What to do about the hair?

Buzz it and dye it green! You’d look like Tank Girl!

Best I can suggest is a bun. This is what I do on the commute in and during workouts at lunch. If I’m lucky I can just take it down and brush it out. I find I really don’t get helmet head. If my hair isn’t cooperating, I spend the rest of the day with it in a ponytail. I prefer this to braid b/c the bun leaves a nice wave in my hair, whereas braids leave it weird and kinky with straight ends. Not sexy. I work in a place where a ponytail is acceptable, though.

I have super straight hair, so I only deal with stink. I think Lush makes a leave-in “shampoo” that takes out the stink. I imagine a sweatband or similar would also help.

The bun happynicky shows is too high for what I’m talking about. The way I do it is basically to start with a loose low ponytail, then put your helmet on (pulling the ponytail through the hole between the helmet and adjustable strap in the back – not all helmets will allow this), then roll the ponytail up with another hair elastic into a bun. If I do the bun first then try to get the helmet on, my rolled up hair won’t fit through the hole.

@benbhsu 30831 wrote:

Petzl makes a rock climbing helmet specifically designed for ponytails (the helmet is supposed to be for women, but if you’re a dude with a ponytail it’s just as functional). If there’s a market for it in climbing I imagine there’s a market for it in cycling, which seems (by my crude observations) to have many more female participants.

You don’t need a women’s specific helmet to be able to do this. Most mountain/road helmets nowadays have a pretty standard design where the shell covers to top of your noggin, and there’s some kind of strap that hits near the base of your head in the back to keep it secure. I have two regular helmets and one women’s one, and the bun works with all of them. I don’t find the women’s one — which is made to accommodate a ponytail — makes it any easier frankly. If, however, you use an “urban” helmet, like a Nutcase, that goes lower in the back or a skiing/boarding helmet, it won’t work.

I just constantly sport the low ponytail all the time. (When I do wear my hair down at work people usually will make a “wow, yer hair’s down” comment so perhaps that’s a hint I wear the ponytail way too much…?) Also, with the low pony when you take the helmet off, have some large barrettes around so you can take the low ponytail and twist it up and affix it to the top of your head.

You can also do the low tucked ponytail where you don’t pull the hair all the way through. On your last past through tightening your hair band, just don’t pull your hair all the way through so it’s a 1/2 ponytail loop. Or, even just a low bun after you get back into inside.

Oh, also, there’s always the topsy-turvy look…

I’ll also admit, I braid my hair when I’m out for a long time otherwise, I’m more of a complete mess than I normally am.

This all reminds me…I need a haircut.

@off2ride 30870 wrote:

Make it High and Tight just like Prom Night.

Oh my