France helmet observation (not a troll)

"Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles" writes:

I'd disagree about the fashion part: it is probably more a case of
wanting to get every advantage, no matter how small, and helmets
do reduce air resistance enough to make a difference in a close
race (e.g., a time trial.)

So, if Fignon had to do it (the infamous 1989 TDF final time trial) all over
again, he'd choose a non-stylish but aero helmet over his bare head with
decidedly non-aero ponytail flowing behind?

I'm quite sure he would, if he had known that we was going to lose the
tour by a few seconds and that a helmet would have made the difference
between winning and losing due to the race being so incredibly close.

Bill

--
My real name backwards: nemuaZ lliB

Mike Jacoubowsky/Chain Reaction Bicycles wrote:
So, if Fignon had to do it (the infamous 1989 TDF final time trial) all over
again, he'd choose a non-stylish but aero helmet over his bare head with
decidedly non-aero ponytail flowing behind?

It was my impression that Laurent thought the race was his.
If he had known he was in danger of losing 58 seconds of his 50 second lead,
I think he would have gotten an aero helmet and cut off the ponytail with
a rusty hacksaw if necessary. Do you think it was adding insult to injury
for the press to point out that Laurent must have put more energy to the
back wheel in that TT than Greg did?
Mitch.

So, if Fignon had to do it (the infamous 1989 TDF final time trial) all
over
again, he'd choose a non-stylish but aero helmet over his bare head with
decidedly non-aero ponytail flowing behind?

It was my impression that Laurent thought the race was his.
If he had known he was in danger of losing 58 seconds of his 50 second
lead,
I think he would have gotten an aero helmet and cut off the ponytail with
a rusty hacksaw if necessary. Do you think it was adding insult to injury
for the press to point out that Laurent must have put more energy to the
back wheel in that TT than Greg did?
Mitch.

Guess I should have put a smiley :) at the end of my question... I assume
Fignon most certainly would have adopted whatever technology was allowed if
it meant the difference between winning and losing at that stage. *IF* his
pride would have let him believe that.

--Mike--
Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReaction.com

E. Roselli =E0 ecrit:

Another thing you fail to consider is that the law in
France is about to make helmets for cycling
obligatory.
----------------------------------------------------------------

This will be an excellent opportunity for you to provide us with an
estimate of how much reduction in the use of bicycles is caused by this
helmet law.
As so many efforts are made to increase alternate and non-polluting
forms of transportation, there are always bureaucrats who wish to impose
controls that thwart it.

When our state enacted an under age 16 mandatory helmet law several
years ago, there was a dropoff of young riders. It's taken a few years
for them to realize that the cops will never bother to enforce it and
now, their riding has increased again and few wear helmets. This has
only served to weaken respect for laws and compliance with them.
Few young riders bother with headlights and the cops ignore this.
Education about safety should be better than laws and reason should
outdo force in the longrun. But do they? Even though life-preserver
laws are heavly enforced off our coast, the majority rarely use them,
despite frequent fatalities for those who don't wear them. This appears
to be Darwinian Selection at work and it operates independently of
regulations and enforcement. It's an ambiguous mess of ineffective laws
that their promoters tout as being solutions, but instead just add to
the problems. I've solved nothing nor given any good suggestions here,
which is par for the course. Reason, education, laws and enforcement
are variously attempted, but people just do what they will, regardless.

Steve McDonald

"elisa francesca roselli" wrote:

I think you may be wrong about "just everything sitting on
soemone's head is in the $100+ range" bit. Go into any
standard bike shop and ask for a helmet - by default, they
will propose something under $20. Mine only cost 16 Euros,
and I don't think I've even seen helmets for sale that cost
much more than that.

You haven't been looking in the right places. Nobody who spends $2000 on a
bike wants to be seen in some lousy $20 helmet.

Another thing you fail to consider is that the law in France is
about to make helmets for cycling obligatory. This has been
announced for months and there has been a massive media
campaign to encourage voluntary helmet-wearing before it
becomes mandatory. "Le casque n'est pas obligatoire, c'est
juste indispensable".

I think you're mistaken. The law has been proposed, as it has been proposed
in the past, but faces strong opposition and is unlikely to be adopted.

The proposal is he

http://www.assemblee-nat.fr/12/propo...s/pion0785.asp

One of the current proponents (J-P Bacquet), when interviewed, justified
the proposal by saying "footballers wear shin guards, boxers wear gum
shields. Cyclists should wear helmets."

I suppose also that the low price of helmets is perhaps related
to this campaign - since 100$ would represent hardship for "the
poor" and the government is, however desultorily, trying to
encourage cycling, and this is a hugely interventionist state,
it would not surpise me if there were some sort of price-fixing
involved.

I doubt it. The astonishing thing is not that a piece of moulded
polystyrene can be sold for under $20, but that the addition of the right
logo can increase the percieved value fivefold.

James Thomson

elisa francesca roselli wrote in message ...


since 100$ would represent hardship for "the poor"

Wouldn't hurt to weed out those types.

They never seem to get their act together and
always end up looking terrible on the bike.

James Thomson wrote:

You haven't been looking in the right places. Nobody who spends $2000 on a
bike wants to be seen in some lousy $20 helmet.


Ah well, I have clearly not developed "the eye" for such things. I suppose the
helmets proposed to me are in keeping with my humble bike. %


I think you're mistaken. The law has been proposed, as it has been proposed
in the past, but faces strong opposition and is unlikely to be adopted.

The proposal is he

http://www.assemblee-nat.fr/12/propo...s/pion0785.asp


Thanks for the link, I enjoyed reading it and it brought clarification. Why do
you think it is unlikely to be adopted? There seems to be a lot of talk about
it. Yesterday I was in the supermarket with my helmet on (I prefer leaving it
on my head to encumbering my hands with it), and a youth went past me smirking
"Le port du casque n'est pas encore obligatoire dans les rayons".

I doubt it. The astonishing thing is not that a piece of moulded
polystyrene can be sold for under $20, but that the addition of the right
logo can increase the percieved value fivefold.

So the difference between my 16 Euro moulded polystyrene and models costing 5
times as much is a logo? I'm greatly relieved! For a moment there, I was
worried this might reflect its ability to protect my head. %


Elisa Francesca Roselli
Ile de France

"Elisa Francesca Roselli"
wrote:

Why do you think it is unlikely to be adopted? There seems
to be a lot of talk about it.

There's always a lot of talk about it. The law was proposed shortly after
the death of Andrei Kivilev from head injuries after a crash in the Paris
Nice race in March, since which time the wearing of helmets has been made
compulsory in all UCI sanctioned races. As regards utility and non-sporting
cyclists, the number who currently wear a helmet is low enough to make the
law unpopular, and therefore hard to enforce. The enforcement issue has
been one of the main reasons for rejecting such a law in the past.

So the difference between my 16 Euro moulded polystyrene
and models costing 5 times as much is a logo? I'm greatly
relieved! For a moment there, I was worried this might reflect
its ability to protect my head. %

Maybe I exaggerated a little. A more expensive helmet may be lighter and
better ventilated. The fastening system may be better designed, the shape
may be sleeker. But Lance Armstrong doesn't wear a Giro helmet for free.
Sponsorship costs money, and somebody has to pay.

James Thomson

One of the current proponents (J-P Bacquet), when interviewed, justified
the proposal by saying "footballers wear shin guards, boxers wear gum
shields. Cyclists should wear helmets."

...and maybe so should the footballers: consider the report on
trauma from heading the ball.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=127340 73&dopt=Abstract

In article ,
says...
In article ,
says...
One of the current proponents (J-P Bacquet), when interviewed, justified
the proposal by saying "footballers wear shin guards, boxers wear gum
shields. Cyclists should wear helmets."

...and maybe so should the footballers: consider the report on
trauma from heading the ball.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=127340 73&dopt=Abstract


Ya but then anyone could do a header out of the stadium

Most proposals wrt this subject recommend a wide padded headband rather
than a hard helmet. A hard helmet would be dangerous to other players in
a collision, which happens quite often.


--

"Where was the ka-boom? There was supposed to be an Earth-shattering ka-
boom!"
- Marvin The Martian