Electric Bikes Brisbane and MB Cycles were asked this week by The Courier Mail whether we agreed with the potential relaxing of the helmet laws in certain “low risk areas”.
Our view was quite simply no. Even away from traffic or in a park we couldn’t see why anyone would want to sacrifice his or her wellbeing for the sake of convenience or vanity.
The arguments for not wearing a helmet have always been there, and there are many countries where you don’t have to wear a helmet by law (The UK and The Netherlands are two that come to mind):
- Bike helmets are uncomfortable
- Bike helmets are hot
- Bike helmets don’t look cool
- I don’t like helmet hair
- Bike helmets are expensive
1. Bike helmets are uncomfortable
This simply isn’t true. Modern helmets come with padded inserts for extra comfort. Our Nutcase Helmets all come with extra pads of difference sizes so you change the pads to get that perfect fit. They also have an extra soft chinstrap and a magnetic clip so there is zero chance of the clip ever pinching you.
2. Bike helmets are hot
Ok wearing a helmet is hotter than not. However in Brisbane it gets sunny pretty early, and I wouldn’t go out without a hat to keep the sun off my head. Good helmets have specially designed vents to promote cooling, and on an electric bike you don’t have to work as hard for the same speed, so you stay cooler.
3. Bike helmets don't look cool
Simply not true. Whether it’s the understated style of the Vanilla sky, Matte Blackish and Sharksfin Nutcase Helmets, or the more extrovert Watermelon, Air America or Fly Boy, helmets (especially Nutcase Helmets) allow electric bike riders to express their personality, and stay safe at the same time. What’s not cool about that?
4. I don't like helmet hair
I’m probably not the best person to argue this one as I don’t have much hair anymore :-( However in a recent article featured in Ride On Magazine by a female cyclist, she describes how she started to see “helmet hair” as a badge of honour for a healthier lifestyle. She ditched her car for her commute to work. She saved time by getting to work quicker, she saved $50 per week in fuel, and she changed her hairstyle to a more helmet friendly one (the bob and low pony tail were two firm favourites.)
On the days when she wanted to make more of an effort she used the time she saved in her commute to style her hair when she got to work.
Like I said I’m not the best person to argue this one (I haven’t paid for a haircut in 10 years), but there are small changes that can be made which compared to the health and financial benefits could be a small price to pay?
5. Bike helmets are expensive
My good friend Dave has a saying for the rare occasions that we see someone riding around Brisbane without a helmet
“They must have one of those cheap heads”
With our stylish Australian standard approved helmets starting from $45 that works out to be about 5 cents per day (over 3 years). If you are using your electric bike as a substitute for a second car or public transport you’ll be saving at least 100 times this amount per day!
Oh, and now for the 1 good reason why you should wear a helmet on your electric bike (or any bike for that matter):
Helmets save lives.
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