That reminds me of this guy I always see riding around in my neighborhood that wears a FF helmet riding his beater road bike on the street. Who cares if you look nerdy. If it makes you feel more confident, or you're really worried about injuring yourself I wouldn't worry too much about what others think is nerdy.flyhigh said:
FF helmets
Anyone out there wearing Full Face when riding XC? I have started to after a couple of scares, but boy do I feel like a nerd out there. Its hot, so Ive made some padding modifications. Wanted to see if anyone else was or if Im the only trail weiner.
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i agree with dirtcrab.
look at it this way: you are protecting your smile. who cares what other people think? if someone gives you sh!t, just smile.
Rita
look at it this way: you are protecting your smile. who cares what other people think? if someone gives you sh!t, just smile.
Rita
I don't....but probably should....
Though I've ridden on a few fairly gnarly trails and have actually worn the full-face helmet, the only time that I've actually needed the protection offered by a full-face helmet was on one of the easiest XC trails in the state.
It was Spring Fling #2 (2001) -- and we were riding the TRW trail out at Hawes. This is a trail that I take absolute beginners on. Anyway, the desert was blooming, and it was quite beautiful. And so, I took my hand off the bars, to point out a "blooming ocotillo". (In the old days of Passion, this was quite a joke, btw.)
In an instant, the front of the bike became unstable, and over the bars I went -- I landed on my face. A quick check of my teeth indicated that they were OK, and I rode on. It wasn't until the end of the ride, upon looking in a mirror, that I realized I was going to have a scar from my injuries. A scar right above my lip! A scar on my face!!!! Right in the middle of my face!!!! I started to cry. Men cannot figure out why a woman cries about an injury two hours after it occurred, but there I was, in the midst of several dozen helpless men, quizzically staring at me, bawling my eyes out. Fortunately DurtGurl was there, and she understood the gravity of the situation.
Things got worse, of course, when I realized that I had to go on business travel the very next day -- to a meeting where I was going to meet several people in my work group in person for the first time. With either (1) a gaping wound smack dab in the middle of my face, or (2) a bandaid right along the top of my upper lip. Mortified, I found the goofiest Mickey Mouse bandage, put it right across my upper lip like a Hitler mustache, and just decided to look like the biggest fool on the planet. (Talk about looking like a dork!)
After that, I wondered just what you ask: is it worth it to wear a full-face on XC trails? Sometimes I think it is a very good idea....
Though I've ridden on a few fairly gnarly trails and have actually worn the full-face helmet, the only time that I've actually needed the protection offered by a full-face helmet was on one of the easiest XC trails in the state.
It was Spring Fling #2 (2001) -- and we were riding the TRW trail out at Hawes. This is a trail that I take absolute beginners on. Anyway, the desert was blooming, and it was quite beautiful. And so, I took my hand off the bars, to point out a "blooming ocotillo". (In the old days of Passion, this was quite a joke, btw.)
In an instant, the front of the bike became unstable, and over the bars I went -- I landed on my face. A quick check of my teeth indicated that they were OK, and I rode on. It wasn't until the end of the ride, upon looking in a mirror, that I realized I was going to have a scar from my injuries. A scar right above my lip! A scar on my face!!!! Right in the middle of my face!!!! I started to cry. Men cannot figure out why a woman cries about an injury two hours after it occurred, but there I was, in the midst of several dozen helpless men, quizzically staring at me, bawling my eyes out. Fortunately DurtGurl was there, and she understood the gravity of the situation.
Things got worse, of course, when I realized that I had to go on business travel the very next day -- to a meeting where I was going to meet several people in my work group in person for the first time. With either (1) a gaping wound smack dab in the middle of my face, or (2) a bandaid right along the top of my upper lip. Mortified, I found the goofiest Mickey Mouse bandage, put it right across my upper lip like a Hitler mustache, and just decided to look like the biggest fool on the planet. (Talk about looking like a dork!)
After that, I wondered just what you ask: is it worth it to wear a full-face on XC trails? Sometimes I think it is a very good idea....
I wear one almost all the time, for XC riding as well as downhill. The new 661 Full Bravo carbon helmet is light, strong, and fits my head particularly nicely. BeyondBikes.com has recently had them for $109, which is a great price.flyhigh said:Anyone out there wearing Full Face when riding XC? I have started to after a couple of scares, but boy do I feel like a nerd out there. Its hot, so Ive made some padding modifications. Wanted to see if anyone else was or if Im the only trail weiner.
I was riding down Shultz Creek in Flagstaff last Saturday, where nobody would think of wearing a FF helmet. I crossed the creek going about 18-20 mph, took a bad line, hit a rock washed out my front wheel and fell so that I went face first into a huge boulder on the left side of the trail. My chin was the first thing that hit.
I'd be drinking dinner through a straw with my jaws wired together if I had been wearing a regular helmet. I can't plan ahead when and how I am going to crash.
Oh yeah, who gives a rip what other people think?
John W.
FF helmet for general use
I've got the same concerns. A serious accident can happen anywhere, anytime, and only an ff protects the front and sides of the face.
I'm modifying an ff right now to see if I can turn it into a viable all-around XC helmet. I'll probably get time to finish the job next week, and then I'll try it out on some warm days to compare the comfort level to my regular bike helmet.
I'll either post the results back here in a new thread, or on some free web space with a link from here. Either way, I'll show & tell and you can see if you want to do some of the same things.
I've never tried to put up a site on the web before, so if you know of a service that's easy to use and where I would be able to organize some text and photos for others to see, I'd appreciate it if you could let me know. Thanks.
I've got the same concerns. A serious accident can happen anywhere, anytime, and only an ff protects the front and sides of the face.
I'm modifying an ff right now to see if I can turn it into a viable all-around XC helmet. I'll probably get time to finish the job next week, and then I'll try it out on some warm days to compare the comfort level to my regular bike helmet.
I'll either post the results back here in a new thread, or on some free web space with a link from here. Either way, I'll show & tell and you can see if you want to do some of the same things.
I've never tried to put up a site on the web before, so if you know of a service that's easy to use and where I would be able to organize some text and photos for others to see, I'd appreciate it if you could let me know. Thanks.
fall guy I have sent you a PM about some free web space and help posting the pics
most every ride
I wear a giro switchblade on 90 - 95% of the rides I go on. We tend to do alot of rides that are primarily uphill one way and downhill the way back. Anytime I'm climbing for a while I take it off, which helps combat the heat.
I've just seen too many pictures on smashed up faces. Like other's said, you can't really predict when you're gonna crash.
<img src=http://forums.mtbr.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24450>
that's me on the right, with my husband (who also wears a ff)
pfunk (geek and proud of it!)
I wear a giro switchblade on 90 - 95% of the rides I go on. We tend to do alot of rides that are primarily uphill one way and downhill the way back. Anytime I'm climbing for a while I take it off, which helps combat the heat.
I've just seen too many pictures on smashed up faces. Like other's said, you can't really predict when you're gonna crash.
<img src=http://forums.mtbr.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24450>
that's me on the right, with my husband (who also wears a ff)
pfunk (geek and proud of it!)
FF all the time ,
I have been using a full face helmet on every ride for almost 5 years now , when I first started MTB I nearnly ripped my face off flying off the landslide at socal demo forest.
24 extrenal 48 internal stiches not pretty .
Get a good pack with helmet tabs like the Dueter or the new DaKine pack .
This way you can take it off when you climb , the tabs hook around the middle of the jaw section on the FF the tabs are tward the upper outside of both bags , I have ridden with the Dueter bag for almost 2 years no problems. GIRO FF helmets fit the best and are by far the safest. This is not just personal prefrance , and remember to replace you helmet evey 1 to 2 years .
I have been using a full face helmet on every ride for almost 5 years now , when I first started MTB I nearnly ripped my face off flying off the landslide at socal demo forest.
24 extrenal 48 internal stiches not pretty .
Get a good pack with helmet tabs like the Dueter or the new DaKine pack .
This way you can take it off when you climb , the tabs hook around the middle of the jaw section on the FF the tabs are tward the upper outside of both bags , I have ridden with the Dueter bag for almost 2 years no problems. GIRO FF helmets fit the best and are by far the safest. This is not just personal prefrance , and remember to replace you helmet evey 1 to 2 years .
oops posted twice sorry.
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