I hate wearing a helmet on ebikes and I found articles online saying helmets do more harm?

[Peter Polling]

In Holland for speed-bikes (45 kmph) a type approved helmet is requiered.

I do agree that if you heve an accident, you better wear a helmet. But my question is: what is the difference for the behaviour of other road-users when you don't? One British man did his one investigation: he rode with a camera, same route, same day of week and time, same wehter. He dit that three times: once with normal clothes and no helmet, once with sportswear and helmet, and once with a blond wig with loose long hair.

The difference was clear: he got more room from the other users wearing the wig. They gave him space and were more carefull. With the helmet they were less carefull.

So, for safety you should not wear a helmet, you should wear a wig and skirt. ;-)

 

[Joe Remi]

The full-face downhill mtb helmet sounds like a good idea for 35mph and higher speeds. Or get a regular bike helmet and slow down a bit: It's great to have the power available, but hammering at those speeds all the time really makes me think you'd be happier with a scooter and a motorcycle helmet.

 

[JoePah]

Ditto to all the Helmet supporters.. I own a $200 Giro and the reason why it's worth it is simple.. It fits my head perfectly, it doesn't move and it doesn't make any noise.. I forget I'm wearing it.

Seen enough low speed crashes where men and women bounce their head on the pavement.. There is no argument in the world that will convince me a rider would be better off without a properly fitted helment.

 

[mrgold35]

I was trail riding and ended up wiping out on a tight muddy turn. It happened so fast and I flipped over the handlebars and my head did bounce off the ground when I landed on my left shoulder. I know my Fox bike helmet saved me from a concussion or even being knocked out. I did have a sore shoulder for about a week. I now have a good story to tell instead of a life long injury.

 

[Moonshine]

Every single one of you in this thread played/are playing a big part in my decision process regarding helmets. I have gathered a list of helmets that I like purely from an aesthetic point of view. Whichever one gets the most number of votes/vouches/recommendations at the end of next week ( June 27, 2017 ) I will buy it. I shall post a picture as proof and gratitude for your contributions. You may have saved a life

*I have only picked these for looks and not really understanding the technologies that are going into it.
*It would be impossible for me try them out. Only one bike shop in the area and they have helmets that I hate!

Here are the contenders!
1) Kask Rex

2) Kask Mojito

3) Kask Infinity

4) POC Octal X

5) POC Octal Aero

6) POC Cortex Flow Full Face

7) Fox Proframe Full Face

8) Giro Synthe

9) Giro Switchblade MIPS Full Face

10) Giro Timberwolf

11) Bell Super 3R Full Face

12) Smith Forefront

If I missed something that I should, please let me know. What do you guys think? Pick your favorites please! Just reply back with the name of your pick and let's see which one wins

 

[jazz]

A motorcycle with 2 people on it got pinned under an SUV in my city yesterday. They were both trapped for about 30 minutes and rescued alive, The firefighters said it was because they were both wearing helmets.

 

[Peter Polling]

I also own the Kask Urban Lifestyle. This does not follow the requirements for a SP-helmet in Holland, bus is good enough for me. I don't think the police will give me a ticket for wearing the wrong helmet.

 

[Deleted member 803]

Go to your local bike shop and get the advice of a professional. If ever there was a wrong way to pick a helmet, it is based on looks. You need one that fits well, offers good protection, and is within you budget. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET NO MATTER HOW SHORT THE RIDE.

 

[Over50]

...If I missed something that I should, please let me know. What do you guys think? Pick your favorites please! Just reply back with the name of your pick and let's see which one wins

I like the offerings from Kali Protectives. I have the City (or Urban). I think they have a helmet for road racers that is a couple of hundred bucks and very highly rated. But as well a lot of full face offerings for enduro riders:

https://kaliprotectives.com/

 

[Moonshine]

I have decided to go with Fox ProFrame Helmet.

*ASTM DH certification
*MIPS ( don't understand it )

Let's see how many cars honk at me while I ride wearing this
Thanks everyone! I started this thread hating helmets and in 2 pages, I went to buying a full face helmet...How does these things even happen!

 

[Harry L]

So I personally hate wearing a helmet on ebikes. I feel that thing on my head all the time and I hate all the straps and everything. It just feels wrong. There is only one shop in town with bicycle helmets and I can't find any that I like. Everything looks like there is a weird starfish attached to the top of my head. I thought I would like a half faced motorcycle helmet instead and that turned out to be wrong. They were all so huge. I would look like a dork wearing those on a bicycle.

So I digging the internet rabbit hole on the issue and I see it's a topic that many people can't agree on. There is a British brain surgeon that says helmets cause more harm than help. On the same article, "Mikael Colville-Andersen, cycling ambassador for Copenhagen, insisted that some research found that cycle helmets actually cause more brain damage."

So what do you guys think? Do they help? Or are you just doing it because that's how it's been done?

I know a relative that have died falling off bicycles and hitting their head on a rock without using a helmet. Use your common sense. Thanks.

 

[Lost]

I never wore a bike helmet. Until I became an ambulance pilot. Now I wear a helmet. When you see people lose everything, or close to everything, and it could have been greatly attenuated; when you see that up close and personal, well..... I now wear a helmet.

 

[elyhim]

The interwebz told me the earth is flat.........

Dude, jokes aside, wear a helmet.

 

[Nutella]

That Fox is a really nice helmet, I think you made a great choice.

 

[Larry Ganz]

Every single one of you in this thread played/are playing a big part in my decision process regarding helmets. I have gathered a list of helmets that I like purely from an aesthetic point of view. Whichever one gets the most number of votes/vouches/recommendations at the end of next week ( June 27, 2017 ) I will buy it. I shall post a picture as proof and gratitude for your contributions. You may have saved a life

*I have only picked these for looks and not really understanding the technologies that are going into it.
*It would be impossible for me try them out. Only one bike shop in the area and they have helmets that I hate!

Here are the contenders!
1) Kask Rex

2) Kask Mojito

3) Kask Infinity

4) POC Octal X

5) POC Octal Aero

6) POC Cortex Flow Full Face

7) Fox Proframe Full Face

8) Giro Synthe

9) Giro Switchblade MIPS Full Face

10) Giro Timberwolf

11) Bell Super 3R Full Face

12) Smith Forefront

If I missed something that I should, please let me know. What do you guys think? Pick your favorites please! Just reply back with the name of your pick and let's see which one wins

I'd go with the fox at the speeds you'll be riding.

 

[Larry Ganz]

I should finish reading all the posts before I reply to one farther up the thread...

 

[Moonshine]

The FOX has been great. On average I get at least 2 car horns per day when I ride wearing this. I also bought a Giro Switchblade as well...I alternate between the two.

 

[Mark Adams]

So I personally hate wearing a helmet on ebikes. I feel that thing on my head all the time and I hate all the straps and everything. It just feels wrong. There is only one shop in town with bicycle helmets and I can't find any that I like. Everything looks like there is a weird starfish attached to the top of my head. I thought I would like a half faced motorcycle helmet instead and that turned out to be wrong. They were all so huge. I would look like a dork wearing those on a bicycle.

So I digging the internet rabbit hole on the issue and I see it's a topic that many people can't agree on. There is a British brain surgeon that says helmets cause more harm than help. On the same article, "Mikael Colville-Andersen, cycling ambassador for Copenhagen, insisted that some research found that cycle helmets actually cause more brain damage."

So what do you guys think? Do they help? Or are you just doing it because that's how it's been done?

Check out BERN helmets comfy and doesn't like like a UFO landed on your head .

 

[tomjasz]

I guess the entire city of Amsterdam, one of the biggest bike cities in the world, is filled with helmet less idiots. Explain?

"The only country I've seen the majority of people wearing helmets is the US, and they have to, mainly due to how dangerous it is to bike there. It's dangerous because American cyclists are an inferior caste of citizen. In the US, it's OK to be aggressive and it's socially acceptable to behave dangerously toward a cyclist. I know, because I live there. And therefore I feel safer with a helmet, even if it's not going to do anything when 3 ton SUV rolls over my body.

A Dutch person now living in Chicago added:

I agree that it is socially acceptable in the US to be aggressive to bicycles. I grew up in the Netherlands and have been in the US for eight years now.

In the Netherlands it has been socially unacceptable to use a mobile phone when driving for over a decade. In the US you even see police officers texting on their phone whilst driving. If I have a close call with a car it is almost always caused by the driver being on their phone."

 

[tomjasz]

What Americans lack are safe riding skills. How many if the helmet proponents know what the stopping distance is of their ride at max speed? At any speed? How many have had a "track" day and actually practiced avoidance skills? Braking skills? Road through obstacles and practiced tight turns at various speeds? I guessing if two in this thread have that's the sum total. Safety gear does not take the place of safe riding skills.