# do you wear your regular mtb helmet for commuting?



## Boomchakabowwow (Sep 8, 2015)

now i'm paying attention to fellow commuters.

i see more stream lined, helmets on their heads. reminds me of skateboard helmets. what's the deal?

i wouldnt mind sharing sweat duty with some other helmets during the week.


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## DaveRider (Jul 14, 2014)

I use my first gen Bell Super. People drive like anuses. I need that extra back of the head & temple coverage.


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## TenSpeed (Feb 14, 2012)

I will probably get some flack for this, but I have almost stopped wearing a helmet now when I commute. Sometimes I wear one but I have found myself more often than not just going without and just a cycling cap. Once summer rolls around I probably will more since the cap will give me some funky head tanlines since I shave my head.


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## formula4speed (Mar 25, 2013)

^Even if you don't feel like wearing a helmet for safety, it's a handy place to mount backup lights. Sometimes I think it helps to stare down a driver with a light mounted on my head.

I wear my same mtb helmet not matter what I'm riding, I actually won a new one from the local LBS and I should probably switch it out to that one since the current one is probably more dried sweat than helmet.


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## TenSpeed (Feb 14, 2012)

I will probably get some flack for this but I only have one rear light and one front light. I will not mount any light to anything other than the bike. Tried the whole helmet light thing and I blinded so many people accidentally that it was a complete mess.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

I just use whatever I've got. The current helmet I commute with is a Giro Xen, which I wore for mtb for awhile before I got a Bell Super 2. I wear the Xen for mtb sometimes still, especially in winter when I need to wear some insulation, because the Super 2 doesn't have enough room.

I put a high mount rear blinkie on the back of my helmet. It helps visibility. I don't currently use a helmet light, but I do like using one for some extra help or as a backup.

It's on each rider to choose to wear a helmet (or not). I've seen too many guys' bacon saved by helmets not to wear one. In hit-by-car incidents, or solo crashes, or rider/rider crashes, or rider/ped crashes. I've seen the results of all of them. Crushed helmets, and the rider walks away.


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

I wear my MTB helmet on commutes and ride MTB's so I can hop off on bootleg spits of trail, ride "urban" technical trail features, etc.

Note to TenSpeed: a gent I work with is a long-time ER doctor (now medical officer by day) who still pulls a couple shifts a month to keep his certs up to date. His advice *always wear a helmet * as he sees the same thing over and over: patients carted in who would've fared far better with head protection.


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## TenSpeed (Feb 14, 2012)

Oh I know I should and sometimes I do, but I also truly enjoy riding without one. I have had my share of mtb crashes that would have ended up badly had I not been wearing one. I work in a hospital as well. I know the consequences.


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## Mr Pink57 (Jul 30, 2009)

I have a helmet problem and own one for just about each discipline of cycling.

Summer: Bern Allston
Winter: Bern Brentwood with winter liner

I am going to swap the Allston for a Giro Reverb this year, save about 100g off my head which will be a nice change. And to tell you the truth the allston is not that great on ventilation even with 16 vents. My 661 Recon does better and my Giro Synthe does way better.


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

edubfromktown said:


> Note to TenSpeed: a gent I work with is a long-time ER doctor (now medical officer by day) who still pulls a couple shifts a month to keep his certs up to date. His advice *always wear a helmet * as he sees the same thing over and over: patients carted in who would've fared far better with head protection.


Does the doctor ride a bike?

The ICU doc that I know who's a yearround commuter never wears a helmet. ER and ICU will see different things, but this guy gets all the pedestrian trauma cases, and has a distressing knowledge of how bad the odds are, with or without magic styrofoam.


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## rogbie (Jun 20, 2011)

Eh. I've eschewed the helment during commutes. They're not the panacea everyone likes to pretend they are.

In some instances helmet use could increase risk taking.

The problem with holding helments as the standard for safety is disingenuous logic. In essence the blame is shifted to the cyclist for not protecting themselves with a piece of styrofoam from a multi-ton vehicle. Really, the onus of safety in most vehicle codes is on the user of the larger vehicle.

Ride safe, no matter what you wear on your noggin'.


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## JoeyCapps (Sep 30, 2012)

My Giro Feature doesn't breathe well so i bought a Giro Savant for commuter duties.


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## cyclingdutchman (Mar 18, 2015)

I have only 1 helmet that I use for everything.

Concerning commuting: in the beginning I rode without helmet and started wearing one, after I was almost hit by a car. Since then I wear my helmet on every commute (still not on evey ride in town though).

A study in germany here reveiled that cyclists are overtaken closer by cars, when they are wearing a helmet.

I myself recognize the issue of taking more risk, but I more blaim that on getting more routine in cycling and doing the same thing over and over, thus getting used to crossing the street without needing to wait for cars. After a while you dont even look anymore: you have gotten used to no cars coming.

Last but not least: a helmet preference is very personal. For some 1 helmet works fine, others need a different one every ride.


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## danec99 (Jul 22, 2010)

Catlike Leaf. Light, ventilated, and since it is yellow is stands out. This is primarily a commute helmet but I have worn it on both road and MTB rides as it is Light, ventilated and visible.


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

I have a Bell Metro that is the main commute lid. I use a Smith snowboarding helmet when it's cold in the winter...it has the ear covers, etc... comfy lid. I used the Metro for MTB duties also until I finally got a newer Fox helmet for MTB. I dislike the idea that the defining nugget of info for every reported bike/vehicle accident is whether or not the cyclist was wearing a helmet. I'd prefer if they said something like "a cell phone WAS found in the vehicle." Potentially just as (non)relevant of a thing to say. 

That being said, I cracked a helmet on the commute once. That was enough. I'm always in one when I'm on the bike.


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## edubfromktown (Sep 7, 2010)

newfangled said:


> Does the doctor ride a bike?
> 
> The ICU doc that I know who's a yearround commuter never wears a helmet. ER and ICU will see different things, but this guy gets all the pedestrian trauma cases, and has a distressing knowledge of how bad the odds are, with or without magic styrofoam.


Yes; riding a bike, snowboarding, skiing, etc. ER doc wears a helmet. There is nothing magical- here are a few facts from federal highway administration data:

"Bicycle helmets are 85-88 percent effective in mitigating head and brain injuries, making
the use of helmets the single most effective way to reduce head injuries and fatalities
resulting from bicycle crashes.

Despite the fact that 70 to 80 percent of all fatal bicycle crashes involve head injuries,
only 18 percent of all bicyclists wear bicycle helmets.

Nationally, bicyclists ages 14 and under are at five times greater risk for injury than older
cyclists."


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## newfangled (Sep 13, 2010)

edubfromktown said:


> "Bicycle helmets are 85-88 percent effective in mitigating head and brain injuries, making
> the use of helmets the single most effective way to reduce head injuries and fatalities
> resulting from bicycle crashes.


Yeah, that 85% study has been thoroughly debunked as complete garbage.

To the point that the feds aren't supposed to cite it anymore. That's how bad it is.

Feds Withdraw Claim That Bike Helmets Are 85 Percent Effective | Washington Area Bicyclist Association


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## rogbie (Jun 20, 2011)

edubfromktown said:


> Yes; riding a bike, snowboarding, skiing, etc. ER doc wears a helmet. There is nothing magical- here are a few facts from federal highway administration data:
> 
> "Bicycle helmets are 85-88 percent effective in mitigating head and brain injuries, making
> the use of helmets the single most effective way to reduce head injuries and fatalities
> ...


The website you got that information from is wrong. The 85% quoted is based on one study that could not be replicated.

Here's a good overview article from the group that got the federal govt. to remove the 85% efficacy claim: "Feds Withdraw Claim..."

This link is the most telling: Meta-analysis of bicycle helmet efficacy

The conclusions from the papers is quite telling: "In conclusion, the evidence is clear that bicycle helmets prevent serious injury and even death. Despite this, the use of helmets is sub-optimal." (Atwell, et al., 2001)

and in the re-analysis section 5. Discussion is worth reading, the part about neck injuries is quite interesting.

Yes, helmets help. But they may also hurt or provide false security.


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## Mr Pink57 (Jul 30, 2009)

Just got it today


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## str8edgMTBMXer (Apr 15, 2015)

I have my BMX/MTB helmet that I wear for everything. Before that, I used to wear one of my old hockey helmets with out the cage. I quit wearing that b/c it was really hot, and reeeaaallllyyyyy smelly.

I also ALWAYS wear a helmet because of the "other guy" ...I don't trust those around me to make the right decisions sometimes


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## Boomchakabowwow (Sep 8, 2015)

I wear a helmet for the mild crashes. To save me hopefully from scratches and bumps. If a car punts me, all bets are off. I don't think a helmet will do much. 

Thanks for the replies. I commute everyday now. Just trying to minimize my odds, put them in my favor n


Sent via Jedi mind trick.


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