Why are bicycle helmets so huge?

Q. Jeez, I put one on my Grand Son and it was as big as he was.
What happened to the day when a kid threw on his jeans, T shirt and tennis shoes and jumped on his bike?

Answer
Fake

Those kids all died off from head injuries! :-)

I was one of those kids. Yes we survived. But, cycling today is much different than the cycling we did. We cruised. Todays cyclists ride, do tricks, jump, at speeds, and distances beyond anything we ever dreamed of.

My kids rode in infant seats over my rear tire. I would not ever conceive of them in that seat without a helmet on! When they were really young the helmet was so large because it was all foam, this to keep the weight to a minimum. As they got older, the plastic shell and better suspension systems followed. Their bodies grew and it became a little more proportional.

Well grand dad. Get him on the back of your bike or in a trailer and ride! It will do you both good!

Have you noticed that we are much different than our parents? Most of our parents as 'grand pa's' could barely move. I am riding, ref'ing, and running all the time. What a difference in the quality of life in just one generation!

Get out there and enjoy!

Soccerref

Where can I find an infant helmet for atv safety?

Girlz

I am trying to not only find a helmet for my infant but also a safety harness or something to make it safer for her where can i find this?

Answer
I don't believe that any company out there makes a helmet for an infant, short of a bicycle helmet that may fit. There is no company that makes a safety harness for infants, or a harness/seat belt of any kind for an ATV. Reason being, what if you need to bail off because you lose control? I know I would not want to be strapped to an ATV. I have only had to "ditch" once and if I hadn't, it probably would have killed me if I was strapped to it. To be candid, if you lost control and had to ditch would you want the infant strapped to it...pretty good chances your infant would be crushed, especially if you are looking at a roll-over or tumble situation. Many states have laws against passengers on an ATV unless it designed for that purpose (Polaris makes one for example) or vehicles like the Yamaha Rhino.

Long story short, you are looking out for your infant. If you are going "putting around" with her, get a small bike helmet unless the child has a large head, then you should be able to find a small helmet at a motorcycle shop. They make helmets for the little ones that race in the 50cc class, but those kids are normally about 5. Next option is get something like a Yamaha Rhino. You do not want to strap your child to the ATV.....Righting a rolled ATV isone thingg, but not with a crushed child attached to it. Sorry, I know it is not the answer you are looking for, but it is the truth.

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Infant Bicycle Helmets?

Gussie

Where can I find bicycle helmets for infants?

Thank you.

Answer
Your local bike shop should have something. But check your local laws. There is probably an age requirement for infants riding in trailers or carrier seats (probably at least one year, possibly 18 mos. or 2 years). Even if your child meets the age requirement, remember there is a lot of bouncing and jostling when riding, so consider the safety of your child first before taking him or her out for a ride.

Do they make bicycle helmets for toddlers under 3?

jen

I looked at Target and Walmart yesterday and the smallest helmets I found were for 3+. Is it fine to use them (that's what I ended up buying, so I hope so!) or are there smaller helmets? My daughter just got a trike and I want her to use a helmet for safety and to get in the habit.
oh and my daughter just turned 2 on Friday
Her head is in the 93rd percentile for her age, so maybe it fits right. haha (jk). It says it's a toddler helmet and "true fit" or something, but it says 3+. We have a schwinn store in town so maybe I can find a better fit there.

Answer
Yes they do. Schwinn makes an infant bike helmet. I bought mine from Canadian Tire but if you're not in Canada, I imagine you can find them anywhere that sells bikes.

Here's what it looks like: http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/5/SportsRec/BikesAccessories/HelmetsGloves/PRD~0730256P/Schwinn%252BToddler%252BHelmet.jsp?locale=en

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Baby in a bike seat- what's the youngest age?

Mrs. Kelly

I want to get a bike seat for my baby so she can ride with me. What is the minimum age she can be to ride/wear a helmet? Anyone know?

Answer
Obviously a child can't be on a bike until they can safely wear a helmet.

http://www.helmets.org/little1s.htm
Nobody we have met in the injury prevention field recommends taking an infant of less than 12 months in a bicycle child seat, trailer, sidecar or any other carrier. Nobody. And we do not either.
New York state law prohibits it. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission thinks it is dangerous to take a child under one year on a bicycle, and here is their rationale:

Maurice Keenan, MD, from the American Academy of Pediatrics [21], requested that a minimum age of 1 year be reflected on the label for helmets intended for children under age 5. This would better convey the message that infants (children under age 1) should not be passengers on a bicycle under any circumstance.

The Commission agrees with the commenter that children under 1 year of age should not be on bicycles. Children are just learning to sit unsupported at about 9 months of age. Until this age, infants have not developed sufficient bone mass and muscle tone to enable them to sit unsupported with their backs straight. Pediatricians advise against having infants sitting in a slumped or curled position for prolonged periods. This position may even be exacerbated by the added weight of a bicycle helmet on the infantâs head. Because pediatricians recommend against having children under age 1 as passengers on bicycles, the Commission does not want the certification label to imply that children under age 1 can ride safely.

Source: 16 CFR Part 1203 Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets; Final Rule, page 11726

That explains why you will not find a child helmet on the market sized for a tiny tot. You certainly do not want to ride with a bare-headed child, and in some places it is illegal. In fact, several states have laws against taking children under one year of age on a bicycle, even with a helmet.

Parents love their babies and love their bicycles, so it is natural to want to put the two together. That thought occurs to every bicycling parent, generally before the child is born. We see messages on the Internet indicating that some parents do put their children in baby seats of one design or another and take them along on trailers starting as young as five weeks. Others use a baby backpack. At slightly older ages, people use front or rear-mounted child seats. A few (mostly in the UK) use sidecars. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. A disclaimer: our purpose here is to cover the risks, so you know what you are getting into. We are hearing more these days about undiagnosed brain injuries, with symptoms too subtle for doctors to detect, but very real to families. And that comes to mind whenever someone asks us about babies and biking. We worry about your six-week-old entering the first grade six years from now with a small but detectable mental handicap. That is alarmist; this is an alarmist page.



http://www.ibike.org/education/infant.htm
Infants: Child Seats Vs. Trailers Vs. Backpacks Vs. Third-wheel Cycles

The primary determinant of when an infant can join his or her parents on bike rides is the strength of the the child's neck. Because of the jostling and the additional weight of a helmet (8-10 oz.), this is a few months after a baby can first hold their head up. Note: Some jurisdictions have laws requiring passengers on bicycles to be at least one year old.

Usually by age 12 months parents can start checking with the child's physician to see if they have the neck development to safely go for a bike ride. Most toddlers' neck and shoulder muscles can tolerate the weight of a helmet and absorb shock from bumps in the road at 1 years old.

We know of no comprehensive study on the best method to carry an infant on a bike and there are risks associated with all of them.. Here are some factors to consider:

At what age can a baby use....?

BEC

A bike seat??

I want to start riding my bike with my daughter...she is 9.5 months...is she old enough? Or is should I wait? What age is ok?

Answer
At an absolute bare minimum the child has to be able to wear a bike helmet, which means their neck must be strong enough to support the weight. That happens at about 1 year of age and parents are advised to discuss it with their pediatrician -though I do not actually believe that pediatricians or family doctors have *any* training in this.

In some places (NY for example) it is the law that no child under age 1 be attached to a bike in any way.

http://www.bhsi.org/little1s.htm
Nobody we have met in the injury prevention field recommends taking an infant of less than 12 months in a bicycle child seat, trailer, sidecar or any other carrier. Nobody. And we do not either.
New York state law prohibits it. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission thinks it is dangerous to take a child under one year on a bicycle, and here is their rationale:

Maurice Keenan, MD, from the American Academy of Pediatrics [21], requested that a minimum age of 1 year be reflected on the label for helmets intended for children under age 5. This would better convey the message that infants (children under age 1) should not be passengers on a bicycle under any circumstance.

The Commission agrees with the commenter that children under 1 year of age should not be on bicycles. Children are just learning to sit unsupported at about 9 months of age. Until this age, infants have not developed sufficient bone mass and muscle tone to enable them to sit unsupported with their backs straight. Pediatricians advise against having infants sitting in a slumped or curled position for prolonged periods. This position may even be exacerbated by the added weight of a bicycle helmet on the infantâs head. Because pediatricians recommend against having children under age 1 as passengers on bicycles, the Commission does not want the certification label to imply that children under age 1 can ride safely.

Source: 16 CFR Part 1203 Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets; Final Rule, page 11726

That explains why you will not find a child helmet on the market sized for a tiny tot. You certainly do not want to ride with a bare-headed child, and in some places it is illegal. In fact, several states have laws against taking children under one year of age on a bicycle, even with a helmet.

Parents love their babies and love their bicycles, so it is natural to want to put the two together. That thought occurs to every bicycling parent, generally before the child is born. We see messages on the Internet indicating that some parents do put their children in baby seats of one design or another and take them along on trailers starting as young as five weeks. Others use a baby backpack. At slightly older ages, people use front or rear-mounted child seats. A few (mostly in the UK) use sidecars. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. A disclaimer: our purp

Can anyone recommend a good infant seat for my bike?

bicycle helmets for infants image

brwneydgrl

I have a Beach cruiser style bike and I am looking for a seat for my 6 month old. Any recommendations?

Answer
You do not want to take a 6 month old on a bicycle. Their neck is not strong enough to put up with the strain let alone wear a helmet. What until they are at least 1 year old and can support their head and look around. Some states like NY have laws that prohibit any child 1 year old or less on a bike or trailer.

http://www.ibike.org/education/infant.htm

Can anyone recommend a baby helmet to soften falls?

tonymonton

We got her one, but she won't wear it because it falls over her eyes. Any suggestions?
for those of us who don't see the wisdom in fall protection, try this.. Fall head first onto a hard floor. If you still don't understand the trauma this causes to a baby, repeat until convinced.

Answer
I have been a mom for 28 years to 4 kids who are now 28, 26, 23, and 10. I am also grandma to an almost 12 month old grandson who has been working to perfect his toddling skills for about a month. Additionally, I have provided child care in my home for 20 years. Unless your baby has a medical condition necessitating a helmet a child who is developing at a normal rate does not need one. Falls and the accompanying bumps, bruises, and cuts are part of the learning experience and while I won't say never, I will say will rarely cause any permanent or long-lasting damage. I have never heard of a child with a permanent injury as the result of a normal childhood fall. Truthfully, most of the falls will cause various facial injuries rather than head bumps anyway. Right now I have my almost 1 year old grandson sitting on my lap with a bump above his eye that he got earlier today when he fell against a toy while practicing his walking skills. It caused a few tears, but some snuggle time and a kiss to make the "owie" better and he was up and trying again. One of my 2 year old daycare children has a scratch on his check no doubt received over the weekend in some toddler mishap. When babies are learning to walk they will naturally put their hands out to balance themselves and thus to catch themselves so they are not landing with a full impact on their heads/faces on the floor nor will they fall straight back, but usually fall on their well-padded little bottoms. In my many years of experience with infants and toddlers, the only child who needed a helmet was not for safety reasons but was a molding helmet to help with plagiocephaly, which is the misshapen head that some infants get. I am sure that you love your daughter very much and want to do what you can to protect her, but a helmet is really unneccessary unless she is riding on the back of your bike in a child seat or in a bicycle trailer. ADDED: It is just a part of life that babies fall while learning to sit or walk. The majority of the time it is not their head that hits the floor first. While learning to sit simply place pillows around her while she practices the balance skills she needs. While learning to walk, most falls are backward to the bottom. Frontwards falls are usually absorbed by the torso and the arms. Bumps to the head are typically not caused by falls but rather by running into something such as a door knob, a coffee table, or the kitchen table.

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