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

Ah but my car's a convertible. I guess it'd be like unzipping the under arm vents for me.

Engines produce (on average) 3 times as much heat as power.

So, if yours is not the hairdressers version, you would be sitting in a vehicle with a 900bhp/660kW heater.

Losing the roof would certainly help, but I suspect that much heat would still make something of an impact.

I'm embracing the circularity of it all, except that my head is more oval than circle, so I'm more Specialized/Giro than Catlike.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj7zTaDp52w

So, if yours is not the hairdressers version, you would be sitting in a vehicle with a 900bhp/660kW heater.

Only if he runs at full power all the time. Most cars most of the time would be fine with just 20kW of drive power. Also, the 75% of fuel energy which never makes it to the crankshaft is a mix of noise, exhaust gas thermal & kinetic energy and heat rejection from the casing and the cooling system, so you'd need a ton of heat recovery equipment to get it all back.

Only if he runs at full power all the time. Most cars most of the time would be fine with just 20kW of drive power. Also, the 75% of fuel energy which never makes it to the crankshaft is a mix of noise, exhaust gas thermal & kinetic energy and heat rejection from the casing and the cooling system, so you'd need a ton of heat recovery equipment to get it all back.

Is that a metric fuck-tonne?

No, I was thinking of getting the heat back in Btu/h, so you'd need the slightly larger Imperial ton.

http://www.cycling-embassy.org.uk/sites/cycling-embassy.org.uk/files/documents/Cycle_Helmets-A_Duty_to_Wear.pdf

Written by the cycling lawyer who has an interesting blog too

http://thecyclingsilk.blogspot.com/

tldr

It is suggested that it is neither right nor wrong for a cyclist to wear or not
wear a helmet. It should be a matter of personal choice leaving the blame to lie with
the person or persons responsible for the collision.

Interesting idea
So people who have a high tolerance/enjoyment of heat will tend to drive faster?

In.

Helmet thread bump with this repost:
http://www.rocbike.com/2010/12/02/a-ted-talk-on-bicycle-helmets/

Need some inspiration for the summer a-head

Last week's Cycling Weekly reports on an epidemiological study from New Zealand which examines the impact (no pun intended) of helmet compulsion in NZ. I haven't seen the study yet and the CW article doesn't seem to be on-line. From what they report, the results were even more dramatically negative than in Australia. Anyway, I'm sure it'll be much-discussed soon. NB as ever, helmet compulsion is not the same topic as your personal choice of whether to wear one or not, although they are of course related.

I'm pro personal choice Oliver. But tell me, should I wear one?

You should wear a tent.

Ridge, tunnel, dome or frame?
What type of pegs will be best for the terrain and how exposed is it?

How could this thread not have come up for so long? :D

Here's something I just posted on the Nightrider thread:

We saw plenty of people riding past London's Calling last night. Disappointingly, the organiser had apparently insisted on compulsory helmets and hi-vis vests. Spokes in Scotland recently reacted to this trend by refusing to publicise events in which participants were forced to wear helmets:

http://road.cc/content/news/59533-cycle-campaign-group-spokes-ceases-publicising-events-requiring-participants-wear

This is not to criticise the overall event, which I'm sure was heaps of fun. It's great to ride around London at night and I hope it raised good money for the cause. However, the above is the fly in the ointment, and the organisers should reconsider their stance for next year. The slow, stealthy march of helmet compulsion must be resisted.

I wear a helmet when I ride at home, cars go much faster than they do in London. I know it isn't going to help me if I get hit fast, but it makes me feel more comfortable, right?

In town though I tend not to wear one.

Jake, the point I'm making is about forcing people to wear helmets, not about helmet-wearing in general. Look back in this thread for plenty of discussion of the latter. :)

Which muppet bumped this thread?

Oh sorry Oliver, wasn't replying to you. Just posting as I don't think I have before.

Which helmet bumped this thread?

No idea.

whistles

Which muppet bumped his head?

...and was he wearing a helmet?

How could this thread not have come up for so long? :D

Here's something I just posted on the Nightrider thread:

I like that reaction.(the not publicising)

Although are they the kind of people who would publicise polo?

I don't wear a helmet on the road, but am fine with mandatory helmets in polo (although I'd make it mandatory face mask).

I've seen your face. I agree.

Macmillan cancer charity run fund raising cycling events
http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Fundraising/Cyclingevents/Cyclingevents.aspx
I hoped to do a ride in Poland with them a few years ago and I offered to run training sessions before the ride and mechanic services on the ride. (Since they helped my mum before she died). Had to pull out because of their helmet compulsion despite a protracted discussion about this. It was such a shame.

I took a similar stance when a friend invited me to ride with her on the skyride ride (25 miles around south west London).

I turned up without a lit, only 25 miles at a steady pace on mainly quiet road, unfortunately it took some convincing to ride with them without helmet.

In the end they wrote down a quick disclaimer and got me to sign it (no responsibility if I crashed etc.).

Macmillan cancer charity run fund raising cycling events
http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Fundraising/Cyclingevents/Cyclingevents.aspx
I hoped to do a ride in Poland with them a few years ago and I offered to run training sessions before the ride and mechanic services on the ride. (Since they helped my mum before she died). Had to pull out because of their helmet compulsion despite a protracted discussion about this. It was such a shame.

I'm doing the Dorset bike ride on the 1st July and they say that helmets are recommended but not mandatory. Is it just because you were going to be some sort of official rider with them?

They also say "Cyclists must follow the Highway Code at all times, and in particular, they should ride in single file"... which is a bit confusing because the highway code says cycling two-abreast is fine.

Perhaps they've changed their policy since then (2010). Hope so.