You've made a good decision to purchase a helmet. Now let's make sure you're using it right so that it can actually protect your head.
There are many quality bicycle helmets available these days, from simple inexpensive bargain helmets, to stylish and expensive racing helmets proven on the Tour 'de France.
We'll cover the basics of correctly sizing your helmet, and how to secure it onto your brain case — your head, silly — so that your helmet can do its job.
Helmet Sizing — Most helmet manufacturers use the circumference of the head as the main sizing measurement. To find yours, get a tape measure and wrap it around your head horizontally starting at the center of your forehead. Measurements are usually taken in centimeters, so having a metric tape measure will help. Or you can write down the measurement in inches and then convert it at a conversion web site like www.worldwidemetric.com.
Next, try on a bunch of helmets in your size range. You'll want to find one that fits fairly snug on your head, but not so tight as to become uncomfortable after several hours of riding. I like to push it around on my head a bit — up from the front and back down again, or side to side.
You'll be able to make some finely tuned adjustments using the various straps and dials built into modern helmet designs. Snap the chin strap into place. Take your time. After awhile, say twenty minutes or so, your head will either begin to feel comfortable in it or uncomfortable.
Let the balance of snugness and comfort be your guide.
Key Tip: Always wear your helmet in a level position. Do not let it tilt backwards — I see this with alarming frequency on rail trails — doing so exposes one's forehead to serious injury. Likewise for tilting your helmet forward and injuries to the back of the head.
Making it a practice to wear a helmet is a great general rule to follow. It may feel free spirited to go without but if and when you do crash — and I don't wish such a thing upon anyone — it tends to happen really quickly and it takes all you can do to just meet the ground or foreign object gracefully.
Be safe, wear a helmet.
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