Commuter e bike helmets

[dingdangdawg]

May the Farce be with you!
Saluuuud!

 

[Django]

I doubt that there will ever be any full faced road bike helmets. Commuting on an ebike is a very different discipline and you should wear whatever you feel like wearing. The only thing that concerns me is not being able to hear traffic coming up behind you. Some downhill mountain bike helmets would probably do the trick. If the additional coverage restricts your ability to hear traffic or affects your peripheral vision, it may actually increase your risk of injury. A good mirror and rear facing Varia Radar would help to limit the risk.

Product development is expensive and companies aren’t going to invest capital into anything that has a very small market. I don’t know if there is really much of a market for a commuter specific full faced helmet. You could write to a few of the helmet companies. One may decide that it is worth looking into.

 

[m@Robertson]

... The only thing that concerns me is not being able to hear traffic coming up behind you. Some downhill mountain bike helmets would probably do the trick.

Actually downhill helmets have the hearing problem. What we're calling 'full face' here seem to be divided up into two different categories for cycling (I'm leaving out snowboard, skating helmets and similar). First is the 'trail' helmet, which is essentially no different from any other bicycle helmet except it has a (usually removable) chin guard. These helmets are light weight and loaded with vents for ventilation. Those same vents mean open space and unobstructed hearing. Then there is the 'downhill' helmet. Bigger, thicker, fewer vents and generally a more heavy duty rating for impacts. Thats the class where reviewers talk about missing out on some hearing. I have a Bell Super DH and its built like a tank. But a bit too much of a good thing so and I went out and bought a Super Air R. Thats a trail style helmet, about 1/3 lighter and ideal for me an street riding.

Neither of these helmets restricts peripheral vision, and I would think the potential product liability a manufacturer would take on if they did means no helmet does that.

I don’t know if there is really much of a market for a commuter specific full faced helmet.

I would tend to agree. I got concerned myself when I thought thru the risk of riding a fast ebike, night-time commuting and knowing from experience how nasty road rash is. By purest coincidence, within two weeks of adding the chin guard and saying I don't care how stupid it looks (ego is the real reason people don't buy them) I was in a crash where said chin guard was pivotal in me keeping my face. So I'm sold on the concept for life.

Unless I move to the EU where nobody anywhere wears a helmet. I don't want to look THAT stupid.

 

[m@Robertson]

May the Farce be with you!
Saluuuud!

 

[hsdrggr]

I’m in Fl. Hot and friggin’ humid. I have a Bell Super from around 2013-14 era. Here’s a pic. It’s a wrap around helmet so it does a good job protecting the upper c-spine and brain stem area. But it is hot as F. I can only use it in the winter here. I bought it after I flew like Superman and barely missed a tree head on but impacted the top of my left shoulder while mountain biking. It was a come to Jesus moment for me. No major injury but it could have been bad. I love the helmet but it just wears me out from not letting the heat out, even road biking with it. I even have short hair. But I’m a bit on the chubby side which doesn’t help either. So 99% of the time I’m in a standard Giro helmet. I can’t even imagine how hot a full face would be.

 

[m@Robertson]

I can’t even imagine how hot a full face would be.

Its nothing. The Super 3 R I have, I ride in 100-110-fahrenheit heat all summer long, and thats the reading in the shade. I've also worn it on summer rides in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and - the worst of all - St. Charles IL. Go figure. Yeah sure its hot, but when you ride daily in the heat for commuting, you toughen up or else. I carry two 1.5L water bottles, always full at ride start. If just riding for fun I can see where you'd want to just drive the car and crank up the AC.

You have to remember its a chin guard so its down around your jawline, and its vented. Nothing like a motorcycle helmet. My Super Air weighs what my Super 3 does. The Super 3 has more vents and is a little lighter than your Super. The Super Air has more vents than that.

I have been looking at the Kali Invader that @dingdangdawg bought and I am really trying hard not to buy one as its time to replace my 2017 Super 3. That Kali has really, REALLY impressive ventilation.

 

[Tacticooldennis]

I have always worn full-face dirt bike helmets. I easily am traveling at 40mph on and off the street. Don't get a half helmet cause you always land on your face. Even those that add a plastic guard usually explode off the minute you hit the pavement. I never noticed any heat issues, even in Cali desert. there's enough air around the goggles to keep you cool. The biggest drawback is the limited visibility and hearing. but keep your head on a swivel. There's always someone driving too fast, or pulling out of a driveway.

 

[neutron]

I may have to break down and buy a Helmet of some sort. I had an accident yesterday and fractured my sternum. Very painful. Trip to the emergency room, CT scan, and grief from the wife. I only ride on designated bike trails and occasionally around housing developments connected to said trails. No need for a Helmet as far as I am concerned. Luckily I did not hit my head. A pedestrian stepped out directly in front of me and I hit him and we both went down. He said I didn't warn him of my approach. I always either ring my bell or state " on your left". Honestly I can't swear I did either this time and it happened in a split second. He got up and walked away leaving me on the ground bleeding and in pretty severe pain. It took me several minutes before I could manage to get myself up. I'm 72 but in good health, 200 lbs 6' 1". Anyway the bike was not damaged other than the handle bars being a little askew and the seat twisted off line a bit. After threatening to sell the bike, the wife backed off a bit and said something to the tune of " your not riding that thing without a Helmet". So I guess Helmut is in store for me.

 

[TnotP]

The Kali looks really nice. My problem with almost all helmets is my (almost) bald head. I have modified the helmets I have owned by gluing a fabric panel over the ventilation slots, blocking the sun. It works but does get hotter.

 

[m@Robertson]

The Kali looks really nice. My problem with almost all helmets is my (almost) bald head. I have modified the helmets I have owned by gluing a fabric panel over the ventilation slots, blocking the sun. It works but does get hotter.

My head is shaved and I ride in the blazing sun. Despite riding daily with a helmet that has a lot of vents (usually less than an hour at a pop, twice a day), I don't have, like polka dots or anything on my scalp.

Frankly I've always felt having a shaved head is a big plus when riding in the near-constant +100 fahrenheit weather we have in Central California. First thing you figure out when you shave your head is where every air conditioning vent is in every room at the office

Now when it comes to winter, all those air vents in 30-degree weather, adding in wind chill, are downright painful. I wear a beanie and tape over the vents when winter hits.

 

[Smaug]

OT for chin bar helmets, but may be of interest to others:

Have you seen Lumos helmets, with their built-in lighting. I may add a couple of these to the garage soon:

Lumos | The World's Smartest Bike Helmet & Bike Lights

Ride smarter and safer with our range of award-winning Lumos helmets and lights. With super bright LED lights, turn signals and automatic brake lights, you can be assured of high visibility to cycle confidently on the roads.

ridelumos.com

 

[m@Robertson]

Have you seen Lumos helmets, with their built-in lighting. I may add a couple of these to the garage soon:

My experiences attempting to use blinkers was all bad. I had it explained to me better than I could have figured out for myself. Essentially autos only peripherally recognize cyclists to start with. They don't consider them as sharing the same space so a blinker doesn't register like it would with a car. Add to that the usually significant difference in closing speeds. Lastly, factor in that the left and right blinkers are so close together. All a motorist really has the time or inclination to comprehend is they see a blinking light only. I used handlebar-end blinkers that were very bright and they were ignored. They also induced a false sense of security as I was almost run over by a couple of drivers who blew off the blink (We all do that on the road even with cars at least sometimes) and then locked up their brakes when I took the lane with plenty of time for them to react (badly and vocally).

 

[Smaug]

I consider the turn signal a gimmick. As you say, it would only work at night and with attentive, polite motorists.

I'm more impressed by the front and rear lights. With a garage full of bikes, a fellow could have this one helmet and not have to worry too much about having all lights on all bikes working all the time. For example: right now, I have 7 bikes in my garage:

• An acoustic bike for each person in the house (4). Only two of these have lights at the moment.
• (2) eBikes with built-in lighting
• (1) eBike without lighting

Two of the acoustic bikes have both front & rear battery-powered lights. That's four sets of batteries to keep track of. Two of the acoustic bikes are without lights, as they rarely get ridden in the dark or dusk. Do I buy six more lights for those odd times when lights are wanted, and then have TWELVE sets of batteries to keep track of? Or does it make more sense to buy a helmet or two with built-in lights, and the helmet can go with the rider from bike to bike.

I'm on the fence. Six more lights would pay for one of these helmets. I could just put disposable lithium batteries in them and not worry about them for 10 years.

*******
Separate item: I'll have to look into whether these are MIPS helmets. At the price, they should be, but I suspect not. I'm sold on MIPS, in theory at least. (haven't had the displeasure to crash yet with my Bontrager MIPS helmet on...)

 

[m@Robertson]

@Smaug that is an interesting take on lights.

What I ended up doing was using a standardized set of light units - all of which have built in li-ion batteries - and then get some extra mounting brackets. The lights move from bike to bike as needed for the day. I used to rely on two NiteRider Luminas plus a couple of Blitzu Gators to give me a wide, long throw plus some short peripheral light. But I stopped with the Luminas a couple years ago in favor of something much cheaper that works at least as well. Look for the Victagen light link in the article below. $26 each which makes them cheap enough to just buy one for each bike, but there is an enhanced mounting bracket available if you want to go that route. They also make excellent handheld work lights on the side of the road. You can't get the little Gators anymore that I used to use for a wide beam up close, but the Victagens are pretty good on their own.

My standard for charging on a bike used daily is once a week. Every Friday.

Which Front Bicycle Lights Should I Use?

What front bicycle lights give the best beam pattern? Are blinking lights safer?

talesontwowheels.com

Not in that article are what I am using now on the front of my Bullitts for a main light to supplement the two fork lights down low. This one is powered on the main battery via patching into my display. Pricey, but provides and excellent up-high flood beam on its second-lowest setting.

BBSHD, BBS02 Headlight 36-72V *BLACK* Ultra 3200 LED E-Bike Light - Fisher Fabrication House

Ultra 3200 high power headlight for Bafang BBSxx. Plug and play light for Bafang BBSHD, BBS02 and early Ultra mid motor ebikes using 36 volt up to 72 volt battery. Get it now!

fisherfabhouse.com

And yes, while the Victagens and the fork lights are cheap, this one is 10x the price. But for a daily driver I have come to rely on them and so long as I'm not on a treadmill buying more I'm glad I have them. I attach my own beam cutoff to it so no unwanted complaints.


Those two fork lights are fantastic narrow beams with super long battery life, btw. Can easily go multiple weeks without charging.

 

[bullsbikesusa]

If your e-bike is capable of higher speeds, an e-bike-specific helmet is a wise choice, whereas riders of lower-speed e-bikes may prefer an urban style, or even a road bike helmet to increase ventilation and comfort.17 Mar 2023

 

[Smaug]

If your e-bike is capable of higher speeds, an e-bike-specific helmet is a wise choice, whereas riders of lower-speed e-bikes may prefer an urban style, or even a road bike helmet to increase ventilation and comfort.17 Mar 2023

This got me thinking too:

• The mountain bike helmets discussed earlier in the thread have a chin bar, so they add some protection for the face and jaw that an open face helmet doesn't have. However, are they rated for 30 mph ebike speeds and hitting something hard at speed?
• I started looking at eBike-specific helmets, and they seem to cover the lower rear part of the head more than common half coverage bike helmets. Motorcyclists would call this a 3/4 helmet. They seem to universally have less ventilation, and sometimes include an eye shield and often have built-in lights, which I feel are a good feature.

Are there any that have all of these features?

1. ebike-rated (speed)
2. Built-in lights, at least front/rear, preferably side
3. Good ventilation
4. Chin bar

The one I'm looking at now is the Nutcase VIO, which has everything but the chin bar. It even has lights on the sides; I can see the value of that for night/dusk riding.

Also: why are those damn mountain bike helmets double the cost of almost everything else? ($300!)

 

[m@Robertson]

I have yet to see a helmet ebike-rated for speed that also is usably vented. Its as if the assumption is that ebike riders are not exerting themselves and are just throttling. Thats what it would take to make a helmet with poor ventilation to be viable in a warm climate. I'm actually in La Quinta CA for the week and yesterday at 5 pm it was 106 fahrenheit when I arrived. Right now its 101 and I will be riding in that in a bit.

I would say some form of anti-rotational protection has to be on the checklist. dead-on impacts are not what actually happen.

The closest you can get is a downhill-rated helmet at present. My Super Downhill is superficially the same as my Super Air or Super 3R but the DH is noticeably larger and heavier. There is a specific safety rating for downhill helmets that I don't recall offhand, but it does exist. I have to believe its more robust than an ebike rating.