Senseless - Bicycle Helmets - BHSI responds #bikedc

The June 2013 issue of Bicycling magazine with its article Senseless has caused quite a storm.  The subject matter of the article was the safety standards of helmets and whether they do much to protect against concussions.  The author suggested that they do not, but discussed a newer helmet technology MIPS which is suppose to absorb rotational impact.  I saw a MIPS helmet in the store today.  It was bigger and less ventilated.  Was wondering if I would wear such a thing on a hot summer's day. 

WABA's Bike Helmet Safety Institute has responded to the Senseless article:

Bicycling magazine's June 2013 issue had a helmet article titled "Senseless" with a summary: "Bicycle helmets do an outstanding job of keeping our skulls intact in a major crash. But they do almost nothing to prevent concussions and other significant brain injuries--and the very government agency created to protect us is part of the problem. The time has come to demand something safer."

"Almost nothing" to prevent concussion does not reflect reality. Today's helmets do help in concussive impacts, even though they are optimized to protect against traumatic brain injury and death.

We take issue with the primary conclusion of the article. It reads as if MIPS slip-plane technology helmets were the only current helmets that offer any concussion protection. (They have an extra shell inside that can slip about 5mm in an impact.) The last pages are all about MIPS, with only the patent-holder's data to support performance claims. At the end, the author reports that he has bought four MIPS helmets for his own family, a powerful endorsement. He says "You can pretend to protect your brain, or you can spend more money and get closer to actually doing it." In a subsequent radio interview he recommends the Scott brand, although he does not say he has ever seen lab test results for them, apparently based only on the MIPS technology.

Nowhere does the article mention the key flaw in the MIPS argument: in the real world, bicycle helmets are so loosely coupled with the head that a slip-plane inside the helmet structure does not add significant sideways movement in an impact. The helmet moves anyway, unless it is constrained in a lab test. We told the author that, and pointed to it on our Web page, but he chose to ingnore it and quote us and others on less basic points about MIPS as if we thought those minor points were the important ones. That is highly misleading to the reader.

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Butterfly Handlebars

When you are 6'5" and you stumble upon a bike that fits you, you buy it.  Months ago I was at Phoenix bikes and they had a 25" Trek 7.3 FX.  As a 100% commuter, I was looking for a back up bike so that when my primary is down, I dont have to ride the damn subway.  I was also looking for something that could pull a Houndabout dog trailer.  So I was completely thrilled to find this bike at Phoenix.

There are a lot of things that could be said about the Trek 7.3 FX.  But for now all I will say is: "wow! Geometry matters."  All things added up, this bike is probably a little taller than my primary Canondale BadBoy (and that is good).  But on this old 7.3 FX, the top tube is shorter, bringing the handlebars closer to me - and the top tube is higher.  Where the Cannondale rides aggressively, the Trek is almost awkward and clumsy.  On the trails, with the Cannondale, I can stretch forward and fly; with the Trek I am upright, with the feel of a beach rental.

But I'm here to talk handlebars.  The old Trek came with riser handlebars, with a slight tilt back towards the rider.  With the brakes and the grip shifter, there is room on the handlebar for only one hand position.  And that hand position isnt terribly comfortable.  As the rider goes forward with his palms on the handlebar, the slightly tilting back handlebar digs into the palm.  This concentration of pressure on one point on your palm is uncomfortable.

The bike forum recommended trekking handlebars (aka butterflies).  This is a European style touring handlebar that has the advantage of offering the rider multiple hand positions.  If you are trekking across Europe, with miles in the saddle, trekking handlebars offer multiple hand and back positions, permitting greater comfort for the rider.

I bought a Nashbar Trekking handlebar and installed it this weekend.  The new handlebar fit easily on the stem. The shifters and brakes migrated easy. 

I test rode the bike last night and today.  OMG what a difference!  The butterfly handlebars are fabulous.  I am tempted to put these on my primary.  It maintains the equivalent of a flat handlebar with brakes and shifters immediately in my hands (good for urban riding).  As I get to open trail, adjusting hand positions is a flick of a wrist.  Going uphill, I have a good grasp of the handlebar and can torque and power those pedals.  With the riser handlebar, I never had a good hand position, and thus I really never had power. 

I am thrilled with the butterfly handlebars.  Lots of hand positions.  Comfortable.  More power.  Great for cyclists putting hours in the saddle.

ABC7: Bike cameras trending among cyclists for safety #bikedc

Link to Story

I have a Contour Roam camera strapped to my handlebars.  I bought the camera after getting hit by a car on the Lincoln Memorial circle.  I was the fifth bicycle in a pack of five.  I had lights and high viz.  I was doing everything by the book - and still got hit by a distracted driver - and the police issued no tickets (the insurance company, however, negotiated a settlement easily).  I thought - never again.

The Contour Roam has a nice form factor, fitting easily on my handle bar.  It takes a micro SD card so basically you can have as much memory as you want.  The battery is not bad; needs to be charged every day (my commute is 1.5 hours total - if I dont charge the camera, it will last some of the next day but probably will not last the full day).

The strap that keeps the camera on the handlebar broke; that's bad.  As a result, the camera went flying off my bike and into the road - its still working just fine!  That's good!  It's a pretty reliable piece of equipment.

I have seriously thought about getting one for my car as well for pretty much the same reasons.