Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

sirbearus t1_j9ofw5r wrote

They wear different types of helmets because the risk of injury to the skull comes from different types of injuries.

Bicycle sheets are designed to protect a rider from impact with the pavement and motor vehicles. These injuries often occur from side and top impact to the head.

Skiing injuries are usually from impacts with trees. These injuries occur from impact while forward facing.

American football helmets are another type of helmet with different priorities.

Bicycle and skiing helmets also prioritize hearing differently. Bicycling safety requires hearing skiing doesn't.

24

Adversement t1_j9pkhf1 wrote

Any sources for the different protection design? (I have a strong impression that both bicycling and skiing helmets are designed and tested for a very similar crash. An impact of the head with the ground, with a velocity corresponding to a fall from about head-height of a tall person. There are also helmets that are rated for both activities, but which only suit leisurely cycling for the reason underlined below. They are, however, excellent for winter cycling at a slow or a moderate pace.)

The main difference is in the need for cooling (a bicycle helmet needs to keep your head cool whilst exercising). The skiing helmet needs to keep your head warm against the windchill of going fast in the colder winter weather.

I have also a very strong impression that no bicycle helmet is designed in particular for an impact with a motor vehicle. The required test is to protect against the head hitting the solid ground from the height of an person cycling.

6

neksys t1_j9r3pqi wrote

While we're at it, I've always wondered why hockey helmets are so different from football helmets. Both are very full contact sports, but hockey has more potential head injury hazards, between the boards, the ice, sticks and pucks -- all at a much higher speeds. Yet hockey helmets are pretty small and flimsy in comparison to football helmets.

2

LikesTheTunaHere t1_j9suhs0 wrote

Id guess because of time spent on the ice using it is longer and you have to keep your head on a swivel more compared to in football?

Talking out of my ass, but id have to have a heavier helmet and play hockey.

2