Pedal Safely Vol 1 Issue 6
by The Black Tie Bicyclist Copyright 2006
A good way to start off the New Year is with a new helmet.
Of course you should always cycle with a helmet. Helmets, like seat belts, need to be replaced if they've been involved in a crash. Also, though, did you know that helmets that have never been crashed should be replaced every 2~ 4 years depending upon use and other factors? A helmet is nothing more than a Styrofoam cup for your head. It has a pretty and smooth outside cover to protect the Styrofoam, to let the helmet slide should you fall, and not snag maybe causing your neck to break. Take your Styrofoam coffee cup and put it inside the microwave for 6 minutes. It does melt. Every day and every season the Styrofoam in your helmet does the same expand and contract like that coffee cup and after a few seasons it's not as strong as a new one. This is damage that can't be seen by the naked eye. The more you wear it, the more sunlight, heat, and cold it's exposed all shorten the helmet's lifespan. If you can see cracks, dents or damage you need to throw it away. If your budget allows, you should have a couple of helmets just in case you notice damage to one you have a back up and won't miss a ride.
A helmet for normal errand rides around town and maybe one with a lot more vents for those fast club rides is a good combination to have on hand.
According to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute more than 10 % of bicyclist's emergency room visits involved head injuries. Two-thirds of cyclist's deaths are from traumatic brain injury. Estimates of cyclists brain injuries that could have been prevented by a helmet range from 45 to 88 percent! The greatest number of cycling deaths occurred in the 35-44, 45-54, and 55-64 age groups, increasing as much as 21% from 2004 to 2005. These 3 age brackets account for nearly 50% of all fatalities. Helmets are not just for kids!
Remember like seat belts, the helmet is your last safety item. Defensive pedaling, sound equipment, bright lights and clothing are all used for your safety. If one or more of them fail then the helmet is the last thing to protect you.
The technology that makes helmets safe isn't expensive. In most cases it doesn't matter if you paid $20 or $200+ for your helmet, your head will be equally safe. Just make sure it has a sticker stating that it meets the standards of the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) or ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials). Higher priced helmets may weigh less and have more air vents but they won't save your head any better.
So the price you pay is for fashion or high tech doesn't matter when compared to the price you pay if you are in an accident and don't wear a helmet.
Helmets to work properly must fit properly: Snug Level Secure are the key words. It may take 10-15 minutes to make sure the helmet you choose fits you properly.
Place a helmet on your head without clipping the straps. It should fit like your baseball cap, not flop around but if you hit the front of it upward it will roll up and back over your head without falling off. That's the size you need. Snug enough to stay on and centered if you turn your head left or right. Not so tight that it will give you a headache when you wear it for hours in the heat. Use the pads that come with your new helmet to obtain that correct fit. Most come with thin, medium, and thick extra pads. Depending upon the manufacturer this could change a medium helmet from medium to medium/small or medium/large.
Make sure that your helmet is always level. You should be able to have only one or two finger widths of forehead between your eyebrows and the bottom of your helmet. Too many people lift the helmet up exposing the forehead to potential harm in a forward crash. Usually it's a good test to have the helmet on and walk into a wall (slowly!) the front of the helmet should touch the wall before your nose does (depending upon the size of the nose).
Secure the straps. Use the straps and pads to get a secure fit. When they are secure you should be able to only get one finger in between your strap and your neck when your mouth is closed. It should be secure enough that if you open your mouth all the way you can't get a finger in there. With your mouth open wide you should feel the helmet pulling down on top of your head. The straps should form a Y around your ear. The front and rear straps should be evenly balanced and secured with the ear the center point. There should be no play left to right, up and down when you shake your head. If you can tap your helmet up more than an inch in the front, leaving your forehead not completely protected, you need to tighten the front straps, if you tap it in the rear and it rises back there more than an inch you need to tighten the rear straps. Raise the helmet in the front - it should cause the skin above your eyebrows to tighten/stretch with the movement (remember not more than an inch) if it doesn't, put in thicker pads or choose a different helmet.
Just like a car's seat belts won't work if you don't click them on, it doesn't matter if you have the most expensive helmet, fits right, is on level and you look good in it, if you don't fasten it on it won't save your life.
Always always always fasten your straps.
The helmet you wear should be specifically designed for cycling. A skateboard helmet might work great if you are only going the speed of a skateboarder but most cyclists easily go much faster. A helmet designed to withstand an 8 MPH crash won't you do much good in a 15-to-45 mph crash.
Remember it's sometimes called a Brain Bucket for a good reason. It's carrying the most important part of your body. They can install a prosetic arm or leg, transplant and eye or heart, they can even now give you a new face, but they can't do much for you if you shake, dent, or damage your brain.
Wear it around the store while you do the rest of your shopping. It should be so comfortable you forget you are wearing it. You don't notice you are wearing a seat belt when you are in a car, or even remember that you are wearing shoes when they fit right, the same thing applies with helmets. If you don't remember you have it on you have a good one on.
For more information and links to helmet videos visit the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute website.
Pedal Safely!