About that thing on your head…

[OneEighth]

Just a quick reminder, folks, if you don’t wear it correctly, the helmet won’t protect you properly.
So, for starters, make sure you’ve got it on with the front of the helmet facing…forward. Most helmets are adjustable at the back, so if you’ve got that in front, spin it round.
Now, here’s the bit I see loads of folks get wrong—the front of the helmet should sit right above your brow. That way, when you crash, the helmet will take the hit rather than your forehead. But don’t worry, helmets are designed to protect the back of your head even when you’ve got them down nice and low over your forehead.
One more thing—strap it down properly. If you don’t secure the straps at all, the helmet will come off in an accident instead of staying put and absorbing the shock. Same deal if the straps are sloppy loose. Properly adjusted straps also help you make sure that your helmet is sitting properly on your head (by which I mean right above your brow).
If your helmet is old (as in more than 5 years), replace it.
If you’ve smacked it into the pavement, replace it.
Cheers.

Topic

[CCrew]

@brendan 17407 wrote:

Gotta ask: are helmets dishwasher-safe?

Brendan

Probably, as long as you stay away from the high heat dry cycle.

I always heard the best way to clean them was wear it in the shower. Makes sense really.

[Riley Casey]

Immersing and soaking for an hour in a kitchen sink full of Dr Bronners ( non-detergent ) dish soapy water then squeezing out the little foam pads before wearing again every fall has always worked for me. Makes me feel better anyway since it smells like pine needles and perception is what counts after all. :p

@CCrew 17409 wrote:

Probably, as long as you stay away from the high heat dry cycle.

I always heard the best way to clean them was wear it in the shower. Makes sense really.

[mrkenny83]

Am I only one who gets a little a helmet-strap-burn under my chin? It’s definitely worse on the days that I shave…. so it’s obviously related to razor-burn….. any ideas?

[dasgeh]

@CCrew 17409 wrote:

I always heard the best way to clean them was wear it in the shower. Makes sense really.

I find riding in a nice, strong rain helps clean the helmet and the bike.

I think there’s a difference between wear and tear on a helmet worn for commuting (i.e. not a lot of sweat) and on one worn for working out (stinky, stinky). I also worry less about the Styrofoam itself, and more about the stuff holding the styrofoam in place, and the straps. My advice, once a year or so take a hard look at your helmet, and all your bike gear. Try to move things that aren’t supposed to move. If they don’t seem to work as designed, fix them or get new ones.

[5555624]

@OneEighth 17404 wrote:

Thankfully, there doesn’t seem to be much debate about the right way to wear a helmet.

In this group, I wouldn’t expect much, if any. The riders here, even if they are not pro-helmet, know how to wear one. The people I see who don’t wear them correctly — backwards, floppy hats underneath, unstrapped, etc. — are not usually the type of riders I’d expect to see here.

On the other hand, my pet peeve — people who ride with their helmets hanging by the straps, from their handlebars — may be found here. I don’t care if people wear one or not — it’s their choice — but don’t carry it for show.

[Author]

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