THE HELMET THREAD

[Mark Lee]

I've been using Bell super 3r, the one @Rehab1 recommends and survived his crash with.  I love this helmet, it's light, fits well and well ventilated.  For me a good helmet is the one I will wear over other helmets I have.  The motorcycle helmets are way too bulky for EUC use for me.  Thanks @Mezzaine for your research in this regards.  I got a deal I could not pass up from Amazon $115.  I will enjoy this helmet for now, it's a great helmet.  

Modular feature on 3r is huge for me since bulk of my long rides are done during the night lately.  Ability to remove the sunshade and attach my 6000 lm headlamp is great.  As my top speed is creeping beyond 20mph its nice to have the chin guard.  

Edited July 25, 2018 by Mark Lee

[mezzanine]

2 hours ago, Mark Lee said:

I've been using Bell super 3r, the one @Rehab1 recommends and survived his crash with.  I love this helmet, it's light, fits well and well ventilated.  For me a good helmet is the one I will wear over other helmets I have.  The motorcycle helmets are way too bulky for EUC use for me.  Thanks @Mezzaine for your research in this regards.  I got a deal I could not pass up from Amazon $115.  I will enjoy this helmet for now, it's a great helmet.  

I imagine you'll be happy with the 3R.  I like the idea of keeping it light weight.  I wish my helmet was lighter, but other than the Kali Shiva 2.0, there aren't a lot of options for light full-face bicycle helmets with good low-impact tech. 

The 6D downhill bicycle helmet that I thought would be my grail is actually heavier than my motocross helmet.  The bicycle version of my motocross helmet is almost identical in weight to the motocross version.  Both Leatt and 6D just took their motocross helmet and made minor tweaks to re-market it as a downhill helmet.  

Edited July 25, 2018 by mezzanine

[Electroman]

I have likely missed lots of helmets and read through the entire thread later, curious though if anyone know of a very open helmet in MTB/downhill style with removable/non removable shinguard at decent cost?

Main thing is must be very open, in other words well ventilated all around or at least ears and chin guard cause looking for better protection but not at the cost of hearing it is vital I can hear the beeps riding Gotway with all alarms that can be shut off really off!

I know there are so many theories people have of which I am certain some are valid, others are not + we all different so seek different things right? To me audible signals and hearing the traffic is absolutely vital to me, I want no visor unless somehow ventilation can handle such relatively low speeds on a bike I would not close visor until after 50kmph, so a very well ventilated light weight helmet made for a similar purpose and not a heavy motorbike helmet that will not start ventilate fully until reaching speeds far beyond what any EUC is capable of.  Again, of course we are different but for me I need a lot of ventilation, more than most I'll say.

Just looking for some last advise before pulling the trigger so to speak, maybe something better is around the corner and I know not of it yet?

[Esper]

Hi Guys,
I'm planning on buying my first full face helmet. I've been waiting for this bad boi to be released to market and they allowed preorders recently.
I decided to go with the 'Master Chief' look.

[Sketch]

18 minutes ago, Esper said:

Hi Guys,
I'm planning on buying my first full face helmet. I've been waiting for this bad boi to be released to market and they allowed preorders recently.
I decided to go with the 'Master Chief' look.

Nice helmet.  What’s the brand?

[Esper]

44 minutes ago, Sketch said:

Nice helmet.  What’s the brand?

Ruroc, Atlas Sport

[mezzanine]

I know they're a popular option here, but that Ruroc is a good example of what I would try to avoid in a helmet.  It looks closer to a street bike helmet than a motocross helmet, which likely makes it heavier and with poor ventilation, while lacking any of the newer low-impact tech.  Better than not having a chin guard, but would rank near the bottom of my list if I had to come up with one based on the helmets mentioned in this thread.  

 

[mezzanine]

10 hours ago, Electroman said:

 

I know there are so many theories people have of which I am certain some are valid, others are not + we all different so seek different things right? To me audible signals and hearing the traffic is absolutely vital to me, I want no visor unless somehow ventilation can handle such relatively low speeds on a bike I would not close visor until after 50kmph, so a very well ventilated light weight helmet made for a similar purpose and not a heavy motorbike helmet that will not start ventilate fully until reaching speeds far beyond what any EUC is capable of.  Again, of course we are different but for me I need a lot of ventilation, more than most I'll say.

Just looking for some last advise before pulling the trigger so to speak, maybe something better is around the corner and I know not of it yet?

While there's surely a range of different opinions, not all of them are equally valid.  A concept many struggle with online.  There is room for preferences, but there isn't a lot of ambiguity about what is best.  When it comes to helmets and brain safety, I don't believe tolerance of different opinions should be allowed when the consequences are serious.  Too much misinformation gets passed off as being legit. 

[Electroman]

6 hours ago, mezzanine said:

While there's surely a range of different opinions, not all of them are equally valid.  A concept many struggle with online.  There is room for preferences, but there isn't a lot of ambiguity about what is best.  When it comes to helmets and brain safety, I don't believe tolerance of different opinions should be allowed when the consequences are serious.  Too much misinformation gets passed off as being legit. 

I hear what you say and agree at least in part (to me difference of opinion if the foundation of a free society) but will point out it is harder still, problem is even most tests we see of helmets are not actually even fully valid cause of 2 things mostly, or at least this used to be the case when I was active in my years competing at the dirt track and that was. 1: Getting a full understanding of a helmet and testing it properly can be very hard for many independent amateurs doing it and it is often done wrong, heck I raced for years and I would be an absolute newbie amateur cause racing a bike would never make mr into a expert tester of helmets it a while different field. 2: It is done by company men or linked to a specific brand in which case again the results could be questionable or even specifically picked results are displayed which should make us think logically at very least, trust?

I agree the most correct form of information should be available even though sometimes hard to separate the real facts from the not so genuine, but also we have different needs, different environments in which we ride so yeah absolutely best available information and try to help each other as best as we can, likely a lot has happen from when I used to compete and I accept that I have mush new info to learn myself but in the end of the day it must also be a free choice.

Life is real valuable, life without freedom of choice not as much but this is just for me personally and others may not agree, ohh well I notice it is harder than I first though to get my message through in this language, perhaps it comes out all scrambled hehe?

[mezzanine]

18 hours ago, Electroman said:

I hear what you say and agree at least in part (to me difference of opinion if the foundation of a free society) but will point out it is harder still, problem is even most tests we see of helmets are not actually even fully valid cause of 2 things mostly, or at least this used to be the case when I was active in my years competing at the dirt track and that was. 1: Getting a full understanding of a helmet and testing it properly can be very hard for many independent amateurs doing it and it is often done wrong, heck I raced for years and I would be an absolute newbie amateur cause racing a bike would never make mr into a expert tester of helmets it a while different field. 2: It is done by company men or linked to a specific brand in which case again the results could be questionable or even specifically picked results are displayed which should make us think logically at very least, trust?

I agree the most correct form of information should be available even though sometimes hard to separate the real facts from the not so genuine, but also we have different needs, different environments in which we ride so yeah absolutely best available information and try to help each other as best as we can, likely a lot has happen from when I used to compete and I accept that I have mush new info to learn myself but in the end of the day it must also be a free choice.

Life is real valuable, life without freedom of choice not as much but this is just for me personally and others may not agree, ohh well I notice it is harder than I first though to get my message through in this language, perhaps it comes out all scrambled hehe?

The problem occurs when a newb stumbles into a thread (and doesn't have an infinite amount of time to do research) and gets bad information because "everyone's opinion is equally valid."  Instead of getting a clear-cut answer, they have to wade through a lengthy post about epistemology or digression on "freedom of choice" as a rationalization for someone who wants to believe their opinion is valid.  

For example, earlier in this thread, a poster seemed to take offense when confronted with the idea that his belief about MIPS might be incorrect.  He'd rather be "right" for his ego on the internet than protect his brain in the case of a crash.    

You're basically attempting to equivocate within your wall of text.  Make a clear claim about a helmet you're interested in.  Then we can debate whether environmental conditions or lack of 3rd party testing are relevant to the discussion.  
 

It's hard enough for newbs to get reliable info on this message board and helmets are not a subject in which we should indulge posters egos.  

[Electroman]

9 hours ago, mezzanine said:

The problem occurs when a newb stumbles into a thread (and doesn't have an infinite amount of time to do research) and gets bad information because "everyone's opinion is equally valid."  Instead of getting a clear-cut answer, they have to wade through a lengthy post about epistemology or digression on "freedom of choice" as a rationalization for someone who wants to believe their opinion is valid.  

For example, earlier in this thread, a poster seemed to take offense when confronted with the idea that his belief about MIPS might be incorrect.  He'd rather be "right" for his ego on the internet than protect his brain in the case of a crash.    

You're basically attempting to equivocate within your wall of text.  Make a clear claim about a helmet you're interested in.  Then we can debate whether environmental conditions or lack of 3rd party testing are relevant to the discussion.  
 

It's hard enough for newbs to get reliable info on this message board and helmets are not a subject in which we should indulge posters egos.  

Sorry, did not see the MIPS thingy just yet, mostly look at the pictures! ?

All jokes aside cause you are of course correct let me be clear I am not questioning that sometimes there is a right and wrong in general and an important point in that regard, but still in the end of the day humans are flawed by nature, if someone is stubborn and they want something you know to be flat out wrong then what to do?

They have the freedom to do whatever they want, me I could never wear a heavy motorcycle helmet that does not ventilate properly til reached some speed, too much weight on my neck (I have broken it as young in a high speed crash), cannot pick up all small signals in the environment like I want, etc.. etc..  For someone riding the beep on a suicide run testing max speed it might be a great choice, that's all I am saying basically or the point anyway.

Wall of text not exactly the original thought, seams to always end up there somehow trying to express myself in a language where I am a basic only kind of guy, heck it is not always easy in Swedish either hahaha, just saying.

We all have egos, some bigger or smaller and not all of us admit to it but there, nevertheless.. ?

[Esper]

On 7/25/2018 at 3:32 PM, mezzanine said:

I know they're a popular option here, but that Ruroc is a good example of what I would try to avoid in a helmet.  It looks closer to a street bike helmet than a motocross helmet, which likely makes it heavier and with poor ventilation, while lacking any of the newer low-impact tech.  Better than not having a chin guard, but would rank near the bottom of my list if I had to come up with one based on the helmets mentioned in this thread.  

In fact, it is an actual motorcycle helmet. Ruroc's first line of these in fact. All of their other helmets are for snow sports. I understand your opinion towards my purchase is not a very good one, but I go faster than any EUC on my Dualtron and would like a helmet rated at "High Speed Crashes"

If you want to read about it yourself, here is the website. 

 

[Electroman]

39 minutes ago, Esper said:

In fact, it is an actual motorcycle helmet. Ruroc's first line of these in fact. All of their other helmets are for snow sports. I understand your opinion towards my purchase is not a very good one, but I go faster than any EUC on my Dualtron and would like a helmet rated at "High Speed Crashes"

If you want to read about it yourself, here is the website. 

 

To each their own, is that even a saying in the English language hehe? ? We all search for different things for different reasons.

Something translates well, other things not so much but every now and then there is an exact saying in the English language so exact almost even word for word that one could ask where it originated on the language three?

But what made me curious is actually the Dualtron you mention, helmet thread I know and sorry but have got to ask what model that is to go grab some information on it?

 

 

[Esper]

3 minutes ago, Electroman said:

To each their own, is that even a saying in the English language hehe? ? We all search for different things for different reasons.

Something translates well, other things not so much but every now and then there is an exact saying in the English language so exact almost even word for word that one could ask where it originated on the language three?

But what made me curious is actually the Dualtron you mention, helmet thread I know and sorry but have got to ask what model that is to go grab some information on it?

 

[Electroman]

Thanks Esper, appreciate it and will have a look at it for sure.

[LanghamP]

Of course a full-face motorcycle helmet with chin styrofoam and a lockable visor provides the most protection in any crash. No doubt about it. They are as heavy as they need to be, which is to pass the snell certification, which is to say they are pretty heavy.

Snell certification requires impacts in all quadrants of the helmet, including (!) the front, whereas bicycle helmets only do impacts on the crown of the head. Bicycle helmets kinda suck, of course they do, their protection is godawful compared to any snell or dot certified helmet, simply because of they put the styrofoam on top of your head, put lots of ventilation, and leave everything below your temple flapping in the breeze just begging be hit.

Ludicrously, bicycle helmet manufacturers know this, and have even created a class (and oddly enough cheaper) of bicycle helmets they call "urban" which protect you below your temple. Even more interestingly many of those helmets are dot certified (I'm looking at you, Bell), which means they took an open-faced motorcycle helmet, prettied it up, and then sold it as a bicycle helmet.

Levels of protection:

1. Full faced motorcycle with lockable visor and Snell.

2. Full face motorcycle helmet Snell or DOT (DOT doesn't measure impacts to the front but, interestingly, most would pass if they have styrofoam, which is to say most do).

3a. Open faced helmet, DOT.

3b. ??Mips downhillers with front bar. There's no styrofoam in the Bell mips but there is in <others>??

4. Urban helmet. You can't ride these on drop-bar bicycles because they don't let you crank your neck back far enough.

5. Brain buckets. These suck. Great visibility and hearing. They still suck something awful. I have two, and I wear them the most, 'cause they are comfortable. I shouldn't do that.

Speaking of brain buckets, here's one I'm highly interested in.

Coros Linx Smart Cycling Helmet, Black/Orange Gloss, Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M6ZQ4V5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8Q4wBb5EAA914

--Bluetooth bone conductor.

--Calls your "loved ones" if you crash. I have mine set to call my Jewish lawyer to change my will just before I die.

[Electroman]

7 hours ago, LanghamP said:

Of course a full-face motorcycle helmet with chin styrofoam and a lockable visor provides the most protection in any crash. No doubt about it. They are as heavy as they need to be, which is to pass the snell certification, which is to say they are pretty heavy.

Snell certification requires impacts in all quadrants of the helmet, including (!) the front, whereas bicycle helmets only do impacts on the crown of the head. Bicycle helmets kinda suck, of course they do, their protection is godawful compared to any snell or dot certified helmet, simply because of they put the styrofoam on top of your head, put lots of ventilation, and leave everything below your temple flapping in the breeze just begging be hit.

Ludicrously, bicycle helmet manufacturers know this, and have even created a class (and oddly enough cheaper) of bicycle helmets they call "urban" which protect you below your temple. Even more interestingly many of those helmets are dot certified (I'm looking at you, Bell), which means they took an open-faced motorcycle helmet, prettied it up, and then sold it as a bicycle helmet.

Levels of protection:

1. Full faced motorcycle with lockable visor and Snell.

2. Full face motorcycle helmet Snell or DOT (DOT doesn't measure impacts to the front but, interestingly, most would pass if they have styrofoam, which is to say most do).

3a. Open faced helmet, DOT.

3b. ??Mips downhillers with front bar. There's no styrofoam in the Bell mips but there is in <others>??

4. Urban helmet. You can't ride these on drop-bar bicycles because they don't let you crank your neck back far enough.

5. Brain buckets. These suck. Great visibility and hearing. They still suck something awful. I have two, and I wear them the most, 'cause they are comfortable. I shouldn't do that.

Speaking of brain buckets, here's one I'm highly interested in.

Coros Linx Smart Cycling Helmet, Black/Orange Gloss, Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M6ZQ4V5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8Q4wBb5EAA914

--Bluetooth bone conductor.

--Calls your "loved ones" if you crash. I have mine set to call my Jewish lawyer to change my will just before I die.

All very good points, I do not think anyone question that in general, or do they? At lest if riding a street bike for which these helmets where designed or riding EUC in car traffic I would possibly strap one on myself, the whole riding styles, environments and preferences is so wildly different to me there is no such thing as one rule goes for all. Take me for example in which case extra weight on the neck does crate a lot of pain still 20+ years down the road from that day waking up with metal bars around my head and neck?

I know it is very unlikely and kind of a freak accident but I actually spent quite a bit of time laying hospitalized with broken/fractured  pieces in my neck, I know people generally just say broken neck and I am hardly an expert or even knowledgeable on this myself by any standard at all, I just don't like to use the expression cause so stigmatized and what do they mean? "I broke my neck", sounds so violent yet does not necessarily say that much really, even though I sure do not take it likely, just sounds like "snapped like a twig" Hollywood style with sound effects and all which woudl of course mean you dead, instantly like any small fish in a lake we pull up and do it do for dinner.

Which part or parts were broken, cause a huge difference and I had several thoracic and lumbar fractures and problems , fractured/broken off processus spinosus (at least I think it is it is called, it is "spinalutskott" in the Swedish language anyway.) Where nervbundles run and around C7 I was close to become paralyzed and not able to move the arms even,  or so the doctors said anyway, that some nerves was pulled due to broken "spinalutskott" and others nerves where squeezed but this is like 20 years ago and I do not have the full report in front of me to read from?

Again I fully understand this a very special and rare case, but some time later I had the chance to read the investigation, it was just a test ride of my friends new GSXR back then and only helmet available to fit then since my own was at home was a thin shelled ugly old open face, one of those who cover ears and back yet not the front, we call them "strörtkruka" just like you make up these names for helmets in English, same thing kind of. Long story shorter, smashed into cars front and planted the bike there and took off,m people would take offense if I even tried going into any detail and I don't have the energy quite frankly this is from 1: A Police investigation that followed, 2 : An insurance investigation digging deeper still but of course I can never be 100% or bet my life on this, obviously. But they say that by not having a protruding chin bit sticking out to "catch" the roof line I missed that total Hollywood style "neck twig thingy" of a broken neck, properly broken no chance of repair here. In fact the angle was so low I even got help from the helmet itself being so thin and just bounced off on my continued journey backwards, helmet was 3 larger pieces and many smaller laid out behind me in my trail so to speak.

I get it, it is the short version but still one amazing story but I could nothign but swear it is all true, believe it or not. Nothing good came from that, I live normally but sometimes loose sensation in the hands (still move though), pains in neck area still and even had to quit the opiates cause I did not realize what I was taking really and high doses for a long time then quit was no fun at all. I rather take pains than going through that again it was horrible.

Yes again, super extra long wall of text this time around and very sorry about that. I still agree about the helmet rationalization, I just want to add that the surroundings and any given incident is very different from each other and that cannot be tested for in a lab by keep re running same tests over and over.       Again to be extremely clear cause I do know this language comes out flawed and limited and seen it before people run with it instead of ask what I meant and I do not mean people here but online in general, like a Youtube type situation where people are not as composed and friendly as here at this forum.  The more I write the more wrong it probably comes out anyway which I suppose would only prove how bad my English really is after all hehehe, still the point is a helmet is one part of the equation to me, the accident surrounding it and trillions of possibilities is another and I am living proof it is not as simple as A, B, C in all situations, even though it mostly is and mine is a quite bad example in that regard and maybe even one in a... ???

Yes a full heavier motorbike helmet is better to smash your head in the ground with for sure, in general at least. But to me and I do mean me personally, the weight is not ideal for riding EUC, the heat build up and lack of ventilation makes it even worse and not bearable these 30-34c days, this stress the crap out of me which is not a good thing for riding EUC in or too close to different types of traffic, I want the best pick up I can possibly get in term of audio, awareness overall reading traffic situations and people around me and to me that awareness is just simply higher not boxed in. Perhaps I am also more extreme in that case since I raced at the dirt track a lot longer than I ever ridden a street bike so a different type of helmet just make me feel more comfortable and started wearing those early on, of course I understand this change and outright flip when you reach a certain speed and not arguing for better vs worse helmets, I much rather have that comfort around me when smashing next time too, but I also want to avoid smashing the best I can and reading situations and feeling calm and a clear vision is also very important, maximum field of view etc.

I may die cause I missed a car and my lighter weight helmet is not up to it's job, but the way I ride I really do think I could also have that crash cause I totally messed up and by 1mm or 2 missed that car fast approaching from just outside my field of view, theory is one thing but we are humans hence all flawed and have no problem admitting to that fact.

[Electroman]

Esper, that Dualtron is a serious bit of tech, I wish I had been more restricted with my economy thin months haha. ?

The Ultra is one mean looking scooter too, but yours 1k less and still mighty, I don't know this will hunt me for a few days must try to resist my best til then.

 

 

[fbhb]

I have previously mentioned in this thread and shown a photo of my helmet collection, including Two Ruroc RG1-DX helmets (obviously lighter weight than the motorcycle range also offered by Ruroc). I was originally using one of my Ruroc's on the Tesla up until I bought a TSG Pass for dedicated EUC use. Although originally designed for snowboard use they became popular with the E-skate community and in particular Evolve riders, myself included in that group. In my opinion, they are also a very good option for EUC use due to the huge versatility they offer as can be seen in this recently released Evolve Skateboards video. A good explanation is also given of all the features, safety standards, colour options etc.

 

Edited July 28, 2018 by fbhb

[D i c K (ie)]

A year ago I bought a Kingsong KS-18S to replace my learning wheel, the Ninebot E+ . After some reading in the forum I convinced myself to also invest in a decent full face helmet because of the higher speeds of the KS18s. I went for the Giro Disciple. 

Two months and a half ago, after more then 1000km on my KS-18S, I discovered the benefit in wearing a decent MTB downhill graded helmet.

I just dropped off my seven year old son at his school. He was riding his step to school and I was riding my KS-18S. I took his step with a cord around my neck when I return back from school to home. (This is probably not the best decision if you think about it afterwards.) I was accelerating to 35 - 40 kph seated on my KS-18S and didn't notice a bump in the road (that I took every day from his school to our home). Because of the bump my wheel jumped in the air, and because I was pushing it forward to accelerate, I tilted forwards in the air. When the wheel hit the ground, my feet slipped off the pedals and landed on the ground. Then everything did happen very fast, so it is hard to still remember exactly what happened. I think I made a half turn in the air and then I hit the ground with the back of my head first. My whole body did a head roll and I landed on my belly. 

My KS-18S also made a few spins in the air and hit the ground several times. The hard shell is a damaged and one of the pedals is twisted.

When my head hit the ground I remember I was amazed with how hard the smack on the ground was without feeling any pain. I kinda of felt the MIPS working and taking some of the side impact away.  I am pretty sure, without a helmet I would have been hospitalized for a serous head injury. I only had strained muscle everywhere and ripped clothes so I got away easy this time because of the helmet. 

Now, after two months and a half I am starting to ride my KS-18S for the first time again, but a lot slower then I used to do. Because the helmet took a big hit, I just bought the exact same one to protect me when it would ever come to a fall again. I will also not be riding again with a step hanging on my neck...

I can advise everyone to buy a decent helmet when driving a electric unicycle. Don't try to save 200EURO when it comes to protecting your head!

 

Edited August 3, 2018 by D i c K (ie)

[Ziiten]

Check out this Swedish invention: https://hovding.com

Pretty pricey.

[Electroman]

4 hours ago, Ziiten said:

Check out this Swedish invention: https://hovding.com

Pretty pricey.

Been so close to pull the trigger multiple times, just cannot fully trust it and this goes off unprepared in traffic you could be in a world a trouble.

Maybe it will be perfect, just I donb't know that but going off when I don't want it to would be my nightmare, pretty violent reaction when it goes boom and close to the ears and balancing, that scares me I admit.

[WARPed1701D]

5 hours ago, Ziiten said:

Check out this Swedish invention: https://hovding.com

Pretty pricey.

I think this is great for all round cranial protection while cycling but for EUCing I am not convinced it will offer such great protection in a face plant as a solid helmet would. The way you fall is radically different and I think that soft shell would push backwards allowing your face and nose to impact the ground. Better than nothing, yes, but maybe not the best for our use.

[thefork]

On 8/3/2018 at 6:03 PM, Ziiten said:

Check out this Swedish invention: https://hovding.com

Pretty pricey.

I have one, and use it every day on my bike, but I would not wear it on an EUC.

Unfortunately, Hövding is tweaked for bicycle riding and might not properly detect a crash if you're on something other than a bike. In fact, the company expressly state that the device is not for use on unicycles. They shouldn't even be worn by children on regular bikes, because a child's riding style differs from an adult's.

The exakt quote is: "Hövding är endast avsedd för stads- och landsvägscykling. Ej BMX, Mountainbike, enhjulingar, tandem- och trickcyklar mm." --> "Hövding is intended exclusively for road and city cycling. Not BMX, Mountainbike, unicycles, tandem, or trick bikes, etc."

Would have been awesome to be able to use it, but I certainly don't want to take the risk.

Edited August 9, 2018 by thefork

[Rehab1]

3 hours ago, thefork said:

I have one, and use it every day on my bike, but I would not wear it on an EUC.

I haven’t seen you on the forum in a while. Glad your still vertical. Have you ever deployed the Hovding (strange name) just to try it out?