A bicycle helmet saves lives in an emergency – and yet it is still rather unpopular. Many cite a very special reason in particular.
The bicycle helmet is uncomfortable, the strap rubs against the neck, it is too hot underneath in summer, a cap is the better choice in winter and the helmet is impractical for short distances anyway. Bicycle helmet refusers have these and many other excuses ready to avoid having to wear the helmet.
However, one of the most common excuses seems particularly absurd: the helmet is bad for the hairstyle. A survey of 1,000 cyclists, which TNS Emnid carried out on behalf of the manufacturer ABUS in 2017, revealed that many refusers would wear a helmet when cycling if it didn't destroy their hairstyle. In the survey, two-thirds of those surveyed stated that they were always out and about without head protection. And of these total helmet refusers, 24 percent said they would wear a helmet if they were given the hairstyle. Age and gender also played a role. Almost every third woman was worried about her hair, while for men it was only every tenth.
In 2018, Quarks, WDR's science magazine, said on the subject of hairstyles and bicycle helmets: "Anyone who thinks like this protects their hairstyle, but risks seriously injuring themselves in an accident: 70 percent of cyclists who are in mortal danger after an accident , are seriously injured in the head. Riding with a helmet reduces the risk of a fatal brain injury by 60 to 70 percent."
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Bicycle helmet: still too few wear it
In 2020, significantly more people wore a bicycle helmet than in previous years
Do you also count among the bike helmet refusers? Then you should be concerned about your safety. More and more people are wearing a helmet when cycling – a total of around 26 percent of cyclists. And especially for children between the ages of 11 and 16 and older people over 61, the rates increased in 2020 according to the Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt).
Nevertheless, according to the Deutsche Verkehrswacht eV, there is considerable potential for more road safety in all age groups by increasing the helmet wearing rate. After all, a significant proportion of cyclists involved in accidents suffer serious and fatal injuries in the head area. According to the experts, wearing bicycle helmets could prevent between 20 percent of head injuries in the case of minor injuries and up to more than 80 percent of head injuries in the case of particularly severe injuries.
More information on the protective effect of a bicycle helmet can be found at the accident research of the insurers (UDV).
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Bicycle helmet: 24 models in comparison
A bike helmet may damage your hair, but as mentioned, it can protect against serious injury and possibly even save lives. However, the selection of bicycle helmets is huge: from around 20 euros to well over 100 euros you will find a mass of models. In addition to important safety criteria, points such as the material, comfort, handling, individual adjustment options or equipment play an important role in choosing the right helmet. The large comparison that our partner AllesBeste carried out with 24 candidates from all helmet categories last year offers help with the decision. The Cratoni Velo-X City, for example, has proven to be a good all-rounder at a fair price, which we present to you in more detail here:
Light & solid: Cratoni bike helmet Velo-X City
Very light, very robust, good features, high wearing comfort
The Cratoni Velo-X combines low weight with great solidity. It weighs only 280 grams and combines many strengths at a fair price. In practical use, the Cratoni Velo-X proves to be the ideal companion, whether on a bicycle, inline skates or an e-scooter. In fact, it's so light that the testers briefly forgot they were wearing a helmet. In addition to the built-in lights, the manufacturer uses additional reflectors for even better visibility. EPS is used as the protective material. The fact that the helmet looks like it was made of one piece is due to the fact that the EPS is foamed directly into the polycarbonate shell. This combination should guarantee the highest impact resistance
59.85 euros
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Deal runs until July 20, 2021
In the following table you can see the test winner, the price tip and other exciting models in direct comparison. You can find more details in our comprehensive purchase guide.
