There are many certainties in life, and one is, if you want to get a raging debate started, post your opinion about whether helmet use increases or decreases the danger posed to cyclists. There are logical arguments on each side, and emotions generally run very high on the issue.
This entry focuses on one thing that is not debatable - helmets can be disgusting. Although I do choose to wear a helmet each time I ride, I have not let a helmet touch my head in over 20 years. Think about it, would you wear the same piece of clothing day in and day out and not wash it? Those sweat filled pads touching my head every day? No thanks.
If you were to ask the average cyclist who wears their helmet every day if they protect their head from their sweat caked helmet, I hazard a guess that they would look at you with a blank stare. I wear either a bandanna or hat depending on the weather, and then put my helmet on. This keeps a barrier between the germ bucket and my head.
However, another part of the helmet can be equally as disgusting - the strap. Recently I noticed some irritation on my skin around my cheeks and neck. It puzzled me for a while, but then as I reached for my helmet one day it became quite clear what the issue might be - the strap on my helmet was quite dirty.
You can't quite throw your entire helmet in the wash so I put some laundry detergent in a glass, filled it with warm water, took an old tooth brush and proceeded to scrub the strap for a few minutes and then ran the straps under water to rinse out the soap. I let the helmet dry over night and I now feel much better about putting it on. You can see the before and after below. This practice is now going to become a non-debatable ritual for me.
Helmet stories or advice? Feel free to comment or hit us up.
