While selecting a new bike and the accessories to put on it may represent some of the most fun decisions riders will make, choosing the correct helmet stands out as one of their most important ones. A good helmet can better protect a rider from having a serious head injury in an accident. Fortunately, the pros at Harper’s Cycling and Fitness at 1106 Grandview Avenue in Muscatine have the knowledge and helmet selection to keep any rider safe on the road.
Picking the right helmet starts with finding one the right size for your head. Before you buy a helmet, measure the distance around your head either with a flexible measuring tape or by wrapping a piece of yarn around it, laying it out in a straight line, and measuring it with a ruler. Helmet manufacturers provide sizing guides to help riders select the correct product. If you find your measurements fall in between two sizes, you should select the larger size. If you have questions, the staff at Harper’s Cycling and Fitness can help you determine the right size helmet for you.
Riders also need to select a helmet that matches their needs. Fortunately, Harper’s Cycling and Fitness caries a wide variety of helmets suited to various riders. Young riders will find several sizes of Bontrager Litter Dipper and Tyro helmets sized just for them, as well as playful designs from Electra. Adults who want the most protection can opt for one of several Bontrager styles that incorporate their state of the art WaveCel technology, which uses expanding, crumpling, and gliding motions to defuse impact in the case of an accident. Bontrager helmets with MIPS, as well as several models from Electra and Surfas, provide good quality economical protection too.
Once you have picked a helmet, you will need to adjust it to fit your specific head shape. First, use the dial at the back of the helmet to make it fit snugly against your head. The helmet should sit flat, and your ears should go between the V-shaped openings of the straps.
Next, tighten the chin strap so that it fits close to the underside of your chin but still allows you to put one finger inside of it. Once you have tightened the chin strap enough, you can secure the end of it using a rubber strap holder, if provided, or cut it so that only about one extra inch remains. Before riding, seal the end of the strap to prevent fraying either by using clear nail polish, a sewing anti-fray glue, or by carefully melting it.
Once you have a helmet that fits, you may safely ride with it for three years, unless you get in an accident and your helmet takes a serious blow. If you would like to purchase a new helmet or have questions about fit, stop down to Harper’s Cycling and Fitness any Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. or Saturday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
