Helmets with visors

[Jeffrey Ritter]

Hi everyone. In my first endurance race, a bit of rain proved troublesome. I normally wear sunglasses with prescription inserts, but the rain got inside, between the lens and the shade. I have never worn contacts.

Does anyone use a helmet with visor and glasses underneath? Something like the Giro Aerohead for example? All suggestions are welcomed (other than Lasics surgery!).

Thanks.

 

[MrSteve]

This looks like the Winter helmet I wear.

The BMX helmet is too warm for the warmer months but in many many ways
it is my favourite helmet.

The chin bar makes this the most aerodynamic as well as the most protective helmet
I own, by far. It also deflects the slipstream over my glasses.
Did you get that? No raindrops spatter onto the lenses.

As a plus, the visor helps with the low Winter Sun.

No one else wears anything like this, except me, which makes me stand out.
High visibility is also a plus, for me.

A visor will obviously help to keep your glasses drip-free, but may fog... depending on your breathing,
your speed and the humidity.
Good luck

 

[cpml123]

I have the Bell Star Pro. I have glasses and don't wear contact lenses, and it's very hard to find helmets with visors. I have only ridden my regular road bike with that helmet as I haven't had a chance to ride my S40 on the road. I like that helmet. It's aero, has a visor, and the vents can open and close like a ski helmet. I do find it a little warm in the summer as there are not enough vents. But I rather be warm than cold. In the cold weather it's great because I can close the vents. It doesn't fog up my glasses when the bike is moving with airflow.
http://www.performancebike.com/bike...y:&pageView:grid&minPrice:&maxPrice:&pageSize:&

I also like this aero visor helmet from Germany:
http://casco-helme.de/en/fahrrad_products/SPEEDAIRO_RS/index.php

It has more vents to keep the head cool. Quite expensive though. And you can only order from UK.

Michael

 

[Tuloose]

This $40 helmet with visor works well for me.
https://www.amazon.com/Basecamp-Spe...8&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=basecamp+helmet&psc=1

 

[DavidCH]

Alibaba sell some really good looking visor helmets but can't say I would want to try a crash out with one.

I am waiting for the Giro Vanquish to come out. Then I won't get my head fried even in the winter.

 

[RojoRacing]

I always wear sunglasses under the shield of my giro air attack and it works fine for keeping the water off your glasses up until about 50 mph, yes I've tested this at over 50 mph

If exceeding 40 mph the rain hitting the shield is only part of the problem. It's going to feel like your face is being blasted with sand with the water hitting it at a direct angle which doesn't happen on a DF bike.

 

[bazzawill]

+1 for the Giro Air Attack although I also am lusting after the Vanquish which should be cooler in the Australian summer

 

[tiltmaniac]

I've tried a couple of Chinese cheap helmets, but the Giro Air Attack with shield was the best fitting, lightest, and most effective helmet-and-visor for me.

 

[ed72]

I always wear sunglasses under the shield of my giro air attack and it works fine for keeping the water off your glasses up until about 50 mph, yes I've tested this at over 50 mph

If exceeding 40 mph the rain hitting the shield is only part of the problem. It's going to feel like your face is being blasted with sand with the water hitting it at a direct angle which doesn't happen on a DF bike.

I'm thinking of putting a motorcycle helmet shield onto an old helmet to experiment. I just need to figure out how to get the snaps onto the helmet. I know this would not work for you in a race but it might help me. I'm going to ask at the hardware store if they have "snaps"

I live in a relatively hilly area and 35-40 mph speeds are not unusual for me to hit and when it is raining, it feels like I'm being sprayed by airsoft pellets or something especially when it is coldish out like 35-45F.

 

[super slim]

I'm thinking of putting a motorcycle helmet shield onto an old helmet to experiment. I just need to figure out how to get the snaps onto the helmet. I know this would not work for you in a race but it might help me. I'm going to ask at the hardware store if they have "snaps"

I live in a relatively hilly area and 35-40 mph speeds are not unusual for me to hit and when it is raining, it feels like I'm being sprayed by airsoft pellets or something especially when it is coldish out like 35-45F.

Could you use large sun glasses, and a thick woolen sky beany!

 

[ed72]

Could you use large sun glasses, and a thick woolen sky beany!

I was thinking something like this.

https://www.d12.my/image/d12/image/...393/bubble shield clear 4-500x500-700x700.jpg

 

[Bill K]

Here is a low-tech solution that works pretty well (50% better than just a helmet).
Use a full-size baseball cap under your helmet. This keeps the inside of the lenses free from water (the 50% better part).
The key here is that there is no water dripping through helmet vent holes, down your forehead and onto the back of the lenses.
At stop signs you slide your glasses down your nose or tilt the cap up so the lenses do not fog up.
Then you can use your glove as a windshield wiper to keep the front of the lens fairly clear.
If you go fast enough, rain-x or equivalent will blow the raindrops off the front of the lens. This doesn't work well for me though.

 

[Bentas]

Here is my solution, before I bought Giro air attack, worked fine , shield from China needed slight modification ,high strength Velcro to attach ,total cost about $20 Aus. I think you may find link for shield under heading Poor Man's Giro on this forum

 

[ed72]

I was thinking high strength Velcro might work for us mere mortals, thanks.

 

[jphipps]

I use the FlexFit Shield, purchased on Amazon for about $40. It is polarized so the view is vivid, with high contrast. I tried other shields that were not polarized and the view was less than good. Attached pic, it is attached with included velcro and will even fit under an existing brim.

 

[bazzawill]

Here is a low-tech solution that works pretty well (50% better than just a helmet).
Use a full-size baseball cap under your helmet. This keeps the inside of the lenses free from water (the 50% better part).
The key here is that there is no water dripping through helmet vent holes, down your forehead and onto the back of the lenses.
At stop signs you slide your glasses down your nose or tilt the cap up so the lenses do not fog up.
Then you can use your glove as a windshield wiper to keep the front of the lens fairly clear.
If you go fast enough, rain-x or equivalent will blow the raindrops off the front of the lens. This doesn't work well for me though.

The problem I was always told of a baseball cap under a helmet is if you were to crash and faceplant (possibly less likely on a Cruzbike) the helmet holds the cap in place and the peak of the cap can be forced back into your forehead which sounds nasty.
I used to run cycle tours / day rides for school camps and hats under helmets were a big no no.

 

[Robert O]

I've used both the Gyro Air Attack Shield and the Bell Star Pro. The Gyro required extra thick pads at the forehead to clear my glasses. The Star Pro has better clearance, but the single magnet on the shield isn't as secure when you're not using the shield (I've had it fall off a couple of times when the helmet was off my head in a truck or on the train). The Gyro seems like a more refined design to me, but the Star Pro is less expensive.

 

[Tuloose]

I've tried a couple of Chinese cheap helmets, but the Giro Air Attack with shield was the best fitting, lightest, and most effective helmet-and-visor for me.

I think most helmets are made in China and I doubt that if they were made anywhere else they would necessarily be better quality.
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/ge...iro-aeon-helmet-made-china-taiwan-317731.html

 

[bazzawill]

I think most helmets are made in China and I doubt that if they were made anywhere else they would necessarily be better quality.
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/ge...iro-aeon-helmet-made-china-taiwan-317731.html

However their is a difference between a brand ensuring quality control over their Chinese manufacturer and a Chinese manufacturer pushing out a product without a brand.

 

[RojoRacing]

China can make some good products but the trick is to unsure they do so by adding your own supervision and quality control. Left on their own they will cut every possible corner to minimize cost in order to maximize profit. When it comes to motorcycle helmets it is plain scary what comes out of China marketed at around $100 and is no more then foam and a plastic shell offering almost no protection.