Given that speed is a premium in these events, and they seem to notice aerodynamics, why don’t the skiers and speedskaters wear something more along the lines of a tri helmet?
I think because they actually crash a lot more often than we do and the pointy tail helmet probably would not be a great thing due the torsion it would cause on the neck when the back of your head hits the ground. This rarely happens when you crash on a bike unless you slam into a brick wall and then fall backwards and end up twisting your neck. Trust me, you don’t want to go through that. It is really bad. You end up with a head injury on the front and a totally screwed up neck from the torsion.
I thought about that. But the fact they are going forward, what are the chances of doing that? Also (I am NOT up on the latest and greatest aero helmets…in fact, I only have a road helmet), isn’t there a new aero helmet without the sperm tail thing?
Just curious as speed and aeroness is HUGE on ST. You would think there would be more talk of it for Olympians.
Or, how about the fact that the short track speed skaters are using all of our 80’s Styrofoam MTB helmets with the Lycra covers? I wondered where all of those ended up.
I thought about that. But the fact they are going forward, what are the chances of doing that? Also (I am NOT up on the latest and greatest aero helmets…in fact, I only have a road helmet), isn’t there a new aero helmet without the sperm tail thing?
Just curious as speed and aeroness is HUGE on ST. You would think there would be more talk of it for Olympians.
I believe DP nailed it. When they crash, they’re not always moving forward. Both slide into boards or nets that could torque the neck. Snow is rough, too. The last thing one needs is to snag a pointy tail in the snow…
“Speed skiing”
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Just from experience, DH and SG’s can be amazingly violent and bumpy. You are not locked into a nice tight tuck the entire run. It’s very dynamic with lots of extension and compressions on every part of your body. I would guess any fairing would/could easily come in contact with your upper back and push the goggles out of position. If your goggles are out of position at speed it can become very dangerous for obvious reasons.
In part I think that’s why you see different rules for speed skiing and alpine speed events under the FIS (ski racings governing body).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OaM6m7SKOM
Watch Herman Maier’s crash and ask yourself if you want to wear an aero helmet.
That sounds right to me.
Don’t know about skiing, but short track skaters spend their time in a draft pack, and long track skaters don’t wear helmets. The rules actually forbid the use of aero helmets or anything else that doesn’t follow the shape of the body.
In response to alpine ski helmets…About ten-15 years back, Briko, Carrera, and Uvex (biggest players in Alpine helmets,) all had mildly “tailed,” helmets. They tail was more stubby and positioned at the rear crown of the head.
Since I have been outta the sport the tails seemed to have faded and the helmets have retreated to a more traditional shape.
This past summer I was looking over a good friends gear who is still racing, actually in the Olympics. His Uvex helmets reminded very much of the Kask bambino… The helmets are not totally round, they have some mild shape.
The F.I.S. does in fact have regulations on helmets as well as race suits…Suits have to actually be tested by a machine that reads the amount of air that passes through it…If a suit is deemed legal and “plumed,” a little silver button is stamped into the suit on the lower back leg.
In regard to the short track speed-skating helmets…I was ironically just having this conversation with another friend whos a skater two nights ago…She told me that it is in fact governing body rules that dictate helmets.
The helmets must have a cover, cannot have any vents large enough to except the blade of a skate and cannot have a tail/fin …I told her there are plenty of new age aero-bike helmets that would fit that criteria…to which she told me people don’t even really think about it, that their technology is pretty behind …but that there is lots of room for growth in that regard…Additionally no one in the sport thinks to or challenge anything tech. wise…Finally she said you would believe how heavy their helmets are…
Anyway just my two anecdotes in vague response to the OP
I think because they actually crash a lot more often than we do and the pointy tail helmet probably would not be a great thing due the torsion it would cause on the neck when the back of your head hits the ground. This rarely happens when you crash on a bike unless you slam into a brick wall and then fall backwards and end up twisting your neck. Trust me, you don’t want to go through that. It is really bad. You end up with a head injury on the front and a totally screwed up neck from the torsion.
Yes this is why they banned the full face helmets that where very common place from the late 70’s-early 90’s…
Lots of serious neck injuries resulted from that face shovel catching the snow at60-70 mph in a crash!
Fair enough. Thanks for the replies. All make sense; I was just kind of surprised that on a visual basis only, a sport based on speed didn’t have speed gaining tech involved (well, save for those UA speedskating suits…), so I figured I’d ask the speed/aero experts.
Thanks again!
Hello lightning33 and All,
http://www.bhsi.org/hurtmemo.htm
"Unfortunately, the implication of helmet displacement and possible ejection in an actual accident impact did not register as a real hazard in previous years of testing, but now there are accident cases appearing that show this to be a genuine hazard for bicycle riders wearing these streamlined helmets. Accident impacts at the rear of these streamlined helmets can cause the helmet to rotate away and expose the head to injury, or eject the helmet completely. The forces generated from the wedge effect can stretch the chinstraps very easily, and even break the retention devices.
We request that F08.53 committee study this problem and develop advisory information for both manufacturers of these streamlined helmets and consumer bicyclists who now own and wear such helmets. There is a definite hazard for displacement or ejection from impact on the rear wedge of these helmets, and bicyclists should be warned of this danger by an authority such as ASTM."
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This tail twisting problem with aero helmets is easily solved by having frangible tails, or tails made of a very soft material, or inflated tails that pop on impact.
Tails work for dogs and cats (Cheetahs) … why not cyclists and speed skaters?
Adding removable/replaceable different sized/shaped tails would aid in fitting the helmet to the back for different individuals with various head positions.
Effects on drag/speed could be quantified with CFD, velodrome, and wind tunnel tests.
That said it should be noted that races are generally about the human … not the gear … and sport culture is resistant to change.
On the other hand the sports gear industry is about performance enhancement, obsolescence, and style.
Perhaps introduce the new soft tailed helmets in figure skating where most any costume is OK.
Picture the model below doing a triple Lutz triple toe with the Davy Crockett helmet tail accentuation of her head rotation.
Cheers,
Neal
+1 mph Faster
Wish ST had a “Like” button.
+1