We’re done with the Welsh stories, and so are settling into a post ride-report slump as we remember the post-riding slump of last week. Soon there will be more stories, once the weather lets us out.
In the meantime, the Independent have rounded up the state of cycling in Britain, concluding that only 44% of households don’t have a bike, although a larger percentage might not actually be using them.
With more bikes there’s undoubtedly going to be more bike kit, and the lack of recyclable bits and pieces is worrying some people. Those people might have some hope in the shape of a design for a cardboard helmet that might be possible. It looks like a good idea and is apparently even more effective than the usual polystyrene at dissipating impacts.
A
Showing posts with label Helmets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Helmets. Show all posts
Thursday, 23 June 2011
Monday, 18 April 2011
Safety First (well, Second - we've used this title before)
Bicycle safety is an important issue. No-one can really argue that it’s not a good idea to be safe on a bike and try and avoid getting hurt or worse. Various different organisations had some intriguing ideas about how to be as safe as possible last week.
The AA (the motoring organisation, not the addiction people) felt that the answer was to hand out free helmets and high-viz jackets in London on Friday. Which fairly understandable annoyed some cyclists out there who felt that it wasn’t really promoting the message that cycling in London can be safe and efficient, and would be more-so without cars, arguably.
Another option was to use the Boris Bikes, but not actually go anywhere on them, as docking stations were hijacked by spinning flashmobs. You can’t crash a bike if you’re not actually moving on tit, I suppose.
At least one sensible option came from a scientific team in America who have put the effort in to try and understand exactly what makes a bike balance on its own. This surely means the chance at having a bike that you don’t even need to actually ride…
A
The AA (the motoring organisation, not the addiction people) felt that the answer was to hand out free helmets and high-viz jackets in London on Friday. Which fairly understandable annoyed some cyclists out there who felt that it wasn’t really promoting the message that cycling in London can be safe and efficient, and would be more-so without cars, arguably.
Another option was to use the Boris Bikes, but not actually go anywhere on them, as docking stations were hijacked by spinning flashmobs. You can’t crash a bike if you’re not actually moving on tit, I suppose.
At least one sensible option came from a scientific team in America who have put the effort in to try and understand exactly what makes a bike balance on its own. This surely means the chance at having a bike that you don’t even need to actually ride…
A
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Labour-Saving Devices
With a bit of a sigh of relief it turns out that there is suddenly some news. Setting aside the stories of professional cyclist signings and overblown team launches there’s some real things happening to real cyclists.
If you think you’re committed to cycling everywhere (I’m not, it makes far more sense to me to use a car for some things) then the internet has thrown up the ultimate person to measure yourself against. Susie Weber rode the mile to hospital while in labour (or the labour-saving “labor”, if you’re American). Despite being 8cm dilated (and without making any inappropriate jokes here) she rode to in while suffering contractions along the way. This surely answers the question of when to get a baby on a bike that the Guardian keeps going on about.
Perhaps Mrs Weber would have benefitted from being able to call the hospital on the way to warn them of her arrival. “But”, I hear you all cry, ”you can’t safely use a mobile phone on a bike can you?”. As ever there is a solution and it comes in the form of a frankly ridiculous and awkward looking helmet with a built in Bluetooth headset. It’s water resistant and I’m certain the designers have many helpful reasons why it’s better than a normal Bluetooth headset. Full marks to them for successfully inventing a problem to solve.
A
If you think you’re committed to cycling everywhere (I’m not, it makes far more sense to me to use a car for some things) then the internet has thrown up the ultimate person to measure yourself against. Susie Weber rode the mile to hospital while in labour (or the labour-saving “labor”, if you’re American). Despite being 8cm dilated (and without making any inappropriate jokes here) she rode to in while suffering contractions along the way. This surely answers the question of when to get a baby on a bike that the Guardian keeps going on about.
Perhaps Mrs Weber would have benefitted from being able to call the hospital on the way to warn them of her arrival. “But”, I hear you all cry, ”you can’t safely use a mobile phone on a bike can you?”. As ever there is a solution and it comes in the form of a frankly ridiculous and awkward looking helmet with a built in Bluetooth headset. It’s water resistant and I’m certain the designers have many helpful reasons why it’s better than a normal Bluetooth headset. Full marks to them for successfully inventing a problem to solve.
A
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Getting People Riding and Rolling.
As ways to get people to ride bikes in London go guided bike rides have been particularly unsuccessful. We mentioned our doubts about them a long time ago and it seems that every attempt to make them work has pretty much failed. In fact one ride in Hammersmith managed to attract a grand total of just one cyclist.
However, it’s not all bad news. The bike hire scheme is going from strength to strength, and is now so much of a staple of London life that at least one of the classier hotels in the city has bought multiple memberships to allow their customers to use the bikes with freedom. The price of a room at the InterContinental might not be within reach to everyone, but surely where the top end of the market leads the rest will follow and you’ll be soon picking up free Boris Bike use at your local cut-price hotel as well. It’s rapidly the a la mode, er, mode of transport and being written about by people all over the internet as they share their experiences.
With all these new cyclists on the roads of the capital there is a need for more education and protection to keep some of the more inexperienced riders safe. Some forms of education seem sensible and full of good advice. Others a little bizarre. This inflatable helmet has been doing the rounds for a few days and there has to be a prize for the first person to actually see one on the roads. Why stop there? I want an inflatable whole-body suit to catch me if I ever come off the bike. Surely it’s just a quick move then from riding to zorbing. Look out for bad and inflated cyclists rolling down a hill near you soon.
A
However, it’s not all bad news. The bike hire scheme is going from strength to strength, and is now so much of a staple of London life that at least one of the classier hotels in the city has bought multiple memberships to allow their customers to use the bikes with freedom. The price of a room at the InterContinental might not be within reach to everyone, but surely where the top end of the market leads the rest will follow and you’ll be soon picking up free Boris Bike use at your local cut-price hotel as well. It’s rapidly the a la mode, er, mode of transport and being written about by people all over the internet as they share their experiences.
With all these new cyclists on the roads of the capital there is a need for more education and protection to keep some of the more inexperienced riders safe. Some forms of education seem sensible and full of good advice. Others a little bizarre. This inflatable helmet has been doing the rounds for a few days and there has to be a prize for the first person to actually see one on the roads. Why stop there? I want an inflatable whole-body suit to catch me if I ever come off the bike. Surely it’s just a quick move then from riding to zorbing. Look out for bad and inflated cyclists rolling down a hill near you soon.
A
Thursday, 22 April 2010
Strange Accessories 5: Handlebar Mounted Helmet
The issue of wearing a helmet to cycle is a contentions (and sometimes even political) one.
There have been studies which show that they can save your life in a crash if you happen to hit your head hard on something, and others which show that they do very little to help, or that they encourage less careful driving from cars around you. If a political leader wears one, or doesn’t, then the press deem it fit to comment, raising anything from them setting a bad example, through to setting a good example of personal choice. Personally I started wearing one through parental bullying, years and years ago and continue to wear one out of habit more than anything (combined with having seen a helmet smashed clean off a head in a crash and realising that it does have a use). It is worth remembering that you have to wear one to race, so arguably there is something in the argument for them, at least in the minds of the governing bodies.
So, choose to wear one or not, it’s up to you really, but what I don’t understand is taking a helmet along for a ride on your handlebars.
You see it over and over again, someone riding along with a helmet looped over the handlebar. Why? What made you bring it along and not wear it? Where were you intending on putting it on if not at the moment?
Some answers spring to mind, but none of them are satisfactory. Perhaps they’re on their way to a race? But at 9:30 on a weekday and riding a Brompton it seems unlikely. Maybe they are making a point to their kids? But then why not actually wear it to really drive the point home? Possibly there’s one hell of a downhill up ahead and they have body armour in the panniers? But I’ve not found it yet in the backstreets of North London. Maybe the left brake lever is far more sensitive to impact damage than their head, or the helmet improves the aerodynamics of the cockpit setup? Perhaps, finally, they’re buying some groceries and the last wicker basket in the house was full of fir cones so they’re relying on the helmet to carry home their purchases?
I just don’t know. Therefore, in more fool-proof FMFT advice I say either wear the helmet or leave it at home. Carrying it with you certainly won’t help if you do go through the windscreen of a car headfirst.
A
There have been studies which show that they can save your life in a crash if you happen to hit your head hard on something, and others which show that they do very little to help, or that they encourage less careful driving from cars around you. If a political leader wears one, or doesn’t, then the press deem it fit to comment, raising anything from them setting a bad example, through to setting a good example of personal choice. Personally I started wearing one through parental bullying, years and years ago and continue to wear one out of habit more than anything (combined with having seen a helmet smashed clean off a head in a crash and realising that it does have a use). It is worth remembering that you have to wear one to race, so arguably there is something in the argument for them, at least in the minds of the governing bodies.
So, choose to wear one or not, it’s up to you really, but what I don’t understand is taking a helmet along for a ride on your handlebars.
You see it over and over again, someone riding along with a helmet looped over the handlebar. Why? What made you bring it along and not wear it? Where were you intending on putting it on if not at the moment?
Some answers spring to mind, but none of them are satisfactory. Perhaps they’re on their way to a race? But at 9:30 on a weekday and riding a Brompton it seems unlikely. Maybe they are making a point to their kids? But then why not actually wear it to really drive the point home? Possibly there’s one hell of a downhill up ahead and they have body armour in the panniers? But I’ve not found it yet in the backstreets of North London. Maybe the left brake lever is far more sensitive to impact damage than their head, or the helmet improves the aerodynamics of the cockpit setup? Perhaps, finally, they’re buying some groceries and the last wicker basket in the house was full of fir cones so they’re relying on the helmet to carry home their purchases?
I just don’t know. Therefore, in more fool-proof FMFT advice I say either wear the helmet or leave it at home. Carrying it with you certainly won’t help if you do go through the windscreen of a car headfirst.
A
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)