Cold weather/wind = Cold head

N

Nvreloader

Western Nevada
Region
USA
Since the weather has been dropping into the teens nightly,
I have been getting a severe headache from the wind going thru the air vents in my helmet.
I used to ride in the cold weather with a big Blue colored pullover head cover, that went over the helmet, and I could seal off under my chin.

Since I have added the mini Cam camera on top of the helmet, I can no longer use the Blue pullover head covering, and my hoodies won't fit over the camera also.

Your thoughts on stopping/closing off the air vents of the helmet in the cold air?
Tia,
 
I block the mouth vent with saran wrap.
I bought my helmet large enough to fit a welder's helmet liner under it. This covers my ears & prevents them from freezing. These are sold at the welding supply shop. I ride to the grocery as low as 6 deg F.
 
Balaclava
1701902013727.png
 
I live in Reno, NV, where we get 6 months of damn cold for riding bikes. I have found that wearing my ski helmet (and goggles) keeps my brain nice and warm. Try it....
 
I wear a balaclava with a thinner stocking cap on top and it seems to help and all fits ok under the helmet but a little snug. When it’s really windy sometimes I’ll still get a real small headache and some of those really windy days, I’ll just drive.
 
steve mercier said:
Balaclava
Click to expand...
Balaclava shown inhibits cleaning of the nose & lungs. When riding a bicycle with the battery stored indoors for freezing weather I make substantial use of lungs & nose. If forced to mouth breath by closed nose at 6 deg F, my teeth hurt. Welder's helmet liner leaves full access to the nose & mouth for ejection. I am happy for you that you are European African or Oriental. I am not.
 
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indianajo said:
Balaclava inhibits cleaning of the nose & lungs. When riding a bicycle with the battery stored indoors for freezing weather I make substantial use of lungs & nose. If forced to mouth breath by closed nose at 6 deg F, my teeth hurt. Welder's helmet liner leaves full access to the nose & mouth for ejection. I am happy for you that you are European African or Oriental. I am not.
Click to expand...
you dont have to have the balaclava over your mouth and nose. I don't at all. it's under my chin.
 
I've tried several versions of balaclavas and haven't found one that works ideally for me in all conditions. My current Icebreaker has an area around the nose that permits exhalation but doesn't quite sit right on my face. Most of the time I have it tucked under my chin. When it gets really cold out, I find that most just freeze up from my breathing and become too stiff to wear.
 
I use a balaclavas similar to the one shown above and add a skull cap also if it gets really cold. I added ski googles because my eyes would water from the cold temps at riding speeds. I found it works for me to leave my nose out breath in with my mouth and out my nose to greatly reduce moisture build-up. Exhaling out my nose helps keep my nose warm. I use the same Fox Flux riding helmet all year in temps in the teens degree F (maybe in lower with wind chill at 16-22 mph riding speed).

I think I would invest in a winter only no vent helmet if I had to ride months in near freezing temps.
 
Many ski/snowboarding helmets have one handed vent adjustments that allow you to control the amount of air that enters the helmet. I have a Giro Nine which does exactly that though I don’t know how cold it gets in your region of NV. I would still opt for a balaclava/skull cap or even an ultralight cycling cap which would fit neatly underneath your bike helmet. You want something relatively breathable which would allow trapped heat to escape.

1701968386134.png
 
Prairie Dog said:
I have a Giro Nine which does exactly that though I don’t know how cold it gets in your region of NV.
Click to expand...
That helmet lacks a chin guard. I have hit the chin on the road 7 to 0 for other parts of the head.
If the helmet has a chin guard, wrapping the chin vent with film protects the chin & mouth from freezing. At least to 6 F at 10 mph.
 
indianajo said:
That helmet lacks a chin guard. I have hit the chin on the road 7 to 0 for other parts of the head.
If the helmet has a chin guard, wrapping the chin vent with film protects the chin & mouth from freezing. At least to 6 F at 10 mph.
Click to expand...
Holy carp! :oops: The only time that I’ve fallen on my chin occurred when I was climbing a ladder to do some roof repairs and the ladder feet slipped out from under me. Never on a bike and I’ve been on some pretty gnarly singles in my time. Is there a reason for you falling from your bike on to your chin so often? It all depends on what the conditions were at the time of the ride and how well prepared you were as well as your bike setup.

If hitting chins as a result of bike falls was so common one might think the industry would mandate helmet chin guards. That being said, I can fully comprehend wearing a full-face helmet on a steep and fast DH run. Proper helmet protection relating to head trauma would more likely be considered a valid safety issue, IMO, though getting bucked over bars is no laughing matter.
 
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Oh yeah I have hit my chin on the road when the bike went sideways on black ice. My knee took the worst of it though. Since then I wear knee and elbow pads and a downhill helmet if I go out when it gets nasty.
1701984949832.png
 
Prairie Dog said:
If hitting chins as a result of bike falls was so common one might think the industry would mandate helmet chin guards. That being said, I can fully comprehend wearing a full-face helmet on a steep and fast DH run. Proper helmet protection relating to head trauma would more likely be considered a valid safety issue, IMO, though getting bucked over bars is no laughing matter.
Click to expand...
Dry flat roads with bumps that snap the front wheel sideways caused 3 falls on chin. "fast steering" is the cause; caster was removed from front fork about 1990 to facilitate racing. Also saves $1 in frame material plus shorter frames are cheaper to ship overseas. One fall the front wheel slid sideways on gravel. One fall I hit a ball player in the road who dodged. One fall a stick rolled up in the brake caliper, locking the front wheel. My reaction times are so fast I have 2 or 3 times to arrange my body for the hit. I cannot prevent the feet up head down posture of a fall over the handlebar.
Two custom frame builders in 2017 refused to discuss changing the front fork from the "standard" caster or lengthening the frame to the 1970 standard.
I bought a bicycle at my brother's house last month to achieve some mobility & exercise without the credit card now required to rent autos. The Trek 4300 MTB is so unstable it will not stand against a wall without the front wheel snapping sideways.
 
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Thanks Guys
I got out several of my balaclava's and tried them on,
It makes the helmet fit too tight, and I got the largest size
when I ordered it.
So it looks like I'll have to block most of the holes to prevent air flow thru the helmet, and then take it out in the summer as that is when I need the air flow.
I have this Helmet : https://victgoal.com/products/victg...t-with-usb-light-visor?variant=41685469921456

I am going to see if I can put some painters tape inside the helmet to cover all the holes.
Tia,
 
Nvreloader said:
Thanks Guys
I got out several of my balaclava's and tried them on,
It makes the helmet fit too tight, and I got the largest size
when I ordered it.
So it looks like I'll have to block most of the holes to prevent air flow thru the helmet, and then take it out in the summer as that is when I need the air flow.
I have this Helmet : https://victgoal.com/products/victg...t-with-usb-light-visor?variant=41685469921456

I am going to see if I can put some painters tape inside the helmet to cover all the holes.
Tia,
Click to expand...
You can use a helmet raincover to help cut the wind but I would still add a neckwarmer like this:
1702165181900.png
 
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