# Pro Cyclists and the non-helmet look



## crossboy (Jan 9, 2007)

Why is it required that in all races, US and Non-US that riders "must" wear a helmet, but yet when these teams are spotted on training rides, they are never wearing helmets. Why wouldn't the directors or perhaps big-wigs within the sponsor want these guys wearing helmets at all times since they have millions invested within a team, sometimes a single rider.

Case in point--Ben Rothlesberger of the Steelers. Many US athletes have clauses right into their contracts that they are not allowed to partake in dangerous activiites.

I guess my concern is that the USCF requires all riders to wear helmets. Even if I am riding to registration and have a t-shirts and shorts on, I am still required to have a helmet on. Many clubs/teams require their riders to wear helmets on rides. My team does.

So what about the juniors. They come to races and see some of the occasional domestic pros and look up to them and aspire to want to ride for United, Disco, Colovita, etc. But, then you look at the training photos and these guys are non wearing helmets. So does the 14 yr old junior decided to train without a helmet becuase George and Levi do it and they look really cool with a beanie on and their glasses.

Just something to think about. I always wear my helmet and if I catch my son without his on, the first time is a 1 week loss of his bike, second time in a month, third is forever.


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

Do you work at the UCI? :wink5:


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## crossboy (Jan 9, 2007)

*No*



Dan Gerous said:


> Do you work at the UCI? :wink5:


Unless you mean the "United Council of Insurance", then yes


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## 32and3cross (Feb 28, 2005)

crossboy said:


> So what about the juniors. They come to races and see some of the occasional domestic pros and look up to them and aspire to want to ride for United, Disco, Colovita, etc. But, then you look at the training photos and these guys are non wearing helmets. So does the 14 yr old junior decided to train without a helmet becuase George and Levi do it and they look really cool with a beanie on and their glasses.
> 
> Just something to think about. I always wear my helmet and if I catch my son without his on, the first time is a 1 week loss of his bike, second time in a month, third is forever.


while I some what agree with you about the pro setting an example your last paragraph spells out what really needs to be happening i.e. parents parenting their children and explaining that while George may be their childs hero on the bike that that hero may not show good judgement at all times.


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## crossboy (Jan 9, 2007)

32and3cross said:


> while I some what agree with you about the pro setting an example your last paragraph spells out what really needs to be happening i.e. parents parenting their children and explaining that while George may be their childs hero on the bike that that hero may not show good judgement at all times.



I agree.


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## alem1583 (Jan 28, 2005)

I agree with your parental approaching, but agree it is a problem. Back in the day on my University team, we had a mandatory helmet rule. Of course, when a few of the guys went off on their own they didn't sport their helmets, owing to the "euro-coolness" factor of it all. While helmets were internationally made mandatory around the end of my undergrad days, it didn't change much of the perceived notion of what looked cool. No matter what we did for team training, there wasn't much we could do to regulate or enforce the helmet rule outside of team rides, or of course races. 

There's not much you can do, there isn't really a precedent in other sports. How many American Football players practice football outside of the team context? 

It would take gutsy team management to make helmets mandatory for the team at all times...it would spark some kind of personal freedom vs. protection from oneself arguement. But that team would be protecting its investment in its riders, at least their heads, and it would look good for their equipment (helmet) sponsor to be in all of those training pics....


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## SilasCL (Jun 14, 2004)

You're taking an American perspective and putting it on European teams. Riding without a helmet is not considered particularly dangerous for a pro-cyclist. How many in the european peloton have died due to head injuries? In racing, it's been 2 in the past 20 years. In training...I can't say I have heard of any, but I'm sure it's been one or two.

It would be very culturally bizarre for a european team to demand their riders wear helmets at all times. These people are in charge of their lives, and there is not the same idea about personal responsibility as in the US.

Lastly, I don't really get your argument. Do you think teams should require helmet usage at all times? How would they enforce this? Why should they care whether or not their star rider dies, provided they have some insurance out on them?

Silas


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## Dwayne Barry (Feb 16, 2003)

"Riding without a helmet is not considered particularly dangerous for a pro-cyclist."

From what I saw in Europe almost no one wears a helmet, it is like the US was up into the 80s.

"These people are in charge of their lives, and there is not the same idea about personal responsibility as in the US."

Actually, I don't think it has anything to do with a sense of personal responsibility. The US is safety crazy compared to any other place I've been in the world. You get the impression here that riding without a helmet will almost assuredly result in a head injury that could have otherwise been prevented. Let's not forget most professional riders never wore helmets up until the Kivilev rule change and it's not like there were all that many head injuries. Even the two most recent prominent ones (Casartelli and Kivilev) likely may not have been prevent by helmets.


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

crossboy said:


> Case in point--Ben Rothlesberger of the Steelers. Many US athletes have clauses right into their contracts that they are not allowed to partake in dangerous activiites.
> 
> I.



I am familiar with the NFL standard player contract and the NHL standard player contract. Both of them have a very broad, generic prohibition against engaging in activities that involve a significant risk of personal injury. Is there a standard contract for pro cyclists? If someone is paying you $$$, they have every right to require that you not put yourself at unreasonable risk. Now, we could argue the merits of helmet wearing (I am on the pro-helmet side, but I know others disagree). But, assuming that a team believes that wearing a helmet is safer, I see nothing wrong, or unreasonable about helmet wearing being a provision in a cyclist's contract.


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## SilasCL (Jun 14, 2004)

A team could certainly require helmet usage at all times. But what would they do when he rides without his helmet? Dissolve the contract? Stop paying him? He would quickly find another team. It's not in their interests to do such a thing. Look at Roethlisberger for instance...the Steelers never thought twice about having him rejoin the team without any kind of penalty. They may change their mind after this season though...


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

SilasCL said:


> A team could certainly require helmet usage at all times. But what would they do when he rides without his helmet? Dissolve the contract? Stop paying him? He would quickly find another team. It's not in their interests to do such a thing. Look at Roethlisberger for instance...the Steelers never thought twice about having him rejoin the team without any kind of penalty. They may change their mind after this season though...


Not every player is a Roethlisberber. And, not every cyclist is a Lance Armstrong. Although I can't name an example, I am sure that if a non-star, NFL player injured himself doing something that violated the contract, the team probably would cut off his salary if he was unable to play for a significant period of time. Liekwise, insofar as a cyclist is concerned, the likely penalty would not be firing someone who is seen without a helmet, but screwing him to the wall when he gets hurt when he is not wearing a helmet. At that point, the cyclist has no other options.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

alem1583 said:


> It would take gutsy team management to make helmets mandatory for the team at all times...it would spark some kind of personal freedom vs. protection from oneself arguement. But that team would be protecting its investment in its riders, at least their heads, and it would look good for their equipment (helmet) sponsor to be in all of those training pics....


By the way, I like that your avitar shows Museeuw not wearing a helmet. 

Anyway, I sort of agree with SilasCL that, at least from the perspective of pro teams, helmet-less riding is not that dangerous. These teams are businesses performing cost/benefit analyses concerning the risk their moneymakers take while training. Until American-styled moralizing takes hold there or the perceived risk becomes greater through more accidents, I doubt this will change in contracts or otherwise. 

If you ask me, the only effective way to counter Euro-cool is with an alternative culture where not having a helmet is uncool. I don't think it's feasible to overcome coolness with rational arguments about safety. In the U.S, we're well on the way to creating a helmet-wearing culture, for better or worse.


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## SilasCL (Jun 14, 2004)

There is a pretty serious helmet culture in the US. I see very few roadies without helmets. But the fact remains that I still do...and most of them are wearing some paper thin lycra beanie. I thought the problem with helmets is that they were too warm?

By the way, these tend to be the guys who look ready to kill you in a 45+ race and are wearing the full club kit. IMO, very few guys in their 20s are as enamored with the euro fashion statement.


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## jch2112 (Feb 5, 2004)

MarkS said:


> Not every player is a Roethlisberber. And, not every cyclist is a Lance Armstrong. Although I can't name an example, I am sure that if a non-star, NFL player injured himself doing something that violated the contract, the team probably would cut off his salary if he was unable to play for a significant period of time. Liekwise, insofar as a cyclist is concerned, the likely penalty would not be firing someone who is seen without a helmet, but screwing him to the wall when he gets hurt when he is not wearing a helmet. At that point, the cyclist has no other options.


Not to belabor the point, but there was an NBA player that was in a motorcycle wreck that had his contract waived. Jay/Jason Williams, the former Duke basketball player. I'm sure there are others out there, but this is one that I remember most because I'm in ACC country.

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Williams_(basketball)

His life almost ended prematurely on June 19, 2003, after speaking to youths at a basketball camp about personal responsibilty, he crashed his motorcycle into a pole at the intersection of Fletcher and Honore in Chicago, Illinois. Williams was driving a new Yamaha YZF-R6, a very powerful sport bike. Williams severed a main nerve in his leg, fractured his pelvis and tore three ligaments in his left knee and required physical therapy to regain the use of his leg. Many months later, after it was clear he would not be returning to the Bulls for some time (if at all), they waived him and drafted point guard Kirk Hinrich to take his place. The Bulls could have refused to pay Williams (since he violated his contract by riding a motorcycle), but instead they offered a buyout worth approximately $3 million. At the time, it was not clear that he would be able to return to professional basketball, although he continued to train toward that goal.


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

*well*

1 ) I think there is a difference between training in a team of 20 riders, with the team car behind you, training on isolated roads, than the average cyclist.

2 ) Mommy culture makes me want to kick puppies. Not really.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

Argentius said:


> 2 ) Mommy culture makes me want to kick puppies. Not really.


I have a slightly different take: Mommy culture makes me want to raise pit bulls next to a pre-school.


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## crossboy (Jan 9, 2007)

Pablo said:


> I have a slightly different take: Mommy culture makes me want to raise pit bulls next to a pre-school.


....and sell drugs in a school zone, and talk on my cell phone while speeding through a school zone


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## Kestreljr (Jan 10, 2007)

I agree with this thread, it has amazed me that helmets aren't worn all the time. In every other sport it is the athlete that is typically itching for safety improvements (break away rims in basketball, concussion proof helmets in football, players demanding to keep wooden bats in baseball, etc...) but for some reason not in cycling.

However-:
1. You DO see pictures of pros on training rides wearing helmets, a lot more then you used to. However, please keep in mind that pros will often have media shots, and media training rides. They don't wear helmets on those days so you can actually see their faces. And they don't have cameras taking shots of them very often when putting in the miles. I got the opportunity to ride with USPS about 3 years ago. The beginning of the ride out of town they didn't wear helmets and cameras were shooting shots- but when we got out to the outskirts of town- the helmets were passed out along with the water bottles. Yes, yes, you can find pictures of them training with out helmets but it is getting less and less. 

2. Also, I have spent considerable time in Europe over the past five years and I feel like that I see more and more riders wearing helmets. This does not include you average commuter, but those in tights are wearing a helmet 80% of the time. I would love to hear the view of a forum member from Europe on this one. 

Again, I agree, I think it should be 100% of the time, and I don't understand why it is not, but I do think VAST improvements are happening.


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## sbindra (Oct 18, 2004)

Helmets are required, so why would train without them? Wouldn't you want to get used to riding with them as much as possible? For example, anyone remember when helmets were not required in hockey (this goes back a while)? Even after the helmet rule was implemented, players would practice without helmets. Now, I never see players even in practice not wearing their helmets.


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## allons-y (Nov 15, 2006)

Kestreljr said:


> 2. Also, I have spent considerable time in Europe over the past five years and I feel like that I see more and more riders wearing helmets. This does not include you average commuter, but those in tights are wearing a helmet 80% of the time. I would love to hear the view of a forum member from Europe on this one.


just got back from a month in italy.....i would say 80% is a bit high for % wearing helmets.....more like 50-60%.....(i was in verona). from what i have heard/what i was expecting, it was alot more wearing helmets than I expected. this is of those in lycra, of course.


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## crossboy (Jan 9, 2007)

I do miss the days of the NHL without helmets. It was kind of cool in the late 80's, somewhere around there when you would still catch a few old-timers that were grandfathered and able to still sport the look.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

crossboy said:


> I do miss the days of the NHL without helmets. It was kind of cool in the late 80's, somewhere around there when you would still catch a few old-timers that were grandfathered and able to still sport the look.


That's a bit ironic considering your previous comments. But let's face it, mullets look good with or without helmets.


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## kyler2001 (Sep 8, 2005)

Isolated roads? That Levi is a fine American. Momma taught him well


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## alem1583 (Jan 28, 2005)

I think we can all agree that mullets were virtually created to look perfect with or without the helmet. Boonen's of a few years back was awesome, I don't think it's a coincidence that it came back in the euro peleton just after the helmet rule was laid down. Brochard and Vainstains being the two excepts that pop out.

Someone pointed out a few posts ago that it is far more common for younger riders to wear helmets than older ones. I'd definately agree with that both in the States (generally, see above), and from what I've seen in Spain. I think that there were probably jsut shy of 1/2 of the lycra sporting riders wearing helmets but def more of the younger riders were than not. 

Who knows? maybe the culture is changing as the technology gets better, we are safer with newer, lighter, more comfortable helmets than the clunky Bell hardshell monstrosities of the 80s (again, probably more a more American than Euro thing). If only b/c they aren't hidden in shame. And you won't get made fun of as much by your non-cyclist friends...


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## AlexCad5 (Jan 2, 2005)

Armstrong had a very serious crash descending in the (Alps) on a training ride. Stuff happens even to the best of riders. A team can fine a rider for breach of contract.


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