Are helmets the 'go faster stripes' of the EUC world?

[Gasmantle]

Remember those stripes and stick on flames that youngsters used to put on cars to make them go faster?

I've just treated myself to my first helmet and starting to think it has the same effect on me as a 60yr old. I bought a Steelbird SBA2 as I liked the futuristic spaceman look about it (not sure its a wise choice for pedestrianised areas though) and suddenly I want to fight the world and ride at twice the speed of sound.

On a serious note, I wonder if added security of a helmet means the wearer is inclined to take added risks?

I seem to remember reading somewhere that when compulsory seatbelts were first introduced in cars the accident rate rose although the serious injuries lessened. I can't say whether it is a true fact but it does kinda sound plausible.

[Mike Sacristan]

That is quite a slick looking helmet. Stephen has one and so does U-Stride.
I think it's fine for pedestrian areas and more dependent on the rest of your riding vibe.
Fighting the world and riding at high speed is quite a lovely thing. I grew up reading comics and they have been a big part of my life.

The other day I was going to ride with Daniel. He rides a fast longboard. I put on my kevlar pants with knee protection, body armour, helmet and goggles. Looked at myself in the mirror and said to my reflection... "Damn i'm going to kill myself". I changed to shorts and a tank top. 

There are many studies about risk compensation/homeostasis. I have discussed it a few times with some of the other riders and also quite a bit with my wife.
When my wife rides without gear (which is most of the time) she is *mostly* careful.
When she rides with gear she rides a bit more carelessly and also becomes a bit of a threat to others.

This is all psychological and behavioural and can be defeated of course. It just requires awareness and constant effort.

Amongst the studies I have read there is quite a bit of conflicting information and varying results. The most common conclusion though is that people have accepted a certain amount of damage as it is.

When it comes to rider skill and development I have noticed that the riders with gear tend to progress faster as they take bigger risks. I on the other hand will usually progress in baby steps.

To put it another way... if you were riding a Gotway MSX that beeps at 53 kmh and it started to beep. Would you:

A - Wearing a helmet... ride the beeps because you know you are protected. You can still hit 60 kmh!

B - Wearing a helmet... slow down a tiny bit so the wheel stops beeping.

C - Not wearing a helmet... stay away from 53 kmh entirely

D - Not wearing a helmet... ride the beeps and push beyond them.

Do you think about falling when riding? Having gear will perhaps give you some peace of mind in that case.

[Gasmantle]

5 minutes ago, Mike Sacristan said:

That is quite a slick looking helmet. Stephen has one and so does U-Stride.
I think it's fine for pedestrian areas and more dependent on the rest of your riding vibe.
Fighting the world and riding at high speed is quite a lovely thing. I grew up reading comics and they have been a big part of my life.

The other day I was going to ride with Daniel. He rides a fast longboard. I put on my kevlar pants with knee protection, body armour, helmet and goggles. Looked at myself in the mirror and said to my reflection... "Damn i'm going to kill myself". I changed to shorts and a tank top. 

There are many studies about risk compensation/homeostasis. I have discussed it a few times with some of the other riders and also quite a bit with my wife.
When my wife rides without gear (which is most of the time) she is *mostly* careful.
When she rides with gear she rides a bit more carelessly and also becomes a bit of a threat to others.

This is all psychological and behavioural and can be defeated of course. It just requires awareness and constant effort.

Amongst the studies I have read there is quite a bit of conflicting information and varying results. The most common conclusion though is that people have accepted a certain amount of damage as it is.

When it comes to rider skill and development I have noticed that the riders with gear tend to progress faster as they take bigger risks. I on the other hand will usually progress in baby steps.

To put it another way... if you were riding a Gotway MSX that beeps at 53 kmh and it started to beep. Would you:

A - Wearing a helmet... ride the beeps because you know you are protected. You can still hit 60 kmh!

B - Wearing a helmet... slow down a tiny bit so the wheel stops beeping.

C - Not wearing a helmet... stay away from 53 kmh entirely

D - Not wearing a helmet... ride the beeps and push beyond them.

Do you think about falling when riding? Having gear will perhaps give you some peace of mind in that case.

Thanks, it's a stylish helmet but probably isn't great quality. They are made for low to moderate speeds on a motorbike so I figured it ought to be ok for the kind of speeds I'm likely to get up to on my EUC.

To be honest I've put off wearing a helmet as long as I can as I think they detract from the riding experience (I like the openness and freedom of an EUC) and I like to have good unobstructed hearing for traffic. Having said that I did take a fall on my wheel a few weeks ago as the result of a puncture, fortunately I realised something was wrong and was only going  12 - 15mph but nevertheless I did land face down on the tarmac with a cut to my nose and chin.

Since the fall it kinda made me a bit more cautious and riding the other day carving alone at maybe 20mph on a remote country lane with no protection I thought if I fall here it's going to hurt so I bit the bullet and bought the helmet.

 

[seage]

I dont even go to the mailbox without wristguards and a helmet. Im an illustrator. I break my wrist or crack my skull and my career is over, so i dont risk it. I LIKE that im confident and comfortable because it makes me make smarter decisions without thinking i might die if i make a mistake. I enjoy getting  up after a fall and not being out of commission for a month. But then ive only had 2 falls on the road. One i was livestreaming and rode into a pothole like a tosser. This was super low speed. And the second, i was riding in a snowstorm and pulled off too fast. Wheel just slid from under me and i went down. When i ride fast, im hyper focused. If i dont have on all of my gear, i feel completely limited in what i can do and id rather just not ride. But thats just me. I see an accident on every group ride, and sometimes its not the riders fault. I saw a tour de france cyclist ride up right beside one of our E-boarders who was right on the edge of the path (to the right) and shove him. Like full on push in his back and he fell into the bushes while we chased dude down and yelled at him. No amount of speed control, experience, or anything could prepare you for an asshole, lmao. But he just bounced back up and was back on his board after he took the nature out of it. But yeah. I guess, to a degree the safety gear does give you the confidence to survive a hit or a fall, but i dont agree that it directly causes it. I think its just punishment if you do happen to make a mistake, in the form of longer healing times. Now some people might go crazy the moment they put on a helmet, but I think they should work more on their mental restraint and understanding that just because you FEEL safe, doesnt mean you disregard the world around you, haha. Id much rather pep talk myself than deal with the consequences of the fall. But thats me. We're all adults here, its your body, if the fall and the heal times dont bother you, then go for it. XD. Im just too impatient and wanna ride every day. 

[Mike Sacristan]

2 minutes ago, Gasmantle said:

Thanks, it's a stylish helmet but probably isn't great quality. They are made for low to moderate speeds on a motorbike so I figured it ought to be ok for the kind of speeds I'm likely to get up to on my EUC.

To be honest I've put off wearing a helmet as long as I can as I think they detract from the riding experience (I like the openness and freedom of an EUC) and I like to have good unobstructed hearing for traffic. Having said that I did take a fall on my wheel a few weeks ago as the result of a puncture, fortunately I realised something was wrong and was only going  12 - 15mph but nevertheless I did land face down on the tarmac with a cut to my nose and chin.

Since the fall it kinda made me a bit more cautious and riding the other day carving alone at maybe 20mph on a remote country lane with no protection I thought if I fall here it's going to hurt so I bit the bullet and bought the helmet.

 

It is good enough quality.

It might make you feel a bit like a bobblehead though. 

I know what you mean... to me riding an EUC is being free. And breaking free. From the shackles that I put myself in years ago.
I have told myself many stories as to why I don't wear gear... being aware of my environment, unobstructed peripheral vision, being one with the universe, being one with myself, etc. I have many stories that I tell myself. Many times while riding I think about what would happen if I fall at high speed. This is why I will never ride as hard as some of the other riders. But where they have 5000 km of experience I have 20000 km. But in the end... I just really don't like wearing gear. I have worn gear plenty of times and especially during my learning phases.

So there we have it.. you took a fall. And not only that... you hit your face. I fell a month ago but I did not hit my face. I got a few scrapes and cruises and I my left foot still hurts a bit. But it's okay. I know why I fell... and it was 100% my fault. I am more cautious now, just like you. That does not mine I won't hit 63 kmh without a helmet because to me that has nothing to do with caution. It just means that I scan more, and I don't take my eyes off the road. I scan and scan and scan some more.

Until last night... I was riding on a bike path at 33% battery and pushing the wheel to beep. It beeped and I took a screenshot of Darknessbot (54 kmh). Then I realised I was running out of bike path. I did the shittiest braking I have done in my life.. .and didn't change posture enough... so I wobbled.. and for a second there I thought... man will I have to bail and kill my beautiful wheel? I eased off on the brakes and then reapplied with proper posture. Micke and Fredrik were in shock and asked me what the hell happened.

How did you get the puncture? I have never gotten a puncture on any of my wheels. A friend of mine got a puncture for riding a bald tyre.
And how did the rest of you fare during the fall?

Have you considered any other protection besides the helmet?
The Leatt Adventure series of body armor is quite cheap and looks good. And so is the Course soft shell armored jacket.
Both can be found at XLMoto. Let me know if you want links to them.

[Waulnut]

I personally bought a full faced helmet, Bell super 3R, because I felt the more I ride, and the longer I ride, there is bound to be a mishap somewhere in the hundreds of miles I'll be riding. But I did see my personal speed increase because I felt safer. I didn't have the "what if I fall on my face" scenario playing in my head with the helmet on. I also know a helmet shouldn't be an excuse to ride to tiltback for me.  

For short and slow rides at 10 mph, I would just use my Thousand helmet because it is less of a hassle taking it on and off. 

[Gasmantle]

Thanks guys 

@Mike SacristanI'm not sure how I got the puncture, at the time I was in a residential area and had done no off road riding  but suddenly my wheel became hard to steer. At the time I'd ridden further than I usually do so my battery was getting low and rather foolishly I just put it down to a low battery and as I was only ¹/₂ mile from home so I got back on my wheel - within 20 yds I was face down in the tarmac. I couldn't see any damage to the tyre but sure enough when I removed the inner tube there was a small hole.

At the fall I was ok - a bit of blood on my nose and chin but just a few scrapes, my pride and confidence was damaged more than my body. One thing that did change though was my attitude to the open face / full face debate, as I said earlier I like the open feeling and the ability to hear behind me so I'd always assumed that if I buy a helmet it would be a simple open cycle helmet however the nature of my fall pushed me to the full face.

I have a basic set of wrist, elbow, knee guards but they are just cheap rubbish I bought when learning to ride my first wheel, I guess they are better than nothing but really I could do with something better.

Edited June 29, 2020 by Gasmantle

[Mike Sacristan]

13 minutes ago, Gasmantle said:

Thanks guys 

@Mike SacristanI'm not sure how I got the puncture, at the time I was in a residential area and had done no off road riding  but suddenly my wheel became hard to steer. At the time I'd ridden further than I usually do so my battery was getting low and rather foolishly I just put it down to a low battery and as I was only ¹/₂ mile from home so I got back on my wheel - within 20 yds I was face down in the tarmac. I couldn't see any damage to the tyre but sure enough when I removed the inner tube there was a small hole.

At the fall I was ok - a bit of blood on my nose and chin but just a few scrapes, my pride and confidence was damaged more than my body. One thing that did change though was my attitude to the open face / full face debate, as I said earlier I like the open feeling and the ability to hear behind me so I'd always assumed that if I buy a helmet it would be a simple open cycle helmet however the nature of my fall pushed me to the full face.

I have a basic set of wrist, elbow, knee guards but they are just cheap rubbish I bought when learning to ride my first wheel, I guess they are better than nothing but really I could do with something better.

Ouchie. Hope the wheel is ok too!

Rubbish or not a bit of plastic on our wrists, elbows and knees does wonders. I used to do a lot of inline skating and I wore protection in the beginning and it was very handy. I even tested it by throwing myself out onto the street.  It was just a cheap set of protection that I found at a sports shop.

I know about the pride and confidence part.. and I feel you. Just make sure that the fall was worth it and that you learned everything you can from it. Then it will be the best fall you ever had.

[Gasmantle]

3 minutes ago, Mike Sacristan said:

Ouchie. Hope the wheel is ok too!

Rubbish or not a bit of plastic on our wrists, elbows and knees does wonders. I used to do a lot of inline skating and I wore protection in the beginning and it was very handy. I even tested it by throwing myself out onto the street.  It was just a cheap set of protection that I found at a sports shop.

I know about the pride and confidence part.. and I feel you. Just make sure that the fall was worth it and that you learned everything you can from it. Then it will be the best fall you ever had.

Thanks, the wheel was fine 

When I bought my first wheel (a V5F) about 16 months ago the intention really was just to buy a cheap portable transport solution to carry me a few miles. I live in a village, the nearest shop is about a mile away and the railway station I use to go into the city is about 2 miles so I thought the V5F would be the perfect answer. Since I'm not as young as I once was I saw a wheel as a practical tool and didn't really see myself as an enthusiast.

After learning on the V5F I soon realised an EUC can also be a fun item and wanted a bit of extra speed and range, I still didn't see myself as an enthusiast so I bought the KS16s that I now have. I think as a mid range commuter wheel the 16s is a great purchase but over time I'm steadily becoming more of an enthusiast and starting to want something more powerful.

I guess the helmet purchase and the desire to ride a bit faster is moving me more toward the enthusiast direction 

 

[Mike Sacristan]

1 hour ago, Gasmantle said:

Thanks, the wheel was fine 

When I bought my first wheel (a V5F) about 16 months ago the intention really was just to buy a cheap portable transport solution to carry me a few miles. I live in a village, the nearest shop is about a mile away and the railway station I use to go into the city is about 2 miles so I thought the V5F would be the perfect answer. Since I'm not as young as I once was I saw a wheel as a practical tool and didn't really see myself as an enthusiast.

After learning on the V5F I soon realised an EUC can also be a fun item and wanted a bit of extra speed and range, I still didn't see myself as an enthusiast so I bought the KS16s that I now have. I think as a mid range commuter wheel the 16s is a great purchase but over time I'm steadily becoming more of an enthusiast and starting to want something more powerful.

I guess the helmet purchase and the desire to ride a bit faster is moving me more toward the enthusiast direction 

 

That's fantastic to hear.
The 16S is a great wheel. Very exciting to ride. I would say the 16X at 50kmh feels like the 16S at 35 kmh.
In contrast the MSX/MSP and Nik+ are much more planted so those can just go fast forever.

Finding a new hobby that makes us happy and feel free is a wonderful thing. It is definitely worth spending a bit of money on it.
Eventually we will hit the limit on how many wheels we can justify.

I started with a Ninebot One E+. Then I bought the 16X. Crashed it after 8400km so I need to get it repaired. I wanted a faster wheel with more range so I bought the Nikola+ from 1Rad with an extra large battery, etc. My wife bought an MSP.

[Gasmantle]

38 minutes ago, Mike Sacristan said:

That's fantastic to hear.
The 16S is a great wheel. Very exciting to ride. I would say the 16X at 50kmh feels like the 16S at 35 kmh.
In contrast the MSX/MSP and Nik+ are much more planted so those can just go fast forever.

Finding a new hobby that makes us happy and feel free is a wonderful thing. It is definitely worth spending a bit of money on it.
Eventually we will hit the limit on how many wheels we can justify.

I started with a Ninebot One E+. Then I bought the 16X. Crashed it after 8400km so I need to get it repaired. I wanted a faster wheel with more range so I bought the Nikola+ from 1Rad with an extra large battery, etc. My wife bought an MSP.

It's kinda strange how you kinda get steadily drawn into a hobby that really wasn't intended to be a hobby in the first place.

In my case I registered here before I bought my first wheel because I knew nothing about EUC's and wanted a few hints on what to look for etc, it was @Planemowho sort of prompted me to buy a wheel as I mentioned I was thinking of buying a V5F and he mentioned he had one as a beginner and liked it. I bought the wheel and for a while after I'd learnt to ride it I was happy but the seeds of wanting an upgrade had been sown so I bought the 16s shortly after..

I won't bore you with the detail but I had to retire from work a little early after a fairly serious illness (not one that affects my riding ability) and suffered bad bouts of depression, the wheel gave me a degree of escapism that has helped my health immensely. Loss of work takes a toll on income so I'm not in the position to have lots of high powered wheels but I'm looking to upgrade to enjoy next summer (by then I'll have a better understanding of whether suspension wheels will suit my needs) In the mean time I've got my heart set on a Mten3 as a fun wheel and hope to buy one next week.

 

Edited June 30, 2020 by Gasmantle

[Tryptych]

11 hours ago, Gasmantle said:

Remember those stripes and stick on flames that youngsters used to put on cars to make them go faster?

It is true I ride faster when I have the helmet on. But it's not just a decoration like those stick on flames - it actually makes me safer which justifies the increased speed.

Once you get used to wearing the helmet you feel naked without it and very conscious of what a faceplant would do to your face without it.

 

[ir_fuel]

13 hours ago, Gasmantle said:

On a serious note, I wonder if added security of a helmet means the wearer is inclined to take added risks?

Pretty sure it does. I would not be getting on a 40km/h cruise speed wheel if I didn't have a helmet, so that can already be considered "taking risks"

[Planemo]

7 hours ago, Gasmantle said:

It's kinda strange how you kinda get steadily drawn into a hobby that really wasn't intended to be a hobby in the first place.

In my case I registered here before I bought my first wheel because I knew nothing about EUC's and wanted a few hints on what to look for etc, it was @Planemowho sort of prompted me to buy a wheel as I mentioned I was thinking of buying a V5F and he mentioned he had one as a beginner and liked it. I bought the wheel and for a while after I'd learnt to ride it I was happy but the seeds of wanting an upgrade had been sown so I bought the 16s shortly after..

Haha thats a great heart-warming story mate Glad it worked out for you. I still maintain that the V5F is a great little wheel. I know that many will suggest just buying a bigger wheel to start with but for me it worked out well. My story is that I just wanted to try it out, I had no intention whatsoever for EUC to take over my life as it has, and I thought it was something I could take out occasionally over to the park with my daughter. We had spent some time together previously in learning to rollerblade, bit of ice skating etc which she enjoyed and so I felt that she might also get some fun from this new fangled trickery. As many fathers will know, it's difficult sometimes to find things you can do with an 11 year old girl. I just saw it as a potential 'thing' we could do occasionally but tbh she may not have taken to it at all (my son for example isn't fussed after he did kinda learn) so I didn't want to go all-out with an expensive wheel. Anyway, the rest is history, she has now commandeered my Z10 and we still go out together to this day. I don't regret buying the V5 for one second, the £150 I lost on resale is nothing given that potentially my daughter may have been apprehensive starting out on a heavy MSX/Z10 and given up. Also, laying out £1500 on a wheel that I knew I wouldn't use for commuting was, at the time, just too much of a gamble and an unjustified financial cost for me/the household. It still is a 'toy' for me, but at least I feel the cost is somewhat justified as I do get use and pleasure out of it, not to mention meet other new great people.

Funny you should mention buying the Steelbird. I have been thinking about one for some time for use in the colder months when the MTB lids just freeze my face off. I know they are cheap and not the best for MC but as has been said I think they are fine for EUC. My only concern is sizing, reviews seem to be all over the place. I really need to try and find someone nearish who has one that I can try on. My head is 57.5cm so I usually around a tight medium or small large. My 661 Reset is a medium (57-59cm) but I tried on a medium Fox V4 (56.5-58.5cm) and it was too tight. How does yours fit bud?

 

[Gasmantle]

2 hours ago, Planemo said:

Funny you should mention buying the Steelbird. I have been thinking about one for some time for use in the colder months when the MTB lids just freeze my face off. I know they are cheap and not the best for MC but as has been said I think they are fine for EUC. My only concern is sizing, reviews seem to be all over the place. I really need to try and find someone nearish who has one that I can try on. My head is 57.5cm so I usually around a tight medium or small large. My 661 Reset is a medium (57-59cm) but I tried on a medium Fox V4 (56.5-58.5cm) and it was too tight. How does yours fit bud?

 

I did think of doing a short video review of the Steelbird helmet, I've only had mine 1 day so it's a bit early to say but my first impressions are positive. It was only £75 inc postage from India and incredibly it arrived with 5 days of me ordering it !

As for the sizing I ordered large which is said to be 600mm (the other size is regular which they say is 580mm), it fits me nicely and I'm an average kinda 6ft tall male. I've just done a crude measurement around my forehead and I get about 590mm (although it's a bit hit an miss depending where I measure and how tight the tape is). I'm in Yorkshire but if you are passing anywhere near you are welcome to try in on, or I can take a few more measurements of the helmet itself if you want them.

 

[ir_fuel]

My daughter (8y) has been riding a V5F for over a year now. @Planemo. It's indeed one of the few things we can do together in which there is a real common interest, and not something a parent does to please their child (e.g. take them to pony riding  )

[Gasmantle]

1 minute ago, ir_fuel said:

My daughter (8y) has been riding a V5F for over a year now. @Planemo. It's indeed one of the few things we can do together in which there is a real common interest, and not something a parent does to please their child (e.g. take them to pony riding  )

I think the V5F is a great wheel for the price. 

I guess here we are all enthusiasts to some degree so we tend to talk a lot about power / range / handling etc but for someone who just wants a simple commuter tool for short trips then V5F is a great, it's fairly cheap and light enough to carry up stairs or on a train etc. I sold mine when I decided to upgrade but I never regretted buying it and often wish I still had it for short local trips.

[Circuitmage]

I actually feel like stickers on my euc are the racing stripes...because I keep having to cover up my scratches!

 

@seage just make sure you only break the wrist you dont use. That's what I did in my last year at school...double fractured my left. Lol

[Planemo]

44 minutes ago, Gasmantle said:

I did think of doing a short video review of the Steelbird helmet, I've only had mine 1 day so it's a bit early to say but my first impressions are positive. It was only £75 inc postage from India and incredibly it arrived with 5 days of me ordering it !

Yeah I think for the price it makes a nice lid to have in the stable. Reluctantly, I have come to the decision that we really do need several helmets for EUC's and that sorta brings me onto answering your original post about 'added risks'.

I tend to pick a lid depending on both the weather conditions and speed of the ride I will be doing. If I am out with one or two riders I will usually always grab the full face as I know we will be ramping it up a bit but recently for example, with many more of us in Brighton, I went for the cycle helmet. Primarily because I knew we would not be hitting consistently high speeds but also because at 33 odd deg C it was just unbearable to think about having a relatively non-vented lid like the 661 Reset. I also usually wear the cycle helmet when I am riding with my daughter.

So, in addition to my cycle helmet and 661, I have found that I need a really airy lid like the Fox Proframe for mid summer fast rides and something fairly well sealed for autumn/winter (like the Steelbird). With those 4 helmets I will have most bases covered. It's all slightly moot as we all know I could have a nasty crash at 10mph whilst wearing my cycle helmet but...well....I have made the decision that I'm not going to ride dressed like Robocop in scorching heat at 10-20mph. Others can and will dress according to their own risk limits which is fine.

So in answer to your question, I guess I would say that 'adding more gear' does mean 'adding more risk' but it's a conscious decision rather than an unconscious one. I dress for the occasion shall we say. I believe that wearing more gear reduces my risk so I go a bit faster by default. That said, I never ride without flexmeters, elbow and knee pads so the only real choices I have to make are what lid I wear and whether I swop out my elbow pads for an armoured MC jacket (which also has shoulder protection).

44 minutes ago, Gasmantle said:

As for the sizing I ordered large which is said to be 600mm (the other size is regular which they say is 580mm), it fits me nicely and I'm an average kinda 6ft tall male. I've just done a crude measurement around my forehead and I get about 590mm (although it's a bit hit an miss depending where I measure and how tight the tape is).

If you could just get me an accurate size of your head (horizontal circumference in line with your forehead) that would be a great help. That should be enough for me, in addition to you saying that your large fits you well. Cheers

[seage]

1 hour ago, Circuitmage said:

@seage just make sure you only break the wrist you dont use. That's what I did in my last year at school...double fractured my left. Lol

I think i'll just stick with protecting em in advance, lmaoo. That sounds painful and very inconvenient. 

[Gasmantle]

1 hour ago, Planemo said:

If you could just get me an accurate size of your head (horizontal circumference in line with your forehead) that would be a great help. That should be enough for me, in addition to you saying that your large fits you well. Cheers

I've had another go measuring my head (I can't believe I'm doing this  ) and consistently get 590 mm give or take a couple of mm, that is measured at the centre of my forehead.

Like you I'd heard conflicting reports of the sizing but as a 6ft male I thought I'm more likely to be a large than a regular. The only thing that identifies it as a large is a tiny peel off sticker saying 600mm, there isn't any permanent marking to identify it so I guess it's not beyond the realms of possibility some of them could be sized wrongly.

I've had another ride today for about 12 miles and really the only slight down side is the tinted visor is very dark, I don't have another helmet to compare it against but it makes even a fairly bright day look stormy. They say not use the tinted visor (a clear one is also supplied) at night and they certainly aren't joking, if you wore it at night you'd need a labrador and a white stick.

Give me a shout if you want any further info.

[Planemo]

11 minutes ago, Gasmantle said:

I've had another go measuring my head (I can't believe I'm doing this  ) and consistently get 590 mm give or take a couple of mm, that is measured at the centre of my forehead.

Haha thanks for doing that, I know it's a bit of a pain. Well it may be that I would need to go for a medium then at my 57cm. I just hate lids that are too tight though and theres nothing you can do with them. At least I could add some self adhesive sponge or something to one thats slightly too big.

Seems weird that theres no permanent size stitched into the helmet. I agree, it wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility that they get mixed up or even....they only actually make one size and just put a different sticker on it

Thats a shame about the darkness of the visor...given I will likely be wearing it in the colder months theres every chance I will still be riding by the time it gets dark. I have ridden many times at night on MC's with tinted visors (naughty I know) but they were fine. Interesting to hear you say how dark it is, good info.

The reviews give mixed fitting reports around the chin section too, many saying it is very close to your chin and others saying the chin is left exposed underneath but as with bicycle helmets, too many people wear them much too high on their forehead so I wonder if it's just the users not pulling them down far enough. I did see Stephens review and his sat quite high, with his beard visible underneath but a later video on his KS16X showed it fitting quite well so I just don't know. I think I really need to try one on. Annoyingly a guy on my last ride out had one but I didn't think of asking him. I would take you up on your kind offer but you are much too far away

[Gasmantle]

18 minutes ago, Planemo said:

Haha thanks for doing that, I know it's a bit of a pain. Well it may be that I would need to go for a medium then at my 57cm. I just hate lids that are too tight though and theres nothing you can do with them. At least I could add some self adhesive sponge or something to one thats slightly too big.

Seems weird that theres no permanent size stitched into the helmet. I agree, it wouldn't be beyond the realms of possibility that they get mixed up or even....they only actually make one size and just put a different sticker on it

Thats a shame about the darkness of the visor...given I will likely be wearing it in the colder months theres every chance I will still be riding by the time it gets dark. I have ridden many times at night on MC's with tinted visors (naughty I know) but they were fine. Interesting to hear you say how dark it is, good info.

The reviews give mixed fitting reports around the chin section too, many saying it is very close to your chin and others saying the chin is left exposed underneath but as with bicycle helmets, too many people wear them much too high on their forehead so I wonder if it's just the users not pulling them down far enough. I did see Stephens review and his sat quite high, with his beard visible underneath but a later video on his KS16X showed it fitting quite well so I just don't know. I think I really need to try one on. Annoyingly a guy on my last ride out had one but I didn't think of asking him. I would take you up on your kind offer but you are much too far away

Just a thought but it may be worth asking @stephenwhat size he bought and how well it fits. I'd be interested to know if his has any permanent size marking inside.

There's no way you'd be able to ride in the dark. Even this morning in broad daylight I kept having to lift the visor up to check the weather as I thought I was about to get caught in a storm, when I looked it was overcast but certainly not dark and stormy.

In my case the front stops just under my chin and it kinda feels right but I don't have another helmet to compare it against.

I think the reality is when you are buying something that has questionable sizing and quality control from the other side of the world you are taking a bit of a chance and relying on a bit of luck but if you get one that fits they are worth the £75 asking price.

 

[stephen]

2 hours ago, Gasmantle said:

Just a thought but it may be worth asking @stephenwhat size he bought and how well it fits. I'd be interested to know if his has any permanent size marking inside.

There's no way you'd be able to ride in the dark. Even this morning in broad daylight I kept having to lift the visor up to check the weather as I thought I was about to get caught in a storm, when I looked it was overcast but certainly not dark and stormy.

In my case the front stops just under my chin and it kinda feels right but I don't have another helmet to compare it against.

I think the reality is when you are buying something that has questionable sizing and quality control from the other side of the world you are taking a bit of a chance and relying on a bit of luck but if you get one that fits they are worth the £75 asking price.

 

I'm 59cm head i bought a large and fits fine, i use it more for my motorbike than euc which i originally bought it for 👍

[travsformation]

I definitely don't ride the same with gear as without it. At the very minimum, I'll throw on wrist guards and knee guards even to go run a few quick errands around town. If I'm in a hurry and don't have time to gear up, my max. speed rarely exceeds 35 km/h and I'm hyper aware of the ground and the coarse surface of the asphalt. I work at home, typing all day long, so like @seage, if I mess up my hands, I'm screwed: as a freelancer I get no disability pay...

The rest probably boils down to the amount of sports injuries I've had in the past: 3 shoulder dislocacions, 2 different instances of cracked ribs, broken bones, a head concussion and more sprained everythings than I can count. I thank my choice of low-risk hobbies:  snowboarding, surfing (you wouldn't guess that's how I got the concussion), rock-climbing, canyoning, MTBiking, skateboarding, rollerblading (skatepark), hockey on rollerblades...

But the more than impact, it's this very vivid image of the sandpaper-like surface of the asphalt grating against my hands that I can't get out of my mind when not wearing wrist-guards. Must have to do with a fall on a 49cc dirt bike I had at age 17, doing about 70 km/h...in the middle of summer, wearing shorts...literally grated the skin off the full length of my right calf, hip, palm and elbow. Spent the whole summer wearing jeans so my mom wouldn't discover the worst of it 

I've walked away entirely unscathed from the few mishaps I've had on my wheels, including a 43-44ish km/h spill on asphalt where I failed to notice a speed-bump, a 35 km/h spill on a dirt road with plenty of small stones encrusted into the ground (my elbow guard actually slid up my arm so I did ended up with some abrasion there) and rolling over the hood of a car that ran me over an a zebra crossing. In all of those instances not being geared up would have made a massive difference in the output. My helmet has yet to touch the ground, but it's a game of Russian roulette I'm not to keen on playing...

So do I ride faster and take more risks when fully geared up? I do. Am I perhaps a little overconfident? Maybe a bit, but because I know I'm protected, but not excessively so, I'm also aware of all the body parts that aren't protected and the parts that can't be protected not matter what you wear. But I personally find that I'm a better rider when geared up than without gear...I'm confident and sure of myself, not doubting myself, riding the way I should; whereas without gear I have about the same confidence as if I walked into the local supermarket butt naked. I'm too vigilant, too tense, and that doesn't make for good (or fun) riding.

And even if I do ride faster and occasionally indulge in a little adrenaline rush, I don't think it's to the point of being reckless, which is something I'm very pleased about. Even fully geared, I rarely push it to 50 km/h, partly because I'm not used to riding at that speed and know my control over the wheel in the event of a mishap won't be up to the task, and partly because I don't like riding the wheel at or near its max. speed, I like to have the peace of mind of plenty of safety margin, so 46 km/h is about as fast as I feel comfortable on my 16X or 18XL.

The other thing I've noticed (and am actually quite proud of myself for) is that my riding style around others doesn't depend on how geared up I am: even fully geared and riding along a road that allows for fast riding, if there are people on the adjacent sidewalk, for instance, I don't push it past the limits of where I feel I'm in full control if something unexpected happens; I've seen my 18XL bounce off a curb chest-high and am very aware of the unpredictable dynamics of an EUC crash and what would happen if my wheel were to hit anyone at speed.

So as @seage said, it's down to self-control and mental restraint. I'm pleased that I can apply it even when fully geared. When there are people around. When offroading my caution level goes way down (maybe the trick to stay safe is to ride around people), but not excessively so, my dislocated shoulder is still very much in my mind every time I hop on my wheel....

But from time to time I catch a glimpse of myself in full gear and also think: "Man, I'm going to kill myself" 

Edited June 30, 2020 by travsformation