Your helmet is more important than your bike
Everyone assumes that their bike is the most important piece of cycling equipment that they can have.
They spend hours agonising. Which wheels? Which brand? How much to spend?
But in my view your bike isn’t the most important piece of cycling equipment you can own. Your helmet is.
I say that because, in my view, a helmet saved the life of a friend of mine.
I saw him come off at around 45kmh, I saw him hit the road, I saw the injuries he suffered, and I saw the damage to his helmet.
His head hit the road slightly to the side of his temple. The helmet was a write-off.
And whilst it took him some weeks to recover, he recovered fully. And in my view, having seen the fall, if his head had hit the road without that helmet he’d be dead.
A bike won’t save your life, a good helmet might.
And whilst everyone in our bunch uses a helmet, the problem is that they do not always take the time to make sure it’s fitted correctly.
I see people with helmet straps dangling 2 inches below their chin, for example. And as I’ve seen a helmet come off in a fall this isn’t good.
So let’s consider how to make sure your helmet fits correctly. (And if you don’t have a helmet get one immediately.)
How To Fit a Bike Helmet
Helmets come in different sizes. Unless you are comfortable with getting the size right when you buy online, I’d go to a reputable bike shop and get properly fitted.
However finding the right size isn’t all. There are various adjustments on helmets which can be used to fine tune your fit. For instance foam pads can be used to fine-tune the fit. Many good helmets offer pads of different thicknesses which can be useful for this.
Everyone has slight differences in head shape. Using different thicknesses of pad can help you customise your helmet fit.
More common on modern helmets is some form of manual adjustment to loosen or tighten the helmet on your head. These are extremely useful and effective, but only when properly adjusted.
Adjust the mechanism until the helmet fits firmly and smugly, it should not move around on your head.
The side straps emerge from the helmet in 2 places, and come together to form a “Y”. This should be adjusted so that they come together just below your ear. This adjustment can also slip over time and should be readjusted when this happens, or you can even sew the 2 halves together to stop it slipping.
I also see people who will have the front half of the strap, (or the back half), nice and tight whilst the other half is loose and floppy. Take the time to adjust the straps so both halves are nice and firm.
When adjusting the straps make sure the helmet is not too far back or forward on your head. You should be able to look up and just see the rim, if it pulls down near your eyes it is too far forward.
Adjust the chinstrap so it’s firm, but not tight. You should be able to open your mouth but at the extent of doing so feel the straps pulling the helmet down.
Once you have all these adjustments completed test your helmet fit by trying to move it round with your hands. If it easily slides forward or back, or can be lifted up, it’s too loose. If it rattles around when you shake your head it’s too loose.
Then ask someone with more experience to examine your helmet fit to see if it looks right on your head.
And don’t assume once it’s fitted, it is set, and you can forget it. The straps can slide, and move around, and from time to time you may need to readjust.
Because remember, your bike can’t save your life, but in my view your helmet can.
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