“It doesn’t matter how good a
rider you are (or believe yourself) you will always come off”. Source my late
father, who had for a time worked for Matcheless Motorcycles in Plumstead,
South London. His role was in personnel, looking after the test riders who were
employed to test machines in some cases, literally to destruction.
I hold dear the right to choose
when it comes to helmets, but I also hold dear the ability to think, to make
decisions and enjoy my own sense of agency. Against this backdrop, I ‘ve been
sent this MET Miles Mips helmet. It’s a sub £70 model defined as being “A
touring model with roadie spirit”.
On paper at least, specification
is favourable, taking everything into account. Aside from the MIPSC2 system, we
have seventeen vents, washable pads, ponytail compatibility, compliance with
CE, AS/MZS and US standards. This one’s
gloss white but there’s four other choices, including a very fetching teal.
Loosely speaking, MIPS should be
thought of as a roll cage for the head, protecting the head against twisting,
rotational forces which are contributary to concussions and more serious brain
injury. Afterall, falls and crashes tend to involve tumbles, not s singular
strike onto a hard surface. It’s a very thin, low friction layer moving within
the helmet, helping to redirect this force and with it, brain injury.
Neurological injuries have scary,
life-changing implications. I’ve worked with acquired brain injuries and related
conditions, such as stroke and cardiovascular incidents in previous careers.
Sometimes full recoveries are possible, but sometimes the person we knew is
lost. I recall walking into a Regional Neurological Rehabilitation Unit and
seeing a woman in her mid-twenties who could only cry-no other form of
expression. She had been the pillion rider in a motorcycle accident. It turned
my blood cold.
It's important to note that
helmets, like locks are only effective if used correctly. Anecdotally, I see a
lot of people riding with badly fitting helmets, whether this be down to
sizing, or adjustment. A helmet tipped back exposing the wearer's forehead will
offer no protection in a crash and could also cause injury. Measure your
head's circumference (using a fabric, not steel) tape measure) just above your
ears and brow in centimetres.
This will give you the correct
size, but it's worth noting some styles and designs may also influence this, so
it's worth trying a few. "Ponytail ports" have become increasingly
popular in recent years, allowing an easier exit for one's mane and seem
genuinely more comfortable for riders with longer hair. Similarly, trail, or commuter models often come with peaks and a profile more
accommodating of lights and similar, although I'd resist fitting action cameras
and similar tech, since these can also cause injuries in a spill.
The helmet should sit horizontal
and with a small (1-2 finger width) above your brow. Fine tuning the helmet is
usually a question of loosening, or tightening a thumbwheel, or similar
ratchet-type system at the back and either slackening or tightening the
straps. These should, ideally sit just below the ears and snugly around
the chin, while still allowing you to chew, or chat comfortably. With the chin
straps secured, tweak the ratchet type closure and check there's no movement,
but without the sensation of your head being compressed in a vice. From
here, you're unlikely to adjust frequently, only when wearing a cap, or similar
beneath.
A life without risk is no life at all. I’ve
also run services for people with learning disabilities and while an
understandable reaction, many parents had wrapped their children in bubble wrap
and sought to eliminate any potential risk. This was very sad and regrettably
also backfired.
Just a small snapshot of my
thoughts while meandering down the backroads, lanes and trails. A drier, mild
interlude has seen me exorcising sections of superficial surface rust along the
KA’s sills (signalled by unsightly bubbling) and return to Denise, testing the
Weldtite wax lube, stem swap and Gaciron Cetus 1700 front light. All continue to impress, albeit with some
limitations and compromises, although nothing I couldn’t live with long-term. There’s still a few weeks before I reach any
firm conclusions.Meantime, I'll leave you with my review of the Magicshine Hori1300
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