Three places where cyclists never need to wear a helmet
It makes zero sense
Helmets are one of the most important pieces of gear that you’ll ever have as a cyclist, after, well, a bike, of course. There was a time that some cyclists chose not to wear a lid when training, (or for pros, racing) but those days are over. Helmets have been mandatory in racing for 20 years, and almost all pros train with one. You’d be hard-pressed to find any amateur or commuter not wearing one, although there are some who argue helmets dissuade riders from cycling in urban centres.
In 2020 former world champion Chris Boardman, a huge advocate of cycling, found himself in hot water when he was filmed doing a promotional video: riding around Manchester, unveiling plans for millions of dollars worth of new cycling lanes. However, after the clip was uploaded to Twitter last month there was outrage.
Although some argue that in cities like Copenhagen or Amsterdam, mandatory helmet laws would discourage cyclists from riding, the infrastructure there is far better than most Canadian cities. That’s why the majority of cyclists in Canada, especially the Lycra kind, are almost certainly wearing helmets.
That being said, there are three specific instances when you should never, ever wear a helmet.
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The Podium
S2C's Ernie Sanchez earns 2nd place at the GS Criterium Omnium in Rancho Cordova, CA!#stage2cyclery @selle_smp @BoschToolsNA @albabici @NovatecUSA @limar_helmets @PrimalWear @PioneerUSA @KendaTire #ranchocordova #bicycle #racing #cycling #podium @thevelofix @NCNCA pic.twitter.com/824RdqRQEI
— S2Ccycling (@S2Ccycling) May 7, 2019
Why? Were you in such a rush to get from the finish line to the podium you couldn’t take your lid off? Maybe throw on a baseball hat? It takes two seconds to take off your helmet. Just take it off. The sky is not falling. You’re going to be fine, as long as you don’t fall off the podium.
2. Zwift
Safety first – ALWAYS wearing my HELMET!#RideOn #zwift #gozwift #giro #helmet #girosportdesign #safety #safetyfirst pic.twitter.com/YiM0qAAKx2
— Claes Nord (@NordClaes) December 28, 2015
Why? Why are you wearing a helmet on Zwift? You can’t even fall anyway. Maybe if it was some kind of cool Fortnite skin, that would work. But until that day happens, enjoy the fact that you can look like some 1980s pro and race in a crit with your computerized hair in the wind.
3. In your car
Where it all began for the Schumacher name ⏪
Mick’s very special re-make of his father’s first F1 helmet design, worn here at Spa 30 years ago ? #HaasF1 #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/abj7vWFscN
— Haas F1 Team (@HaasF1Team) August 27, 2021
Unless you’re in a F1 car racing around Monaco, you should not be wearing a helmet in your vehicle. Especially a bike helmet. If you’re on the way to or from a race, just take it off. Plus it’s kind of gross if you just finished a race and those sweaty pads are clinging to your head.