What is the lowest profile helmet in a faired bike
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Topic: What is the lowest profile helmet in a faired bike
Posted By: RoyMacdonald
Subject: What is the lowest profile helmet in a faired bike
Date Posted: 21 February 2019 at 11:38am
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Title says it all really. Looking to get as much head room in the Great White as I can. So what make and model are best? Roy
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Replies:
Posted By: russellbridge
Date Posted: 21 February 2019 at 4:32pm
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My kask bambino is tight at the sides and top but has an aero lump at the back which wouldn't help...
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Posted By: RoyMacdonald
Date Posted: 21 February 2019 at 4:38pm
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Thanks Russell. The Great white does have a headrest but there is loads of room in the tail of the head fairing, it's the height mostly and width that's the issue. Roy
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Posted By: RoyMacdonald
Date Posted: 21 February 2019 at 4:42pm
| The Kask Protone has been suggested. Anyone any experience of that one? |
Posted By: AlanGoodman
Date Posted: 21 February 2019 at 5:47pm
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Silly money, but this looks tiny: http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-helmets/adult-bike-helmets/morpher-folding-helmet-silver" rel="nofollow - https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-helmets/adult-bike-helmets/morpher-folding-helmet-silver
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Posted By: blogwat
Date Posted: 21 February 2019 at 6:18pm
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What about a helmet used in rugby, would that be allowed ?. ------------- when your up to your waist in aligators they forget to tell you you've got to clear the swamp |
Posted By: RoyMacdonald
Date Posted: 21 February 2019 at 8:41pm
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No unfortunately. It has to carry the correct test label under the terms of the clubs insurance policy. I could get an old track leather hairnet but it would not be legal for our races. Roy
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Posted By: RoyMacdonald
Date Posted: 21 February 2019 at 9:24pm
Thanks Alan. I don't think that helmet is as small as it looks though as I've seen photos where it looks huge and it weighs more than twice as much as a Kask Mojito.  Ventilation issues are also mentioned in reviews. The Fend folding helmet looks like it might be a better size though,  All the best. Roy |
AlanGoodman wrote:Posted By: Yanto
Date Posted: 22 February 2019 at 5:23pm
Unless the rules have changed in fully faired a leather hairnet is fine, it was only the worlds that was strict for some reason! From the "Rules" All riders must wear (on your head) a helmet approved by a recognised national standards authority (e.g. Snell, ANSI, TUV, etc.) The sole exception to this rule in in the case of a faired machine where the rider's head is enclosed, in which case any helmet designed to protect the head (such as a leather "hairnet" type helmet) may be used. |
Posted By: AlanGoodman
Date Posted: 22 February 2019 at 5:29pm
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Correct - For the World Championships we had to work to WHPVA rules. BHPC rules currently allow hairnets in fully faired machines. Whether it would do you any good at all in an accident is of course questionable but no currently available cycle helmet has ever been designed to protect you from a 40MPH impact... ------------- |
Posted By: RoyMacdonald
Date Posted: 22 February 2019 at 6:04pm
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You've set me wondering what speed are bike helmets designed for? The Astana team seem to have some low profile helmets made by Limar   Roy
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Posted By: RoyMacdonald
Date Posted: 22 February 2019 at 6:16pm
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14 mph for bikes and 17 mph for motorbikes. Under US standards bike helmets are tested in 2 meter drops that achieve about 14 miles per hour (22.5 kph) on the flat anvil. In Europe the drop height is only 1.5 meters. Why so low, when bicyclists frequently exceed 14 mph in forward speed? The typical road or trail bike crash involves a drop to pavement. The important energy in that crash is supplied by gravity, not by forward speed. Although forward speed can contribute some additional energy, the main force is the attraction of gravity, and the impact severity is determined by the height of your head above the pavement when the fall begins. It is gravity that determines how fast your helmet closes with the pavement. Some of the crash energy is often "scrubbed off" by hitting first with other body parts. The typical bicycle crash impact occurs at a force level equating to about 1 meter (3 feet) of drop, or a falling speed of 10 MPH. The rider's forward speed before the crash may be considerably higher than that, but the speed of the head closing with the ground, plus a component of the forward speed, less any energy "scrubbed off" in other ways, normally average out at about 10 MPH. So bike helmets are tested with a 2 meter (6.56 feet) drop. Motorcycle helmets are tested at 3 meters, about 17 mph. A really good bicycle helmet can handle that. As http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001855/abstract" rel="nofollow - a 2009 study shows, helmets prevent between 63 and 88 per cent of brain injuries. Those are good odds. But that means that helmets did not prevent all brain injury for 12 to 37 percent of the riders. They are optimized to prevent life-threatening catastrophic brain injury, not the milder forms of concussion. If they are softened to prevent mild concussions they will compress too fast and bottom out in the more severe impacts. Today's helmets may or may not be perfect in striking the balance, but we know they work well. Still, every bike helmet sold in the US has a sticker inside warning you that "no helmet can protect the wearer from all foreseeable impacts." That sticker is required by law. |
Posted By: Woolly Hat
Date Posted: 24 May 2019 at 11:52am
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Wow, Roy! That's not good if you miss the ground and forward momentum causes your head to impact a stationary object in the direction of travel. Especially on a motorbike. But using your example, does this mean a low recumbent, faired or not would give you a greater chance of avoiding brain injury with a standard helmet due to the proximity to the ground? Could this be another benefit of riding low recumbents? ------------- Ross Low Racer 77 and WozzaMarauder |
Posted By: RoyMacdonald
Date Posted: 24 May 2019 at 1:02pm
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Yes, that had not escaped my conclusion. Low racers are safer and less affected by side winds as well. Coming off a low racer is much gentler than coming off a motorbike at a similar speed speaking from experience. Roy
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Posted By: AlanGoodman
Date Posted: 24 May 2019 at 2:42pm
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It's a compromise. A motorcycle helmet would give greater protection but if you tried cycling up a hill in one on a hot day you would fry your brains... Cycle helmets were never designed to protect you in an impact with a car - just falling and hitting a kerb etc. There are circumstances where a helmet may actually make injuries worse, due to increased rotational forces. The roll-off (Oblique Impact) test introduced into BS6658 (the old British Standard for motorcycle helmets) in the late 80s and carried forward into Reg 22 helped with that because it meant vents, visor fittings etc had to snap off... ------------- |