Comments on: Marginally Less Dorky

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:01:15 +0000

John: it’s a mass- & speed- thing; I go faster now that I’m an adult and weigh a lot more, so when I take a spill there’s a lot more energy directed at my cranium. Spills I took as a kid with no problems would put me out of action now. Especially riding in the city – it’s other people you need to worry about, when it comes to accidents.

Personally, I find the mountain bike helmets with the visors are marginally less dorky. Regardless, I’ll trade some dorkiness for not ending up brain damaged from bouncing my head off someone’s trunk.

By: HarveyEspatchelowe

HarveyEspatchelowe — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:46:52 +0000

Well, anyone will tell you, I am an authority on “cool”. Everyone knows helmets for bikes became cool almost three years ago. The silver and black ones are among the coolest. Avoid yellow and orange.

By: jimmythegeek

jimmythegeek — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:34:26 +0000

In the photo, you (if that’s you) do look remarkably like Jack Bauer from “24″. It’s not the color of the helmet, but something in the way it frames your face to reveal a structural similarity to Kiefer Sutherland.

Don’t let this go to your head, but that’s really how it looks. What’s anybody else think?

By: Larry, San Francisco

Larry, San Francisco — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:12:32 +0000

Actually, I think the rock climbing helmet which is black and not aerodynamic is reasonably cool looking.

Also, dressing up in high tech bike gear is extremely nerdy unless you are really, really good (then it is very cool). If however, you keep get passed by more people than you pass, you really do look like an idiot when you wear those duds.

By: LB

LB — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:29:06 +0000

You know, Phil, I may not be the arbiter of all that is cool, but I’ll tell you one thing, helmet or not – unless you’re Lance Armstrong, do not wear spandex bike shorts! Isn’t the picture of the long-faced senator enough of a warning? I have to make sure I’m in another room when my husband leaves the house for a bike ride. I just can’t take the dorkiness of those shorts – especially when the rubberized edges don’t even touch his skinny legs!

I’d have to see a photo with you in the old helmet for comparison in order to judge the marginally less dorky-ness of the new one. But I will say since you have a “beautiful and brilliant” wife and a talented (and quite possibly cool to the point of helmet-eschewing) daughter, both of whom could just turn away when they see you in the helmet (and should you choose to ignore my advice – the bike shorts) you’ve really got nothing to worry about. You’ve got your head screwed on straight and plan to keep it that way! That’s always cool in my book.

Thanks for the laugh.

By: David

David — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:28:21 +0000

Um, hate to say it, but…

The old helmet is a tad cooler than the new one. Or at least as the photos are perceived by this slightly dorky commenter, it is.

By: TMA

TMA — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:27:04 +0000

(A) of course, if you look at it THAT way (the desire to protect your brain being all important) maybe you wouldn’t roll it around atop a bike in the first place.

(B) it may be time to get your daugher a new bike helmet — not just for the coolness, sun and sweat degrade bike helmets over time. If the helmet is nine years old, it’s probably time. See
http://outside.away.com/outside/gear/gearguy/200605/20060504.html

By: John

John — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:13:58 +0000

Helmets are for dorks. Never wore one as a kid, and despite riding my bike in the streets for years, I somehow managed to survive.

Can ya believe it? To celebrate, I’m going to go run around the house while holding scissors. Then maybe swim immediately after eating.

I know, living dangerously.

By: wheels

wheels — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:32:37 +0000

I always wear a helmet when I ride. I got a lesson in its value last year - even though I was wearing a helmet, I went off-line for about a half hour after the spill. I'm using a new helmet now, of course. Helmets are one-use items of a sort.

By: GM Roper

GM Roper — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:57:50 +0000

What a delightful read. And just yesterday I got my new “motor scooter” 3/4 helmet and yep, dorky as hell. And I don’t think anything could even approach making me look “moderately less dorky.”

Gotta get photos and post on this… too funny and thanks for the laugh.

By: Mark Buehner

Mark Buehner — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:17:48 +0000

Making a bicycle helmet less dorky is about as likely as making water less wet. It is an inherent property not subject to manipulation.