Daz Marshall

I'd imagine it's an old helmet flecc?

I know.

Wow, some people will just never admit when they're wrong, will they. ALL motorcycle and motorsport helmets are constructed the same basic way. The compression substance has to be as shockingly hard to compress as polystyrene obviously feels to you do to the immense forces they're trying to deal with over very short times. As you know the greater the rate of change of acceleration the greater the force so all this layer tries to do is make the deceleration occur over a longer period of time, just like a seat belt and air bag (and, indeed crumple zones on the car itself). A soft piece of foam would compress almost instantaneously and provide almost no change in the rate of deceleration and thus no change in the forces felt on the skull. You crack me up, you honestly think bicycle helmet manufacturers would make the polystyrene layer of the helmet so thick and the (should I say it - comfort) foam inserts so thin if it was the (comfort) foam inserts that did the job of lowering the g-forces felt on the head? Bonkers. But anyway, you're obviously right so I really think you should get in touch with all the manufacturers and tell them how wrong they are and they should use some soft foam that will work much much better. When will I learn to never argue with someone on the internet. Someone stop me please

lol

Haha! Now I want to watch Tom and Jerry!

http://www.righttoride.co.uk/2013/02/07/motorcycle-helmet-law/

Amen. I still shudder when I remember back to being on the motorway on a motorbike and riding along behind an open-backed truck in the middle lane (it was busy and I was taking my time) and suddenly the truck passed over a 4 by 4 plank of wood just slightly narrower than the distance between it's tyres. God knows how I didn't crash and when I stopped to inspect my front wheel it has indented and cracked - no idea how the tyre hadn't gone down. PHEW!

Tilson, apologies you're very gravely mistaken - the polystyrene layer is what does the job in both motocycle and bicycle helmets. Nice page here http://www.grantadesign.com/resources/materials/casestudies/helmet.htm

The problem with protective garments on bicycles and motorcycles is that they have the surreptitious tendency to lull you into a feeling of false security, that you can take more risks because, heck, should anything happen you'll be fine, fine! When they enforced helmets on motorcyclists deaths didn't go down and injuries actually went considerably up - because the riders were less cautious in all probability. I know when I go out without my leathers on that I ride like a granny and then when fully suited and booted I ride like I stole it. I don't wear a helmet on pushbikes and I constantly worry about crashing as I quite like my head this shape and take the necessary precautions to keep it that way

Being an owner of both types I can tell you the difference in the thickness of the polystyrene layer is nowhere near as large as you're portraying. Without pulling one of my motorcycle helmets apart to measure exactly I'd say that the bicycle helmet is about two thirds that of a motorcycle helmet and the material used in both is the same - expanded polystyrene. It's actually a good material to use as it compresses well in any direction and as it compresses it spreads the force over a wider area than the impact area. There's lots of good info on the net about it.

I was thinking this the other day, I could get a decent second hand R6 or maybe even a R1 (or a car) for the same price of the ebike I'm thinking of. Scary thought but then we're never to burn many calories on a motorcycle. Then again how much are electric or hybrid cars - it's those flipping batteries isn't it.

What about on it's side on the top bar? Not sure if it'd get in the way of your thighs though. You could always add ballast i suppose but then your bike would be even heavier...

I think a lot of it comes down to our poor weather. Two wheeled vehicles are always more popular in warmer countries. Car drivers just don't want to get wet!

Which HRM do you use Gaz? Sounds spot on for me - think I'm going to so S10 though rather than the BS10 as it has a larger battery and I can't really see any improvements that the BS10 has over the 2012 S10? Seems like the same motor etc. That's fantastic that you specialise in the disabled - have you taken out any additional insurance in case the worst happens and you make their condition worse and they sue? How exactly can you declare yourself L4 - I can't find on the REPS site the info on this. Just one L4 course + time?

Good points Flecc and all likely to help you get home in one piece and since you've been cycling nearly twice as long as me I think you've proven this . I prefer a more 'positive' approach to dealing with cars behind me when cycling on the road - I make certain my maneuvers are very clear and decisive and leave no room for doubt in the drivers mind. Hesitant / slow / nervous riding is more likely to get you into trouble imo. For instance with a parked car coming up and with traffic behind me I'll always start moving out early in advance and make it clearly understood that I'm going to go around the vehicle and the driver behind has no real option but to allow me to do so. It boggles my mind the number of cyclists that I see stay in tight to the curb until they're upon the parked car and then get themselves in a right pickle, worried that they'll put themselves into the path of a car as they try to go around it and nine times out of ten will have to stop or slow right down. Be assertive, be predictable and you'll have to worry about what's behind you much less. I also think that having a mirror tempts you into using it far more than you need to. Oh and physiologically it's very difficult to keep your eyes distanced focused whilst moving your sight from in front of you to your mirror - it is akin to the whole 'relax your eyes and look past an object' thing. Normally you'll go from distance to close and to distance again as your eyes refocus on the distant object shown in the mirror. This normally takes around a second.