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THE HELMET THREAD


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12 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

So for others of you who may be considering a modular motorcycle helmet, don't be immediately put off from statements about them being too heavy. I don't think it's a given.

True, go to your local bike shop and try on helmets to see what might be comfortable. Personally, I find motorcycle helmets heavy and cumbersome, even more so modular, but my personal preferences are not a prescription for everyone else.  

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55 minutes ago, Scatcat said:

Oh sure, they're plenty good enough, but oh so cold in the Swedish winter...

Like I said I drag raced a polar bear the other day at red traffic light...and a grizzley this morning (almost)...or guess I were still dreaming of times when I  can ride again, no icy risk and no winter storms

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5 hours ago, KevinvdV said:

I do not have same opinion anymore. Main reason for this is, impact between 20 kmh to 40kmh are very different. But anything unforseen can lead much serious forces, spruce by pothole physics impact or trying to avoid a animal or kid can divert you or others towards you. 

What you say is true, but a good road bike helmets is designed to handle impacts that result from traveling at these speeds; especially, since road bikes travel at these speeds on a regular basis. 

Some are concerned with exposure of the face when wearing a bicycle helmet. Although I have not scarred my face, I have had several faceplants on a wheel and I can attest that the face is a danger zone. The head however is a more critical danger zone in a 💥. Personally, I prefer a facial scar to a coma. 

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22 minutes ago, Lutalo said:

Indeed, our hobby is a long list of compromises :)👍

It means we are a very special breed...adaptable.....it is a skill not all master it.

Edited by Unventor
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4 hours ago, Smoother said:

Really! You're still on the fence about this?  Get some good Martycop gear, wait for good road conditions, and get back out there.  Take it easy, keep your speed down AND WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING. You've had your high speed Tesla fun, now throttle it back and enjoy yourself like the good old days.

I imagine it's hard to go back to Ninebot speeds after experiencing Gotway

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54 minutes ago, Lutalo said:

What you say is true, but a good road bike helmets is designed to handle impacts that result from traveling at these speeds; especially, since road bikes travel at these speeds on a regular basis. 

Some are concerned with exposure of the face when wearing a bicycle helmet. Although I have not scarred my face, I have had several faceplants on a wheel and I can attest that the face is a danger zone. The head however is a more critical danger zone in a 💥. Personally, I prefer a facial scar to a coma. 

I'm confused. Why do you say this. You seem to be implying that it's an either/or choice. :confused1: If you wear full face then you avoid a facial scar and a coma.

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All this talk about full-face helmets being too heavy is confusing. Whether you are riding a motorcycle at 70-mph or and EUC at 15-mph, the helmet weighs the same. So why are motorcycle riders OK with the weight and we (some of you) aren't? Maybe some of you need to get to the gym and start working those shoulder and neck muscles :whistling:

I really think our 'sport' is unique in the dangers that it exposes us to. I believe we are the only ones that can experience a face-plant at any moment due to equipment failure (One Wheel's too), and we don't have to be moving very fast for the consequences to be severe (broken teeth). So it's better to consider yourself a fast motorcycle rider than a slow bicyclist.

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3 minutes ago, Smoother said:

No one said anything about SnailBot speeds (z series excepted) I'm think more on the lines of ks16s speeds.

But @Hunka Hunka Burning Love 'good old days' as you say, were on the SnailBot.

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1 minute ago, Marty Backe said:

All this talk about full-face helmets being too heavy is confusing. Whether you are riding a motorcycle at 70-mph or and EUC at 15-mph, the helmet weighs the same. So why are motorcycle riders OK with the weight and we (some of you) aren't? Maybe some of you need to get to the gym and start working those shoulder and neck muscles :whistling:

I really think our 'sport' is unique in the dangers that it exposes us to. I believe we are the only ones that can experience a face-plant at any moment due to equipment failure (One Wheel's too), and we don't have to be moving very fast for the consequences to be severe (broken teeth). So it's better to consider yourself a fast motorcycle rider than a slow bicyclist.

Riding motorcycle is different, you are sitting and holding on to the handlebars.  It helps.  I feel weird even with my motorcycle helmet on and walking to my motorcycle.  Feels heavy.  But I don't feel it with the TSG helmet which is only 2lbs.  Anyway, it is probably a personal preference. 

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11 hours ago, Lutalo said:

I find my motorcycle helmet difficult to use for EUC riding. I loved it when my main hobby was speeding along my favorite stretches of abandoned highway crouched behind the windscreen upon my Suzuki Hyabusa at 180+ mph. However, for a hobby as tame as EUC riding it feels like a boulder on my head. It seems to affect my riding ability as well: my sense of balance, visibility,  etc. Yet, until a strap mishap, I wore it everytime I hit the streets of DC on my wheel and managed pretty well. I just never felt like I got used to wearing it in the wheel application. When I have a motorcycle (sold my Busa a couple of years ago and haven't yet picked up another crotchrocket. I think I am holding out for a lightning;)🤔). Although I have never worn either a modular or half face, I decided to order a modular off of Amazon, but cancelled it.  Instead, I took a trip to the local Cycle Gear to try one on for size. Glad I did. It sucked. It was even heavier than my fullface. Tried on a bunch of helmets: some felt better than mine and I thought I might be able to stand them, and others were worse. 

I then went to a local bicycle shop and tried on some helmets. Suffice it to say that I am now thinking of a MIPS equipped road bike style helmet. They are light; usually weighing approximately 1.5 lbs, and sometimes even less. They are strong and protect the coconut very well without looking obtrusive and feeling burdensome upon the neck, They will keep you cool in the summer - the best full face helmets will likely fall short in this regard at EUC speeds in hot, extremely humid DC summer conditions; mine has. Finally, good bike helmets are a lot cheaper than good motorcycle helmets. 

There may be a good case for choosing a simple bicycle helmet for our hobby. Namely, Virginia Tech and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety research collaboration. The collab involved conducting safety tests, in June 2018, of several helmet brands. https://www.iihs.org/iihs/news/desktopnews/new-tests-show-some-bike-helmets-protect-better-than-others

Their findings were interesting, for example; "road" bike helmets in general performed better than "urban" or "skate" style helmets despite the thicker shells of the latter. Of 30 helmets tested only four helmets received a five star rating. All were "road" helmets, and all were MIPS equipped. They were the:

1. Bontrager Ballista MIPS

2. Garneau Raid MIPS

3. Bell Stratus MIPS

4. Specialized Chamonix MIPS

I look forward to some fun and interesting riding adventures in the coming warmer months. My safety equipment has become a big part of my seasonal wardrobe shifts because EUC riding has become a big part of my lifestyle. In the end, I am thinking of copping one of four helmets listed above. 

MY 2 cents

Being on the road, the biggest risk isn't a face-plant, its significant injury or death by the oncoming vehicle turning into a side lane and crossing your path from the other side of the road because it failed to spot you. At this high impact event, the biggest issue is the combined closing speed. At these road speeds the best protection isn't a bicycle helmet with MIPS (which is good for minor glancing blows), it is a helmet strong enough to protect you in a single high impact event. I have a bicycle helmet with MIPS I use for cycling (Amateur Triathlete).. it is strong but it is completely inadequate in a high impact smash, the material will crumble instantly & also there is no chin-bar. It only takes one event.

As such EUC riders should protect the head with Motorcycle helmet, not bike or even MTB helmets which are inferior for this type of high impact crash.

REMINDER: Michael Schumacher had a head injury DH skiing with a Helmet that wasn't specced for road use.  His head hit a rock with the helmet on. This is the type of high impact smash we should be mindful of when on the roads.

Edited by RayBanMonster
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@Marty Backe as a motorcyclist, I prefer a MC helmet. Not sure why anyone who is used to wearing a MC helmet would be bothered by it's weight in either application, but everyone is different. Some here prefer to protect to the max and some not so much. I'm sure anyone new who reads this thread will conclude that helmets are viewed like the EUCs themselves. Everyone's opinion will often vary greatly and will be argued endlessly LOL. It's 100% personal preference. 

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5 hours ago, eddiemoy said:

 

@Marty Backe, it is great that you can ride with the 4lb helmet.  Again, keep in mind the motorcycle helmets are considered single crash use.  Again, not sure if it applies to the low speed impacts.  I've read that even if you drop you helmet from a table, you are supposed to consider getting a new one if it compromises the structure.  I think for most it is overkill and there are plenty of full face helmets that are half the weight and perfectly suitable for EUC.  Mainly any downhill/enduro helmets would be fine.  

You can never be too safe.... when riding on the road the issue you must guard and plan for isn't the faceplant, its being taken out by a vehicle that fails to see you.

You should wear a motorcycle helmet preferably, it may seem overkill, but your reference is your friends, not the reality of road driving maybe? I plan on doing 25mph + on a z10 or a MSX, this is motorbike speed not bicycle speed.

I would suggest this looks better than most options out there... This is my primary choice so far. Please note... in crash tests the chin-bar for this model was surprisingly sturdy.

PS Brand New... $175 New [eBay]    

8.5/10

 

Edited by RayBanMonster
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4 hours ago, RayBanMonster said:

MY 2 cents

Being on the road, the biggest risk isn't a face-plant, its significant injury or death by the oncoming vehicle turning into a side lane and crossing your path

But what if you don't ride on the road, you don't ride around moving vehicles?

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40 minutes ago, Smoother said:

But what if you don't ride on the road, you don't ride around moving vehicles?

What is you point? (Notice this is a very wide very open question)....

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5 hours ago, RayBanMonster said:

MY 2 cents

Being on the road, the biggest risk isn't a face-plant, its significant injury or death by the oncoming vehicle turning into a side lane and crossing your path from the other side of the road because it failed to spot you. At this high impact event, the biggest issue is the combined closing speed. At these road speeds the best protection isn't a bicycle helmet with MIPS (which is good for minor glancing blows), it is a helmet strong enough to protect you in a single high impact event. I have a bicycle helmet with MIPS I use for cycling (Amateur Triathlete).. it is strong but it is completely inadequate in a high impact smash, the material will crumble instantly & also there is no chin-bar. It only takes one event.

As such EUC riders should protect the head with Motorcycle helmet, not bike or even MTB helmets which are inferior for this type of high impact crash.

REMINDER: Michael Schumacher had a head injury DH skiing with a Helmet that wasn't specced for road use.  His head hit a rock with the helmet on. This is the type of high impact smash we should be mindful of when on the roads.

I am in no position to dispute what your point about collision probability; although, haven't seen any actual data specific to EUCs to confirm that. I have personally read about only one rider being hit by a car (I think it was San Francisco), and fellow rider barely averting being destroyed by a bus in DC; his wheel didn't escape and was destroyed by that bus.

There are likely more collisions about which I do not know, but I am not sure that they even come close to matching the number of faceplants and other various sudden dislodgings that are reported on the forum.

While using the forum as a source of information is not entirely reliable because there may be many riders around the world that do not use it, I think the vibrancy of the activity on the forum paints a fairly realistic picture of the EUC universe. 

Personally, I have never even had a close call with a car, and I ride in some pretty ridiculous urban conditions fairly often. I am however running out of fingers counting the number of times I have faceplanted or otherwise dislodged from a wheel. 

I am unconvinced that riding around with a five pound dumbbell upon my noggin is preparation for an inevitable, or even likely catastrophe. 

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7 hours ago, Marty Backe said:

I'm confused. Why do you say this. You seem to be implying that it's an either/or choice. :confused1: If you wear full face then you avoid a facial scar and a coma.

True, but your point is a red herring, because I was making a point based on a comparison between motorcycle helmets (which may or may not be full face), and road bike helmets (which are never full face).

I was specifically talking about my discomfort wearing a motorcycle helmet because they are heavy. Not all full face helmets are heavy, and there are full face bicycle helmets (enduro/downhill) that weigh less than two pounds. 

Had the specific discussion been about enduro vs road bike helmets my comment would have been; "I prefer avoiding a facial scar and a concussion over a avoiding a concussion,  but earning a hideous facial scar thank you very much." :efee8319ab:👍

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55 minutes ago, Smoother said:

But what if you don't ride on the road, you don't ride around moving vehicles?

Hey Dude.. ok I see your point & it is valid. Theres no point doing the Motorbike level protection if you feel a face-plant on grass is your issue.

That said a note of caution... I dont see EUC riders on grass, I see them on concrete in parks and on roads. If you skip the roads.. no problem, but Im for the road so I need to be thinking about this number one public Road fatality... shockingly real my friend.

 

Youre ok if you do Parks only, but I worry because actually many EUC riders unwittingly still do Road.. and its the intersection, the crossway, the T-Junction, the cross-Highway loop where the fragile are most undone. Remember.. its not about you... its the unkept road bowing under heat expansion, its the stupid idiot driver who didn't see you.

Bright clothing and double lights will mitigate this risk.. but still broad daylight, they wont see your lights much.

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4 hours ago, RayBanMonster said:

I plan on doing 25mph + on a z10 or a MSX, this is motorbike speed not bicycle speed.

Not on any motorbike I have ever ridden. Plus I have ridden road bikes at the speeds you mentioned. 

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3 minutes ago, Lutalo said:

Not on any motorbike I have ever ridden. Plus I have ridden road bikes at the speeds you mentioned. 

I get that too.. but cmon man.. on a bike you can swerve in a way you cannot on a unicycle, plus there is more stable control and if youre doing 25mph plus consistently youre doing better than the winner of the Tour de France 2018 (G.Thomas). On a Unicycle you're hitting relatively high speeds if road speed  travel is your thing. You cannot wear bicycle gear to protect adequately on a Gotway MSX or Z10 or device taking you over 25mph consistently. Buckle up or you're asking for a serious issue should you not be protected is my argument.

At this level you should be CNlevel 1 minimum road all over, perhaps Level 2 chest  for sure, and minimum level 1 shoulders knees Elbows and back. On EUCs' the issue is mostly front & those who commit will make a whole bag of change addressing this specialist clothing.

Cmon dude.. you cant be arguing about protection. Chill.

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4 hours ago, Girth Brooks said:

@Marty Backe as a motorcyclist, I prefer a MC helmet. Not sure why anyone who is used to wearing a MC helmet would be bothered by it's weight in either application, but everyone is different. Some here prefer to protect to the max and some not so much. I'm sure anyone new who reads this thread will conclude that helmets are viewed like the EUCs themselves. Everyone's opinion will often vary greatly and will be argued endlessly LOL. It's 100% personal preference. 

As a motorcyclist I can certainly see why. One reason is the use context. I wore my helmet when riding my motorcycle only. I rode my motorcycle often at very high speeds. As soon as I dismounted my bike I removed my helmet because it was heavy for just walking around. For me, riding an EUC feels more like riding a bicycle because, of the low speeds compared to motorcycles. For me it feels cumbersome; like wearing a motorcycle helmet to ride a bicycle.

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2 minutes ago, Lutalo said:

As a motorcyclist I can certainly see why. One reason is the use context. I wore my helmet when riding my motorcycle only. I rode my motorcycle often at very high speeds. As soon as I dismounted my bike I removed my helmet because it was heavy for just walking around. For me, riding an EUC feels more like riding a bicycle because, of the low speeds compared to motorcycles. For me it feels cumbersome; like wearing a motorcycle helmet to ride a bicycle.

Wearing bicycle protection helmet for me was also an issue, despite not doing so until around 30 yrs old. I have the shoulder scars to prove my stupidity. Your comment above  is no argument my friend.. please.. wear the gear.

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2 minutes ago, RayBanMonster said:

Cmon dude.. you cant be arguing about protection. Chill.

Why not? Not sharing your preferences is not tantamount to arguing about whether or not safety Gear is important. I haven't met one person that would argue against the importance of safety equipment when riding EUCs. Since we are not talking about whether or not protection should be worn; but what types should be worn and in what situations, and there is no protection specific to EUCs, I think it is healthy to discuss the various tastes and preferences of riders when it comes to the equipment that we repurpose for our specific application. 

1. There is simply not enough EUC-specific data for anyone to be trying to persuade their particular safety Gear preference as prescription based on their experiences as bikers or bicyclists. 

2. EUC riding is not riding motorcycles,  cars or even bicycles; the realities of using those modes of transportation is far more informed by data. Data obtained and applied to EUC riding is mostly data extrapolated from other modes of transportation mixed with the shared and personal experiences of EUC riders. 

The inherent versatility of the wheels make It far more flexible with many varied riding capabilities, styles and experiences. I ride on the sidewalk alongside pedestrians, in bike lanes, on paved and unpaved trails, our penguin riders in the arctic regions of the world have enlightened us on the fact that they can even be ridden on snow and ice. The only thing an EUC can't do is fly; yet. 

So what better way to obtain data than by sharing preferences and experiences? From these discussions we may soon derive EUC-specific safety Gear. Now wouldn't that be something?

 

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