Cycling has been suffering a crisis every since the use of a helmet became compulsory. This crisis is rooted in the simple fact that cycling peaked aesthetically with the cycling cap perched casually deliberate atop a sweaty cranium. It was only after mandatory helmet dictum spread its tentacles into all UCI-sanctioned races in 2003 that helmet manufacturers began taking helmet design seriously.
To be clear, I am a helmet advocate. I never leave home without mine, and no Cyclist shall ever be allowed to start a Cogal without perching one on their noggin. But I do this in the knowledge that I look less Fantastic that if I were rolling out in a classic cotton Cycling Cap.
Specialized was the first to make inroads into building a stylish helmet with the Sub-Six. The fact that every other helmet was a hollowed-out bowling ball didn’t matter very much because no one wore them outside Belgium, and even there, they were permitted to wear the second-coolest piece of headgear, the Hairnet. Giro made some inroads with their Air Attack series, but progress was generally at a standstill until the hardshell became mandatory after the tragic death of Andrey Kivilev in Paris-Nice in 2003.
The issue of the helmet has also been compounded by the fact that most continental Pros had no clue how to wear a helmet, given that they spent most of their lives not wearing one. When asked to, they often suffered from Toad Head and other anomalies commonly encountered when violating the Three-Point System.
Helmets are a necessary evil which are improving in style, but they are all uglier than the hallowed Cycling Cap. When wearing a helmet, keep the following points in mind.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/frank@velominati.com/helmets/”/]
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
@Gianni he'd certainly be on my fantasy dinner guest list. Him and Aldag back together giving each other shit ha
@Chris
Can we now discuss how the Giro Transfer just doesn't work as well as the top end Aeon?
My first helmet was a Cooper Hockey in 1980. The first day I wore it a guy ran a light and I ended up under his car. Next was a skid lid. The gigantic bell helmets were nuts. I stayed with the marginally effective Skid Lid for years while riding my 1979 COPPI with campy and Modolo brakes.
Frank, strong work to get us off the Tiagra shifter debate!
I have an Air Attack and Sub Six sitting in my garage. We've come a long way, baby, on helmet design and fitting. "Not snug enough for you sir? Why not add a bunch of sticky-backed foam inside your helmet to make it "fit."
I have to disagree on you calling out Monsieur Fignon on his 3 point violation. Those are prescription glasses and cycling specfic eyewear (as far as I know) did not have Rx inserts back then. Add to this the fact that the legs of his glasses would not have fit around the straps properly, and they would likely have kept falling off. I say he gets an exemption.
I wish I could say the same for Sean Kelly who despite being my #1 rider of all time, wore some god-awful brain buckets (I'm looking at you, Brancale) for the $$$ as thy were not mandatory when he wore them.
@wiscot
They're called 'Tiagra Tiaras' now.
@wiscot
There was a Tiagra debate? I'm sorry, I was too busy riding my bike to notice.
@frank
Let's never speak of it again.
In my early days I was still wearing a hollowed-out bowling ball. Then I crashed hard in the rain. My mother took pity on my head, my helmet, and my Budgetatus and gave me money for a new one, which I put towards a Specialized M3, still a cool looking helmet.
I'm digging the Uvex helmets on Argos-Shimano and the Kabusha helmets on Lampre these days.
Good work, Frank! I really like point #5. Tri-spoke wheels, 20 cm handlebars, tight denim and then to top the form-over-function cake a skateboard helmet because, ya know, those roadies are just prickjobs.
Also, very timely. Last Friday I was heading out with the VMH, in an auto. I try not to be on a bicycle on the roads Fridays between 16-19:00, as people go fucking bonkers after a work week and in search of their first drink. Too damn aggressive for me.
We're on one of the busiest local roads, lots of traffic, lights, and TGIFriday type shitholes. There are other roads that take you out of town with far, far less traffic. I spot a cyclist. USPS jersey, Trek USPS bike, M-Frames, no helmet, no lights, riding in heavy traffic. Holy fuck. Did COTHO circa 2002 come to town with a death wish in tow?
I'm seriously intrigued by this character. Lance love and a riding in Friday traffic without a helmet. What in the hell?
@frank
Damn you're good.