Michael, Good point about what helmets are designed to prevent. Last summer, during an otherwise pleasant off-road ride, I had a low speed crash <http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bikeforums.net%2Fnortheast%2F518426-metro-boston-good-ride-today-161.html%23post17107704&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNGmFw9CW-Vdhhg3tVHCzxM60CPG3w>that resulted in the crown of my head squarely strike a steel rail. I got a little inconsequential cervical compression from that, and my trusty Giro helmet cracked audibly. I was able to ride away from that, and figured my helmet had died for my sins, and needed to be replaced. I reflexively bought another Giro, but also pulled the trigger on a POC Trabec Race MIPS helmet. The "MIPS" (Multi-dimensional Impact Protection System) designation refers to an an anti-concussion system in which a certain amount of rotational slip between the helmet liner and the helmet casing is designed in. Turns out that most concussions result from oblique head strikes, causing sudden torque on the brain in the skull (at least, if I've understood what I've read; this may explain why I didn't suffer a concussion from smacking the railroad track dead, er, head on). The MIPS design is supposed to mitigate that, and provide a measure of concussion prevention. How well this actually works is apparently a matter of dispute, and I hope never to verify it experimentally, but I do wear the POC MIPS helmet more often than the traditional Giro, especially in off-road or icy road situations. The Giro gets the nod for long road rides, or very hot days (it's lighter and cooler).
rod On Wednesday, November 25, 2015 at 8:38:50 AM UTC-5, Michael Hechmer wrote: > > ... > > Bicycle helmets are specked to prevent open head injuries. They are not > specked to prevent concussions. The probability of getting an open head > injury in a slow speed fall from a bicycle is extremely small. The > probability when hit and thrown from the bike is significant enough to > warrant helmet use, at a minimum whenever riding on a busy road or > expecting to do high speed descents. The probability of having an open > head injury while riding on a bicycle path is so small as to be irrelevant. > So I would question what the study under discussion defined as an > accident, all accidents or just those that involved another vehicle? ... > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
