A while back I found a little mirror on the shoulder of the Sammamish Parkway. The stick-on helmet mount had obviously not been up to the job so I got to thinking about a way to put my road find to use. I clipped off the faulty mount and replaced it with an office binder clip and a couple of rubber bands.
I always wear a cap under my helmet so I clip the mirror to my cap brim whenever I go for a ride. BTW, the cap in this picture is an REI runner's cap and the trim is very reflective. You can see the cap reflecting the flash from Tarik's camera here.And yeah, I know it looks dorky. I made my peace with being a dork a long time ago.
Hi Kent,
ReplyDeleteWhat are you thoughts on the safety aspects of having a cap under your helmet? I used to wear a cycling cap under my helmet whenever it was cool out and was told several times by a particular person that it was dangerous because the brim can scalp you in a crash!
Well, then I had a crash. Although my scalp remained intact, there was a fairly decent red mark across my forehead from the brim.
I haven't worn a cap since (mostly because the weather has warmed up here in Oz) and I'm not sure if I will again...
Maybe if my cap brim were made of surgical steel, I'd worry about this but it's not and somehow brim scalpage hasn't made it to the top of the list of my concerns. Try pounding a cap brim into your head some time, it's extremely hard to do!
ReplyDeleteBut if it's a concern for you, don't do it. Or maybe you should do it and figure that the concern for avoiding this problem will keep you safer. Click and Clack (the Car Guys) think automobile drivers would drive in a much safer manner if auto manufacturers replaced the air-bags in steering wheels with big metal spikes pointed straight at the driver.
Wearer's of REI reflective brimmed running hats unite! Those things are the best. That large brim is great for keeping rain out of the eyes. However...I don't have the cool mirror attachment for mine.
ReplyDeleteTai
I'm so used to wearing a cap under my helmet now (over 10 years) that going without one makes me feel less than fully dressed.
ReplyDeleteYou inspire bike dorks everywhere.
Keep rocking that bike-dork aesthetic!
Dorks are so peaceful. You're an inspiration. That said. I'm not sure I want either the cap or the mirror. But I would like to try a mirror.
ReplyDeleteI put 3m reflective tape on my helmet. It's WAAAAY cooler than any REI hat could be.
-M
Kent, you inspired me to reattach a mirror of mine that wouldn't stay attached with just adhesive (the side s of my helmet are just too curved), so I used some innertube to tie it on.. I'll post a picture of my super dork-a-licious helmet shortly!
ReplyDeleteOne question: did you have to buy the helmet up a size so the hat would fit underneath?
BTW Kent, the Click & Clack comment made me laugh out loud.. freakin hilarious, and totally true!
ReplyDeleteThat's funny. I had the same kind of mirror and the helmet attachment point worked just fine, but the mirror head kept falling out. I finally lost it for good.
ReplyDelete