This is getting expensive (helmets)

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

<[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Dec 10, 7:16 pm, "Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Ouch. Not physically, but financially. I've broken two Giro Atmos helmets
in
crashes this year. First one happened when my son did something screwy
while
descending, causing me to run into his rear wheel and off the road into
the
culvert, where I flipped over and landed on my bike. Thankfully just a
couple little bruises, that's all. Oh, plus a cracked helmet.

Quoted message said:

Yep. They're fragile, all right!

Oh, I think you misunderstand me. There's no way these crashes would have
killed me. Maybe given me a bump or two, but that's likely all. My point
wasn't about whether helmets work or not. Only that expensive helmets get
expensive when they do whatever it is they do.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Then yesterday
I'm riding the "punchbowl" (a dried-up reservoir with steep sides that
you
can ride down into and up the other side... lots of fun!) and didn't
quite
get the speed right to land on the 4-ft-wide berm, causing me to grab a
bit
more front brake than I should have (to keep from going over the other
side). I, fortunately, didn't go over the other side, but the bike went
over
me after I did a flip over the bars that my kids thought rather funny.
And
cracked another helmet.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Last time I damaged a helmet was maybe 25 years ago. Not a good trend!
:>😉

Quoted message said:

Were you doing those kinds of stunts 25 years ago?

Frank, last time I checked I was 51 years old. I'd like to make it to 52.
For the most part, I ride less aggressively now than I did back in the day.

Quoted message said:

Your riding style and mine seem much different. I tend to avoid the
kind of riding that makes wearing a helmet seem logical. As a bonus,
I seem to avoid scraped knees, broken collarbones, damaged bike parts,
etc.

Quoted message said:

IOW, I don't "risk compensate" myself into those problems.

I love it when people think that, because someone wears a helmet, they're
going to be crazier than they would otherwise. I'm sure there's a part of
the population that thinks like that. And I'm sure there's a part of the
population that rides more, not less carefully, wearing helmets. You could
make the same argument about seat belts and air bags. But you know what? I
don't care. Not today anyway, because that's not why I posted.

I should have known better than to think anything with the word "helmet" in
it wouldn't start something up.

Well, you *have* garnered the "attention" of the most rabid AHZ Gasbag
extant. Now we can watch him post the same old repetitive AHZ
boilerplate BS yet again.

Quoted message said:

And remember, I'm the guy who's dead-set against mandatory helmet laws for
kids. So maybe consider that I wasn't out trolling, I was just talking about
the costs involved, and that maybe it makes sense to wear a cheaper helmet
when out mountain biking. Or not.

You weren't trolling, you were just (inadvertantly) giving the Gasbag
an opportunity to outgas!

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

Ouch. Not physically, but financially. I've broken two Giro Atmos helmets in
crashes this year. First one happened when my son did something screwy while
descending, causing me to run into his rear wheel and off the road into the
culvert, where I flipped over and landed on my bike. Thankfully just a
couple little bruises, that's all. Oh, plus a cracked helmet. Then yesterday
I'm riding the "punchbowl" (a dried-up reservoir with steep sides that you
can ride down into and up the other side... lots of fun!) and didn't quite
get the speed right to land on the 4-ft-wide berm, causing me to grab a bit
more front brake than I should have (to keep from going over the other
side). I, fortunately, didn't go over the other side, but the bike went over
me after I did a flip over the bars that my kids thought rather funny. And
cracked another helmet.

Last time I damaged a helmet was maybe 25 years ago. Not a good trend! :>😉

But more seriously, I think I'm going to be riding off-road with a standard
Trek Vapor ($40) in the future. Either that or a full-body airbag. Not to
protect me. To protect the helmet!

(For my road riding, I don't mind, and even prefer, having something that
costs a bit more but looks better and theoretically has better ventilation.
But off-road, I don't think there's much point to me pretending to look
anything but rank amateur.)

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

I agree with Mike. It's an inverse relationship.

As you get older you get dumber, so you're not losing as much as when
your brain was top-drawer. <eg>

Also you're slower, so there's more need for lightness but you're
riding a pedestrian speeds so the wind resistance is less. <har-har>

I just get something mid-range, and wear it to look cool (yeah,
right) and to prevent them from saying 'he wasn't wearing a helmet
when he rode off the highway into the reservoir, or his head might
have floated to the surface'. :-D

(I can still swim. Does an all carbon frame float?)
------------
To be serious for a second, I'm wondering what you think of the
new(er) NiteRider HeadTrip with a 6V helmet headlight. I supposedly
goes to 10 watts and has some nice features. The battery pack is a
flat 6V. I presume the battery mounts to the belt or waist?

<http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=20727&subcategory_ID=4320>

TIA

On Dec 10, 6:15 pm, Tom Sherman <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

aka Frank Krygowski said:

On Dec 10, 7:16 pm, "Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Ouch. Not physically, but financially. I've broken two Giro Atmos helmets in
crashes this year. First one happened when my son did something screwy while
descending, causing me to run into his rear wheel and off the road into the
culvert, where I flipped over and landed on my bike. Thankfully just a
couple little bruises, that's all. Oh, plus a cracked helmet.

Quoted message said:

Yep. They're fragile, all right!

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Then yesterday
I'm riding the "punchbowl" (a dried-up reservoir with steep sides that you
can ride down into and up the other side... lots of fun!) and didn't quite
get the speed right to land on the 4-ft-wide berm, causing me to grab a bit
more front brake than I should have (to keep from going over the other
side). I, fortunately, didn't go over the other side, but the bike went over
me after I did a flip over the bars that my kids thought rather funny. And
cracked another helmet.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Last time I damaged a helmet was maybe 25 years ago. Not a good trend! :>😉

Quoted message said:

Were you doing those kinds of stunts 25 years ago?

Quoted message said:

Your riding style and mine seem much different. I tend to avoid the
kind of riding that makes wearing a helmet seem logical. As a bonus,
I seem to avoid scraped knees, broken collarbones, damaged bike parts,
etc.

Quoted message said:

IOW, I don't "risk compensate" myself into those problems.

To add some fuel to the fire, I will mention that "going over the bars"
is EXTREMELY unlikely on a proper recumbent bicycle.

So you think that Under-Seat-Steering makes a 'bent improper? They
spend all their time over the bars.

'Bent riders are eating their own!

Quoted message said:

Can someone post pictures of this "punchbowl"?

www.ChainReaction.com/diary.htm and look for the youtube video near the top
of the page.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

"Tom Sherman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ryan Cousineau said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Tom Sherman said:

[email hidden] aka Frank Krygowski wrote:
> On Dec 10, 7:16 pm, "Mike Jacoubowsky" <[email hidden]>
> wrote:
>> Ouch. Not physically, but financially. I've broken two Giro Atmos
>> helmets in
>> crashes this year.

Quoted message said:

>> Then yesterday
>> I'm riding the "punchbowl" (a dried-up reservoir with steep sides that
>> you
>> can ride down into and up the other side... lots of fun!) and didn't
>> quite
>> get the speed right to land on the 4-ft-wide berm, causing me to grab
>> a bit

Quoted message said:

To add some fuel to the fire, I will mention that "going over the bars"
is EXTREMELY unlikely on a proper recumbent bicycle.

Riding the punchbowl is even less likely.

Can someone post pictures of this "punchbowl"?

Note that Mike Jacoubowsky's first "header" did NOT occur in the
"punchbowl".

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"Localized intense suction such as tornadoes is created when temperature
differences are high enough between meeting air masses, and can impart
excessive energy onto a cyclist." - Randy Schlitter

Hank Wirtz said:

On Dec 10, 6:15 pm, Tom Sherman <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

To add some fuel to the fire, I will mention that "going over the bars"
is EXTREMELY unlikely on a proper recumbent bicycle.

So you think that Under-Seat-Steering makes a 'bent improper? They
spend all their time over the bars.

'Bent riders are eating their own!

True under seat steering (USS), is greatly inferior to controls besides
the riders legs (BSS). Most recumbents advertised as having USS are
actually BSS, e.g. this is a BSS bicycle:
<http://www.challenge-recumbents.com/images/picture.php?filename=images/inhoud/hurricanetour/hurricanetouruss-groot.jpg&size=640&type=2&quality=87>.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"Localized intense suction such as tornadoes is created when temperature
differences are high enough between meeting air masses, and can impart
excessive energy onto a cyclist." - Randy Schlitter

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

Quoted message said:

Can someone post pictures of this "punchbowl"?

www.ChainReaction.com/diary.htm and look for the youtube video near the top
of the page....

Heck, I would not hesitate to ride that on my recumbent trike (if it was
not so far away).

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"Localized intense suction such as tornadoes is created when temperature
differences are high enough between meeting air masses, and can impart
excessive energy onto a cyclist." - Randy Schlitter

"Tom Sherman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

Quoted message said:

Can someone post pictures of this "punchbowl"?

www.ChainReaction.com/diary.htm and look for the youtube video near the
top of the page....

Heck, I would not hesitate to ride that on my recumbent trike (if it was
not so far away).

I don't think you'd have any trouble getting down, but back up the other
side might be fun to watch. Give me a couple days' warning so I can be
there.

--Mike Jacoubowsky
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com
Redwood City & Los Altos, CA USA

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

"Tom Sherman" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

> Can someone post pictures of this "punchbowl"?
www.ChainReaction.com/diary.htm and look for the youtube video near the
top of the page....

Heck, I would not hesitate to ride that on my recumbent trike (if it was
not so far away).

I don't think you'd have any trouble getting down, but back up the other
side might be fun to watch. Give me a couple days' warning so I can be
there.

I have low speed all wheel drive. Pedal in the lowest gear, while
rotating the front wheels by hand.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"Localized intense suction such as tornadoes is created when temperature
differences are high enough between meeting air masses, and can impart
excessive energy onto a cyclist." - Randy Schlitter

Mike Jacoubowsky said:

Ouch. Not physically, but financially. I've broken two Giro Atmos helmets in
crashes this year. First one happened when my son did something screwy while
descending, causing me to run into his rear wheel and off the road into the
culvert, where I flipped over and landed on my bike. Thankfully just a
couple little bruises, that's all. Oh, plus a cracked helmet. Then yesterday
I'm riding the "punchbowl" (a dried-up reservoir with steep sides that you
can ride down into and up the other side... lots of fun!) and didn't quite
get the speed right to land on the 4-ft-wide berm, causing me to grab a bit
more front brake than I should have (to keep from going over the other
side). I, fortunately, didn't go over the other side, but the bike went over
me after I did a flip over the bars that my kids thought rather funny. And
cracked another helmet.

Last time I damaged a helmet was maybe 25 years ago. Not a good trend! :>😉

But more seriously, I think I'm going to be riding off-road with a standard
Trek Vapor ($40) in the future. Either that or a full-body airbag. Not to
protect me. To protect the helmet!

(For my road riding, I don't mind, and even prefer, having something that
costs a bit more but looks better and theoretically has better ventilation.
But off-road, I don't think there's much point to me pretending to look
anything but rank amateur.)

I can't bring myself to pay more than about $40 for a helmet. The
"improvements" beyond that are marginal at best. Below that, it's hard to
find one that's not one-or-two-sizes-fits-all. But if those fit you
perfectly, they're fine too.

Matt O.

On Dec 11, 5:04 pm, Tom Sherman <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Hank Wirtz said:

On Dec 10, 6:15 pm, Tom Sherman <[email hidden]>
wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

To add some fuel to the fire, I will mention that "going over the bars"
is EXTREMELY unlikely on a proper recumbent bicycle.

Quoted message said:

So you think that Under-Seat-Steering makes a 'bent improper? They
spend all their time over the bars.

Quoted message said:

'Bent riders are eating their own!

True under seat steering (USS), is greatly inferior to controls besides
the riders legs (BSS). Most recumbents advertised as having USS are
actually BSS, e.g. this is a BSS bicycle:
<http://www.challenge-recumbents.com/images/picture.php?filename=image...>.

Yeah, we don't really care. You're still annoying.

Hank Wirtz said:

...
Yeah, we don't really care. You're still annoying.

WOO HOO!!!!

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"Localized intense suction such as tornadoes is created when temperature
differences are high enough between meeting air masses, and can impart
excessive energy onto a cyclist." - Randy Schlitter

Hank Wirtz said:

On Dec 11, 5:04 pm, Tom Sherman <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Hank Wirtz said:

On Dec 10, 6:15 pm, Tom Sherman <[email hidden]>
wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> To add some fuel to the fire, I will mention that "going over the bars"
> is EXTREMELY unlikely on a proper recumbent bicycle.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

So you think that Under-Seat-Steering makes a 'bent improper? They
spend all their time over the bars.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

'Bent riders are eating their own!

Quoted message said:

True under seat steering (USS), is greatly inferior to controls besides
the riders legs (BSS). Most recumbents advertised as having USS are
actually BSS, e.g. this is a BSS bicycle:
<http://www.challenge-recumbents.com/images/picture.php?filename=image...>.

Yeah, we don't really care. You're still annoying.

You noticed that, too, eh?

On Tue, 11 Dec 2007 11:08:00 -0600, "Pat" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

You can get the padded shorts from any inline skates website. I am thinking
about getting a pair for my grandson who is learning to use his inline
skates. it's either that or soccer goalie shorts.....

I have shorts in the drawer with ~12mm of polyethylene foam over the
pelvic bones, hips and outside thighs. It has a chamois but no tail
bone protection. They're only worn on bad ice days.

Yesterday's dumps left a minor abrasion on the saddle where it
stopped sliding. I had no bruising under dungarees, bib knickers,
four top layers and padded gloves. Ultimately, an ear warmer was all
the head protection required.

I avoided what little ice I saw today. Maybe if I'd been wearing my
foam shorts I'd have given it a go on the 28mm slicks.

Hockey referee's girdles are light, ventilated, and well adapted to
skating by including tail-bone protection.
--
zk

Zoot Katz said:

On Tue, 11 Dec 2007 11:08:00 -0600, "Pat" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

You can get the padded shorts from any inline skates website. I am thinking
about getting a pair for my grandson who is learning to use his inline
skates. it's either that or soccer goalie shorts.....

I have shorts in the drawer with ~12mm of polyethylene foam over the
pelvic bones, hips and outside thighs. It has a chamois but no tail
bone protection. They're only worn on bad ice days.

Yesterday's dumps left a minor abrasion on the saddle where it
stopped sliding. I had no bruising under dungarees, bib knickers,
four top layers and padded gloves. Ultimately, an ear warmer was all
the head protection required.

I avoided what little ice I saw today. Maybe if I'd been wearing my
foam shorts I'd have given it a go on the 28mm slicks.

Hockey referee's girdles are light, ventilated, and well adapted to
skating by including tail-bone protection.

Beware the dreaded "risk compensation".

Bruce Gilbert said:

Topics for discussion are:

How do you clean a helmet?

I remove the tape strip holding the top and bottom part of the hard outer shell together, after which some gentle prying will cause the double sided sticky tape to let go and let the foam core be exposed. This will make it possible to remove the straps from their recessed anchor points once the chin buckle at the other end is unstrapped. The padding is only velcroed in so it removes easily. Pads and straps goes into a sock, and the sock goes in the washer. Foam core and chin buckle may or may not be given a light rinse dependent on degree of discolouration and smell.

Bruce Gilbert said:

When do you clean a helmet?

When straps or pads have become obviously discoloured and/or noticeably stiffer, or when the helmet has developed a noticeable smell of old sweat.

Bruce Gilbert said:

Why do you clean a helmet?

Because straps or pads have become obviously discoloured and/or noticeably stiffer, or because the helmet has developed a noticeable smell of old sweat.

i got a inline bike helmet looks totally industructable compared to a bike
helmet
hth
peter

"Pat" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

You can get the padded shorts from any inline skates website. I am
thinking about getting a pair for my grandson who is learning to use his
inline skates. it's either that or soccer goalie shorts.....