Why dont mtbers ride with full face helmits?

[RoboLuke]

in paragliding we use full face helmits. never needed it but it makes sense,

ever since ive swapped the sky for the dirt ive been wondering why we ride with

such flimsy headgear...and i dont mean a DH or motorbike helmit just a mtb helmit with

a chin guard. saw a lady on track the other day with one and though that was mightly

smart of her. i know if i get one my buddies will laugh and point but really....should be not be

a bit more sensible?

[Bianchi]

With that same argument you can tell roadies to wear helmets. I've seen enough facial fractures/ jaws being broken on the road.... mine included.

Now why don't you try ride for 6h in the sun with a fullface helmet and try to hydrate and eat and chat to your mates?

[DIRT EATER KZN]

in paragliding we use full face helmits. never needed it but it makes sense,

ever since ive swapped the sky for the dirt ive been wondering why we ride with

such flimsy headgear...and i dont mean a DH or motorbike helmit just a mtb helmit with

a chin guard. saw a lady on track the other day with one and though that was mightly

smart of her. i know if i get one my buddies will laugh and point but really....should be not be

a bit more sensible?

are you serious ???

[Vetseun]

Cause people will snigger behind your back.

[DIRT EATER KZN]

come to zululand in the middle of summer and ride just for half an hour i have a pal paramedic that can follow you for when you fall over

[patches]

in paragliding we use full face helmits. never needed it but it makes sense,

ever since ive swapped the sky for the dirt ive been wondering why we ride with

such flimsy headgear...and i dont mean a DH or motorbike helmit just a mtb helmit with

a chin guard. saw a lady on track the other day with one and though that was mightly

smart of her. i know if i get one my buddies will laugh and point but really....should be not be

a bit more sensible?

 

wonder if that was Spandana?!

 

..also, you can't look goofy wearing a full face! They have a natural tendency to make one look cool!

 

Anyway, this topic has been addressed to some extent in this thread

 

...and as for my personal view. I wear a full face when I ride DH, or hit dirt jumps that I don't feel too comfortable with. Most dirt jumpers are fine with pee-pot lids unless the line tends to be a fast one. Then they may choose the Full Face option.

 

Similarly, if ones trail riding is something they're familiar with, and they aren't getting a few meters of air while doing close on 40kph.. then a normal lid should be fine.

 

But for more technical stuff like endoro, super-D, and even some AM riding, where one knows they're likely to lose it at higher speeds, in nastier terrain... a full face could be advisable.

[patches]

With that same argument you can tell roadies to wear helmets. I've seen enough facial fractures/ jaws being broken on the road.... mine included.

Now why don't you try ride for 6h in the sun with a fullface helmet and try to hydrate and eat and chat to your mates?

come to zululand in the middle of summer and ride just for half an hour i have a pal paramedic that can follow you for when you fall over

 

I've done 8hrs/day, 10 days, Alps, middle of summer with full face, knee guards and DH jersey. Sure the temps & humidity aren't quite zululand, but it was 30+ every day. It's doable. Not comfortable, but do able.

 

I'm also not saying that every district road rider should wear one on their training rides. But if there was an enduro, lets say 3hrs of riding, in zululand (middle of summer), I'd rather wear one than eat through a straw

[patches]

At the end of the day it comes down to personal preference, and what the rider feels safe and comfortable with.

 

Take Thomas Genon at this year's Redbull Joyride.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gs7hcIHea5A

 

Look at the things he was doing, and at the speed he was doing them, all while wearing a pee-pot helmet. Does this mean that the course doesn't need a full face. No... Most other riders wore full face. Neither does it mean that it was essential. All it means is that he felt safe and confident enough in his riding to ride with less protection.

 

Same principle can be applied to XC, trail, whatever. If you feel safe doing a particular trail in a regular lid... great! If you don't and think a full face would make you feel safer and more confident. Then great too! No one should be able to dictate to you that you're being "too safe" when it comes to helmets.

Edited November 23, 2012 by patches

[tombeej]

If you want a helmet with a chin guard when mtbing, then go for it.

If you like to ride your road bike during the week and refuse to shave your legs, then go for it.

If you want to ride with a saddle bag, then go for it.

If you want to ride mtb with lycra, then go for it.

If you want bar ends on your riser bars, go for it.

Camelbak or bottles? Whatever makes you happy.

Want to ride a 160mm bike on the spruit, I'm all for it.

What about an Eldron monster cross bike on the trails with drop bars? Hells yeah. The perfect machine to stick a middle finger to the twats who scorn so-called dirt roadies.

 

Too many people in this blerry sport who like to think they have the right to tell you how to enjoy yourself. Inevitably they're also busy doing something 'wrong' in someone elses eyes too.

Edited November 23, 2012 by tombeej

[DIRT EATER KZN]

DH for sure full face i dont know enough about enduro to comment but mountain biking come get real its not about looking good its common sense you cannot race with a full face helmet on you will put your health at risk i am talking racing sit at lactate threshhold for and hour think about it

[Tumbleweed]

If you want a helmet with a chin guard when mtbing, then go for it.

If you like to ride your road bike during the week and refuse to shave your legs, then go for it.

If you want to ride with a saddle bag, then go for it.

If you want to ride mtb with lycra, then go for it.

If you want bar ends on your riser bars, go for it.

Camelback or bottles? Whatever makes you happy.

Want to ride a 160mm bike on the spruit, I'm all for it.

What about an Eldron monster cross bike on the trails with drop bars? Hells yeah. The perfect machine to stick a middle finger to the twats who scorn so-called dirt roadies.

 

Too many people in this blerry sport who like to think they have the right to tell you how to enjoy yourself. Inevitably they're also busy doing something 'wrong' in someone elses eyes too.

 

Everything you said was wrong…

[TNT1]

I thought it was spelled helmuts?

[tombeej]

Everything you said was wrong…

 

Or another way....

[tombeej]

DH for sure full face i dont know enough about enduro to comment but mountain biking come get real its not about looking good its common sense you cannot race with a full face helmet on you will put your health at risk i am talking racing sit at lactate threshhold for and hour think about it

 

When it comes to practicality, I agree. Like white socks when mountain biking - it's just not practical. Not about being 'cool' or not, it just doesn't really make sense. Same with skinny hard tyres in Zululand with all the deep sand. And heavy full face helmets riding long XC on the north coast, sure - your brain might boil.

 

But someone in Gauteng wants a full face at van gaalens because they feel safer, then go for it, and balls to anyone whose got a problem with it.

[EZRider]

If you want a helmet with a chin guard when mtbing, then go for it.

If you like to ride your road bike during the week and refuse to shave your legs, then go for it.

If you want to ride with a saddle bag, then go for it.

If you want to ride mtb with lycra, then go for it.

If you want bar ends on your riser bars, go for it.

Camelbak or bottles? Whatever makes you happy.

Want to ride a 160mm bike on the spruit, I'm all for it.

What about an Eldron monster cross bike on the trails with drop bars? Hells yeah. The perfect machine to stick a middle finger to the twats who scorn so-called dirt roadies.

 

Too many people in this blerry sport who like to think they have the right to tell you how to enjoy yourself. Inevitably they're also busy doing something 'wrong' in someone elses eyes too.

 

If only we could somehow fit bar ends to Eldrons drop bars...

[DJR]

Everything you said was wrong…

 

And THAT is exactly RIGHT!