Another helmet bites the dust.....

[Bruce K]

I love Lazer helmets more than ever.

ECV cyclocross practice last night and I managed to doorstop my front wheel on a tree root. This resulted in a Superman imitation over the bars of my Zanconato SS crosser (while rotating them down a good inch) and, according to the guy behind me (who thought I might be dead) pile driving myself into the ground left temple and shoulder first.

After a couple of minutes of non-movement to small movements (conscious the whole time) I managed to drag myself up off the ground and get myself home.

Today the only thing that hurts is my left shoulder but I have full rotation and full streength so I am guessing it's just a bruise with some whiplash thrown in. Suckerbrook is Sunday and I really want to be there.

But my trusty 2 year old Lazer Genesis is toast. Not because there are any obvious signs of damage but that was the hardest impact I have ever experienced from bike riding and it was at least 50% on the helmet so this one is headed for the wall or the trash.

Just a gentle reminder that a good fitting, up to date lid just might keep you rolling.

BK

[bobswire]

I love Lazer helmets more than ever.

ECV cyclocross practice last night and I managed to doorstop my front wheel on a tree root. This resulted in a Superman imitation over the bars of my Zanconato SS crosser (while rotating them down a good inch) and, according to the guy behind me (who thought I might be dead) pile driving myself into the ground left temple and shoulder first.

After a couple of minutes of non-movement to small movements (conscious the whole time) I managed to drag myself up off the ground and get myself home.

Today the only thing that hurts is my left shoulder but I have full rotation and full streength so I am guessing it's just a bruise with some whiplash thrown in. Suckerbrook is Sunday and I really want to be there.

But my trusty 2 year old Lazer Genesis is toast. Not because there are any obvious signs of damage but that was the hardest impact I have ever experienced from bike riding and it was at least 50% on the helmet so this one is headed for the wall or the trash.

Just a gentle reminder that a good fitting, up to date lid just might keep you rolling.

BK


Congrats on surviving your pratfall and for wearing a helmet. It is pretty amazing what the human body can endure. Good luck at the Sucker Brook.

[Polyglot]

I love Lazer helmets more than ever.

But my trusty 2 year old Lazer Genesis is toast. Not because there are any obvious signs of damage but that was the hardest impact I have ever experienced from bike riding and it was at least 50% on the helmet so this one is headed for the wall or the trash.

Just a gentle reminder that a good fitting, up to date lid just might keep you rolling.

I'm sorry to say but reading your description of the dynamics of the accident and the resulting (non)-damage to the helmet and I would be exceedingly leery about getting a Lazer helmet. The helmet did NOT react the way one would expect and the way that the helmet was engineered to react. All modern helmets are designed to react in a similar way to the way that a skull reacts, which is to say that to protect the contents, it should absorb part of the impact by cracking.

[jghall]

BK,
Wow, glad you are ok.

Imo, having a brother who has brain damage from a head injury, any helmet whether it cracked or not, that saved someone from becoming a vegtable is a good helmet.

[Louis]

which is to say that to protect the contents, it should absorb part of the impact by cracking.

Edit: First things, first - Bruce, glad to hear that you'll be fine. Are you certain there was no concussion?

I'm not a helmet designer, so this isn't my area of expertise, but I would hazard a guess that the fact that the helmet did not visibly crack on a macro level is by no means a sign that it did not do what it was supposed to do. My intuition is that a what it's really designed to do is change the way the skull-to-hard thing collision occurs, a) by spreading the point of impact over a larger area, and b) decelerating the skull more slowly and spreading the energy dissipation over a longer period of time.

Also, the damage to the helmet may happen on a scale where it's not obvious. I think that's why the manufacturers say that you should replace the helmet after a hit, even if there is no visible damage.

Louis

[rustychisel]

I think we're all glad you're here to tell the story Bruce.

[Bruce K]

Thanks for the well wishes guys.

I went back to the course last night to ride with a friend and stopped to look at the scene of the accident.

I now see that what I thought was solid ground was a pile of pine needles covering a low spot and a root that I could not even push the bike through by hand without lifting the front wheel.

As for the helmet, there are some light abrasions on the shell. I have no idea what's going on inside. I landed on a grassy area and I am guessing that is why there isn't more visible damage.

I already ordered the new Lazer. They are the most comfortable helmet I have ever worn and the fact that I have no signs of a concussion or other head related injuries is the best endorsment of the helmet IMHO.

BK

[soulspinner]

Foam is ruined whether you see it or not. Thats first line of absorbtion. Glad you can get on the horse again. :beer: