A plea against the full-face helmet: don't set the wrong example

"Then I did it once: I pulled the chin guard over my forehead, squeezed my head into the full-face helmet, bent my ears and laboriously fiddled with the straps to close the helmet. Goggles down and into the descent. The first time with full head protection on a conventional single trail. In recent years, I've noticed an increasing number of mountain bikers who carry a so-called full-face helmet with them on a mountain bike tour in order to better protect themselves on the single trail descent. I never really understood this behavior, which is why I decided to try it out myself.

I pass two hikers and, as always, greet them in a friendly manner, but they just look at me a little dumbfounded. Further down, two more, again no obliging reaction, and when I finally meet a farmer at the bottom of the trail, we only exchange a few words when I take off my helmet. Before that, he hadn't even noticed me as a possible conversation partner.It's amazing what a repellent effect a full-face helmet can have. Other people no longer perceive me as a "normal" mountain biker - but as a cloaked extreme athlete, as something alien, as something unappealing. As someone you'd rather not have anything to do with. This is precisely why full-face helmets have no place away from bike parks and downhill trails. They give the sport of mountain biking an extreme, but above all a false image. In many circles, we mountain bikers still suffer from the image of extreme athletes, and full-face helmets are a symbol of this.

Exaggerated protection against a rare injury

Of course, helmets offer better protection, and more safety is always good. However, facial injuries - which helmets also protect against - are extremely rare in mountain biking. In the last twenty years of single trail riding, I've seen many broken bones, torn ligaments and treated countless abrasions - but only one facial injury. Full-face helmets protect us against something that hardly ever happens. This may seem like an affront to all those who have actually suffered such injuries. But the statistics speak a different language.

The conclusion of my self-experiment: full-face helmets are of relatively little use on singletrack trails, but they do obvious damage to their image. Helmet manufacturers, specialist retailers and, above all, every single responsible mountain biker should be aware of this. It is undisputed: Anyone who spends the whole day thundering downhill in the park, checking their limits from time to time, anyone who takes jumps, consistently wears a full-face helmet. Anything else is negligent. This is exactly where these helmets belong and not on the single trail. My self-experiment with the full-face helmet will therefore remain a one-off venture. I'd rather stay in my comfort zone for longer on the descent and exchange a few words with one or two well-meaning hikers. And enjoy the wind in my face."

Well-known mountain bikers are not always good role models. Michal Prokop, former fourcross world champion, shows in a promo film for the award-winning Uvex Jakkyl exactly how not to do it. Aggressive riding style on a single trail, naturally with one of the new full-face helmets with removable chin guard. Conflicts with other trail users are inevitable.