# wear your helmet... (how many do wear helmets)



## Korrupt (Mar 15, 2004)

Today we were out riding in a canal type thing, and my cousin Ian decideds he can launch out over the gravel past the sidewalk into the street. If you havn't already come to a conclusion, let me fill you in... the bike slid out from underneath him and he rolled, and rolled, and rolled to the other side of the street. It made me want to go buy a helmet right away.

How many of you actually wear helmets? Full face or what?


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## roee (Jan 24, 2004)

Korrupt said:


> Today we were out riding in a canal type thing, and my cousin Ian decideds he can launch out over the gravel past the sidewalk into the street. If you havn't already come to a conclusion, let me fill you in... the bike slid out from underneath him and he rolled, and rolled, and rolled to the other side of the street. It made me want to go buy a helmet right away.
> 
> How many of you actually wear helmets? Full face or what?


Nothing when just commuting, strictly full face at any other occasion.


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## Korrupt (Mar 15, 2004)

i have been thinking about a full face... who makes a good one that is reasonably priced?


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## Limpetbeans (Mar 3, 2004)

Korrupt said:


> i have been thinking about a full face... who makes a good one that is reasonably priced?


I wear a full facer when doing anything crazy. I didnt have a big budget so i got the 661 full comp. Its not a bad helmet, breathing is a bit harder, but if it saves my face right?


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## Jm. (Jan 12, 2004)

I hate the a-holes that think they can take "responsability" for not wearing a helmet. As if they are going to say "oh, half of my brains are out of my head, but dont call 911, i'll just suck it up cause i was taking a chance".....


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## finchy (Jan 21, 2004)

*man o man!!!!*

i ahve a Protec helmet and its a hardshell and i love it. I might buy like a switchblade cuz i can take the full face do hikey off when i dont need it but im not sure. I wiill most likely get the cheapest Fullface i can find or in a good price range cuz i havent damaged my protec and its still in awsome condition.


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## Banshee Rider (Jan 19, 2004)

I sport a helmet just about every time i hop on my bike except when im in my driveway just foolin around. I have a full face but rarely wear it, i think they are unnessesary except for DH and big FR. I have a Giro Xen open helmet that i wear for just about everything, xc, urban, and freeride. The way i see it is its easier to take the 2 seconds to put it on than to wish you would have taken the time after your already screwed up.


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## JimC. (Dec 30, 2003)

*yeah*

I simply tell those that must ask that FF for me is like a seat belt in a car....

Nobody ever needs a stinkin' seat belt. That is, until they're having a wreck. I'll add that teeth don't, apparently, grow back, except in beaver, and they can't ride. (I know I know)

Dress for the crash, not the ride.

Jim (helmet masher expert)


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## SuperBad (Jan 5, 2004)

I wear a helmet when I am riding out of my driveway. I have a Giro Mad Max full face because I wrecked jumping stairs and I realized my XC type helmet didn't offer much protection for most of my head.
SB


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## HAL (Jan 25, 2004)

*I always wear my lid*

I like to know that if I push too far the armour will help ensure that I'll be able to dust off and keep doing what I love to do. I wear a Giro Switchblade for XC rides and a Bellistic for the Heavier DH rides.


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## mosplat (Jan 21, 2004)

for most riding i've made a habit of wearing my skate-lid style helmet every ride.
i got a concussion last year that i could have easily prevented.
at first i was like, "too much hassle, blah blah blah",
but after you wear it long enough, it doesn't feel like anything.
so when i'm riding in the city, city parks or whatever, it's usually the skate-lid.
if i'm going to be doing some high speed dh/fr riding in the mountains,
i've got my 661 full bravo.
no matter what tho, i'll have some sort of protection on my head.


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## Gnar (Jan 27, 2004)

*The Switchblade is....*



finchy said:


> i ahve a Protec helmet and its a hardshell and i love it. I might buy like a switchblade cuz i can take the full face do hikey off when i dont need it but im not sure. I wiill most likely get the cheapest Fullface i can find or in a good price range cuz i havent damaged my protec and its still in awsome condition.


by far the worst helmet you could ever buy. We have had 4 accidents with people wearing that piece. Long story short...Kid cased landing, endoed, face hit stump, face guard shattered and cut his face up including a broken jaw from the stump. Piece of $hit. DO NOT BUY!


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## ladge (Jan 15, 2004)

*That's a good motto.*



JimC. said:


> Dress for the crash, not the ride.


Somewhat related question for whoever knows - how much of a difference is there between the MTB oriented full face helmets ( i.e. 661 Bravo's, Vigor, etc...) and the moto style helmets? Obviously $200 more for a helmet makes sense compared to the money/injuries that could possibly take place - but I'd pay more for safety, not for purdy pictures on my helmet....


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## JimC. (Dec 30, 2003)

*lots of diff...*

as I understand it, moto helmets = fewer if any vents, might be heavier, and must conform to road standards.

bike helmets (FF) = more vents, less weight, and conform to ANSI bike standards.

The Switchblade is an anomaly; it's actually a Giro Hammerhead XC helmet with a an adapted face guard. VERY light, 1 crash protection.

FWIW I've grabbed older model Bell and Giro helmets off Mail Order for as little as $39.

Hope that helps, Jim


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## Jm. (Jan 12, 2004)

ladge said:


> Somewhat related question for whoever knows - how much of a difference is there between the MTB oriented full face helmets ( i.e. 661 Bravo's, Vigor, etc...) and the moto style helmets? Obviously $200 more for a helmet makes sense compared to the money/injuries that could possibly take place - but I'd pay more for safety, not for purdy pictures on my helmet....


well...it depends, on where you live, how cool you want to be(no, i mean temperature wise) and what you think your "threat level" is. MTB helmets are designed to break on impact, and absorb the impact. Moto helmets are probably going to be able to take a few mtb-type impacts, but who is to say which is going to work better? Something that breaks is going to absorb impact undoubtedly, and something that stays in one peice could ultimatly transfer more impact. This is obviously speculation, but it works both ways, it is also pure speculation that a moto helmet is going to protect you better because of the above reasons. I am not knocking people that wear moto helmets, and like I said, it is kind of speculation EITHER way, but we could also wear full moto plates and armor(well a few people do) and those huge SIDI dh-boots that were like $300 a few years back. Obviously we scale back a bit because we may hit the tree at 30mph and not 60mph, and we also make tradeoffs because due to our sport, we have more problems with overheating. It's a personal choice above all, but I don't think it's black and white.


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## SuperBad (Jan 5, 2004)

ladge said:


> Somewhat related question for whoever knows - how much of a difference is there between the MTB oriented full face helmets ( i.e. 661 Bravo's, Vigor, etc...) and the moto style helmets? Obviously $200 more for a helmet makes sense compared to the money/injuries that could possibly take place - but I'd pay more for safety, not for purdy pictures on my helmet....


 As a former motorcycle road racer, meaning I have hit the asphalt a few times and have worn many helmets, I would caution against using Motorcycle helmets. Remember they are designed to take impacts at a much higher velocity with much greater forces involved. Therefore they are built much sturdier (read heavy) than bike helmets, but they are also a 1 crash and its trash item! You could have a low speed wreck on a motorcycle (20 mph) and the helmet is junk afterwards, same goes for a bicycle. So the extra $2-300 was just wasted. I also think that having all that extra weight on the end of your neck could lead to some nasty injuries. Remeber when your head accelerates forward and then back, all that stress is placed on your neck. I think in 99% of the cases a full face bike helmet is going to be sufficent.


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## downhillzeypher (Jan 13, 2004)

I think the real question is how many wear elbow and/or knee/shin guards doing urban/dirt jump?

I'll wear my knee/shin guards more often then my helmet just cause I don't like picking my flesh out of my pedals...


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## 916dave (Feb 29, 2004)

What are these "helmets" and "pads" you talk of?


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## sortafast (Feb 12, 2004)

*um yeah this is why i wear mine.*

good times.


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## mudpuppy (Feb 7, 2004)

I would be dead if it were not for a helmet, people who ride w/out are not really thinking IMO. My life is worth more than a little piece of foam on my head, I have a friend that works at a head trauma organization and she has some horrific storries. It may not look "cool" or be to hotter than riding w/out...but really people...how would you go through life in a bed...not able to ride....or pee on your own...but it sure is great riding w/out a helmet.


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## Lee W. (Jan 19, 2004)

In Feb of last year I took a nasty spill on a friends DH bike while wearing an XC helmet. It was my 2nd time ever on a DH bike and well, I crashed on the run out of a drop.

I smashed my head open right above my eye, needless to say I ALWAYS ride with my 661 full face and my shin guards now.

Here is a link to the pic, it's bloody...

Bloody Face


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## Dirtdemon (Jan 26, 2004)

I trip that people will spend $$$ on a pimp ass bike, and then get a budget helmet. YOU HAVE ONE HEAD and you'll be sorry for the rest of your life when you screw it up. And for those of you who don't use full face helmets, you must have some bomb ass dental insurance. 1 dental implant = $3000. Coulda bought a sweet helmet for that. Don't mean to preach, but I guess I did anyways.


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## smelly (Jan 15, 2004)

916dave said:


> What are these "helmets" and "pads" you talk of?


HA! i was waiting for someone to say that!


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## DOWNHILLING MACHINE (Jan 28, 2004)

*always*

Yeah i wear a vigor vamoose ff they are great helmets, saved my butt alot of times. I never ride without one.


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

Like Jim C said - dress for the crash and not the ride.

If you ride and dont wear a helmet your dumb - end of story. If you crash and are not wearing a helmet, it probably wont matter because you were dumb to start with.

Ive crashed enough times and gone through enough helmets to 'safely' say - they have saved my life at once, and my ability to earn income several other times.

I wear Giro helmets - pneumo and mad max 2. They cost a little more but the comfort and safety is worth it.


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## prerogative (Jan 15, 2004)

*Always . . .*

Many years of motocross - never needed it, but always wore it.

A few years on Dual purpose motorcycle - needed it that one time that took me 3 months to recover, and I couldn't imagine what would have happened without it.

Many years mountain biking - needed it one time so far, it took me a few days to be able to chew (happened Superbowl day - drinking only), and a couple of weeks for pain to go away. I trashed a Giro Havoc which saved me big time. 661 Full Comp now . . .

To reiterate some of what was said above, and add to it: if I can spend $3K a year on bike and parts, I can afford a $75 helmet; MTB helmets breath better, and are close to half the weight (yeah, and cheaper); I too like my not-so-perfect teeth that need to last a lifetime; employment (and resulting house, family, cars, toys) would be difficult to maintain if I were a vegetable; full-face when pushing it, will get another lid for hot days and take it easy . . .


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## Deweydude (Mar 7, 2004)

*Hell yes*

Hell yes My poor friggen Brain can't handle any more damage. And I also wear Full downhill gear when doing crazy sh*t


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## X-Vert (Jan 22, 2004)

*Lead by example...*

...to my little ones by wearing a lid everytime I ride. From XC to full face.


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## SuperNewb (Mar 6, 2004)

Korrupt said:


> Today we were out riding in a canal type thing, and my cousin Ian decideds he can launch out over the gravel past the sidewalk into the street. If you havn't already come to a conclusion, let me fill you in... the bike slid out from underneath him and he rolled, and rolled, and rolled to the other side of the street. It made me want to go buy a helmet right away.
> 
> How many of you actually wear helmets? Full face or what?


I dont wear a helmet unless I'm just city riding or taking it real slow.
My friend loves jumping off everything and doing high speed wheelies and doesnt wear a helmet and he even got into an accident one time and cracked his skull and had to get staples but he still doesnt wear a helmet.


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## jakes7 (Feb 26, 2004)

If John Waddell had been wearing a MB helmet instead of a MX helmet, he would be dead right now.


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## jungleuk (Feb 26, 2004)

*Switchblade*

I wear a switchblade and it saved my life 3 days ago. Landed crossed up on a jump and went endo, bike came after me and the top tube of my burley 48pound specialised bighit smacked me right upside the head, I felt the helmet absorb the impact and appart from being a bit dazed I was fine. No doubt I would be dead right now if I didnt have a helmet on and probably if I had a sh*tty one on too. The helmet was crushed but my melon was sweet.
Giro are not making the switchblade anymore so if you want one I would hurry yourself up and see if you can find a store that has old stock becuase once they are gone they are gone.
I have heard a few horror stories about peoples faces getting cut by the chingaurd but I love my switchblade.
Anyone who doesnt wear a lid when doing anything other than rolling slowly down the road is tempting fate.


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## RyBread (Jan 1, 2004)

*Mad Max II*

It is all about the Giro. It costs 80 to 100 dollars, and is worth every cent. I have busted two full face helmets doing DH. My last crash was a week ago, and if it was not for Giro I would have smashed my face into the ground and broken my neck. The helmet absorbed the impact and cracked, and it stoped my neck from getting totally hammerd. Needless to say I had to go to the chiropracter, and am still going, but I went out the next day and bought a new Giro. Wear a helmet, it lets you keep coming back for more!


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## MVRIDER (Jan 15, 2004)

*Fear*

I always wear a helmet...out of straight up FEAR. If you aint wearing a helmet, that means you aint riding hard enough.


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## prerogative (Jan 15, 2004)

I wanted the Mad Max, but my melon is too big - they don't have Large. I ended up w/ the XL Full Bravo (equiv size to Large in other brands) . . . Why doesn't Giro carry Large for Full-face?


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## Moriority (Jan 29, 2004)

Helmets are goooood. People that don't wear them are dumb. I wear my full face even dirt jumping. I have racked my face on the ground with that thing on enough times to know that with out it I might be missing some teeth. For the guys that wear the little brain buckets doing urban and stuff think about screwing up a stair gap. I like my face the way it is thank you.


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## ladge (Jan 15, 2004)

*Thanks for the info...*

Sounds like it makes the most sense just to have a decent mtb helmet....and use it.


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## mokomoko (Feb 25, 2004)

*WEAR YER HELMET....looks cool anyway.*

I wear my full face all the time.....i only take it off if i am at 7-eleven buying sum refreshments.
I was save by my helmet countless of times... whether it be my full face or skatelid
Hitting concrete or sharp rocks and gravel aint funny man....
Always wear a helmet .....you wont want yer head to be split liek em melons and then you stuck in a wheelchair, sucking liquid food through yer throat for the rest of yer life...


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## namaSSte (Dec 19, 2003)

ALWAYS! The point about being an example is a godd one. THe younger crowd watches and imitates. For me, I use an XC or BMX lid when trail riding or even for urban and jumping. If I am riding BMX or trying new DJ stuff, its full face (Pryme AL). Either way, the brain is always protected. Got closelined by a tree once and had it not been for the helmet that lay in pieces around me afterwards, I doubt I'd be writing this now. More like sipping dinner through a straw (best case scenario!)


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## crazbiker4 (Jan 26, 2004)

Korrupt said:


> Today we were out riding in a canal type thing, and my cousin Ian decideds he can launch out over the gravel past the sidewalk into the street. If you havn't already come to a conclusion, let me fill you in... the bike slid out from underneath him and he rolled, and rolled, and rolled to the other side of the street. It made me want to go buy a helmet right away.
> 
> How many of you actually wear helmets? Full face or what?


I cannot say i always wear a helmet because i dont. I use a half face in the skatepark, downhill full face, motocross full face, cross country half face, i dont use on if i go on a street ride because i dont normaly do anything that i will kill myself. I would were one if i was. I think i might switch to full face for everything except crosscountry and street riding i might use my half face.

Also i would like to advise everyone to use knee and elbow pads!!!!

this is a tight helmet
http://www.thinairmoto.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=16469&cat=252&page=1


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

*Full Face*

Giro Mad Max. Good helmet.

"I bet she gives great helmet." 
- Spaceballs


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## ThoughtfulPirate (Jan 2, 2003)

I currently own a giro xen, and thats all. I plan on getting a full face sometime soon, im currently asking myself if I will ever use it, or if I will ever use my xen again. I bought shin pads after months of procrastination, and have never looked back, I wear them anytime I ride with the intent of riding hard. Sure you get some weird looks, but I have broken my leg once, so the pads are a must, and I dont want to have to learn the hard way with my face too.


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## jungleuk (Feb 26, 2004)

*Pads*

Yep, I never hit the trail without at least shingaurds on, I usually wear kneepads too, it avoids those constant sore spots on your knees from small falls etc. As for the skingaurds I think that all platform pedals should come with them, if you are riding big spiky platforms and no shingaurds then you obviously have too much skin on your shins and need to get rid of some...


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## Jwiffle (Jan 26, 2004)

*helmet is a must*

I didn't wear a helmet while growing up, but when I got into mountain biking a couple years ago, I decided it would probably be a good idea to start. And I am glad I did. My helmet took a rock that was meant for my head. I didn't even get a headache.


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## Surfinguru (Feb 6, 2004)

*Giro Mad Max II*

My $.02....

Went down Sunday night on the last steep, dh section of the trail. Clipped a rock hidden in the weeds. Fully airborn, front summersault and landed on the side of my head and right shoulder about 12' down the trail. Knocked me out for a bit and seperated my shoulder. It's 3 days later and I STILL have a headache from the concussion. I have no doubt in my mind that if I didn't have a FF helmet on, I'd still be sleeping.....

Do what you want, but the rest of my life is worth WAY more than the $100 it cost for a helmet.


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## Pat T. (Jan 18, 2004)

Oh yea and I always wear my Roach's....... going to get the new Indy stuff though....


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## Pat T. (Jan 18, 2004)

Bottom line is if you have a $10 head buy a $10 helmet. I use a top of the line Azonic moto helmet, yep it is hot, yep it is heavy. But I do not have to worry about a concussion, and I do not have to worry about a busted jaw. I used to wear a BMX full face but I busted the face guard on the DH course at snoqualmie.... but it did save my teeth. I have no sympathy for anyone who cracks their head open and does not wear a helmet while riding. What good is a $5000 bike if you can't ride it?


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## Korrupt (Mar 15, 2004)

Went out today, and got a 661 brain bucket. $40 helmet, plust my cool kid (always in the shop and their main customer) discount so it turned out to be like $26. I will keep it sacred.


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## ghr7891 (Feb 27, 2004)

Does anyone know where I can find a Switchblade I have always wanted one of those. I broke my jaw 3 years ago and knocked four teeth in the same incident, but I still never got a full face. Now I want one...Badly!


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## jungleuk (Feb 26, 2004)

*Switchblade*



ghr7891 said:


> Does anyone know where I can find a Switchblade I have always wanted one of those. I broke my jaw 3 years ago and knocked four teeth in the same incident, but I still never got a full face. Now I want one...Badly!


Good luck dude, when my switchblade was smashed I was lucky enough to get one of the last 2 in the country from the ditributor as they have been discontinued. A chick I spoke to at Giro said it was a "marketing decision." She said she would pass my comments on, maybe if anyone who wants them to get made again emails this chick then all our comments will get passed on. her address is:

[email protected] , her name is diane hayes.


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## Evil Con-fecal (Jan 31, 2004)

*Religously*

I became a fanatic convert to the church of the helmet when I first held a squish human head in my hands. Impact does amazing thing to the skull. I still look back lovingly at that day (sigh  ) the blood oozing, the crunchy bone fragments shifting in my hands, the weird contortions the dude was doing. I know this may be graphic but a head injury is a graphic thing.
About the only time I don't sport a lid is if I am in my backyard on grass tuning my bike. It amazes me to think some of you guys commute or ride street without a lid. Think for a minute about the 2 ton projectiles wizzing by you, and the nice soft surface you have to land on.
Seriously, its peoples choice if they want to wear a lid or not, but don't ridicule me for laughing at the funky things you do with a brain injury when I get back to my house. Now really seriously, I don't like to see people hurt in ways that are preventable. In the words of the great one, "Until next time, take care of yourselves, and each other." -J.S.


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## SuperBad (Jan 5, 2004)

I would suggest you get a Mad Max2 instead of risking your face on the Switchblade, if you could find one. Personally I don't think that flimsy face guard would do alot if you did a faceplant. Just my $0.02 
SB


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## stinkydropoff (Mar 19, 2004)

*I crash and it's trash? I don't think so*



SuperBad said:


> As a former motorcycle road racer, meaning I have hit the asphalt a few times and have worn many helmets, I would caution against using Motorcycle helmets. Remember they are designed to take impacts at a much higher velocity with much greater forces involved. Therefore they are built much sturdier (read heavy) than bike helmets, but they are also a 1 crash and its trash item! You could have a low speed wreck on a motorcycle (20 mph) and the helmet is junk afterwards, same goes for a bicycle. So the extra $2-300 was just wasted. I also think that having all that extra weight on the end of your neck could lead to some nasty injuries. Remeber when your head accelerates forward and then back, all that stress is placed on your neck. I think in 99% of the cases a full face bike helmet is going to be sufficent.


I ride moto cross and enduros. Have taken many a spill and had a few concussions from nasty wipeouts. I have never ruined a motorcycle helmet and that will be my choice for downhill, not a cheap mtb helmet. Sure they can be hot and the weight isn't a problem. Spend the money and buy the best helmet you can. Save your noggin!


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## finchy (Jan 21, 2004)

*ok this is waht i think...*

how much is a helmet? 20 to what 300 dollars! how much is a medical bill for a cat scan 250-2000!!! how much is brain sergery, it can cost a person easilly thousands of dollars to get brain sergery and have the care they need afterward. How much is a funeral bill? 2500-10000. you make the decision on whta option is cheaper!

ive seen so many people get hit off bikes and it shocks me that all of the people that ride wrecklessly (that i know) dont wear helmets. I wear one and several of my friends do but several dont! and it shocks me i am very paranoid about injuring my head, i even wear a helmet when i go skiing now.so should you

i hope that what little insight into the world of helmets helps you make a decision on he importance of helmets, and i hope its the right one!


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

they are cool because i was even wearing a fullface moto helmet when i did this............


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## jeffj (Jan 13, 2004)

This is from the Snell Memorial Foundation's website and is part of the M2000 spec for motorcycle helmets:
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A helmet's protective capability may be exhausted protecting the wearer in an accident. Helmets are constructed so that the energy of a blow is managed by the helmet, causing its partial destruction. The damage may not be readily apparent and the Foundation strongly recommends that a helmet involved in an accident be returned to the manufacturer for complete inspection. If it is not possible to do so, the helmet should always be destroyed and replaced.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

If you think a motorcycle helmet is designed for multiple impacts, it seems that Snell disagrees.

I read a lot wild stuff about why people wear or don't wear helmets and why they wear the one's they do. I think people should do a little investigation before making some of these claims.

http://www.smf.org/

http://www.bhsi.org/


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

edited


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

*I'd wear a mattress if I could.*

I recently got a 661 full bravo and a Flak Jacket to be used this coming season. I don't necessarily do tons of over the top DH or even excessive jumping or stuff (some, but not tons) - i just don't have health insurance and $300 is a tiny amount to spend protecting me from the waist up in comparison to what a hospital visit would be.

One question - does anyone wear a mouthpiece to protect against tooth-to-tooth impact and breakage. I'm considering it, but was wondering if it's a little over the top, or shouldn't be of concern when wearing a full face helmet.

we got 2.5" of snow in NYC yesterday - most depressing.
Bill


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## crank (Jan 26, 2004)

*sure*

Aside from the odd ride around town or down a nature (flat, long, straight) trail, the mtb club where I ride adv singletrack requires ALL members at ALL times to be wearing helmets as set out in the club rules. But I wear mine 100% of time time. Even if I decide to ride to work. Actually I think riding the roads to work are probably more dangerous then trail riding. Atleast when we are in the trails we can control our crashes. On the road, there are many morons with cars and it only takes one bad driver to hit ya.

But its a stupid risk to not wear a helmet. We all make mistakes on the roads and trails and it only takes one accident when your not wearing a helmet to cause some serious injury. Anyhow I will stop my helmet lecture now.


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## Dog breath wastland racer (Jan 25, 2004)

*Beavers teeth grow back!*

No wonder they go around eating wood cabiens and peg legs. I wonder if humpty dumpty grew back his shell........

Bill Dog


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## TheSherpa (Jan 15, 2004)

You'll always see me wearing a fullface riding anything beyond XC. 2 weekends ago i ate **** at DD and endoed right on my face into a rock garden-nothing but a little buzz and a broken vizor but it could've been $1000+ in dental and plastic surgery for my face.

-TS


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