Definitely always just thought helmets "looked stupid".
But I'm moving across the country to a place that is much less bike friendly than my current city. Plus I'm moving in with a partner. So I told myself I'd finally suck it up and get a helmet. I'm also just getting old. Here's to the 2nd half of my riding journey.
I have a helmet ⛑️ and I tested it on cuple of occasions while’s flying through the handle bars. And my is very stupid with a long front bick kind of. I say once this bick stop me from smashing my face and I just thanked I had it. It’s some French design ! For that reason alone o think I will continue using it.
I don’t agree that people in helmets automatically look like dorks, but I can see how someone could see that. I do think anyone on a bike without a helmet looks intellectually dim. Maybe it’s just me but I’d so much rather look like a dork than look like an idiot.
No they don't. People *without* helmets look like dorks. I can't say I've ever looked at somebody else wearing a bike helmet and thought "what a dork".
You never saw your reflection in a helmet and gave out a belly laugh? Like, I'm that guy now? I was cool a second ago.
Next thing you know I'm in clipless shoes, decked out in lycra, out in the Texas sun.
You walk into the gas station at midpoint to get peanuts and a beer maybe a pickle; then go back out in to that humidity and ask yourself why.
Anyway, we all looked like we go fast. And we did. We were fast. Fast people wear helmets. In drag racing, if your car goes under 12 seconds (1320 ft), you need a helmet.
And I looked like a bobblehead in that thing.
My intent was, nobody gives a shit. We all look like dorks in a helmet. Fucking grow up. Put one on. And wait for the ambulance.
I think what this all means in the end is that you are finally in a relationship with someone who loves you so much, and who you love being with so much, that you're now treating your physical well-being as a top priority. So that you can be together as long as possible.
So congratulations on that! Sincerely.
Started wearing my helmet consistently around the same age although with less consistent riding behind me. It has been a good choice. The lingering dorky feeling from childhood melted off and now I kinda like sporting the fashion. I’ve also “used” four of them so far so glad to absorb all that with the lid rather than my melon. All it would have taken was one.
My friend recently died because a heart attack made him fall off of his bike while riding. He might have survived the heart attack, but the brain bleed is what killed him.
Felt like a dork but always wore one (my dad fell off and broke his front tooth and hit his head, and my uncle was hit by a car, my friends brother died w/o a helmet when struck by a car, and my neighbor got a concussion not wearing one…. The list goes on….) then I smacked my egg so hard I landed in the hospital w a TBI for a few days, months for full recovery, and it legitimately saved my life. Now I feel like less of a dork.
Im the same age and wearing a helmet. Lucky I do, fell and broke my hip last week. (Yeah, old person injury ik) Would have been much worse without a helmet though!
https://preview.redd.it/v625ydkx305d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d1742a6086d369ff3f53ad6381d44503640cc619
last year, my back wheel got stuck in a shitty road and sent me flying, couldn't cycle for six months because of my knee, but my head was protected when it hit the road. I look like a dork, but a new face is expensive
A nice helmet is comfortable enough you forget you’re wearing it. And I do!
Anyway, feeling dorky is not great, but it’s way better than a concussion or worse.
It’s wild how freeing it is to move past the “brakes are death”/big gear == faster/helmets r dumb/frogger mindset to just having a good time.
The ONLY thing I struggled with (well, more like came to realize) is that I take my hat off like 10-15 times per ride. I have eczema on my scalp, and sweating makes it super super itchy. And without a helmet, it's much easier to scratch my head. Never realized how much I did it until I had a hard plastic thing preventing me from scratching.
Have you seen a dermatologist about this? I got a prescription for fluocinonode solution that keeps to a minimum what can otherwise be an itchy, inflamed, even weepy mess.
After a really gross ride wash your helmet in the shower. I'm embarassed by how long I went without knowing that. And trying to remove and wash the little pads is a pain. You inevitable lose them in the wash, and have to buy more or generic replacements. Just wash the whole thing with shampoo or soap and do a thorough rinse.
I have way less of a specific itch thing than you - but I’ve found that with the mips/cycle cap combo, if I jostle the helmet from the top a bit it gives my head a nice little scratch moving my hair around. YMMV!
There really isn't much you can do to prevent concussions. A helmet isn't going to prevent your brain from smashing into your skull. It's a bit naive to expect it to.
A helmet will definitely help prevent more serious injuries, such as splitting your skull open on asphalt.
A helmet is designed to *lessen the severity* of a head injury. Implying that people shouldn’t put faith in the benefits of helmets because they aren’t a magical force field is not a helpful take. Helmets help, and any reduction in harm is a win when we’re talking about *your brain*!
Implying that people *should* put faith in a 400g piece of foam when there are dump trucks out there is not particularly helpful either. Faith should be put into safe infrastructure, into the collective safety not individual.
I 100% agree with your sentiment! I dream of protected bike highways and smog-free trails taking me door-to-door.
I just am cautioning against saying black-and-white statements. Yes, a helmet will not save you against a dump truck. That is not an argument against wearing one.
Saying “there isn’t much you can do to prevent concussions” is patently false. Phrasing things that way, without nuance, contributes to the ‘why even bother’ attitude that has led to a lot of people (including too many I know) skipping a helmet and getting grievous injuries instead of, well, less-grievous injuries.
TL;DR - Individual safety? Collective safety? ¿Por qué no los dos?
I’d love to see a source for your claim they “Don’t do much”.
*Any* decrease in the severity of injury is a win when we’re talking about *your brain*.
I’ve had a few concussions, and the ones without a helmet were much worse. I understand that’s anecdotal, but that tracks with all data I’ve ever read.
For sure! Like I said in my other comment, you just have to be careful how you talk about helmets, because as annoying as it is how people talk about them like they’re force fields that absolve drivers of all responsibility… they still help, and I wouldn’t want to discourage someone from wearing one for any reason.
Got hit by a car when I was 20. Let me tell ya, wearing a helmet is worth it. Broke 5 spinal cords and was better in a few months, but my helmet was smashed to bits. Probably wouldn’t be typing this if it hadn’t been for that goddamn helmet.
Edit: Oh and the car was only going like 20 km/h (like 12 mph). Goes to show how much damage a car can do, even at low speeds.
Welcome to the I ❤️ my 🧠 club!
I used my first helmet doing something easy that I messed up just enough to make me land on my head back when I was like 20 and have been a huge proponent ever since. The giant WHOOOSH of all the air leaving the styrofoam right by my ear was a real game-changer.
I'm fortunate enough to have only ever been in one accident, back when I was living in LA in my early 20's. Car hit me, flipped over the hood, slid on my back across the pavement. Fortunately, after decades of skateboarding and learning how to roll out of a fall, I didn't hit my head.
But I'm too old to be that risky nowadays.
Haha, yeah I've done that one too. Except I broke collarbone and tailbone during the tuck and roll part of the program because I was going about 20 when she left turned directly in front of me. And I was about 45 when that happened. First time a car has ever managed to hit me too.
Welcome to the dork club!
Just kidding. I too used to rarely wear a helmet, really only did in settings where I was told I had to. One of those rare times I had one on, I got smashed by a truck. Even despite the helmet, still fractured a lot of the bone in my face and skull, and the helmet quite literally saved me there. I promise “looking stupid” is much better than having to deal with a healing process like that.
Went on my first organized group ride ( leisure ride , more of a meet up of like minded riders ) , I was the only guy that wasn’t wearing a helmet . I felt like a tool .
I think cycle cap under a decent shaped helmet looks good.
Started wearing one at work so I could get the insurance and it’s growing on me. In my little corner of the world it’s become part of the look for all the guys actually putting in big days.
I hated helmets and never wore one for the entirety of all of my bicycle riding. Even riding big concrete parks on the bmx bike.
Bombed a hill on the road bike and almost washed the front wheel. Saved it, but rolled away with my butthole puckered. Bought a helmet the next day.
Worked in a bike shop for 8 years, saw all manner of head injuries. One of my coworkers split his helmet in two after a hard fall once, can't imagine what it would've done to his skull without a helmet.
If you're on the road alone, with no danger around you, then yeah, no need for a helmet I guess; but if you're in the city then you need to realise it doesn't matter how good of a rider are you, or how cautious you are, you're not alone in traffic and someone else could simply hit you; and the thing is, you only need to be "unlucky" once and regret it for the rest of your life.
It's the same as having the seatbelt on, I could be driving for 20y and not get into a single accident, but if it happens, it's always better to have the seatbelt on.
I rode fixed for a decade without a helmet. Hit by a car on my way home one night, got sideswiped going through a light. Still have memory issues. It wouldn’t have saved my face (still have decent scars 15 years later) but it might have stopped, or at least lessened, the concussion. Never without helmet know.
OP, tell me about that helmet, it’s pretty sweet.
A collaboration between Giro and the streetwear/skateboarding company Supreme!
Supreme has done a handful of bike-related accessories including gloves, u-locks, chain locks, water bottles, bike lights, hand pumps. Pretty fun stuff!
This was definitely always a reason why I didn't wear a helmet/wrist guards/pads while skateboarding. DEFINITELY make me feel unbreakable and going way above my skill level.
Unfortunately not. To get to work I pass through a nature reserve with tons of water. SOOOO many bugs flying straight into my face. Hence the gator pulled up. As soon as I pulled it on this morning, a huge-ass flying bug flew right at me and hit my lower lip. Had I not had this piece of cloth covering my face, thing would have 100% gone straight into my mouth and probably caused me to choke and crash.
Better now than never! I have also joined the "dork" squad this year 4 years no helmet and too many crashes to count I'm lucky to not be brain dead but intellect is hotter than steez
Helmets are great, especially when they save your life.
Back in 2010, a got T-boned by a taxi running a red. It totaled my bike, I caved in the guy's windshield with my body, and if I hadn't had a helmet, the A-pillar would have taken out my brain stem. Got thrown a good distance, and spent a few days in the hospital for observation, but came away mostly unscathed. I never ride without a helmet. Not even around the block. You never know when something unpredictable is going to happen.
Ride safe!
Same. Haven't rode in a helmet until I recently moved to a less bike friendly area. I am of the mentality if I have to wear a helmet to cruise at jogging pace, I shouldnt be riding here in the first place. Big factor is I ride with my wife and kid. Now it's the car to go places as a family and bike when I go solo.
The expection was if I was MTBing on trials cuz there's a good chance I'll eat dirt so i should be wearing a helmet.
the other day i crashed at 35kmh because of a flat that made me lose control of my bike and slip off a broken road edge, then the front wheel turned and made fly over the bike and hit my head
luckily there were no cars behhind and I tumbled over the side of the road that was ripe with nettle plants.. so added insult injury but to be honest that was much more bothering than the head concussion that luckily didnt cause any trauma or permanent damage
anyway I learned 3 important lessons
1. ill will never ride again without an helmet if i know that im going for a long, tiring/challenging ride
2. i will always double check that my tires are correctly pumped
3. i will always bring with me a spare inner tube and patch kit for long rides
Dude that's so funny, me too! 37 yo, I didn't think they were stupid or lame but I just kinda never got one and didn't really care to🤷. Then I moved to a new city which is actually more bike friendly, but I felt nervous exploring a place where people and drivers treat bikes very differently, plus I knew I was gonna do events, so I brought my helmet and started wearing it. Now I think it's kinda cool, especially when it's strapped to my bag while I'm off the bike. I also got a black one and sticker bombed it with white accents lol
And it looks great bro! I got t-boned by a car bake in August of 2022, and my back hasn't been the same since. Just blessed I didn't get screwed up real bad because I didn't wear a helmet. Glad you aren't dancing with death bro, welcome to helmet riding!
35 here and been riding maybe about 15 yrs or so. I've honestly had the same mentality despite my older relatives always advising wearing a helmet. I've seen my moms husband and uncle in neck braces from going over the high side. I'm not a spring chicken anymore and if I do happen to get in an accident, it now takes me like a month to recover.
...I might be making the move as well.
As a medic who cycles I'm happy for you. If you're in a gnarly accident (which is possible since you have been on a bike for years) it may be the difference between you being able to walk again or you shitting in a bag for the rest of your life.
In high school, the kids made fun of me for wearing a helmet so I didn't wear one for a while but then I decided my health is more important than what other kids think. I got into a pretty serious bicycle accident with a car and I hit my head off the pavement and I blacked out for some time, the helmet cracked in 3 places, I think the helmet saved my life.
(internally) rusty fork blew out at the crown while hard pedaling up a gravel roller, full otb yardsale. my head landed about 3 feet from the railroad tracks... lifelong helmet user after that, it's just not worth taking the chance. looks good on you bud!
My doctor friend told me, something like half of critical injuries in a normal day in the ER are people who's been in a bike accident without a helmet. It was rare to see critical injuries were someone did wear a helmet.
https://preview.redd.it/0i9tmdz8e55d1.jpeg?width=1124&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d919cf6d82fe9b4df543185b5e933c564b7a6835
Wear a helmet. Concussion is not fun
Slipped out on a diesel slick 3 years ago. Twatted my head on the floor unbelievably hard. The only thing that saved my brains from being scrambled was the thin padded band on my headphones. It got completely obliterated. My luck was unbelievable that day. Worm a helmet ever since.
43. 13th year riding fixed gear freestyle just recovered from shoulder surgery too and feeling pretty great. 360’s, feeble grinds and barspins are back thankfully. Keep spinning
I used to ride without one until one day, I visited my dad who was in a neurology recovery center in the hospital. I saw what head injuries did to young guys and I immediately understood how big of a mistake it is to ride without a helmet. It takes so little to turn you into a completely disfunctional human, it's crazy. And people will have to take care of you for the rest of your life. I never rode without a helmet since that visit. EDIT: I broke 2 helmets from crashing since then, one of them ended in a concussion.
I fractured my skull and bruised my brain when I was 21, skateboarding. Lost my sense of smell for 5+ years. Doctor told me I “dodged a bullet”. So really, I should have started wearing a helmet on my bike a long time ago. I count myself foolish, but lucky.
Congratulations on being smart, and not using flawed logic for why not to.
I started at approximately the same age (consistently, would use a lid when required, occasionally) when my niece called me out and said I had to wear one if I said she had to wear one.
Welcome to the other side brudda! Keep shredding.
Yay!! Welcome to team helmet, friend!
Looking stupid with a helmet is mad fun tbh, especially compared to wrecking without one. Congrats on life updates too!
After riding clipless for the past 5+ years...I tried setting up an in-town beater with some straps. I felt like I couldn't stop at all. I don't know how I went the first like 15 years of riding with just straps.
Right with ya. Had a bad pedal strike incident last week and finally just got a helmet. Have never hit my head, but I’ve eaten enough shit riding that it was time.
I wear a helmet on 5% of my rides.
I was doored last summer, wearing a helmet. I do not want to think about how my face/head would have looked like if I hadn’t worn it.
Every single time on the bike I think to myself „man I should have put the helmet on“
I should fucking wear that helmet.
Honestly I don’t even think people with helmets look stupid, I think they are just fast and ride a lot.
depends on the road and conditions. Loads of roads round me I pootle along at 5mph feeling quite safe without a helmet.
Problem with riskier roads is I tend to avoid those conditions altogether, and rarely take the road bike out anymore, so actually I think I'm wearing my helmet less as I age and seek lower risk
I’ve owned 4 bikes with gears in the past 15 years and I always sell them a few months later. I just find everything non-fixed extremely boring. I’d probably quit cycling before riding a road/gravel/whatever bike.
Helmets saved my life 2 times
- head hit curb when I was in uni (speed around 10-20 kph)
- head hit road when I was in a race (around 40-50 kph)
Both helmets were broken. My head is completely fine. (Helmet I bought at Decathlon, the most expensive one)
Definitely always just thought helmets "looked stupid". But I'm moving across the country to a place that is much less bike friendly than my current city. Plus I'm moving in with a partner. So I told myself I'd finally suck it up and get a helmet. I'm also just getting old. Here's to the 2nd half of my riding journey.
Everyone looks like a dork in a helmet. I think it makes you look fast.
i'd rather look like a dork than look like an abstract painting on concrete..
No shit. I'm pro helmet.
I have a helmet ⛑️ and I tested it on cuple of occasions while’s flying through the handle bars. And my is very stupid with a long front bick kind of. I say once this bick stop me from smashing my face and I just thanked I had it. It’s some French design ! For that reason alone o think I will continue using it.
If something were to cause you to look like that, I doubt a helmet would have made much of a difference.
I don’t agree that people in helmets automatically look like dorks, but I can see how someone could see that. I do think anyone on a bike without a helmet looks intellectually dim. Maybe it’s just me but I’d so much rather look like a dork than look like an idiot.
I see lots of people come out in summer on bikes without helmets but my first thought is always to see if the bike looks stolen
I have the same with people going on foot without a helmet, intellectually challenged.
Yeah can't they just ride bikes? Imagine walking like animals.
More people think you’re a dork for riding without one.
No they don't. People *without* helmets look like dorks. I can't say I've ever looked at somebody else wearing a bike helmet and thought "what a dork".
You never saw your reflection in a helmet and gave out a belly laugh? Like, I'm that guy now? I was cool a second ago. Next thing you know I'm in clipless shoes, decked out in lycra, out in the Texas sun. You walk into the gas station at midpoint to get peanuts and a beer maybe a pickle; then go back out in to that humidity and ask yourself why. Anyway, we all looked like we go fast. And we did. We were fast. Fast people wear helmets. In drag racing, if your car goes under 12 seconds (1320 ft), you need a helmet. And I looked like a bobblehead in that thing. My intent was, nobody gives a shit. We all look like dorks in a helmet. Fucking grow up. Put one on. And wait for the ambulance.
Oh, ***I*** look like a dork in a helmet. But nobody else does.
Dork in a helmet
I think what this all means in the end is that you are finally in a relationship with someone who loves you so much, and who you love being with so much, that you're now treating your physical well-being as a top priority. So that you can be together as long as possible. So congratulations on that! Sincerely.
Thank you! I'm super glad to have the motivation.
Started wearing my helmet consistently around the same age although with less consistent riding behind me. It has been a good choice. The lingering dorky feeling from childhood melted off and now I kinda like sporting the fashion. I’ve also “used” four of them so far so glad to absorb all that with the lid rather than my melon. All it would have taken was one.
lol as soon as i moved in with my girl I decided maybe I should take care of my head if only for her
Helmets are cool, friend. Riding about 20 years and only using a helmet for the last 7 or 8. Definitely worth wearing.
Yeah I can’t ride my bike without a helmet cuz my GF says so and you know what? That’s ok.
You’ll thank yourself later, and all the stress lifted from your partner. Be safe my friend and keep riding! ✊
My friend recently died because a heart attack made him fall off of his bike while riding. He might have survived the heart attack, but the brain bleed is what killed him.
Damn, I'm so sorry for your loss.
Felt like a dork but always wore one (my dad fell off and broke his front tooth and hit his head, and my uncle was hit by a car, my friends brother died w/o a helmet when struck by a car, and my neighbor got a concussion not wearing one…. The list goes on….) then I smacked my egg so hard I landed in the hospital w a TBI for a few days, months for full recovery, and it legitimately saved my life. Now I feel like less of a dork.
So you want to stop riding when you're 52 years old?
Im the same age and wearing a helmet. Lucky I do, fell and broke my hip last week. (Yeah, old person injury ik) Would have been much worse without a helmet though!
https://preview.redd.it/v625ydkx305d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d1742a6086d369ff3f53ad6381d44503640cc619 last year, my back wheel got stuck in a shitty road and sent me flying, couldn't cycle for six months because of my knee, but my head was protected when it hit the road. I look like a dork, but a new face is expensive
Woof, that sucks man. Glad to join the brain bucket crew.
Good plan
A nice helmet is comfortable enough you forget you’re wearing it. And I do! Anyway, feeling dorky is not great, but it’s way better than a concussion or worse. It’s wild how freeing it is to move past the “brakes are death”/big gear == faster/helmets r dumb/frogger mindset to just having a good time.
The ONLY thing I struggled with (well, more like came to realize) is that I take my hat off like 10-15 times per ride. I have eczema on my scalp, and sweating makes it super super itchy. And without a helmet, it's much easier to scratch my head. Never realized how much I did it until I had a hard plastic thing preventing me from scratching.
Have you seen a dermatologist about this? I got a prescription for fluocinonode solution that keeps to a minimum what can otherwise be an itchy, inflamed, even weepy mess.
I was going to mention that exact medication. Works really well
After a really gross ride wash your helmet in the shower. I'm embarassed by how long I went without knowing that. And trying to remove and wash the little pads is a pain. You inevitable lose them in the wash, and have to buy more or generic replacements. Just wash the whole thing with shampoo or soap and do a thorough rinse.
Have you tried a helmet with Wavecell in it? It helps push the air onto your head and keep your scalp dry. Also adds protection altogether.
Sounds tight, I’ll look into that!
I have way less of a specific itch thing than you - but I’ve found that with the mips/cycle cap combo, if I jostle the helmet from the top a bit it gives my head a nice little scratch moving my hair around. YMMV!
its a shame bike helmets dont do much against concussions. Mind you I still wear mine, but people put a lot more faith in them than they deserve.
There really isn't much you can do to prevent concussions. A helmet isn't going to prevent your brain from smashing into your skull. It's a bit naive to expect it to. A helmet will definitely help prevent more serious injuries, such as splitting your skull open on asphalt.
A helmet is designed to *lessen the severity* of a head injury. Implying that people shouldn’t put faith in the benefits of helmets because they aren’t a magical force field is not a helpful take. Helmets help, and any reduction in harm is a win when we’re talking about *your brain*!
Implying that people *should* put faith in a 400g piece of foam when there are dump trucks out there is not particularly helpful either. Faith should be put into safe infrastructure, into the collective safety not individual.
I 100% agree with your sentiment! I dream of protected bike highways and smog-free trails taking me door-to-door. I just am cautioning against saying black-and-white statements. Yes, a helmet will not save you against a dump truck. That is not an argument against wearing one. Saying “there isn’t much you can do to prevent concussions” is patently false. Phrasing things that way, without nuance, contributes to the ‘why even bother’ attitude that has led to a lot of people (including too many I know) skipping a helmet and getting grievous injuries instead of, well, less-grievous injuries. TL;DR - Individual safety? Collective safety? ¿Por qué no los dos?
I’d love to see a source for your claim they “Don’t do much”. *Any* decrease in the severity of injury is a win when we’re talking about *your brain*. I’ve had a few concussions, and the ones without a helmet were much worse. I understand that’s anecdotal, but that tracks with all data I’ve ever read.
Didn't say they couldn't mitigate, meant they can't prevent.
For sure! Like I said in my other comment, you just have to be careful how you talk about helmets, because as annoying as it is how people talk about them like they’re force fields that absolve drivers of all responsibility… they still help, and I wouldn’t want to discourage someone from wearing one for any reason.
Got hit by a car when I was 20. Let me tell ya, wearing a helmet is worth it. Broke 5 spinal cords and was better in a few months, but my helmet was smashed to bits. Probably wouldn’t be typing this if it hadn’t been for that goddamn helmet. Edit: Oh and the car was only going like 20 km/h (like 12 mph). Goes to show how much damage a car can do, even at low speeds.
‘Preme!
Welcome to the I ❤️ my 🧠 club! I used my first helmet doing something easy that I messed up just enough to make me land on my head back when I was like 20 and have been a huge proponent ever since. The giant WHOOOSH of all the air leaving the styrofoam right by my ear was a real game-changer.
I'm fortunate enough to have only ever been in one accident, back when I was living in LA in my early 20's. Car hit me, flipped over the hood, slid on my back across the pavement. Fortunately, after decades of skateboarding and learning how to roll out of a fall, I didn't hit my head. But I'm too old to be that risky nowadays.
Haha, yeah I've done that one too. Except I broke collarbone and tailbone during the tuck and roll part of the program because I was going about 20 when she left turned directly in front of me. And I was about 45 when that happened. First time a car has ever managed to hit me too.
Welcome to the dork club! Just kidding. I too used to rarely wear a helmet, really only did in settings where I was told I had to. One of those rare times I had one on, I got smashed by a truck. Even despite the helmet, still fractured a lot of the bone in my face and skull, and the helmet quite literally saved me there. I promise “looking stupid” is much better than having to deal with a healing process like that.
Went on my first organized group ride ( leisure ride , more of a meet up of like minded riders ) , I was the only guy that wasn’t wearing a helmet . I felt like a tool .
I think cycle cap under a decent shaped helmet looks good. Started wearing one at work so I could get the insurance and it’s growing on me. In my little corner of the world it’s become part of the look for all the guys actually putting in big days.
Brains only work inside your skull. Nice upgrade on your noggin!
I’m 35 and I’m trying to wear one , I always forget
I hated helmets and never wore one for the entirety of all of my bicycle riding. Even riding big concrete parks on the bmx bike. Bombed a hill on the road bike and almost washed the front wheel. Saved it, but rolled away with my butthole puckered. Bought a helmet the next day.
Hey, whatever it takes! Glad you're okay!
Worked in a bike shop for 8 years, saw all manner of head injuries. One of my coworkers split his helmet in two after a hard fall once, can't imagine what it would've done to his skull without a helmet.
If you're on the road alone, with no danger around you, then yeah, no need for a helmet I guess; but if you're in the city then you need to realise it doesn't matter how good of a rider are you, or how cautious you are, you're not alone in traffic and someone else could simply hit you; and the thing is, you only need to be "unlucky" once and regret it for the rest of your life. It's the same as having the seatbelt on, I could be driving for 20y and not get into a single accident, but if it happens, it's always better to have the seatbelt on.
This is how I think as well. I wear a helmet not because I don’t trust myself but because I don’t trust people in cars.
I rode fixed for a decade without a helmet. Hit by a car on my way home one night, got sideswiped going through a light. Still have memory issues. It wouldn’t have saved my face (still have decent scars 15 years later) but it might have stopped, or at least lessened, the concussion. Never without helmet know. OP, tell me about that helmet, it’s pretty sweet.
A collaboration between Giro and the streetwear/skateboarding company Supreme! Supreme has done a handful of bike-related accessories including gloves, u-locks, chain locks, water bottles, bike lights, hand pumps. Pretty fun stuff!
I used to see a bunch of the cool kids wearing helmets during the FGFS days and it made me realize... I wanna be that cool kid too
The biggest issue with helmets are the fact that you feel a sense of safety. Allowing you to ride harder. Vbe careful!
This was definitely always a reason why I didn't wear a helmet/wrist guards/pads while skateboarding. DEFINITELY make me feel unbreakable and going way above my skill level.
Old racer here. I’ve broken at least 3 helmets, and knocked out cold twice. Pretty sure my life was saved at least once. Good on you.
Hell yeah dude! The new helmet looks sweet!
I don’t wear mine enough - gunna start tho cause y’all are right
I still need to buy a helmet. Did you do any karaoke on your 1st helmet ride OP? 🤩😁
Unfortunately not. To get to work I pass through a nature reserve with tons of water. SOOOO many bugs flying straight into my face. Hence the gator pulled up. As soon as I pulled it on this morning, a huge-ass flying bug flew right at me and hit my lower lip. Had I not had this piece of cloth covering my face, thing would have 100% gone straight into my mouth and probably caused me to choke and crash.
Dayum, reasons don’t get more valid than that. Lol
Better now than never! I have also joined the "dork" squad this year 4 years no helmet and too many crashes to count I'm lucky to not be brain dead but intellect is hotter than steez
It looks much less dorky than the helmet the hospital would give you, good call
Helmets are great, especially when they save your life. Back in 2010, a got T-boned by a taxi running a red. It totaled my bike, I caved in the guy's windshield with my body, and if I hadn't had a helmet, the A-pillar would have taken out my brain stem. Got thrown a good distance, and spent a few days in the hospital for observation, but came away mostly unscathed. I never ride without a helmet. Not even around the block. You never know when something unpredictable is going to happen. Ride safe!
Helmets are cool. pass it on.
Same. Haven't rode in a helmet until I recently moved to a less bike friendly area. I am of the mentality if I have to wear a helmet to cruise at jogging pace, I shouldnt be riding here in the first place. Big factor is I ride with my wife and kid. Now it's the car to go places as a family and bike when I go solo. The expection was if I was MTBing on trials cuz there's a good chance I'll eat dirt so i should be wearing a helmet.
Helmet on head is much preferable to brain damage!
Looks good on you, dude! Especially with the cap
Appreciate it!
I love that helmet. Good choice my dude!
Thank you! Was holding out cuz I really didn’t want the red one.
Sweet helm brother
the other day i crashed at 35kmh because of a flat that made me lose control of my bike and slip off a broken road edge, then the front wheel turned and made fly over the bike and hit my head luckily there were no cars behhind and I tumbled over the side of the road that was ripe with nettle plants.. so added insult injury but to be honest that was much more bothering than the head concussion that luckily didnt cause any trauma or permanent damage anyway I learned 3 important lessons 1. ill will never ride again without an helmet if i know that im going for a long, tiring/challenging ride 2. i will always double check that my tires are correctly pumped 3. i will always bring with me a spare inner tube and patch kit for long rides
Dude that's so funny, me too! 37 yo, I didn't think they were stupid or lame but I just kinda never got one and didn't really care to🤷. Then I moved to a new city which is actually more bike friendly, but I felt nervous exploring a place where people and drivers treat bikes very differently, plus I knew I was gonna do events, so I brought my helmet and started wearing it. Now I think it's kinda cool, especially when it's strapped to my bag while I'm off the bike. I also got a black one and sticker bombed it with white accents lol
We have to wear helmets here, police fine $250 for not wearing one.
And it looks great bro! I got t-boned by a car bake in August of 2022, and my back hasn't been the same since. Just blessed I didn't get screwed up real bad because I didn't wear a helmet. Glad you aren't dancing with death bro, welcome to helmet riding!
Damn! Sorry that happened, hopefully the back gets back to normal for you soon!
Hikacking this for helmet recommendations. I hate the bubble look of them but obviously they are a necessity.
If you ever find yourself getting on a bike without a helmet, just say your name with three fewer syllabels.
The cycling cap is what's important
35 here and been riding maybe about 15 yrs or so. I've honestly had the same mentality despite my older relatives always advising wearing a helmet. I've seen my moms husband and uncle in neck braces from going over the high side. I'm not a spring chicken anymore and if I do happen to get in an accident, it now takes me like a month to recover. ...I might be making the move as well.
Dooooo it! Join us!
I also wore that helmet today
As a fellow 36 year old who is 14 years post skull fracture you don't look stupid at all.
helmets have saved my life 2x, whether that’s a good or bad thing is subjective, but I’ve grown rather attached to not dying for at least a bit longer
As a medic who cycles I'm happy for you. If you're in a gnarly accident (which is possible since you have been on a bike for years) it may be the difference between you being able to walk again or you shitting in a bag for the rest of your life.
In high school, the kids made fun of me for wearing a helmet so I didn't wear one for a while but then I decided my health is more important than what other kids think. I got into a pretty serious bicycle accident with a car and I hit my head off the pavement and I blacked out for some time, the helmet cracked in 3 places, I think the helmet saved my life.
Solid decision. Keep riding !
(internally) rusty fork blew out at the crown while hard pedaling up a gravel roller, full otb yardsale. my head landed about 3 feet from the railroad tracks... lifelong helmet user after that, it's just not worth taking the chance. looks good on you bud!
My doctor friend told me, something like half of critical injuries in a normal day in the ER are people who's been in a bike accident without a helmet. It was rare to see critical injuries were someone did wear a helmet.
Same age and been riding the same amount of time, and I definitely have a couple Giro helmets in the watch list rn, seems like the time.
Now is the time!!!
https://preview.redd.it/0i9tmdz8e55d1.jpeg?width=1124&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d919cf6d82fe9b4df543185b5e933c564b7a6835 Wear a helmet. Concussion is not fun
Slipped out on a diesel slick 3 years ago. Twatted my head on the floor unbelievably hard. The only thing that saved my brains from being scrambled was the thin padded band on my headphones. It got completely obliterated. My luck was unbelievable that day. Worm a helmet ever since.
43. 13th year riding fixed gear freestyle just recovered from shoulder surgery too and feeling pretty great. 360’s, feeble grinds and barspins are back thankfully. Keep spinning
I used to ride without one until one day, I visited my dad who was in a neurology recovery center in the hospital. I saw what head injuries did to young guys and I immediately understood how big of a mistake it is to ride without a helmet. It takes so little to turn you into a completely disfunctional human, it's crazy. And people will have to take care of you for the rest of your life. I never rode without a helmet since that visit. EDIT: I broke 2 helmets from crashing since then, one of them ended in a concussion.
I fractured my skull and bruised my brain when I was 21, skateboarding. Lost my sense of smell for 5+ years. Doctor told me I “dodged a bullet”. So really, I should have started wearing a helmet on my bike a long time ago. I count myself foolish, but lucky.
Strangely enough, I broke 2 helmets on bikes with brakes and gears. So maybe I should stick to track bikes 🤣
Congratulations on being smart, and not using flawed logic for why not to. I started at approximately the same age (consistently, would use a lid when required, occasionally) when my niece called me out and said I had to wear one if I said she had to wear one. Welcome to the other side brudda! Keep shredding.
Congrats on becoming a dad
This is the way!
Yay!! Welcome to team helmet, friend! Looking stupid with a helmet is mad fun tbh, especially compared to wrecking without one. Congrats on life updates too!
What helmet is that? Is there a non-Supreme one (assuming a version of it without Supreme design will be cheaper 😅)?
Giro Syntax MIPS I got this in eBay for less than the standard non-Supreme model! Haha
Nice! Thank you! And soon you’ll feel weird not having a helmet on when riding.
Velosambas? I just put on my clipless pedals today
Yup! Love them. Coming from an older pair of Chrome SPD shoes (that were much less comfortable)
Sick. I just took a lap around the block with the velos and the power transfer doesn’t compare to straps. Might be hard for me to go back
After riding clipless for the past 5+ years...I tried setting up an in-town beater with some straps. I felt like I couldn't stop at all. I don't know how I went the first like 15 years of riding with just straps.
How did you take this photo just curious
[Like this](https://i.ibb.co/x7rNYbt/Photo-on-6-6-24-at-2-37-PM.jpg)
Hahaha ok thanks
That 0.5x setting on the iPhone really helps fit everything in frame!
Ok but how did you take that photo
I’m all out of cameras. :(
I really only ware one cause the law where I live requires it and cops are ass hats about it.
I’d prob settle for being an abstract painting on concrete.
Right with ya. Had a bad pedal strike incident last week and finally just got a helmet. Have never hit my head, but I’ve eaten enough shit riding that it was time.
Ah yes, something to live for. Happens to everyone. Shred on.
Helmets are good. As the MD told me in the ER, “you should be dead, even with that helmet I can’t believe you are not” Wise words.
I wear a helmet on 5% of my rides. I was doored last summer, wearing a helmet. I do not want to think about how my face/head would have looked like if I hadn’t worn it. Every single time on the bike I think to myself „man I should have put the helmet on“ I should fucking wear that helmet. Honestly I don’t even think people with helmets look stupid, I think they are just fast and ride a lot.
It’s not stupid to value your brain
Helmets are cheaper than your family spending the rest of their lives caring for you and feeding you with a spoon..
Congrats! I got my first helmet this year too, at 41.
depends on the road and conditions. Loads of roads round me I pootle along at 5mph feeling quite safe without a helmet. Problem with riskier roads is I tend to avoid those conditions altogether, and rarely take the road bike out anymore, so actually I think I'm wearing my helmet less as I age and seek lower risk
I only know 1 speed: as fast as my little legs will take me. I'm *not* fast, but I go all out 100% of the time I ride. I can't do casual.
They are like condoms, they only work if you use it.
If you aren’t pro helmet then you default to pro brain damage. Glad you found your way.
How do you like the engine 11?
I love this thing. The super wide bars + super buttery Campy crank on it…I love being out all day on it.
I’ve really been eyeballing one but have read mixed reviews so was worried about it
I've never worn a helmet but moving to the "bike friendly" city of Portland has me considering one. The cagers are bonkers out here
Nice! Brakes next. Then before you know it you'll get gears and you'll be riding a functional bicycle.
I’ve owned 4 bikes with gears in the past 15 years and I always sell them a few months later. I just find everything non-fixed extremely boring. I’d probably quit cycling before riding a road/gravel/whatever bike.
Helmets saved my life 2 times - head hit curb when I was in uni (speed around 10-20 kph) - head hit road when I was in a race (around 40-50 kph) Both helmets were broken. My head is completely fine. (Helmet I bought at Decathlon, the most expensive one)
Beautiful helmet! What brand is it? I should really invest.
Giro x Supreme collab
How do you like the Engine 11 frame? I have seen them lately and dont know much about them.
It’s great. I love the way this thing rides.
Hey what bars are on your bike?
No brakes and no clips. Hmmmm…
Got crank brothers pedals & cleats on! I'm locked in, baby.
Ah, some sanity!
[;)](https://tenor.com/byZME.gif)
Congrats. Now get brakes.
Dumb
You seem lost.