Helmets: Road vs MTB

[William]

Just curious question that came to me after reading another current thread concerning wearing a hat with a bill under the helmet...

What's really the big difference between road and mtb helmets?

I've worn cycling caps under my helmet for years, even during my racing years I would wear one to help keep the sun out of my eyes. For the Summer months I would cut holes in the top of the cap for more ventilation. Taking a look at a lot of the mtb offerings I don't really see a difference other than most mtb helmets come with varying degrees of bills/visors attached. One could bypass caps all together for better ventilation during the Summer months by going with an mtb style helmet.

Funny contradiction too since the majority of mtb riding is done in wooded shade, and most road riding is out on the open road. :)







William

[djg21]

Very little. Some MTB helmets have visors; some have slightly more protection around the back of the head. One MTB helmet I have (a Met Parachute) has some rudimentary face protection (it's an XC helmet). I prefer my road helmet - Giro Synthe - when I'm on my MTB.

[dustyrider]

Coverage! I like a helmet that protects a large part of my skull, so I've chosen the Giro xar for the last few years. I use the visor for trails and no visor for roads. I have a Giro fullface for downhill and a protech skate lid for bar crawls.

I think of the the visor being for MTB and not road because of rider position. When I'm hammering in the drops, I don't want to tilt my head up that much further when I look up. On a mtb I'm much more upright when seated and/or standing for efforts. I also live in a high altitude desert so shady trails don't really exist.

I've never worn a cycling cap.

[Bentley]

I wear a doo rag under my helmet, keeps the sweat out of my eyes and sun off my bald head

Ray

[pdmtong]

Generally a mtb helmet will have more coverage and the vents optimized for slower speed airflow. They also often have a visor which is great as mentioned in another thread since I would never wear a cycling cap - too hot.
I wear a mesh skull cap to help absorb sweat when on dirt.

Road helmets are optimized for plenty of airflow - minimal and huge vents yet sufficient skull protection. You wouldn't believe the marketing claims..but in my case I can tell my Aeon is actually more vented than my Ionos.

My wife daughter and I each have a road helmet, a mtb helmet, and a full face DH helmet.

[benb]

I think the coverage is often not that different. At times I've bought MTB helmets and used them on the road. Whether I'm on the road or on the trails I never use a visor or a cycling cap. If I end up with a MTB helmet I usually take the visor off and lose it pretty quickly.

No one has ever been able to tell if I was wearing the wrong helmet for the discipline, no one has ever said anything.

I'm sure the bike companies would like us to buy a different helmet for each discipline but it's hard to believe it matters, they all get built to the same testing standards.

[Mark McM]

MTB and road helmets are completely different! Most importantly, MTB helmets are made to look good while mountain biking, while road helmets are made to look good while road cycling!

Other than that, there's not much difference. They both are made to meet the exact same safety standard (which include impact absorption and area of head coverage).

[seric]

I currently wear a Kask Rex for all of my riding. I just feel more confident in a helmet that provides extra coverage. Coming from ATGATT moto riding, I still feel very vulnerable.

[jeffcon0]

But an MTB helmet on the road would be breaking the rules! ;)

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/#35

[William]

But an MTB helmet on the road would be breaking the rules! ;)

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/#35

I think that's really the main reason! :)

Frankly, if you are one to wear a cycling cap under your helmet for the visor to shield your eyes from the sun, then there is really no reason not to consider one with a smaller visor. True or am I stirring the pot? :confused:



:D:D
William

[Mark McM]

I think that's really the main reason! :)

Frankly, if you are one to wear a cycling cap under your helmet for the visor to shield your eyes from the sun, then there is really no reason not to consider one with a smaller visor. True or am I stirring the pot? :confused:

I find that when I'm in a tight aero tuck, the visor of most MTB helmets block my view ahead. Besides, even a road helmet has a slight visor effect - the front overhang of any helmet isn't a lot smaller than a cycling cap visor.

Also, the difference between a most helmet visors and a cycling cap visor is that the cycling cap visor can be easily folded back out of the way.

[sw3759]

this time of year when most of my use is later int he day when the sun is low I use a mtb helmet or lately been using s rudy project windmax,it comes with 2 visors,short and shorter.works great and doesn't look as much like a mtb helmet as some of the others.i seem to have more neck strain trying to see up the road under the visor on cycling caps

[ofcounsel]

My MTB helmets (Troy Lee A1 and Bell Super 2R MIPS) have significantly more coverage around the rear of my head than does my road helmet (Giro Savant MIPS).

[parris]

I've got 2 fairly inexpensive Giro helmets. One of them was sold as a mtn bike helmet and the other road. I bought the road helmet after several seasons with the mtn model. At least for those helmets the only difference is a removable visor on the mtn helmet.

I've found the visor to be too long when I'm in the drops but that's about it.

[carpediemracing]

The second last high end Bell road helmet I bought came with a visor (CSC / Andy Schleck used them). The last one I don't think had one.

I actually use mtb visors in narrow single track, although I haven't ridden such trails in a while. If dealing with a lot of small branches over the trail I'll duck my head a bit and allow the visor to catch the branches. The visor deflects them up. If the visor doesn't catch them the branches end up bouncing off the lower part of my face. I have glasses but they tend to direct branches into your eyes without some kind of hard visor over them.

While this is going on I can keep my eyes open and see where I'm going.

If I were mtb in wide open trails I wouldn't bother with a visor.

Cap is good on the road, no need for regularly used hardened eye protection. I generally use them if it's cooler, sunny (I don't wear sunglasses), and I'm not going to do any sprint efforts, aka a training ride in the spring or fall. Sprinting with a cap is hard on my neck because of the need to turn your head up enough to see out from under the brim. I kept re-learning this over the years when I'd roll out to the start with a cap and forget to remove it before the race got underway.

[oldpotatoe]

MTB and road helmets are completely different! Most importantly, MTB helmets are made to look good while mountain biking, while road helmets are made to look good while road cycling!

Other than that, there's not much difference. They both are made to meet the exact same safety standard (which include impact absorption and area of head coverage).

Ha..POTD..

[Bob Ross]

I find that when I'm in a tight aero tuck, the visor of most MTB helmets block my view ahead. Besides, even a road helmet has a slight visor effect - the front overhang of any helmet isn't a lot smaller than a cycling cap visor.

Also, the difference between a most helmet visors and a cycling cap visor is that the cycling cap visor can be easily folded back out of the way.

My eyes are particularly sensetive to sunlight, so I need a visor of some sort. I've tried all manner of cycling caps, and they just don't work for me: When the bill is in the down position they obscure too much of my field of view, and when they're in the up position, in addition to not providing any light blockage, they all compromise the fit of the helmet, causing more pressure across my forehead.

So I've been wearing a helmet with a visor (aka a MTB helmet) on the road. It impacts my view far less than any bill-down cycling cap even when I'm in a tight aero tuck in the drops, and I can vary the amount of sun blockage it provides simply by tilting my head.






Oh, and fcuk the Velominati Rules.

[EPIC! Stratton]

Oh, and fcuk the Velominati Rules.

That gave me a good chuckle.

I've used my Giro Synthe for road and dirt. Happy with it overall. Liked my Ionos and Atmos more due to ability to actually strap a light to it.

That said I'm 100% cap under helmet.

[d_douglas]

But an MTB helmet on the road would be breaking the rules! ;)

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/#35

Ha! I just bought a second MTB helmet, so I am fully in the camp of off-road coverage. It is mostly coincidence, but I have grown to be comfortable with a helmet that drops deeper on my head and over my ears.

It might be false security, but I like it. I never wear a cap/hat - I live in a wet, not-so-cold climate though.

[Mark McM]

So I've been wearing a helmet with a visor (aka a MTB helmet) on the road. It impacts my view far less than any bill-down cycling cap even when I'm in a tight aero tuck in the drops, and I can vary the amount of sun blockage it provides simply by tilting my head.


I guess it depends on your aero tuck position. Mine looks a lot like this:

http://www.active.com/Assets/Cycling/Faster+More+Aero.jpg


If this rider's helmet had a typical MTB visor, you wouldn't be able to see his eyes - which means he wouldn't be able to see you, either.

[HenryA]

Visors should be an option on most all helmets. Its nice to keep the sun off your face and eyes. And beyond nice it is important from a health standpoint. I have a visor taped on my road helmet and use that helmet for road and mtb. But that only works if you're beyond cool.

[Fatty]

Had a roadie Giro Pneumo, the older style with a visor. Real nice lid till it met a tree. Kind of wish they would bring that style back.

[marciero]

I find that when I'm in a tight aero tuck, the visor of most MTB helmets block my view ahead. Besides, even a road helmet has a slight visor effect - the front overhang of any helmet isn't a lot smaller than a cycling cap visor.

Also, the difference between a most helmet visors and a cycling cap visor is that the cycling cap visor can be easily folded back out of the way.

Caps are great that way. What a simple, timeless, and eminently versatile piece of "kit"! They keep the rain, sun, etc. out of your eyes, provide just enough warmth in cool conditions, can be adjusted independently of helmet, bill can be folded up, worn backward keeps sun off neck, etc. Essential for night riding to shield eyes from car headlights. bill has to be the right size though. Some are too long.

I think Rule #22 should be amended to provide exception for "old cycling dudes", say, 50+ years old.

[HenryA]

Had a roadie Giro Pneumo, the older style with a visor. Real nice lid till it met a tree. Kind of wish they would bring that style back.

Thats where my visor came from. I killed my Pneumo and saved the visor. Love having a visor.

[Bob Ross]

I guess it depends on your aero tuck position. Mine looks a lot like this:

http://www.active.com/Assets/Cycling/Faster+More+Aero.jpg


If this rider's helmet had a typical MTB visor, you wouldn't be able to see his eyes - which means he wouldn't be able to see you, either.

I guess it also depends on your neck flexibility: That guy's head is nowhere near the end of his range-of-motion.

[HillDancer]

The Fox Metah helmet has an effective visor that extends 4inches from the forehead and is 7inches-plus in width. The visor is also a functioning component of the ventilation system. At its core purpose, the helmet provides substantial impact protection due to its mass and shock absorption technology. It fits my head extremely well as a bonus.

Image sourced from bikeroar.com (http://content.bikeroar.com/system/content/000/108/518/original/FoxMetahwearingLargeProfile-705.jpg?1467150340).
http://content.bikeroar.com/system/content/000/108/518/original/FoxMetahwearingLargeProfile-705.jpg?1467150340

I can't do anything about the excessive sun exposure of my youth, but it's not too late to mitigate exposure now. I've had several pre-cancerous spots frozen on my face, and a few basal cell carcinoma removed. And if you're not aware, sunglasses don't filter all potentially damaging rays from the sun. For me, shielding myself from the sun is of high importance, yet I also want to continue cycling.

[skouri1]

So my Limar ultralight is coming up on its 5th year in a bit and I will eventually be looking to replace it. The Kask rex was on my radar because I heard a tragic story about a totally improbable accident in NJ, where a rider was paralyzed because he hit the back of his head on a curb.
You can get hit or fall in any way on the road, particularly if a car is involved. rear coverage is starting to sound better to me...

[jischr]

My complaint with a traditional cycling cap, besides being hot, is that most people move their helmet back on their head to allow the bill to invert. That changes the degree of protection. I've used a HeadSweats cap when I had a 'real' road helmet but I'd rather just buy one with a visor. My next helmet will likely be a Zephyr, so the HeadSweat cap will be coming out again.