Good reminder to always wear a helmet , glad to hear your ok . Make sure you replace that helmet with a new one .
Helmet Passion
Well my helmet saved my life on Sunday. I was out by myself on a trail I hadn’t been on in a while, it’s just a short out and back jeep trail from my house that’s a serious climb then a good bomb home. There is a section that is all loose baby heads and some larger stones about the size of basketballs on a serious incline. Both sides of the trail are sheer drops lined with mesquite bushes and cactus. It’s a really torturous section tough as heck to climb and terrifying to descend. Well I was coming back down it and got a bit too much speed and was trying to bleed some off when the worst happened, my front wheel popped off a small rock and into a basketball sized rock. I went over the bars hands first into a mesquite bush as I hit those thorns I instinctively pulled my hands back, this was a mistake, there was I pile of large rocks at the base of the bush and the top of my head slammed into them and I cart wheeled through the bush and down the sheer side of this hill. When I came to a stop I had a half inch thorn in the palm of my left hand and three quarters of an inch of one in my left shoulder blade. I pulled them both out while I was still in shock and then sat down for about twenty minutes then climber back up the hill got on the bike and rode home in the knowledge that I would have been seriously injured or worse had it not been for my helmet. I am still very sore and I sprained my left wrist but hey I’m not laying dead in the New Mexico desert so I call it a win.
When I can ride again I will head back up there and get some picks of the spot.
When I can ride again I will head back up there and get some picks of the spot.
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My helmet list:
1. 1994 sliding on shoulder, drove helmet into ground to stop moving. Second wreck same day, went over the bars and landed on head and shoulder. separated AC joint. Broke helmet. Not even a headache.
2. 1997 asleep in an M1A1 Abrams tank. Tank drove into a big wash and driver slammed on brakes. Stood it on end. I flew up and hit the top of my head on a bolt stud. My neck was sore for a couple days and there was a big chip in the fiber glass helmet shell.
3. 2003 Rode a friends dirt bike. Against my friends advice, I threw on my road motor cycle helmet. Shortly later, I washed out the front end and pounded my temple area of the helmet on a pointy rock embedded in the ground. My ribs hurt for a while.
4. 2005 over the bars on a root on tiger mountain out of seattle. landed on top of head. split helmet. neck still bothers me but head was fine.
They work. It is just plain simple. Wear your helmet.
1. 1994 sliding on shoulder, drove helmet into ground to stop moving. Second wreck same day, went over the bars and landed on head and shoulder. separated AC joint. Broke helmet. Not even a headache.
2. 1997 asleep in an M1A1 Abrams tank. Tank drove into a big wash and driver slammed on brakes. Stood it on end. I flew up and hit the top of my head on a bolt stud. My neck was sore for a couple days and there was a big chip in the fiber glass helmet shell.
3. 2003 Rode a friends dirt bike. Against my friends advice, I threw on my road motor cycle helmet. Shortly later, I washed out the front end and pounded my temple area of the helmet on a pointy rock embedded in the ground. My ribs hurt for a while.
4. 2005 over the bars on a root on tiger mountain out of seattle. landed on top of head. split helmet. neck still bothers me but head was fine.
They work. It is just plain simple. Wear your helmet.
That is sage advice. Glad to hear everyone is OK. I'm new to mtbm what can you recommend in a helmet?
Getting a new one today.AZ.MTNS said:Good reminder to always wear a helmet , glad to hear your ok . Make sure you replace that helmet with a new one .
Gyro makes some good ones, I was wearing a specialized but I am going to get a Gyro Zen this afternoon. Just remember you get what you pay for and your brains are rolling over rocks at 20mph in whatever you buy so don't go cheap.gubmentcheze said:That is sage advice. Glad to hear everyone is OK. I'm new to mtbm what can you recommend in a helmet?
I just bought a bell delirium at performance for $50. It's comfortable and light. I had to replace my old one since I cracked it when I got caught in a rut with my front tire and my head hit a tree.
Ouch... pulling things out of your body sucks. Many years ago I was working on my bike in the basement and managed to stab my thumb with a loose strand of brake cable. I remember getting so queezey when I pulled the strand out of my thumb. It just kept coming out and out and out! There was stuck in my thumb a good half inch. Didn't hurt but cripes, I didn't enjoy it.
Glad you're not dead in the desert! I always wear my mellon protector.
Arby
Glad you're not dead in the desert! I always wear my mellon protector.
Arby
yeah the thorn in my back made a really nasty sucking and crunching sound as it came out... it didn't really hurt all that much when I pulled it out but about an hour later... yeah then it started to really hurt.
Ouch!!!Joeshwa24 said:yeah the thorn in my back made a really nasty sucking and crunching sound as it came out....
I'm Glad I dont have any "helmet saved my life" Storys but my brother does.....
Here's My old back up Helmet! I usually roll a Giro Hex but am waiting for a new pad set for it so I'm bringing in the new year with my 12 year old Troy Lee Troxel.....:thumbsup:
Bell, Giro, Specialized, Fox (and others) all make good helmets, but they fit differently. Go for fit and comfort. If you're in the droopy-trousers crowd, you might want a skate style helmet.gubmentcheze said:I'm new to mtbm what can you recommend in a helmet?
+1 for "skid lids".
Don't be the hard head, wear a helmet.
Don't be the hard head, wear a helmet.
One time, no doubt, saved me from at min. MAJOR injury, and at worst my last ride - ever.
your lucky from the sounds of it, helmet has saved me huge on at least 2 occasions..knockwoodknock
you mean no pics for the Schadenfreuder's?
All this helmet talk got me fired up to search out a new lid to replace my Giro Switchblade which has treated me well...I ended up with a THE F-14
Cambria's got them for $30! now https://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.asp?id=86325&page=T.H.E.+F14+MOUNTAIN+HELMET
you mean no pics for the Schadenfreuder's?
All this helmet talk got me fired up to search out a new lid to replace my Giro Switchblade which has treated me well...I ended up with a THE F-14
Cambria's got them for $30! now https://www.cambriabike.com/shopexd.asp?id=86325&page=T.H.E.+F14+MOUNTAIN+HELMET
Congrats on surviving to ride another day. :thumbsup:Joeshwa24 said:.... I am still very sore and I sprained my left wrist but hey I'm not laying dead in the New Mexico desert so I call it a win.
When I can ride again I will head back up there and get some picks of the spot.
Where in NM is this spot? I want to check it out sometime.
Best,
daveh
Anyone that doesn't wear a helmet is just plain stupid, at any speed. I've knocked my head a few times on the mtb. Most of my stories come from my quad though. Worst one that I can actually remember everything that happened was A steep hill climb at only about 70 ft (FL, old rock quarry) Made it about 3/4 of the way up. The trail curved to the left a bit but my front wheels didn't have enough weight to turn and the quad went straight up a 10 ft wall so i tried to bail before it was too late. I landed right in the trail, not like I had wanted to, looked up, and my 400lb quad landed on my helmet and pounded me into the ground. Concusion, some rock rash from sliding down the hill, and a few small cuts on my face. No question about what would of happened if i hadn't been wearing a helmet.
another note worthy time I was topped out in 5th gear (70-75mph normally, but it was a slight downhill as well) There was a grade difference in this small turn that i had intended on just sliding through, like i had done a bunch of times before. This time, however, I went on two wheels straight into a line of 4 oak trees. First two (about 2-3" thick) I sliced right through like a dull axe. Third one which was a little thicker, i bent into an L shape up against the final 7" oak which i cracked like a less than symbol <. I bounced off the last oak and flew 10ft (like helicopter blades, which thinking back now was pretty fun) and landed a ft away from a 30ft drop off. laid down for 5 minutes in agony, and then got up and walked away with just a few bruises. Totalled the quad, frame cracked in 7 placed, cracked the head, snapped off the entire right side upper and lower a-arms, shock, and tie rod. I was absolutely stoked to be alive for about a day and partied like a fool. I've also hit a low branch at 15mph and if felt like a mac truck just rolled over my head. I love my helmets.
another note worthy time I was topped out in 5th gear (70-75mph normally, but it was a slight downhill as well) There was a grade difference in this small turn that i had intended on just sliding through, like i had done a bunch of times before. This time, however, I went on two wheels straight into a line of 4 oak trees. First two (about 2-3" thick) I sliced right through like a dull axe. Third one which was a little thicker, i bent into an L shape up against the final 7" oak which i cracked like a less than symbol <. I bounced off the last oak and flew 10ft (like helicopter blades, which thinking back now was pretty fun) and landed a ft away from a 30ft drop off. laid down for 5 minutes in agony, and then got up and walked away with just a few bruises. Totalled the quad, frame cracked in 7 placed, cracked the head, snapped off the entire right side upper and lower a-arms, shock, and tie rod. I was absolutely stoked to be alive for about a day and partied like a fool. I've also hit a low branch at 15mph and if felt like a mac truck just rolled over my head. I love my helmets.
I'm in Alamogordo, ton's of little trails like the one I was on right around town in the foot hills. Then when it warms up there are lots of world class trails a 10 min drive away in the mountains. Single Track, Jeep trails, killer climbs, and crazy fast descents; its a great place to live and ride. When your ready to head down let me know I can show you some really great stuff.LCdaveH said:Congrats on surviving to ride another day. :thumbsup:
Where in NM is this spot? I want to check it out sometime.
Best,
daveh
Was riding at oleta river on monday, going up robinson's ridge not paying attention and i turned right off of it...my garneau helmet saved me from smashing my head on a log
Just bought my first helmet ever last night...Giro..Phase (size large). I have a huge cranium and it was the only mtb helmet in the store that fit my dome. I was all pissed about having to spend about twice what I was planning too, but after reading this thread, I don't feel so bad.
I guess noobs need as much protection as they can get.
I guess noobs need as much protection as they can get.
Yeah, i think alot of people don't like spending big on helmets.
But the first time it's called into action you'll be glad you did!:thumbsup:
I went over the bars and hit the back of my head on a pointy tree root, which left a 20mm dent in the back of my Giro hex.:eekster:
Needless to say i'm glad i didn't settle for the cheapest lid i could find!!!
But the first time it's called into action you'll be glad you did!:thumbsup:
I went over the bars and hit the back of my head on a pointy tree root, which left a 20mm dent in the back of my Giro hex.
:eekster: Needless to say i'm glad i didn't settle for the cheapest lid i could find!!!
No Brain Bucket = No Brains
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