Hi-viz helmet or not?

[MattTuck]

If buying a helmet these days, what's your color preference?

[parris]

I've gone for the safety yellow that's out there. I sometimes wonder if maybe a bright red or orange might not be a better color just due to the angle that motorists would typically see us from perhaps the contrast would show better against various backgrounds.

[kppolich]

I have the same helmet in white and black. White for summer to stay cool, black for cross because its a bit warmer and doesn't show the dirt/mud as much.

[eddief]

i use hi viz greenish yellowish.

[beeemmjay]

I was on the fence about this last year: hi-vis orange vs matte white (POC Ventral Spin)
In the end I opted for the hi-vis orange. I love the wild bright colour, and appreciate the additional safety aspect of a super visible lid; and because it is so in your face loud, being kit matchy matchy doesn't really matter. Time will tell how well the colour holds up in the sun.

[Bob Ross]

The most recent helmet I bought is Hi-Viz Orange...not because I wanted a Hi-Viz helmet, just because it was a nice helmet at a ridiculously good price. Nearly concurrently, the most recent helmet my wife bought is Hi-Viz Yellow...because she explicitly wanted a Hi-Viz helmet.

I have no idea whether these make us any more visible to drivers than less garish colors, but a side benefit we've both noticed when riding together is that they make it really easy to keep track of the cyclist behind you!

So my next helmet will probably be on the brighter, more garish, Hi-Viz end of the color spectrum too.

[fignon's barber]

Usually go with black or white.

[hokoman]

I wear a hi viz yellow giro, I will take all the help I can get for being visible. It's unfortunate because my head is the size of sputnik, and the color doesn't help! :)

[Bradford]

I was thinking about this yesterday driving home. I was driving down Broadway in Denver, a relatively busy road, and a cyclist came in from a side street. His high viz yellow helmet was the first thing I saw and it caught my attention. Even before my brain was able to recognize it was a cyclist, it registered something something was different. So it worked just like it was supposed to work.

I have a couple of nice helmets now that, and I wear so much high viz stuff that I think I'm well covered, but my next helmet will be a bright color.

[johnniecakes]

I got a hi-viz green/yellow Giro at the local Performance shop just before it closed, with my accumulated points!!!

[bambam]

Summertime, here is hot and "humid".

And Sometimes the heat affects me and I sweat a lot.

Not uncommon to have jersey salt rings if it ever dries out and always wear black shorts that can looks white or silver by the end of an century.

So I usually have a white for Hot/summer conditions. Cooler times I can wear different. Can always put on hi-viz stickers and have.

Also don't wear black jerseys in the heat.

[alancw3]

anything with hi viz in todays world is a plus to me that might avoid an accident is great. I have actually switched to hi viz jerseys. just saying.

[PQJ]

White currently but next one will most likely be hi viz orange.

[BdaGhisallo]

Every time I ride and catch a glimpse of my Zinc Orange AVIP POC Ventral I am amazed at how much more visible it makes me. I am a complete convert to the hi-viz or avip school of visibility aids.

[wtex]

POC Pink, I really like it, and have got positive comments from pedestrians on it.

[Mzilliox]

ive got white and blue. i like my lids to be easy to see

[TimD]

... roadway construction workers and cops wear hi-viz garments: When drivers put their phones down they see them more easily.

[Jad]

Right now, I have a black and purple/blue helmet, but wouldn't mind hi-viz. I'm also interested in learning more about rear-lighted helmets.

[Hawker]

I wear a White hemet for visability reasons, just can't get on board with a Hi-Viz helmet though. However, don't have any problems with bright colored jerseys.

[Seramount]

last 3 lids have been silver/matte gray.

if people can't see the blinking LEDs, doubt they'll notice the color of my helmet.

[parris]

Here's something that I'm also thinking about is that some of the hi viz colors would be more or less apparent depending on the general environment we ride in. I live in Upstate NY where it's largely green, blue, and other cool colors. Would hi viz orange be a better choice than the hi viz yellow I have now? I also ride with good quality lights all the time and at least for me those have been a huge help.

[FlashUNC]

I think White's generally a solid color to go with. Visible and pretty aesthetically neutral for other kit considerations.

[Jaybee]

I have a couple hi-viz helmets, mostly because I'm re-living the early 90s. Better visibility is a bonus, though I rarely ride road except as transportation these days.

I did see a cyclist in all-black kit with an orange helmet yesterday - the helmet popped, but he was doing a chris froome impersonation and you can't see the bright color when your head is below your shoulders. Just a thought if you're counting on a helmet to be your only piece of viz.