Tour De France Blog

Regardless of any cycler’s skill level in the sport of cycling, it is a must that every rider wears a mountain bike helmet. From neophytes to professionals, bike helmets are fundamental accessories that provide protection against inevitable accidents. These gears can also be considered the most important protective accessory of a cycler as it is the only thing that comes between the cycler’s skull and hard concrete.

Every year, recorded head injuries related to biking reaches over 15,000. With this amount of head injuries, the type of injury incurred is either a mild headache or a more serious injury depending on the type of helmet the cycler is wearing during the accident. As such, experts agree that severe head traumas and injuries can be prevented, or reduced, if bikers are to wear the right kind of mountain bike helmets. Hence, it is a must that every biker selects the most appropriate type of helmet for their biking needs, so as to minimize injuries related to cycling.

Careful scrutiny and keen observation of the various factors that differentiate helmets from one another is a must for every biker. A very important consideration when selecting a bike helmet is the type of mountain biking a cycler practices. Cross-country, single track, and recreational biking requires an open face mountain bike helmet. These helmets can either be Cross-country MTB helmets that feature a streamlined, technical, and classic bike helmet look, or Skate-style MTB helmets that have a classic but cool bucket shaped look. Open face helmets are manufactured with impact absorbing EPS liner and tough ABS fiber glass composite that help protect the head during accidents. These helmets come in various shell sizes and adjustable dials to fit properly on the head.

On the other hand, the additional protection provided by full face mountain biking helmet is the best option for bikers who are into downhill, dirt jumping, high speed riding, and other higher rick mountain biking stunts. The full face mountain bike helmet is naturally a bit heavier than the open face mountain bike helmets and provides full face protection for the head, chin, jaw, cheeks and parts of ones face. Also, do not forget to ensure that the helmet you will choose meets the requirements of the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC)

After choosing the type of helmet that you will need, the next thing that needs to be considered is the fit of the mountain bike helmet. The helmet should fit your head properly in order to offer the best protection. Put the helmet on to test it for fit, if buying a helmet in a store. Features like the size of the helmet, the strap, an inner ring and paddings can all contribute to a well fitting helmet. The weight of the helmet is also important to consider as bikers would want to be light and streamlined when racing and the weight of the helmet affects this factors. Moreover, do not forget to check the ventilation of the helmet – more vents means better ventilation. The lining of the helmet should also be properly scrutinized to make sure that they can effectively soak up sweat and they can be removed and replaced easily for cleaning purposes. Finally, make sure that you are always buying the top of the line mountain bike helmets which can offer you the best protection.

Mountain bike helmets can save a bikers life in the event of an accident. As such, cyclers should be very keen in the selection of the helmet that can provide them the best protection that would make a difference between life and death during cycling accidents.

The author is a mountain bike aficionado from Switzerland. Being frequently on the go with his mountain bike, McFerry ensures that he always puts on his mountain bike helmet to safeguard himself from collisions that can possibly take place during his bike sessions.