http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: baby helmets en Wed, 13 May 2026 03:13:54 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31931 Mon, 23 May 2011 12:09:54 +0000 chdot 31931@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Am closing this thread. </p> <p>First time for months. </p> <p>It's gone beyond 'informational' on our 'favourite' contentious subject. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31930 Mon, 23 May 2011 12:05:20 +0000 Morningsider 31930@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Very well said SRD and Anth. I was going to respond to comments above with a lenghty post on risk, cycling and young children. However, I just can't summon the enthusiasm for it. </p> <p>I will say that being a parent who encourages cycling and the carrying of small children on bikes is a thankless task - I have been told by random passers by that using a bike child seat is child abuse and questioned by all and sundry about the safety of such an arrangement.</p> <p>Now I am being told by some cycling enthusiasts that I am of questionable intelligence and have sold out to "the man".</p> <p>Way to go guys! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31929 Mon, 23 May 2011 12:04:28 +0000 wee folding bike 31929@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>It is their choice to pick a plastic hat but their choice also impinges on the rest of us. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31923 Mon, 23 May 2011 11:25:35 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 31923@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>And yes, as SRD says, "<em>You do realise you're being stupid</em>" is not necessarily a strong starting point for convincing people of a different point of view. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31922 Mon, 23 May 2011 11:23:21 +0000 Wilmington's Cow 31922@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Y'know what, if a parent wants to put a helmet on their child... It's <em>their</em> choice, and I'm personally not going to question their parenting skills, nor accuse them of giving in to the 'man' for doing so.</p> <p>Choice choice choice choice choice. Make sure it's informed, but different people can have different takes on the same information.</p> <p>There are much, much bigger issues. Stop cyclists getting hit by cars and trucks, <em>then</em> have the helmet argument. It's ancillary, pointless, divisive, distracting, and pandering. Someone's on a bike, I personally don't give a toss what they're wearing. If a 6'6" burly guy rides by in a pink tutu, My Little Pony crop top and a tiara it'll still be his bike I'm looking at.</p> <p>If you <em>really</em> want to criticise parents for giving in to pressures of 'danger perception' then divert your attention to SUV driving yummy mummies who are turnign their kids into miserable fat blobs with no concept of the outside world. Work back down the chain to what might actually be <em>creating</em> the culture of fear, rather than attacking the final symptom of it (a parent wanting their child to ride with a helmet). It's the old prevention/cure debate.</p> <p>Helmets are merely a symptom, so get rid of the cause, and <em>then</em> see what happens.</p> <p>(apologies, helmet debates make me grumpy - but by god we don't half tie ourselves in knots and do cycling a disservice at times). </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31921 Mon, 23 May 2011 11:17:54 +0000 SRD 31921@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I think you would find it easier to convince people to question helmet use if you avoided telling us how stupid we all are. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31919 Mon, 23 May 2011 10:59:37 +0000 Dave 31919@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Well, the only difference between thudguard and bike helmets is our perception of risk - we're sold on the idea that cycling is more dangerous. In fact, promoting thudguard makes a lot more sense because the absolute number of kids with head injuries, including serious injuries and deaths on foot is much higher (due to the increased exposure, of course).</p> <p>I understand that there are moves afoot to check whether a thudguard was worn whenever a child is taken to see a healthcare professional with any form of head injury (and presumably to observe that their lives were definitely saved by the thudguard if so? ;-)</p> <p>And why not? You can bet that every parent whose child has suffered a serious head injury wishes they'd been responsible enough to buy and use a thudguard. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31912 Mon, 23 May 2011 10:44:56 +0000 Morningsider 31912@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Dave C - that's mad! Morningsider junior has whacked his bonce of lots of things in the house (all due to good old toddler enthusiasm - nothing too serious), as a result he is now more careful. If he was wearing a whcking great helmet he might never have learnt this very useful life lesson. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31909 Mon, 23 May 2011 10:20:42 +0000 DaveC 31909@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I googled 'Todder head protection' after I saw a video recently about Thudguards, helmets for toddlers in the house. Google gave me these:</p> <p><a href="http://www.ambyhammock.co.uk/babysafetyhats.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.ambyhammock.co.uk/babysafetyhats.html</a><br /> <a href="http://www.softtop4toddlers.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.softtop4toddlers.com/</a><br /> <a href="http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fall-down-with-less-drama-in-the-thudguard-helmet" rel="nofollow">http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fall-down-with-less-drama-in-the-thudguard-helmet</a> </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31848 Sat, 21 May 2011 23:33:44 +0000 wee folding bike 31848@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ahhh, I only ask because a friend got onto the internet for the first time in the late '90s and the first thing he found was a picture of a German Shepherd Dog befriending a lady. He never explained how he happened across that image. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31846 Sat, 21 May 2011 22:46:12 +0000 gembo 31846@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>wee folds - I was looking for PG Tips Chimps riding bikes </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31845 Sat, 21 May 2011 22:34:11 +0000 PS 31845@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Never mind wearing helmets, we weren't evolved to ride bikes judging by the way my legs feel after today's ride...</p> <p>Obviously that's not going to stop me doing it, though. ;) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31834 Sat, 21 May 2011 17:39:04 +0000 wee folding bike 31834@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ummm... so what were you searching for when you found that? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31832 Sat, 21 May 2011 16:44:22 +0000 gembo 31832@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>check it out</p> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oefu2NE-a2w&amp;feature=related" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oefu2NE-a2w&amp;feature=related</a></p> <p>evolution revolution </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31831 Sat, 21 May 2011 16:42:25 +0000 alibali 31831@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Hope you find something you both like and that you both enjoy the ride! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31819 Sat, 21 May 2011 09:47:52 +0000 SRD 31819@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Thanks for the advice. Think we will try the two that EBC has, since they're close to hand and if fitting doesn't seem quite right, look further afield. Wingpig - good point about straps.</p> <p>Crowriver - thanks very much for adding to my trawl - pleasantly surprised that there are that number of models suitable for babies. Helped, of course, that he has a big head - just about at 46cm! Hopefully we'll find something to fit. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31804 Sat, 21 May 2011 00:20:25 +0000 crowriver 31804@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Maybe too big for your wee one, but try the Apex Junior Helmet (XS size, 48-52cm).</p> <p>Fine for my daughter, though perhaps getting small now she's two. Also had a larger size of the same brand for my son when he was younger, fitted him until five years. They have a 'flat' back for using with higher backed child seats. Also a push on/off flashing LED light incorporated into rear tightening dial: nice touch for the price.</p> <p>A snip from Amazon... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31803 Fri, 20 May 2011 23:49:55 +0000 wingpig 31803@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>(We stopped evolving to survive the occasional fall out of a tree three million years ago, since which time our skulls have been weakening to reduce the weight penalty of our growing crania.)</em></p> <p>I'd ignore the specs and just go for whatever doesn't interfere with a comfortable seating-position in the selected child-seat and whose straps don't look liable to irritate your child's chin (and which don't leave a chewable end too near the mouth and whose buckles are properly childproof). I noticed in the EBC sale leaflet that the Specialized said it had a truncated/non-projecting rear to aid use with a child seat but my one-year-old was still a wee bit less than 47cm. I think. Whichever looks the most comfortable when you find a shop to test them in as no two babies' heads are remotely the same shape. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31802 Fri, 20 May 2011 23:42:46 +0000 recombodna 31802@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Ok Kim have it your way. I find your suggestion of racism more offensive than your helmet comment and a little confusing so I'm bowing out of this thread now ok. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31801 Fri, 20 May 2011 23:10:53 +0000 Kim 31801@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Why the need for abuse? Recombodna we are all the same species, you make comments like that if someone had a different skin colour? </p> <p>I mealy point out that once upon a time when cycling was a normal part of childhood no one wore a helmet and yet we are all still here. </p> <p>Allball say some have evolved to wear helmets, well can you show any evidence of selection pressure for helmet wearing? Yes it is a choice, but is a purely rational one? I find the use of fear to sell very disturbing, and playing on people feel just for profit.</p> <p>How long before all parents are told they have to put <a href="http://www.thudguard.com/">helmets on toddlers</a> because learning to walk is dangerous?</p> <p>I find playing of the fear of parents for profit offensive and rather sad. Every parent wants the best for their children, but that don't make ripping them off right. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31799 Fri, 20 May 2011 22:46:04 +0000 recombodna 31799@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>With all due respect Kim I find these comments offensive. SRD wants protect her babys head. Parental guilt doesn't come into it. Kids helmets do prevent injury. If you can't provide a helpful sugestion to her question the polite thing to do would be to say nothing at all. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31798 Fri, 20 May 2011 22:39:16 +0000 alibali 31798@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>We weren't evolved to wear helmets</em><br /> Some of us have. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31795 Fri, 20 May 2011 20:22:07 +0000 Kim 31795@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Why do you want to damage his neck? We weren't evolved to wear helmets, but are evolved to survive the fall from a tree (we are a species of primate). Parental gilt is an easy sales pitch, it not about protecting your child, it is about easy profit. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=3012#post-31789 Fri, 20 May 2011 17:22:14 +0000 SRD 31789@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Wee baby is celebrating being almost 6 months old by going for his first bike ride (if you don't count New Year's Day expedition by sling). </p> <p>Any recommends for helmets to fit small heads? </p> <p>Specialized Small Fry Toddler Helmet . Says 47 cm 'up to 3 years'.</p> <p>TSG Nipper Mini Helmet 48 cm</p> <p>Met Elfo Kids Helmet 46 cm </p>