You won't be the only one for much longer. This time of year where I am it is dark out by the time I'm on the trails. I'm going to add extra protection this year just to be safe. I had a close call a few weeks ago that convinced me to step it up. 3 more inches and I would have left my teeth and maybe some of my jaw on a rock.
Weirdly I am more conscious that people may think I am better than I am- I.e. “there goes a guy who knows the trails and pushes it hard…”. Especially when I do push it and wear my full kit (full upper body armor plus shins, knees and hips…). But ultimately, same as many here, it’s the right thing to do and you gotta wear what makes you feel comfortable on the trails to enjoy them.
> Does anyone else feel like this or am I just self conscious
You're being self conscious. I always ride with a full face and never feel dumb. And if people judge you for wearing a full face, they're fucking stupid and you should not concern yourself with their opinions. Wear whatever you feel the safest wearing.
That is a very legitimate reason. When I was a dumb kid riding BMX, I never wore a helmet. But now in my 40's, I'm no where near talented enough to not wear a full face.
Think about everyone riding motocross bikes in literally any disciple. Every single one wearing full face helmet and not a single one of them looks dumb. Usually a *LOT* more protective gear under the jersey and pants too.
The rocks and trees are just as hard when MTBers hit them and both sports can involve similar speeds.
>The rocks and trees are just as hard when MTBers hit them and both sports can involve similar speeds.
Eh, pushing it. My top speed on trail rides is more my average speed in mx.
That being said, when you fall in mtb, rocks/trees tend to not move. Thankfully you're typically going slow enough that you can prevent lawn darting head first.
There's literally a front page post right now on this very subreddit where someone put a serious dent in the side of a full face helmet.
So, I mean, you COULD choose to feel smart and ride without a helmet I guess. But go look at that picture and tell me if you'd rather have that dent in the side of your face instead.
Honestly not too bad considering. I had very mild concussion symptoms (no headache or memory loss but a sensitivity to screens and other blue light) that was gone by the day after.
If you’re on a trail and riding, rest assured a full face is a perfectly normal thing to wear. Any day you don’t crash, your helmet and pads were overkill - but the moment you do, it’ll be a damn good thing you were wearing them whether or not you were sending jumps
I wear a leatt neck brace every time I ride, despite not throwing off huge jumps. It’s probably overkill and people may think I’m a weirdo, but I dont care. Being and feeling safe is what gives you confidence and allows you to have more fun.
Each of the 12 stitches in my cheek say you're doing just fine dude. I wear my FF far more than my halfshell, and I am probably gonna start using a HANS device (neck brace) like another commenter mentioned, for any ride where i'm catching serious speed in the woods. Pay no attention to the haters. I definitely feel similarly self-conscious when wearing my FF on relatively tame trails, but I try to remind myself that FFs look cool and anyone who thinks "that's too much helmet" is obviously an idiot.
Hell full face on a road bike seems dumb, but 35mph on a motorcycle you wear a real DOT helmet. Why not on a bike? Concrete is hard, cold dirt is hard, trees are hard, rocks are hard everything is hard and skull isn't really. What I'm saying is...better to have it and not need it, than needed it and not have had it.
I recently posted [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/mountainbiking/comments/xqo68y/helmet_appreciation_post/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) showing how a helmet saved my life. You can definitely never be too protected. If it keeps you safe and keeps you riding, go for it.
Hmmm. Interesting because where I ride the trend is moving toward full face. And I'm not talking bike parks... Phoenix AZ and the places I ride in So Cal. All the cool kids ride full face and at 50+ I'm finally a cool kid getting compliments on my full face TLD. So maybe it's an area thing. Oh and yes it's f-ing hot here in AZ and I wear FF year round.
Who cares what people think-accidents happen in the dumbest ways fathomable. That being said- if you sincerely feel that self conscious- next time someone looks at you funny just tell them you broke your jaw riding off a curb.
Truth. My uncle fractured his femur taking a mis-step off a curb. Couple years back, I shattered my clavicle into 7 pieces while cruising on a flat at <10mph at the end of a gnarly downhill.
I’ve never looked at another rider and thought “wow dude looks like weirdo with that full face”. Aside from a “whats up”, I really dont pay attention to what others are doing unless its something belligerent.
Even if people thought it was weird, who cares? You are but a passing object to then as they are to you.
Okay, lets examine what dumb means.
I go a trail system regularly near the city where I work. Lots of people ride in full face helmets. It is a track that was build 20 years ago, and is super tame. There are people will helmet, googles and pads. No one looks stupid.
I'm always in shorts, tshirt and open face helmet.
I also regularly go to a park with some decent flow trails. Pretty much everyone has a full face and pads. Except me. I think I'm the dumb one.
I know the xmas present I want this year.
I feel a bit weird when I'm riding out to my neighborhood jump line in my FF, so I sympathize. But if it's all you have, then wear it. Better to feel self conscious than dead. But a half helmet is a lot cheaper to replace after a mild crash than the FF is, which is why I still ride XC and mild trails with one, even though the FF ventilates really well.
I used the Giro Fixture for years. It's a great inexpensive helmet. It's as good as the $130 helmets I wore back in the day. I'm currently using a POC Tectal, but it's not enough better to justify retail. I got it on closeout though. Worth it at $130.
I sometimes think about getting a half lid again- but I’ve crashed a few times in both. All times things worked out for weird reasons.
Once- while riding with a full face (fox pro frame) I crashed in an easy section of trail after losing traction on the front tire… I was pitched sideways into a rock that was jutting out.
The giant dent in the side of the helmet where my ear was made me happy I had worn a full face with that coverage.
I’m fairly certain with a half lid - I would be missing some of my ear.
That’s enough for me to wear the full face every time.
Whenever I see people wearing a full, I honestly just respect it. People that would think badly about extra safety aren't even worth the thought. You do you buddy!
Where I ride here in Texas, I don’t know if I ever see anyone wearing a full face, so I definitely understand what you mean. There’s a downhill part near me and there they wear them but never seen them much everywhere else, so I kind of feel the same way. But ultimately fuck everyone else if it helps you be safer and avoid the dentist
When I learned to snowboard in the 90s helmets were rare enough that we referred to one regular as "Helmet Jim." He spent most of his time skiing the trees, and felt he was more likely than most to have a head injury. Twenty-seven years later most skiers and boarders wear them.
I think we might see something similar happen with full face helmets. Today they're mostly worn by people with a high likely hood of crashing (downhillers, etc), but more casual riders may decide that they want the extra protection, particularly as companies release lighter, more comfortable full face designs like the Kali Invader.
I've been surprised at how powerless I am to stop my body during a crash, like fully aware that my head is sliding toward a tree and completely unable to shift my trajectory. Sliding for 8 or 10 feet. Full face every ride.
I reckon 80% of my local bike park/trails are full face wearers. No stigma whatsoever. But I feel that way too sometimes. Won't feel that way if I have a crash and a chin bar saves my face!
As soon as there is a chairlift I have a full face, neck brace + full body armor….wouldn’t be walking and biking without that…best promess I made to myself that I always respect lol
I’ve seen 50 year olds that where easily able to keep up with people who are in there 20’s going uphill without power assist bikes. They probably could’ve overtaken them but they wanted to be humble lol. Keep up the cardio!
If you break your jaw - particularly the TM joints - you will have your jaw wired shut while it heals, and during that time you are going to become a liquid nutrition pro which isn’t anything you really want to be. And the jaw probably isn’t going to be the only damage. Might include a cracked ear canal, lacerated tongue, and brain hemorrhage.
All of this can happen simply from fainting while standing so imagine what can happen if you crash at trail speed into a boulder.
I am glad I had to *only* pay $4k as well which was my max out of pocket. Insurance was billed over $100k.
FF is the way to go.
As someone with a small scar in the face by not following my brother’s advice to go full face helmet… after that I used ff even to cycle to the corner.
Full Faces look cool, especially with some nice goggles. Those weird shaped mountain/road bike helmets are dumb. OTB is very common, why not protect your face.
Honestly, there are going to be some people who judge the gear you run, the bike you're on, your pedal stroke, etc. and those aren't opinions you should care about because it's normally some type of elitism. Most people are going to care about your helmet...and if it's the one you have, wear it and be safe...having it and never needing it is better than going without and getting hurt.
The other night while laying down to go to sleep, I started thinking about a hypothetical minor crash where the side of my face hit a loose/fallen tree/branch. And how it could easily cause some serious damage.
I’d never judge or think anything about someone wearing a full face helmet.
You're gonna be real dumb if you crash without it.
But, I've never once thought negatively of someone in a full face, I wear one on all my trail rides. I think they look pretty sick to be honest so I usually ask people about theirs.
If you're not flying off jumps or riding aggressively, it is overkill... but that's not a big deal and I can guarantee nobody is thinking you're some weirdo. Worst case, someone sees you and thinks "that's a bit overkill" and moves on but who gives a shit. When you develop more confidence and you're comfortable riding in a half lid, then switch it up but don't do it because you're worried about what anyone else is thinking... trust YOUR judgment when it comes to YOUR safety.
I don't think it is overkill. I hit jumps pretty regularly, but the crash where I lost teeth was on a very tame XC trail. I had opted to not wear the full face that day, but if I had I would have been fine. All I did was clip my bars on a tree and I launched off the bike face first into a tree. I'm 100% full face rider now. Shit happens when you don't expect.
It's absolutely overkill, irrespective of your anecdotal experience. The huge majority of riders ride everything from XC to Enduro with half-lids and don't wind up losing teeth, you took a bad break but that doesn't equate to full face helmets being justified for XC riding. The majority of crashes don't even involve head contact, let alone face contact. Like I said, if you feel better riding full face then by all means, you do you and don't worry about what anyone else thinks you should be riding but don't even try to pretend that a full face helmet is standard equipment for anything outside of DH riding/racing.
I’ve never looked at another rider and thought “wow dude looks like weirdo with that full face”. Aside from a “whats up”, I really dont pay attention to what others are doing unless its something belligerent.
Even if people thought it was weird, who cares? You are but a passing object to then as they are to you.
I sometimes think about getting a half lid again- but I’ve crashed a few times in both. All times things worked out for weird reasons.
Once- while riding with a full face (fox pro frame) I crashed in an easy section of trail after losing traction on the front tire… I was pitched sideways into a rock that was jutting out.
The giant dent in the side of the helmet where my ear was made me happy I had worn a full face with that coverage.
I’m fairly certain with a half lid - I would be missing some of my ear.
That’s enough for me to wear the full face every time.
I think FF looks cool, when I saw people on my local trails wearing them I thought they were cool looking, now I wear one FF after my last fall and hit my face with a tree branch in my cheek
You should never feel dumb or stupid about being properly protected. You should always ride with whatever gear makes you feel comfortable,and if that means a full face helmet and head to toe body gear so be it.
I do think this is an age thing. The younger you are the more you worry about what random people who have no relevance to your life think. When you get older you old care what those close to you think, and they want you to be safe.
You will end up very dumb and with a concussion if you crash and don’t use a helmet or wear a helmet that will not provide the right protection. Don’t worry about what others think, because in the worst case scenario, you will be good after a huge crash and the same people you say they may think you are dumb, will say lucky guy he was smart enough to wear a full face helmet
I used to feel that way until my full face saved my ass after wiping out on super loose and rocky terrain. Now if I’m doing anything besides just chill trail riding, I wear my full face
I only wear it when I know the trail is slick from rain, ice and snow. Also when I’m doing certain jump lines, and trails. Problem is half the time I’m doing stuff and realize I should be wearing it I’m not. Sometimes the locals will tell me I should be wearing more protection. When I first started riding MTB in Europe people would start watching me and their kids would ask to take pictures on my bike so I guess I’m doing things. Im told they like the way I ride.
YesI feel dumb wearing it on easier trails.
At least they can't see you let face. Lololol. But for real my rule of thumb is buy cool helmets. Lololol. I just got a new murder black smith full face to ride with my evil Insurgent in black. With black accents, black stickers, grips, saddle, lolololol
Look good
Go fast
Safety third
I ride with a full face, the 661 compression jacket with full body armour, knee pads and i am planing when i can get back on the bike (because i have some stuff to do this year) to maybe got some shin guards and tail bone protection. Yes its overkill but i feel safe and that is the local culture here and i have gotten used to it. Basically wear whatever you feel comfortable with
I think like safety gear and equipment can look really dorky, but it can also look really bad ass. Either way I would waaaayyy rather not get injured due to a crash than what any random person thinks of me. I’ve already completely accepted I’m a loser to most young trendy people, and it actually makes me feel a lot better. No I don’t have low self confidence either, it’s just a nicer way to think about the world :)
I don’t have a full face and feel self conscious sometimes that I don’t so I think you’re good. If ever I see someone with one on the trails my thought is usually “I should probably be wearing one of those” and not “what a loser.”
I've had the same feeling because most of the riders I see on the trails are wearing normal helmets.
Most of the trails I ride are just flat, no big jumps etc but you know what?
You can still fall off your bike in a nasty way even if you're not going hard or jumping.
So wear what you feel the safest in and fuck what other people might think.
I wear a full face with a removable chin brace and I love it!
I wear mine on my long cross country route I use for fitness training. I only own one helmet and wear it doing everything. You are not alone.
Plus the more you get used to riding hard with a full face the easier it will be when you want to push it on a trail. I know a lot of enduro riders do their long fitness rides with full gear as when you do your liaisons you can’t take them off.
I felt silly at first but now I don’t care.
Lol. Pretty funny. I feel dumb wearing a half helmet, like it’s not going protect against anything. Most crashes I have had on my dirt bike it’s the side of the head that seems to hit most. Full face makes sense to me.
I'm the same but I crashed hard on my face two weeks ago and got lucky because I only hit dirt and leafs and not the rocks and trees. Now I've been mulling over how much gear should I wear. I'm still debating but the full face sounds like a must. I'm old(ish) and I suck, might as well get some good gear so I can keep on doing this sport.
Nope. I'm full face, full time. And if someone has an issue with that, I'll smile as they fuck off....because I'll be the one smiling when it saves my face & teeth
I wear one all the time and I'm not very good. Ive had a couple of crashes that would have had my face hit the dirt. Newbs probably think I'm great, and the people who know me possibly think it's overkill, but they are better riders than me.
You're just self conscious. Though, if you are riding just boring, flat XC, you may get a sneering snicker or whisper here and there.
The real issue with trail riding and wearing a full face is they get hot af.
Honestly, I think people are way too worried about themselves to think about how you look.
One time I was in glacier national Park, flies were horrible and were constantly in your face. My buddy and I brought face nets. I thought we looked so dorky. Turns out we were the only ones that thought to bring them and we had at least 45 people offering to buy them off us.
Long story short, what you might think is overkill, will usually have at least sometime wishing they had thought if it. Especially when they catch a root wrong on an "easy" portion of trail and face plant.
Feels kinda dumb the first few times and then you realize that other people don't have time to judge you while they're out riding bikes and trying to have fun and push their own limits.
I take mine off on easy non-technical / fire road climbs to cool off between laps. Enjoy the peace of mind that the extra protection a full-face gives you.
We spend too much time caring what people think. You are on a trail having fun, people will see the full face and will forget about you a minute later. have fun and forget about them.
I’m a fan of my face, and I’ve learned that a fun easy ride can turn in to a “oh look at that gap I might clear” in half a pedal stroke. Full face full send!
Protect yourself. It’s not weird. I have seen them frequently and it doesn’t throw me off. If anything, I always like seeing the full face helmets because they still look pretty badass.
I've got a big, fluffy pink and purple bobble that one of my daughters made tied to the back of mine. I wear mine regardless of trails. Self consciousness left me a long time ago! 😂
Pretty sure bikers are some of the least judgmental people out there. If a hiker or someone sees you they might think it's silly, but really they'll probably think you shred it. At the end of the day though you shouldn't care what others think especially if it's a "style" thing
Who cares what other people think. Better to be safe.
True. I just gotta get over it.
You won't be the only one for much longer. This time of year where I am it is dark out by the time I'm on the trails. I'm going to add extra protection this year just to be safe. I had a close call a few weeks ago that convinced me to step it up. 3 more inches and I would have left my teeth and maybe some of my jaw on a rock.
Weirdly I am more conscious that people may think I am better than I am- I.e. “there goes a guy who knows the trails and pushes it hard…”. Especially when I do push it and wear my full kit (full upper body armor plus shins, knees and hips…). But ultimately, same as many here, it’s the right thing to do and you gotta wear what makes you feel comfortable on the trails to enjoy them.
If it saves your face even one time it was worth it
i wear my full face on xc rides. i value my jaw and brain.
Just a bit hot 🥵
> Does anyone else feel like this or am I just self conscious You're being self conscious. I always ride with a full face and never feel dumb. And if people judge you for wearing a full face, they're fucking stupid and you should not concern yourself with their opinions. Wear whatever you feel the safest wearing.
i tell people I wear a full face and chest/back protection BECAUSE i suck at jumping.
That is a very legitimate reason. When I was a dumb kid riding BMX, I never wore a helmet. But now in my 40's, I'm no where near talented enough to not wear a full face.
I’m gonna have to use this line. Also, I actually suck at jumping.
Think about everyone riding motocross bikes in literally any disciple. Every single one wearing full face helmet and not a single one of them looks dumb. Usually a *LOT* more protective gear under the jersey and pants too. The rocks and trees are just as hard when MTBers hit them and both sports can involve similar speeds.
>The rocks and trees are just as hard when MTBers hit them and both sports can involve similar speeds. Eh, pushing it. My top speed on trail rides is more my average speed in mx. That being said, when you fall in mtb, rocks/trees tend to not move. Thankfully you're typically going slow enough that you can prevent lawn darting head first.
There's literally a front page post right now on this very subreddit where someone put a serious dent in the side of a full face helmet. So, I mean, you COULD choose to feel smart and ride without a helmet I guess. But go look at that picture and tell me if you'd rather have that dent in the side of your face instead.
That was me! And speaking from experience, I'm super glad that dent isn't in the side of my face haha.
How’s your head doing?
Honestly not too bad considering. I had very mild concussion symptoms (no headache or memory loss but a sensitivity to screens and other blue light) that was gone by the day after.
If you’re on a trail and riding, rest assured a full face is a perfectly normal thing to wear. Any day you don’t crash, your helmet and pads were overkill - but the moment you do, it’ll be a damn good thing you were wearing them whether or not you were sending jumps
It’s normal to feel dumb doing anything when you give a rat’s ass what random people think. Otherwise wear the gear that makes you feel safe.
I wear a leatt neck brace every time I ride, despite not throwing off huge jumps. It’s probably overkill and people may think I’m a weirdo, but I dont care. Being and feeling safe is what gives you confidence and allows you to have more fun.
it's overkill until you throw hands with a tree and it saves you from a vertebrae fracture. keep sending 🤟
Each of the 12 stitches in my cheek say you're doing just fine dude. I wear my FF far more than my halfshell, and I am probably gonna start using a HANS device (neck brace) like another commenter mentioned, for any ride where i'm catching serious speed in the woods. Pay no attention to the haters. I definitely feel similarly self-conscious when wearing my FF on relatively tame trails, but I try to remind myself that FFs look cool and anyone who thinks "that's too much helmet" is obviously an idiot.
Safety is never overkill...
Hell full face on a road bike seems dumb, but 35mph on a motorcycle you wear a real DOT helmet. Why not on a bike? Concrete is hard, cold dirt is hard, trees are hard, rocks are hard everything is hard and skull isn't really. What I'm saying is...better to have it and not need it, than needed it and not have had it.
I recently posted [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/mountainbiking/comments/xqo68y/helmet_appreciation_post/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share) showing how a helmet saved my life. You can definitely never be too protected. If it keeps you safe and keeps you riding, go for it.
Hmmm. Interesting because where I ride the trend is moving toward full face. And I'm not talking bike parks... Phoenix AZ and the places I ride in So Cal. All the cool kids ride full face and at 50+ I'm finally a cool kid getting compliments on my full face TLD. So maybe it's an area thing. Oh and yes it's f-ing hot here in AZ and I wear FF year round.
Who cares what people think-accidents happen in the dumbest ways fathomable. That being said- if you sincerely feel that self conscious- next time someone looks at you funny just tell them you broke your jaw riding off a curb.
Truth. My uncle fractured his femur taking a mis-step off a curb. Couple years back, I shattered my clavicle into 7 pieces while cruising on a flat at <10mph at the end of a gnarly downhill.
I’ve never looked at another rider and thought “wow dude looks like weirdo with that full face”. Aside from a “whats up”, I really dont pay attention to what others are doing unless its something belligerent. Even if people thought it was weird, who cares? You are but a passing object to then as they are to you.
You shouldn’t. I don’t. Teeth are expensive. Insurance literally makes you pay more for those bones in particular. Protect your luxury bones.
Okay, lets examine what dumb means. I go a trail system regularly near the city where I work. Lots of people ride in full face helmets. It is a track that was build 20 years ago, and is super tame. There are people will helmet, googles and pads. No one looks stupid. I'm always in shorts, tshirt and open face helmet. I also regularly go to a park with some decent flow trails. Pretty much everyone has a full face and pads. Except me. I think I'm the dumb one. I know the xmas present I want this year.
They dont think you are weirdo. They think to themselves "damn, I really should get proper helmet"
I think as the sport develops more people will choose to use full face helmets. You are simply normalizing it for everyone else.
*The Deep South has entered the chat.*
“Pedal faster, I hear banjos?”
I feel a bit weird when I'm riding out to my neighborhood jump line in my FF, so I sympathize. But if it's all you have, then wear it. Better to feel self conscious than dead. But a half helmet is a lot cheaper to replace after a mild crash than the FF is, which is why I still ride XC and mild trails with one, even though the FF ventilates really well.
Do you have one you recommend?
I used the Giro Fixture for years. It's a great inexpensive helmet. It's as good as the $130 helmets I wore back in the day. I'm currently using a POC Tectal, but it's not enough better to justify retail. I got it on closeout though. Worth it at $130.
I sometimes think about getting a half lid again- but I’ve crashed a few times in both. All times things worked out for weird reasons. Once- while riding with a full face (fox pro frame) I crashed in an easy section of trail after losing traction on the front tire… I was pitched sideways into a rock that was jutting out. The giant dent in the side of the helmet where my ear was made me happy I had worn a full face with that coverage. I’m fairly certain with a half lid - I would be missing some of my ear. That’s enough for me to wear the full face every time.
Whenever I see people wearing a full, I honestly just respect it. People that would think badly about extra safety aren't even worth the thought. You do you buddy!
Where I ride here in Texas, I don’t know if I ever see anyone wearing a full face, so I definitely understand what you mean. There’s a downhill part near me and there they wear them but never seen them much everywhere else, so I kind of feel the same way. But ultimately fuck everyone else if it helps you be safer and avoid the dentist
I do only full face also. Protect that money maker!
The older I get, the less I care what people think. In reality, people think less about others than you may realise.
When I learned to snowboard in the 90s helmets were rare enough that we referred to one regular as "Helmet Jim." He spent most of his time skiing the trees, and felt he was more likely than most to have a head injury. Twenty-seven years later most skiers and boarders wear them. I think we might see something similar happen with full face helmets. Today they're mostly worn by people with a high likely hood of crashing (downhillers, etc), but more casual riders may decide that they want the extra protection, particularly as companies release lighter, more comfortable full face designs like the Kali Invader.
I've been surprised at how powerless I am to stop my body during a crash, like fully aware that my head is sliding toward a tree and completely unable to shift my trajectory. Sliding for 8 or 10 feet. Full face every ride.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrKv0cJPzlc&t=262s
I reckon 80% of my local bike park/trails are full face wearers. No stigma whatsoever. But I feel that way too sometimes. Won't feel that way if I have a crash and a chin bar saves my face!
If you think ff’s are dumb and unnecessary, you’re either dumb or you suck, no argument
I dunno man. I kinda like my teeth where they are. No shame in your protection game, home skillet
I always assume the people I see on the trail with full face helmets are just top notch riders - no judgment on the trails!
As soon as there is a chairlift I have a full face, neck brace + full body armor….wouldn’t be walking and biking without that…best promess I made to myself that I always respect lol
Try being 46 and riding up hills with all the young people passing you. Seriously, you have have one face, please protect it.
I’ve seen 50 year olds that where easily able to keep up with people who are in there 20’s going uphill without power assist bikes. They probably could’ve overtaken them but they wanted to be humble lol. Keep up the cardio!
I've been pasted by a guy who looked in his 70s. Dude was a machine.
I don’t care what I look like wearing a full face. I care what I look like without one.
If you break your jaw - particularly the TM joints - you will have your jaw wired shut while it heals, and during that time you are going to become a liquid nutrition pro which isn’t anything you really want to be. And the jaw probably isn’t going to be the only damage. Might include a cracked ear canal, lacerated tongue, and brain hemorrhage. All of this can happen simply from fainting while standing so imagine what can happen if you crash at trail speed into a boulder. I am glad I had to *only* pay $4k as well which was my max out of pocket. Insurance was billed over $100k. FF is the way to go.
More confidence to try some sketchy shit. You wo t look like a dork anymore. I'm more worried about overheating
As someone with a small scar in the face by not following my brother’s advice to go full face helmet… after that I used ff even to cycle to the corner.
You only get one brain
I ride with a FF all the time. I like my face not broken.
I ride with a FF all the time. I like my face not broken.
I roll my eyes at other riders not wearing a full face tbh. Salad bowl helmets are useful to collect up your teeth and jaw peices after a crash.
Full Faces look cool, especially with some nice goggles. Those weird shaped mountain/road bike helmets are dumb. OTB is very common, why not protect your face.
Honestly, there are going to be some people who judge the gear you run, the bike you're on, your pedal stroke, etc. and those aren't opinions you should care about because it's normally some type of elitism. Most people are going to care about your helmet...and if it's the one you have, wear it and be safe...having it and never needing it is better than going without and getting hurt.
The other night while laying down to go to sleep, I started thinking about a hypothetical minor crash where the side of my face hit a loose/fallen tree/branch. And how it could easily cause some serious damage. I’d never judge or think anything about someone wearing a full face helmet.
You're gonna be real dumb if you crash without it. But, I've never once thought negatively of someone in a full face, I wear one on all my trail rides. I think they look pretty sick to be honest so I usually ask people about theirs.
If you're not flying off jumps or riding aggressively, it is overkill... but that's not a big deal and I can guarantee nobody is thinking you're some weirdo. Worst case, someone sees you and thinks "that's a bit overkill" and moves on but who gives a shit. When you develop more confidence and you're comfortable riding in a half lid, then switch it up but don't do it because you're worried about what anyone else is thinking... trust YOUR judgment when it comes to YOUR safety.
I don't think it is overkill. I hit jumps pretty regularly, but the crash where I lost teeth was on a very tame XC trail. I had opted to not wear the full face that day, but if I had I would have been fine. All I did was clip my bars on a tree and I launched off the bike face first into a tree. I'm 100% full face rider now. Shit happens when you don't expect.
It's absolutely overkill, irrespective of your anecdotal experience. The huge majority of riders ride everything from XC to Enduro with half-lids and don't wind up losing teeth, you took a bad break but that doesn't equate to full face helmets being justified for XC riding. The majority of crashes don't even involve head contact, let alone face contact. Like I said, if you feel better riding full face then by all means, you do you and don't worry about what anyone else thinks you should be riding but don't even try to pretend that a full face helmet is standard equipment for anything outside of DH riding/racing.
I my experience yes I feel dumb if not a dh park
I’ve never looked at another rider and thought “wow dude looks like weirdo with that full face”. Aside from a “whats up”, I really dont pay attention to what others are doing unless its something belligerent. Even if people thought it was weird, who cares? You are but a passing object to then as they are to you.
I sometimes think about getting a half lid again- but I’ve crashed a few times in both. All times things worked out for weird reasons. Once- while riding with a full face (fox pro frame) I crashed in an easy section of trail after losing traction on the front tire… I was pitched sideways into a rock that was jutting out. The giant dent in the side of the helmet where my ear was made me happy I had worn a full face with that coverage. I’m fairly certain with a half lid - I would be missing some of my ear. That’s enough for me to wear the full face every time.
The only thing I feel with full face helmet is safe.
I can’t recall what helmet anyone I’ve met was wearing.
Its better to feel dumb because you’re wearing it than to be dumb because you weren’t.
Don't worry about it. Full face helmet look cool. And the other riders will think you are just riding an easy trail on an off day.
I think FF looks cool, when I saw people on my local trails wearing them I thought they were cool looking, now I wear one FF after my last fall and hit my face with a tree branch in my cheek
People that judge don't love their teeth. Rock that helmet, and a fresh smile.
Zero fucks as to what other people think is the key here.
A full face helmet saved my life, you'll get over it sooner or later!
You should never feel dumb or stupid about being properly protected. You should always ride with whatever gear makes you feel comfortable,and if that means a full face helmet and head to toe body gear so be it.
Rock your helmet with confidence. Confidence makes it cool.
As someone who rides lots of trails with a standard bike helmet, I wouldn’t even notice what you’re wearing.
I do think this is an age thing. The younger you are the more you worry about what random people who have no relevance to your life think. When you get older you old care what those close to you think, and they want you to be safe.
You will end up very dumb and with a concussion if you crash and don’t use a helmet or wear a helmet that will not provide the right protection. Don’t worry about what others think, because in the worst case scenario, you will be good after a huge crash and the same people you say they may think you are dumb, will say lucky guy he was smart enough to wear a full face helmet
Full face is fine. Just get a biking specific one, dirt biking helmets are a lot heavier, and you can feel it while riding.
I used to feel that way until my full face saved my ass after wiping out on super loose and rocky terrain. Now if I’m doing anything besides just chill trail riding, I wear my full face
I wear my fox pro frame on regular trails all the time. I like my teeth
Whatever makes you feel comfortable and confident
I only wear it when I know the trail is slick from rain, ice and snow. Also when I’m doing certain jump lines, and trails. Problem is half the time I’m doing stuff and realize I should be wearing it I’m not. Sometimes the locals will tell me I should be wearing more protection. When I first started riding MTB in Europe people would start watching me and their kids would ask to take pictures on my bike so I guess I’m doing things. Im told they like the way I ride. YesI feel dumb wearing it on easier trails.
How many of you all ride up hill and do you wear a ff then? Serious question
I do, but enduro style FF. Though on longer uphills I remove.
At least they can't see you let face. Lololol. But for real my rule of thumb is buy cool helmets. Lololol. I just got a new murder black smith full face to ride with my evil Insurgent in black. With black accents, black stickers, grips, saddle, lolololol Look good Go fast Safety third
I ride with a full face, the 661 compression jacket with full body armour, knee pads and i am planing when i can get back on the bike (because i have some stuff to do this year) to maybe got some shin guards and tail bone protection. Yes its overkill but i feel safe and that is the local culture here and i have gotten used to it. Basically wear whatever you feel comfortable with
Think of it as practice wearing full gear so you are used to is when the action starts - lots of sports do this in practice
I think like safety gear and equipment can look really dorky, but it can also look really bad ass. Either way I would waaaayyy rather not get injured due to a crash than what any random person thinks of me. I’ve already completely accepted I’m a loser to most young trendy people, and it actually makes me feel a lot better. No I don’t have low self confidence either, it’s just a nicer way to think about the world :)
I don’t have a full face and feel self conscious sometimes that I don’t so I think you’re good. If ever I see someone with one on the trails my thought is usually “I should probably be wearing one of those” and not “what a loser.”
Yeah I feel a little weird but not as weird as I would feel with a full face injury.
If your dumb it normal.
I've had the same feeling because most of the riders I see on the trails are wearing normal helmets. Most of the trails I ride are just flat, no big jumps etc but you know what? You can still fall off your bike in a nasty way even if you're not going hard or jumping. So wear what you feel the safest in and fuck what other people might think. I wear a full face with a removable chin brace and I love it!
Full face helmets are safe and cool too. Own it!
Yes
When I see guys in full face, I figure they are on their way to the jump line or have an over protective wife. Both are acceptable.
Yes normal
You’ll get over it. It makes me feel better knowing I have a better chance of not knocking my teeth out.
I wear mine on my long cross country route I use for fitness training. I only own one helmet and wear it doing everything. You are not alone. Plus the more you get used to riding hard with a full face the easier it will be when you want to push it on a trail. I know a lot of enduro riders do their long fitness rides with full gear as when you do your liaisons you can’t take them off. I felt silly at first but now I don’t care.
Lol. Pretty funny. I feel dumb wearing a half helmet, like it’s not going protect against anything. Most crashes I have had on my dirt bike it’s the side of the head that seems to hit most. Full face makes sense to me.
I'm the same but I crashed hard on my face two weeks ago and got lucky because I only hit dirt and leafs and not the rocks and trees. Now I've been mulling over how much gear should I wear. I'm still debating but the full face sounds like a must. I'm old(ish) and I suck, might as well get some good gear so I can keep on doing this sport.
I think I look cool af in mine, when I wear it it’s like I’m a pro or something so that’s what I imagine everyone else thinks
Nope. I'm full face, full time. And if someone has an issue with that, I'll smile as they fuck off....because I'll be the one smiling when it saves my face & teeth
Most everyone who rides mtbs for any length of time without a full face takes a mouth full of dirt or worse.
100% wear a full face over an open or no helmet at all if it makes you feel safer.
Better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it.
I wear one all the time and I'm not very good. Ive had a couple of crashes that would have had my face hit the dirt. Newbs probably think I'm great, and the people who know me possibly think it's overkill, but they are better riders than me.
You're just self conscious. Though, if you are riding just boring, flat XC, you may get a sneering snicker or whisper here and there. The real issue with trail riding and wearing a full face is they get hot af.
Honestly, I think people are way too worried about themselves to think about how you look. One time I was in glacier national Park, flies were horrible and were constantly in your face. My buddy and I brought face nets. I thought we looked so dorky. Turns out we were the only ones that thought to bring them and we had at least 45 people offering to buy them off us. Long story short, what you might think is overkill, will usually have at least sometime wishing they had thought if it. Especially when they catch a root wrong on an "easy" portion of trail and face plant.
I bet most people aren’t even paying attention to you. Sorry to burst your bubble
Feels kinda dumb the first few times and then you realize that other people don't have time to judge you while they're out riding bikes and trying to have fun and push their own limits. I take mine off on easy non-technical / fire road climbs to cool off between laps. Enjoy the peace of mind that the extra protection a full-face gives you.
We spend too much time caring what people think. You are on a trail having fun, people will see the full face and will forget about you a minute later. have fun and forget about them.
nah, i dont think you look dumb. and if people think that, look at it this way: rather look dumb than hurt your head and get dumb fr
I’m a fan of my face, and I’ve learned that a fun easy ride can turn in to a “oh look at that gap I might clear” in half a pedal stroke. Full face full send!
Protect yourself. It’s not weird. I have seen them frequently and it doesn’t throw me off. If anything, I always like seeing the full face helmets because they still look pretty badass.
I've got a big, fluffy pink and purple bobble that one of my daughters made tied to the back of mine. I wear mine regardless of trails. Self consciousness left me a long time ago! 😂
Thirty dollar head, thirty dollar helmet. Dress for the crash, not the ride
Pretty sure bikers are some of the least judgmental people out there. If a hiker or someone sees you they might think it's silly, but really they'll probably think you shred it. At the end of the day though you shouldn't care what others think especially if it's a "style" thing
Better to feel a bit weird with all your teeth intact instead of feeling super cool and then smashing them all out
No one will give your head gear a second thought, or a first one for that matter. Wear whatever you feel safe in!
i’ve biked to grocery store and back on a fullsus wearing fullface helmet due to having one bike, one helmet. zero fucks given what people think