If you are into biking, wearing a helmet properly is essential for your safety and protection. The helmet protects the biker’s eye, teeth, face, and other parts of the head in case of an accident on the road.
But how to wear a bike helmet properly? There are different ways to wear a bike helmet properly. From having the right fit to having the proper adjustment and position, the bike helmet must be worn correctly for your protection. Please see below for more information.
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Make Sure that the Helmet has the Right Size
If you want to know how to wear a bike helmet properly, its size is the most important thing to consider. But what size bike helmet do I need?
How to measure for a bike helmet?
If you are still planning to buy your personal bike helmet, you will need to measure your head initially for you to have an idea of the sizing of the helmet you require. You need to find your head circumference.
To do this action, you can wrap a flexible tape measure around the largest portion of the head. The distance must be one inch above the eyebrows. Another way to measure is to use a string to wrap it around your head and then measure the length of the string with a yardstick to get the circumference of your head.
Fortunately, some helmets come with sizing pads which allow you to adjust the helmet to fit your head. The fit pads are accessories in the helmet that can be added or removed to allow easy adjustment of the size of the helmet. You must ensure that the pads are evenly placed inside the helmet and have proper contact with your head.
Wearing the right helmet size is essential to protect both your head and brain from external and internal damage during the crash. So, measuring the bike helmet size and having the right fit is essential for a safe ride.
Proper Positioning
Proper positioning is essential in wearing a bike helmet properly. Some of the bikes may underestimate the position of the helmet, but it also helps maximize the protection it provides to the head of the biker.
When it comes to the proper position, the front portion of the bike helmet must sit just above the eyebrows. In addition, the back portion of the helmet must cover the back of the head of the biker to provide optimum protection during the bike ride.
If you are using a pointy bike helmet, it must still sit level on the head and low on the forehead. The ideal measurement is one or two finger’s widths above the eyebrows.
Proper Adjustment of Straps
Once the bike helmet has the right size, and is in the correct position, you also need to adjust the straps on the chin and the sides of the head. You will need to tighten the chin straps, so it is tucked-secured with the chin.
Ensure the chin strap is centered under the chin and snugly fastened. More importantly, the side straps must form a “Y” shape that will meet below the ears. The fitting should be one to two fingers, providing enough space to prevent movement restriction and irritation.
Proper Adjustment of the Fitting
You will need to make sure that the bike helmet fits properly. When a helmet is too loose or too tight, it cannot provide much-needed protection. The right fitting is snug on the head but not so tight that it will be comfortable on the head and can cause headaches.
To fit and secure the bike helmet, you will need to tighten the ratchet system for the bike helmet to fit snugly around the circumference of the head. There should be minimal movement when the bike shakes his head but not too tight to make the biker uncomfortable.
After adjusting the ratchet system, you can also check the fit of the bike helmet. To do the checking, you can shake your head from side to side and from front to back. You need to make sure that the helmet stays in place with minimal movement. If the helmet moves too much, you can adjust the straps or even the fit pads to get the desired fit.
Choosing the Right Type of Helmet
The biker must also ensure he uses the correct type of helmet according to his current biking. For some bike disciplines, getting the right type of helmet offers much better protection.
A good example is when you are mountain biking. In this discipline, you must use a bike helmet with a peak to protect from low branches and other external threats when biking on off-road terrain.
Other helmets come with visors to keep the bike from glare and raindrops away from the eyes. But when you are road cycling, the helmet must not have a visor because it can limit the field of vision when riding an aggressive position on drops.
Conclusion
If you are a new biker, you will need to learn how to wear a bike helmet properly. Always wear your bike helmet when on the road for your safety and protection. In addition, always replace the helmet once it is old or the materials are already degraded.