Can somebody explain bicycle helmets to me?

[Gordon Eyre]

I have ridden several thousand miles on a road bike and even though I have had a few accidents I have never hit my head. That said, I was riding with my wife at a relatively slow speed when she fit something in the road and flipped off her bike striking the back of her head. Thank goodness she had her helmet on and was not seriously injured. Her helmet did crack in the back where she hit and we were both happy that I had insisted she wear her helmet before we went riding. The way most kids wear their helmet they serve little if any protection but when worn properly they serve a very useful purpose.

If I had to ride with a motorcycle helmet on I would choose not to ride.

[Ole Anderson]

My wife and I were just riding less than 10 mph along a walk, when she rode over a palm frond which threw her off, with her head missing a fire hydrant by mere inches. She was wearing a helmet which she doesn't like to wear, but I insist. Two more inches and the helmet, with her head in it, would have hit the immovable object.

[Eric DeSilva]

If you look at downhill mountain bike riders, you'll see a lot of them in protective gear that looks a lot like off road motorcycle gear--full helmets, hard chest/arm guards. Most cross country mountain bike riders don't, however, because of the weight of the gear when you are pedaling *up* the hills... It has always been my understanding, however, that in the single impact context, lightweight bike helmets are pretty good.

[Mike Cutler]

I think I feel qualified to give some insight. 25 years of competetive racing, bicycles, and over 200,000 miles ridden.

Helmets are required for all USCF and UCI sanctioned races in the US. In addition NORBA and Triathlon's ruling bodies require helmets during competition.
Even in Europe thery're being mandated, with exemptions for specific races under specific conditions. If you have to race in one, you need to train in one.
They are also part of an "inspection" and if not worn properly can result in sanctions, fines, and disqualifications.

A bicycle helmet is designed to protect the rider from initial contact, in specific scenarios. Most importantly it protects the side of the head and the brain stem.
The "typical" accident is to be sent over the handlebars at an angle resulting in the shoulder taking the initial contact and breaking the collar bone, a very common cycling accident. The helmet contacts next and pretty much destroys itself. However, most helmets are styrofoam with a nylon net formed into them to act as rebar to keep the helmet together, although some big chunks do come off. The nature of the fall actually aids in pushing the helmet back and not off your noggin.

Two of mine used to be on display in a local bike shop. One was a low speed crash at about 26 mph, and the second was a result of being forced off the road and into a drainage culvert during a race on a descent. Speed on that one was about 35-40 mph when I left the road. The weeds, busshes and dirt I rode through probably saved my skin too. They definitely demonstrated that a helmet might at least be a good idea to consider. They were pretty much destroyed.

As for speed on a bike. A trained cyclist will easily be moving at 25+ mph on a flat road, discounting headwinds. I've hit 63 mph on the descent from the backside of Smugglers Notch in Vermont. This is the cause of car/bike incidents. Most folks in cars don't realize just how fast you can travel on a bike and misjudge the speed.

I've taken out a Mazda 626 and an S-10 on my bike, but those are different stories.

[Jason Roehl]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that bicycle helmets are designed to be a sacrificial energy dump. That is, they are designed to crack, break or shatter to disperse the impact energy rather than allow your head to absorb all of that energy, thereby lessening the chance of a severe head or brain injury. In essence, the designers do everything possible to increase the impulse time and reduce the peak of that impulse.

A very short, peaked impulse is why Dale Earnhardt died while many of his contemporaries survived much more spectacular crashes involving many spins and flips. He hit the wall hard, absorbing a lot of energy in a very short amount of time, whereas the multiple rolls in other crashes slowly bleed off energy and are more survivable.

[Ron Bontz]

Thanks for posting Mike. I am a cyclist that works as a medic and unfortunately have seen too many car vs. cyclist or head vs. curbs. Even I, as a novice can get up to speeds of 25mph+. 30 with a good tail wind. Just can't stay there long. Yep, I'm old. Helmets are single impact protection only. End of story. I don't think twice about spending $100.00 on a good helmet. Went down a couple of years ago. Hit the side of my head (helmet). But got up, all bloody, and rode to where I needed. Note to motorist: You may not like cyclist for whatever reason. But please don't throw things at 55mph at cyclist or in the way on the shoulder of the roads. I was almost hit 3 times this past summer. Gives a whole new meaning to defensive driving(riding). Next summer I am going to have a camera mounted. Evidence!

[Bill Cunningham]

Not that I'm against helmets, I'm all for them. But, I do find it weird.. I grew up in the 50's, there were no such things as helmets for anything but football. I never knew, or even heard of a kid suffering more than a few bumps and bruises. I went off a curb once when I was 9, and while the front wheel was in the air it fell off, and the forks hit the pavement and I went head over heels. No head damage
(at least none that I can remember).
What I do remember is being driven home with my bike, by a delivery man in a Banana truck..
The missing injuries among every one I knew, was very much like the peanut butter allergies everyone seems to know about today but were unknown in the 50's.. Perhaps everyone allergic to peanuts, died off before school age!

[Charlie Reals]

Not that I'm against helmets, I'm all for them. But, I do find it weird.. I grew up in the 50's, there were no such things as helmets for anything but football. I never knew, or even heard of a kid suffering more than a few bumps and bruises. I went off a curb once when I was 9, and while the front wheel was in the air it fell off, and the forks hit the pavement and I went head over heels. No head damage
(at least none that I can remember).
What I do remember is being driven home with my bike, by a delivery man in a Banana truck..
The missing injuries among every one I knew, was very much like the peanut butter allergies everyone seems to know about today but were unknown in the 50's.. Perhaps everyone allergic to peanuts, died off before school age!

Same here Bill, i got a lot of bruises and lost a tooth to falling of a bike. None of which would have been saved by a helmet. Different world, wasn't ruled by psycho babble idiots. Helmets are fine but I'm glad I was born and raised when a kid could be a kid without "the law" trying to protect me.

[John Coloccia]

Every year, 100-200 children die on bikes....the majority from brain injuries.

10's of thousands suffer less severe brain injuries (not head injuries, which is much higher...actual brain injuries).

Maybe we should have a letter campaign to comfort the parents:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. (insert name),

Sorry to hear about (child's name) terrible accident. We are all saddened by his (circle one) death/head trauma. We would just like to let you know that we're there for you when you need us, and for you to take strength and comfort knowing that you never gave in and became a psycho babble idiot.

I don't really care what anyone else does. Personally, I often don't wear a helmet when I'm motorcycling (though I do when I'm biking). I surely would never be disrespectful towards those who choose otherwise, though.

[Jason Roehl]

Based on the bicycle crashes I suffered in my youth, I would have fared better wearing leather and a cup, but I can barely see the scars, and I have three kids, so no permanent damage was done. I wear a bicycle helmet when I ride long distances now (when I leave the neighborhood, basically), and I wear a motorcycle helmet most of the time when I ride that, unless one is not available, then I go and don't worry about it.

[Charles Wiggins]

When I was a kid onlly football players wore helmets lol

When I was a kid, only sissies wore helmets. That's what we told ourselves anyway. I think mostly it was economics. They cost money and we didn't have a lot. Even skateboarding, we had gloves, and knee and elbow pads, but no helmets. Parents weren't so safety-conscious back then. I can remember going down the road, as a 3-4 year old, standing up in the front seat of the Plymouth. Mom would throw the arm up across me when she'd have to stop short for all the good it would have done in a wreck.

Things are so different now with our kids. Child safety seats, seat belts, always in the back seat, helmets. I wouldn't want to go back to the old ways, but I wonder if all of this insulation makes them more afraid to take risks or less afraid of the dangers that they've never had to face.

[John Coloccia]

When I was a kid, only sissies wore helmets. That's what we told ourselves anyway. I think mostly it was economics. They cost money and we didn't have a lot. Even skateboarding, we had gloves, and knee and elbow pads, but no helmets. Parents weren't so safety-conscious back then. I can remember going down the road, as a 3-4 year old, standing up in the front seat of the Plymouth. Mom would throw the arm up across me when she'd have to stop short for all the good it would have done in a wreck.

Things are so different now with our kids. Child safety seats, seat belts, always in the back seat, helmets. I wouldn't want to go back to the old ways, but I wonder if all of this insulation makes them more afraid to take risks or less afraid of the dangers that they've never had to face.

Some interesting studies suggest that as helmet use has gone up, there hasn't been a significant decrease in total injuries (not necessarily head injuries). It suggests that helmet use promotes more reckless bicycling.

[Charlie Reals]

When I was a kid, only sissies wore helmets. That's what we told ourselves anyway. I think mostly it was economics. They cost money and we didn't have a lot.

Even skateboarding, we had gloves, and knee and elbow pads, but no helmets. Parents weren't so safety-conscious back then

. I can remember going down the road, as a 3-4 year old, standing up in the front seat of the Plymouth. Mom would throw the arm up across me when she'd have to stop short for all the good it would have done in a wreck.

Things are so different now with our kids. Child safety seats, seat belts, always in the back seat, helmets. I wouldn't want to go back to the old ways, but I wonder if all of this insulation makes them more afraid to take risks or less afraid of the dangers that they've never had to face.

Skate boards were years away when I was a kid.10 speed bikes weren't even common. I don't have a problem with safety devices for kids. It's the mandatory usage laws. Oh wait, I guess I helped invent the skateboard with a 2x4 and a very old pair of street skates. You know lol, the ones that clamped onto your shoes.

[Kevin Barnett]

Had to correct you on a few things...
Rode across the country one year and raced for several - so I have some insight.

If the helmet is exposing the back, or forehead, it's on wrong. Also, those teeny little straps are strong enough to rip your head off. The nylon in the straps is very strong. The buckles aren't terribly strong, but strong enough to stay on your head during a wreck. As for the light "styrofoam" aspect, it's actually very suitable for a single impact protection. Wreck and toss. If you want one of those heavy Bell helmets from the early '80s, I have one I can ship you. Be forewarned, it's hot, uncomfortable, and heavy. Neck muscle get tired on their own without the extra 3 or 4 pounds.

I will take my bicycle helmeted wreck and not your motorcycle helmted wreck any day of the week.

[Eric Gustafson]

Some interesting studies suggest that as helmet use has gone up, there hasn't been a significant decrease in total injuries (not necessarily head injuries). It suggests that helmet use promotes more reckless bicycling.

Perhaps. Or does it suggest that more people are riding? Or more people are trail riding? Or more distance riding? My point is there could be many factors.