@ Dude@ the fault there tho is that DH skiers travel MUCH faster than mtb'ers and don't fall on jagged surfaces. The amount of leverage increase of a FF is not going to produce enough force on it's own to break a rider's neck even if they are traveling at high speeds. I'd agree that there would be risk of strained neck muscles for sure, but not a break. Consider that you'd need not only enough extra force but also an increase in range of movement to result in breaking a facet or cracking a vertebrae. Then consider the range on movement of your neck. Finally, consider the fact that a FF helmet does move on a rider's head, so it does not create a fixed leverage point. I'm not saying the choice of a FF could lead to a broken neck is impossible, but it is highly unlikely. The safety benefits of wearing a FF far outweigh the negatives, and that opinion is based on my knowledge of human anatomy and biomechanics. There is a higher risk of a break from a compression type fracture where you do a lawn dart impression and land on your head or something like riding face first into a tree a high speed. In either of those cases, the type of helmet worn won't matter enough to increase the likelihood of a broken neck.
Jan. 13, 2022, 11:57 a.m. - Mark
@ Dude@ the fault there tho is that DH skiers travel MUCH faster than mtb'ers and don't fall on jagged surfaces. The amount of leverage increase of a FF is not going to produce enough force on it's own to break a rider's neck even if they are traveling at high speeds. I'd agree that there would be risk of strained neck muscles for sure, but not a break. Consider that you'd need not only enough extra force but also an increase in range of movement to result in breaking a facet or cracking a vertebrae. Then consider the range on movement of your neck. Finally, consider the fact that a FF helmet does move on a rider's head, so it does not create a fixed leverage point. I'm not saying the choice of a FF could lead to a broken neck is impossible, but it is highly unlikely. The safety benefits of wearing a FF far outweigh the negatives, and that opinion is based on my knowledge of human anatomy and biomechanics. There is a higher risk of a break from a compression type fracture where you do a lawn dart impression and land on your head or something like riding face first into a tree a high speed. In either of those cases, the type of helmet worn won't matter enough to increase the likelihood of a broken neck.