Road cycling....

londonbairn

londonbairn

londonbairn

Soldato
Joined
29 May 2005
Posts
5,622
Location
West London
Somethings I don't understand...

Why do people cycle around London's finest roads without a helmet?

Also why do some cycle with no brakes?

I saw a guy pelting it down the road on a bike with no brakes and no helmet and smash into a car, every morning and night I see loads of guys without helmets on real busy roads, it's stupid!
 
Pretty simple, It's their choice!!!

I often don't wear a helmet when on road and I'm not saying you shouldn't but I choose not to sometimes and take that risk. Many are also of the thinking that in an incident big enough to need a helmet is going to break you a lot anyway lol.

Just to add, you will find the worst and stupidest riders in big cities and they do not imo represent the majority.
 
Osian said:
Pretty simple, It's their choice!!!

I often don't wear a helmet when on road and I'm not saying you shouldn't but I choose not to sometimes and take that risk. Many are also of the thinking that in an incident big enough to need a helmet is going to break you a lot anyway lol.

Just to add, you will find the worst and stupidest riders in big cities and they do not imo represent the majority.
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But why wouldn't you wear a helmet if you were on a road? What benefit outweights the immense risk?
 
The brakeless bikes are probably fixies (pedal cranks directly connected to rear wheel, no free-wheel) - to brake they'll just stop pedalling and probably end up in a skid-stop.

A bit mad I think, but each to their own!
 
sara said:
The brakeless bikes are probably fixies (pedal cranks directly connected to rear wheel, no free-wheel) - to brake they'll just stop pedalling and probably end up in a skid-stop.

A bit mad I think, but each to their own!
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That's what happened, skidded like mad, and a guy this morning nearly done the exact same (into a car) had he not put his feet on the ground last minute.

IMO there's being cool, and there's being naive.
 
I think there was a study done that showed if you wear a helmet drivers pass closer to you on average, increasing your risk.
 
sara said:
A bit mad I think, but each to their own!
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Also riding brakeless is illegal on the public roads even if fixed. You need 2 forms of brake, on a normal bike this is the front and rear brake, and on a fixed this is leg braking and at least one other braking system (usually a front brake)
 
I've always worn a helmet and always will, but if you're hit by a car at any real speed, a bike helmet isn't going to do much for you anyway.
 
oddjob62 said:
Also riding brakeless is illegal on the public roads even if fixed. You need 2 forms of brake, on a normal bike this is the front and rear brake, and on a fixed this is leg braking and at least one other braking system (usually a front brake)
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Interesting I didn't realise there were laws. Is there a full list?
 
A.N.Other said:
I've always worn a helmet and always will, but if you're hit by a car at any real speed, a bike helmet isn't going to do much for you anyway.
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It still mitigates some of the risk, I was hit by a van a few weeks ago and landed on my head after my arm, helmet took the force. If I didn't have a helmet on, granted I might not have severe brain injury, but could have knocked myself enough to have some sort of lasting injury.

Another thing I sometimes see (usually these same guys) ride in low visibility with no lights or anything, or guys who pull out in front of lorries without looking behind their back....
 
Felix said:
Interesting I didn't realise there were laws. Is there a full list?
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Actually now that you mention it, I'm pretty sure it's not in the highway code, so maybe it's not a law in the UK, I've heard it said so many times that I guess I assumed it was. If nothing else it's a bloody sensible idea; going brakeless down a hill at >30mph and your chain snaps... night night.
 
a lot of bad cyclists about, although i am guility of not wearing helmet when on short 15-20 mile quick cycles on road bike.

pretty mental to ride without breaks on the road imo
 
A.N.Other said:
I've always worn a helmet and always will, but if you're hit by a car at any real speed, a bike helmet isn't going to do much for you anyway.
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My thoughts exactly. The only complaints I've heard are "but my head gets hot" or "it messes up my hair" or, the patently absurd "I look stupid with a helmet on". To me, I always put it on whether riding on road or off - say I came off the bike on the road... maybe hit by a car which threw me in the air - the helmet may save my life, or prevent brain damage. Worth every penny. I personally think people who ride without them are idiots!
 
I'm lazy about the helmet on a weekend when popping to the pub/coffee shop.

To and from work though I'm all lycra'd up avec helmet and SPDs nowadays, generally uncomfortable otherwise! Always so hot-and-bothered by the time I get to work that I need the shower and clothing change, so messy hair is hardly a worry as I'm already bright red and dripping...
 
I don't wear my helmet when I'm taking my hack bike to the station in the morning, which is about a mile and a half.

If I take the roadie out at the weekend I always wear a helmet. However, helmets also present risks to to riders, as well as mitigating them, particularly with relating to neck injuries. It's not, unfortunately, a straight forward argument about being safe or cool, or so I've been given to understand.

Whether the fakenger you saw is away of the dangers of wearing a helment compared to not is a moot point.
 
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I don't wear helmet when cycling on the road, mainly because of the heat and also because it's useless. If I get hit by a car travelling at 40mph+ then no helmet is going to save me.
 
SDK^ said:
If I get hit by a car travelling at 40mph+ then no helmet is going to save me.
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But if you manage to just avoid that car, but hit the curb go flying and smack your head on the ground it could make a difference (btw I'm just arguing for the sake of it not because I believe either pov is correct)
 
I always wear a helmet, its not worth taking the risk. Normally I wear a high vis vest as well.
 
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