| Author |
Topic |
spruce grove, ab
Canada
296 Posts |
Posted - 01/27/2007 : 6:49 PM
|
ok i am an ass .......i just looked at the ones in can tire , shwinn- pretty good make ., and they were 35 bucks , i cant beleive how cheap they are here compared to england ( i brought mine over so i hadnt even looked at another helmet in a shop .) i was wrong - sorry farmer, you just sunk my battleship!  bob |
|
|
Terrace, BC
957 Posts |
Posted - 01/27/2007 : 6:54 PM
|
Helmets look pretty cool these days.
They tend to hide my receding hairline. |
|
|
 Outward Bound author of the Seinfeld Thread, who builds his own snowshoes
Troy, MT
USA
3121 Posts |
Posted - 01/27/2007 : 9:47 PM
|
| you werent completly wrong bob. higher end mtb helmets can set you back a couple hundred. ski helmets anywhere from $30-100 |
|
|
North Vancouver, BC
Canada
1047 Posts |
Posted - 01/27/2007 : 10:42 PM
|
Tell me when you crash your bike and smash your head on the pavement and get up okay and then try explaining to someone that will listen that helmets cost too much money. Like most things in the world, you get what you py for. I have always had highend helmets and you do not need to have one to save your life. You can buy a helmet for 40 bucks or 200. That is pretty good for anyone's budget. Don't tell me that if you invented the snowboard you would sell it for 15 dollars just because you thought things int he world were too expensive.
The biggest problems with having kids wear helmets and wear proper fitting ones is the moronic parents who have a kid then refuse to spend a few bucks on a safety product cause they think they know what it should cost.
I have had the unfortunate luck to know and meet a lot of people who have suffered brain injuries. It is one of the reasons I go into schools all over the province and show them slide shows on the racing I have done and showing them how to fit and wear the proper protective gear. I have never had an injury in 18 years of racing and have destroyed three helmets. Imagine if you lost all you know....try putting a price on that. $15.00 give me a break! |
|
|
|
ass wigglin, cheese lovin, 4x4 drivin, apostrophe hatin, hiking chick who loves camping on snow
spaceship..
Canada
7209 Posts |
Posted - 01/27/2007 : 11:06 PM
|
[quoteThe biggest problems with having kids wear helmets and wear proper fitting ones is the moronic parents who have a kid then refuse to spend a few bucks on a safety product cause they think they know what it shou][/quote]
Not so true these days, most parents I know make sure their kids wear helmets, as for fitting properly you'd be surprised at how little info there is out there. And then it can be overload to the parent who just spent a loada time and money on finding just the right toy to make thier kid happy - man, kids can be demanding at the best of times.
Im not making excuses here, I know there are "moronic" parents out there, but I would hate to be stereotyped into that category, which in reality is becoming smaller - thankfully..
I bought my daughter's helmet at a bike store, and was fortunate to have someone who knew what they were doing help me find a helmet that fitted properly.
Word is getting around, lets face it, when I was growing up helmets were totally "uncool and nerdy like"...
oh and btw the term "nerd" was much more derogatory when I was growing up, so for the nerds/geeks here please dont take that personally, its much more complimentary these days...
Ack, Im showing my age
 hey I got no wrinkles - what are those?   |
Edited by - Shadee on 01/27/2007 11:09 PM |
|
|
|
Coffee swillin', wine lovin', Owl fearin' Andie McDowell stunt double, who sports retro gear
Vancouver, BC
5464 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2007 : 12:02 AM
|
| I do see a LOT of small kids (and some adults) out there riding around (with their parents behind them) with the helmet sitting on the backs of their heads, and the foreheads fully exposed. The front of the helmet is supposed to sit about an inch above your eyebrows. I think if anyone is going to buy a safety product, they should at least inquire as to its proper use and/or read the instructions on the box. |
|
|
North Vancouver, BC
Canada
1047 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2007 : 06:29 AM
|
I agree there are less and less teenagers without helmets these day and the biggest part of that is education. As far as fit goes I use the analogy of two fingers over the eyebrow as it is easier for kids to remember. Their two fingers should touch the helmet.
The reason you see many kids without proper fitting helmets is because many of the cheaper brands or brands that focus on a pretty shell (which kids love) do not have the "cradle" ie: roc loc on a giro helmet which totally fixes this problem.
Like Shadee said unless you go to a reputable dealer at a bike store where you will pay a bit more you are not going to get any instructionson how it and if it fits properly.
When I teach kids I always say that you can spend 40 dollars or 200 but the best helmets are around 90-140 dolars. These are the onse that have all the features and still have all the great colors and styles. The more expensive have more design and marketing behind then and the ones for 15-60 bucks are crapy salad bowls that should never be sold. Just try and fit some of these to a kids head and you will see why those kids are riding, skating or scootering around with them on the backs of their heads. They are impossible to get a good fit. Like I said you get what you pay for.... |
Edited by - norona on 01/28/2007 07:01 AM |
|
|
spruce grove, ab
Canada
296 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2007 : 07:14 AM
|
talking about fitting of the helmet , i noticed that the hockey helmets have front to back ajustment , why dont cycle helmets do this ? by the way im learning heaps on this thread ! |
|
|
|
Outward Bound author of the Seinfeld Thread, who builds his own snowshoes
Troy, MT
USA
3121 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2007 : 09:58 AM
|
| I think the important question is why are most full face mtb helmets so uncomfortable. last time I was in the market for one, i must have tried on about 15-20, in all different price ranges, but the most comfortable was the $150 (on sale for 100) bell balistic, their entry level full face. |
|
|
Hope, B.C.
Canada
617 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2007 : 10:56 AM
|
quote:
Originally posted by norona
it cost the govenment about $400,000 per year for a person who has a spinal cord incedent a helmet is a smart idea for any sport.
I totally agree that a helmet can help reduce the risk of a blunt force type injury, however I don't think it'll help you too much in the "break your neck department". I had a friend who died a few years back in Whistler when he lost control and slid head first into a chairlift tower, despite the fact that he was wearing a helmet. When skiing, if you are going fast enough to split your head open on a tree when you crash, you are just as likely to break your neck too, helmet or not. I think there can be a false sense of security developed from wearing a helmet for some people, thinking that now they can push the limits and go even faster because they are protected. Also now they are developing helmets with built in headphones for ipods! Doesn't seem so safe to me. I have been cut off numerous times from people who can't even hear me coming. The point is, when you engage in these types of activities, you should understand that there are risks involved. It is your responsibility to try and reduce the risks as you see fit, including wearing a helmet. The mistake is thinking that by wearing one you are now exempt from the risks. I personally don't wear a helmet when I ski yet and some people think that's stupid. But I also understand the risks and reduce them in my own way by skiing within my comfort and control range, in uncrowded terrain. |
|
|
North Vancouver, BC
Canada
1047 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2007 : 3:23 PM
|
I agree that a helmet can not and will not protect you from all incidents however it may surprise you that most head injuries are not from big falls. They are from simple slip ups that just happen when you least expect it. That is why it is smart to wear a helmet cycling or skiing or boarding for that matter.
I use a lot of different protective gear for all the different sports I do and I never think that because I have it on that I can do more than I can.
Helmets and other protective gear are a last ditch item that saves you when you do go down. Doing the sport within your abilities and knowing your physical limits and environment are a bigger part of not crashing alot.
It is your choice not to wear a helmet and that is your choice. I don't when I go into the backcountry but I choose to wear one in the resort and I love wearing it. It is warmer and cooler with the vents than wearing a touque and I also use itunes and I agree it may hinder your ability to hear others however I make sure I look around especially when I am on a busy slope which is not that often.
*sorry to hear about your friend that is terrible
Bobdep-bike helmets do have a front and back system it is called the roc-loc for Giro and most manufactures have now on their bike helmets. It improves the fit and feel and makes the helmet safer forsure. All Giro's 2007 highend models have the same system and it is incredible how well they fit. Huge difference over last years models. |
|
|
|
Night owl posting,Subie driving, backpacking Dad who is perpetually trying to catch up to his kids on the trail.
Vancouver, BC
Canada
3052 Posts |
Posted - 01/29/2007 : 11:44 PM
|
I don't know anyone personally who has suffered a brain injury but I know at least 2 people who almost certainly avoided brain injury thanks to a helmet ... and one of them was me. About 10 years ago, while mountain biking I was launched over my handlebars in a crash and flew head first into the corner of a 10"x10" post holding up a trailside retaining wall. This was such a severe impact that, as I lay on the ground afterwards, I carefully wiggled toes and fingers to determine if I had broken my neck. I was absolutely unharmed but my helmet was cratered. I am convinced that it not only saved my head but probably my neck as well (by absorbing the worst of the impact).
Case 2 was a cycling friend hit head on by a car coming around a corner on the wrong side of the road. He went head first through the car's windshield and passenger side A-pillar (solid steel pillar supporting the roof of the car and designed to withstand the weight of the car in a rollover). The A-pillar was completely severed and my friend's hard-shell helmet was deeply scored from the encounter. He walked away without injury.
There is a real danger that some might wrongly behave as if protective gear makes them invulnerable. They may yet earn Darwin awards. For the rest, helmets are key to reducing risks associated with activities where the head may encounter serious impacts. |
|
|
Canmore, AB
Canada
1238 Posts |
Posted - 01/30/2007 : 11:21 AM
|
Helmets are cool !
Let's see... I've got a construction helmet, mountaineering helmet, ice climbing helmet, bicycle helmet, caving helmet, ski helmet, and my recent addition - a carbon fiber full face helmet.
|
|
|
|
Cycling guru, Wig wearing, James Bond wannabe, answers to the call of "Eurobabe"
Langley
Canada
1231 Posts |
Posted - 01/30/2007 : 11:46 AM
|
I always wear my helmet and my kids do too...
I have had discussions with my son's (he's 15) friends and them not wearing helmets. I wear my helmet cause I know one day some moron is going to hit me with their car, no matter how careful I am. I wear bright colours (much to my kids dismay) and I have my lights on even if it isn't quite dark yet.
I had a friend who suffered a broken neck, if he hadn't been wearing a helmet, well he wouldn't be here anymore. He hit a tree while riding a trail out near UBC.
My BIL who rides all the time, to work etc, also thinks his helmet saved him, he came around a corner and there was fresh cut grass left on the asphalt, his bike slid out and he landed hitting his head, he suffered a concussion but it could have been far more serious if he hadn't had is helmet on.
One thing that really bugs me is seeing people ride around with the helmet hanging on the handle bars. Do the honestly think that if they have an accident they can get it on their head before they hit the ground.
We also wear helmets when skiing.
|
|
|
|
Topic |
|
I've noticed something...
