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Cycling Helmet
Cycling Helmet
Helmet and Safety Gear
Helmet and Safety Gear
All riders MUST wear an appropriate helmet when on Cycling Outings with Troop 60.
Recommendation:
Helmet
MUST Fit Properly
MUST be Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) certified
Cycling Gloves
Reduces likelihood of slippery hands from sweat and rain
Cushions hands on handlebars for long rides
Provides some protection in event of crash
Keeps hands warm in winter so you can still use them
Sun Glasses
Reduces injuries to eye while riding
Protects eyes from sun and glare off road, water other other shiny things
Notes on Helmets:
Notes on Helmets:
These age, get damaged and Scouts out grow them
Needs to be checked for fit at least yearly
Replace after one impact or if cracked
Frequently worn helmet should be replaced every three years as foam ages and wear out
Look for safety label
Legal minimum standard for helmets manufactured for US since March 10, 1999
If a helmet lacks a CPSC Label, you should find another helmet
ASTM
Most used test prior to 1999
Tested on a 2 meter drop on a flat anvil
Snell Memorial Foundation
B-1990 standard has a 2 meter drop test similar to ASTM and CPSC
Prior to 1995 was the industry standard until Bell stopped using this certification
B-1995 standard has a 2.2 meter drop test
ANSI - outdated standard that was too easy to meet
"Novelty Item Only" - if you see this or a similar label warning you are not looking at a helmet engineered to protect your head, trust you are not looking at an acceptable helmet for any other use than cosplay
No Label - assume this has not passed any safety tests
Doesn't have to be expensive
Read reviews - some acceptable ones can be purchased for around $20 but be willing to spend more
Must Fit
Go to bike shop and fit helmets - it MUST fit to work
MIPS
Many modern helmets have MIPS printed on it
What is MIPS?
Stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System
Helmet has a thin layer of material on the inside of the helmet
Slip layer allows it to move independently inside the helmet in all directions
Reduces rotational motion of the head during impact
Claims to be claims 10% at handling rotational impacts than the exact same helmet without MIPS
In theory, MIPS helmets are better than a comparable non MIPS helmet
They are more expensive
Note: Kask uses its own Rotational Impact WG11 standard instead of MIPS
Bottom line - don't worry too muh about MIPS
Cycling Gloves
Cycling Gloves
Provides some protection in event of crash
Keeps hands warm in winter so you can still use them
Big fat gloves won't work well on a bike because they make it difficult to hold on to the handlebars and use the shifters and brakes
Reduces slippage when hands get wet from sweat or rain
We recommend that you go to REI or other bike shop and try on different gloves
Example
amazon.com/gp/product/B08SBTK7MJ
These work fine
Sun Glasses
Sun Glasses
Keeps sun from blinding you
Keeps bugs and dust from blinding you
Examples
Dollar Store
Go to Dollar Store before summer time and get 3 pairs of glasses you want to wear
Wrap around glasses are preferred
Tinted Safety Glasses
Unstinted ones for those grim weathered riding days
Tifosi Vogel SL Sport Sunglasses
Reasonable balance between quality and price
Victory Chimp Vega Evo cycling glasses
Made for cycling
Comes with different lenses
Not as expensive as other cycling specific glasses
Good value for quality glasses
More difficult to find in US
ROCKBROS Polarized Sunglasses
Lights
Lights
If you are riding at night, or potentially riding at night, you will need lights.
Front Light
Front Light
Serves 2 purposes
Illuminates road/path ahead of you
Helps cars and other bikes see you
Urban Riding
Daytime
You want a specially designed light that is bright enough to be seen in the daytime
Nighttime
Lights help you see the road in front of you, but more importantly make is easier for cars to see you
You don't need the brightest, most expensive lighting system
Mountain Biking at night
Lights made for urban use leave much to be desired
You will want a much brighter light to illuminate the trail
Lights can get pretty expensive and you'll need to consider how much light do you really need (as opposed to want)
Examples of Urban Riding Lights
Trek/Bontrager Ion 200 RT / Flare RT Light Set
Brightest daylight available
Front/Rear set
Expensive but worth the cost if you are doing a lot of road riding
Knog Plus
Affordable daytime light
Can get front/rear kit
NiteRider Swift 300
Economy night option
Bright enough for urban areas at night
Cateye AMPP900
Economy night option
Bright enough for urban areas at night
Amazon Economy Light
Front/Rear Set
Most bang for the buck!
Not so bright rear light
Rear Light
Rear Light
Ideally, get one that not only blinks, but doesn't consistently blink as the same interval
A blinking light is more noticeable than a solid light
A light that blinks at different intervals is more noticeable than one that blinks as the same interval over and over
Some rear lights work as brake lights
Some rears light auto dim when other bikes are behind you
A few lights have radar to alert you a car is approaching
Examples
Trek/Bontrager Ion 200 RT / Flare RT Light Set
Brightest daylight available
Front/Rear set
Expensive
Knog Plus
Affordable daytime light
Can get front/rear kit
Amazon Special
Reasonable brightness
Good Value
Fenix BC05R Taillight
Economy option
Battery drains when not in use
Exposure Boost-R + ReAKT & Peloton
Auto dims when you ride in front of another rider
DynoHubs
DynoHubs
Specialized generator hubs able to power low wattage devices
They power on as you pedal the bike
5mph can power a dim light
9-13mph to reach full brightness
Still not as bright as a quality battery powered lights
Useless at slow speeds
Not able to keep up with power high watt devices, such as cellphone, while they are running
Read more at bikepacking.com/plan/dynamo-hubs-lighting-charging-guide
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