When you get into any type of accident, wearing a helmet will drastically increases your odds of survival. Stories of cyclists getting their head busted from a fall are real. In February 2019, legislation for helmet to be mandatory for riders using bicycle/electric bicycle on road were passed. You could be fined $75.00 for failing to wear helmet.

Road Traffic Act Offence	Current Composition Sums	Revised Composition Sums
General Pedestrian Offences (E.g. Failing to cross at a pedestrian crossing)	$40	$50
Pedestrian Offences at an Expressway E.g. Entering an expressway tunnel on foot	$30	$75
Cyclist Offences E.g. Careless riding, not wearing a helmet while riding on the road, failure to conform to red light signal	$20	$75

(Source: https://www.mha.gov.sg/newsroom/press-release/news/strengthening-deterrence-against-irresponsible-driving)

It only takes 235 kg/2,300 newtons of force to crack a human skull. Putting that into perspective; an average person can stomp on a head with enough force can fracture a skull.

Therefore, wearing a bicycle helmet reduces head injury. A helmet creates an additional layer for the head. Depending on how your fall, it can protects the wearer from serious head and brain injury. It reduces the impact of a force or collision to the head by distributing the force to the EPS foam.

How to know what size to choose?

The first step to finding a helmet is determining your head size

Wrap a measuring tap around the widest part of your head. Start from the front, just 2cm above your eyebrows, and then go just above your ears to towards the back of your head. Continue onwards to the other ear and end it off back at the starting point. This is to know the circumference of the widest part of the head. If you do not have a measuring tape, you may use objects such as a string, shoe lance or even a USB cable and then measuring it with a ruler.

Next if possible, we strongly recommend trying to head over to a physical store to try out the helmet on your head. You will need to try to see if the inner cushioning of the helmet fits the geometry of your head. If you can fit 1 finger into the helmet, chances are the helmet is too big. Try fitting one size smaller and see if there are any differences. Do note that the padding will soften out over time so choosing one that fits snuggly is the right choice to go.

Adjust the chin strap to fit. Chin strap shouldn’t make you feel like chocking. Secure and fasten the chin strap and try to rock your head back and forth, side to side. The helmet shouldn’t be wobbling about.

Different helmet model/brand will have a different cutting to it. Free feel to try them all out to achieve the best fit.

Modern helmet

Most modern cycling helmet comes with an adjustable knob at the back that you can tighten or loosen to fit your head size.

This type of helmet needs to be fitted snuggly/tightly on the head so it doesn’t come off in an accident

Go with the size where the crown of the helmet rest snuggly onto the widest part of your head. Think of it as wearing an actual crown. The crown shouldn’t be too low where it touches your eyebrow nor should it be too high, providing no protection to your head. The helmet shouldn’t tip forwards or backwards. If it does, chances are that when you get into an accident, the helmet will probably slide away from the point of impact. If you fall face first, the momentum will cause the helmet to tip backwards, thus providing zero protection to the front of your head.

True/False? If I never had an accident, my helmet can last me forever.

If you have had a crash then it is a no brainer to get your helmets replaced. The EPS foam on the helmets doesn’t bounce back to its original shape once you have taken a blow. You may consider shelving it up as a show piece to remind you the importance of wearing one.

On the other hand, the component inside the helmets that is supposed to protect your head will degrade over time. Overtime, exposure to the sun and corrosion from your salty sweat will weaken the EPS foam inside the helmet, thus rendering it ineffective in protecting you. We suggest inspecting the helmet every year. If signs of deterioration starts appear, we highly recommend getting it change.