on the shelf at home, for example.

I always wear gloves too, but that's for grip and comfort, them protecting my hands is a byproduct of that.
I only wear a helmet on the track or if it's really pissing it down outside because my tyres are useless in the wet.

If I get two volunteers, run a sheet of rough sandpaper (in this experiment acting as road surface) vigorously over the head of one of them, then repeat with the other who is wearing a helmet, which of my two volunteers is going to be happier?

blimey, thought this had suddenly turned into a "special interest thread"

I always wear gloves because the hands tend to go down first. And the elbows, knees and hips, but I'm not about to start wearing a Michelin Man suit.

I don't wear a helmet as often as I should, considering I fairly quickly on my commute. For jaunts to the shops or park, it wouldn't cross my mind to wear a helmet, since I'll be doing around 10mph.

Helmets to my mind are effective in the same way gloves are: as a protective layer preventing road rash. It may help a little with regards to blunt force trauma, but they're not designed for monumental crashes.

It's miserable having sore hands and gloves are a lot smaller and less stupid looking than helmets. I really should wear the helmet more when on longer journeys or when I'm in a rush.

Why do they make cycle racers wear them?

Because they're cycle racers and have a higher likeihood of crashing (same goes to mtb).

everyday riding in a city less so, that's precisely my point.

Because they're cycle racers and have a higher likeihood of crashing (same goes to mtb).

everyday riding in a city less so, that's precisely my point.

My point was that people should do their own risk assesment, because risks vary for the individual. Making sweeping statements like 'its not dangerous enougth to warrant a helmet' silly. So I think you'll find that was precisely my point

puts thumb on nose, wiggles fingers, and blows rasberry

I'm pretty much with Dammit here.

I bought a new helmet last week, it was expensive but i'm happy with it. Given that I'm doing 200k extra p/w at the moment in training i'll get value for money.

Still won't always wear it for commuting though, I just pootle when I'm riding fixed at the moment.

Oh and gloves, always gloves. I learned when I used to race DH that if you loose the skin off your palms it takes a LONG time to grow back and it's bloody painful.

i always wear gloves or mitts, in most of my falls I have usually put a hand out

only once have i landed on my head - very slowly when on the MTB - exactly what a helmet is designed for, and I was wearing one.

i wish i could say i wore a helmet on the road bike for aero benefits, but probably am not really going at significant speed to get the advantage. i do wear helmets for long rides as they are more likely to make me tired and have a lapse of concentration/judgement.

i do sweat like a sweaty thing, so lots of vents seem important to me - hence catlike whisper helmets

Remember kids... always use a pelmet. (The almighty floral pelmet thread)

http://www.myonlinediary.com/pmwiki.php/Insulation/Pelmets

Fuck that settles it.

Jeez wears one, I should do too.

of course , having written that - today would be the day when I slam into the door of a black cab, with no helmet on... shoulder first ftw

Ooof. Are you ok?

Should have been wairing a shoulder helmet.

I hurt - especially my shoulder. I'm sure I will hurt more tomorrow. At the moment my calf and knee hurt the most from the emergency braking I did before I hit the cab. Fucking black cabs pulling u-turns without looking in their mirrors.

...say you have an undiagnosed brain injury - you might find even a very light whack can kill.

Suddenly paranoid that I might have an undiagnosed brain injury, I googled the term and found that one of the main causes is a diffuse axonal (aka rotational brain) injury. In effect you're advocating wearing a helmet as prevention against a condition that is alleged to be caused by helmets.

Confusing.

I cannot imagine regretting wearing a helmet but I can imagine the reverse.

I can, it is when you come of your bike at some speed and slide along the road, the helmet causes your head to twist and snaps the brain stem.
Fatally.
I would regret that.

(apparently most fatalities caused by "head injury" (as described in a post mortem) are not a bash to the skull but snapping the brain stem. I was told this at an inquest involving a cyclist by the pathologist who sat at my table at lunch, most of which I left)

ffs aren't people tired of gabbing about this?
This thread repeats like some some groundhog thread with no resolution in sight ever.
Perhaps a more useful discussion would be ways of avoiding crashing rather than what to wear when you crash

too true, we will never resolve it
what winds me up is the way we have all assumed helmets are the issue.
What that does is shift the focus away from the getting people on bikes, non cyclists see us all put our helmets on (well, not me personally) and think cycling is dangerous, (either that or cyclists are so well protected they can be run over and it won't matter)
so helmets actively dissuade people from cycling, and are therefore dangerous.