Helmet Wind Break

[macx]

First, understand I'm always tinkering.

 

Having said that, I ride in what is lately some pretty cool

weather on the 45 mile ride to work at 4:30 AM - have hit

33 deg a couple times already.

 

I've got plenty clothes to remain comfortable (incl my new heated Milwaukee (tool) brand jacket I got on ebay from ToolUp.com for $90)but have always struggled to keep the cold blast of air off

of the base of my neck, basically below my adams apple.

 

The jackets I had before either didn't close very well in that

area, or were too tight when the nice high collar on the other one is zipped up to put much of anything inside the collar.

 

So, off to the drawing board.

 

What these pics show is actually Rev 1 (not going to even show

Rev 0, pretty crude as it was strictly a prototype)

 

Last summer I discovered something while wiping a big bug splatter off of dead center of my face shield. Just out of

idle curiosity I used that hand to feel where the airflow was

going that came over the windshield and hit basically the top of the helmet. I was surprised to feel how much of it flowed downward over the face shield. Apparently something like the effect of wind over a curved wing - it follows the curve.

 

Anyway, after passing the lower, leading edge of my full face helmet, it veered sharply inward and hit the base of my throat.

That's OK in warm/hot weather, but NOT at much below 55 or so deg F!

 

I just happened to discover that as I lowered my hand along the faceshield, the blast of air on my throat suddenly ceased when I got my hand to the base of the front of the helmet. So I tried just 1 gloved finger and got the same effect. Totally dead airspace at my throat. When I removed my finger, the air blast was back. Hmmm.

 

So being my helmet has seen better days I figured it wouldn't hurt to experiment on it a little.

 

Got some different sizes of foam weatherstripping (cheap) and some glue and went to work.

 

The very first attempt worked, but was quite obvious and crude looking.

 

Fast forward to Rev 1. Smaller, less obtrusive, and worked as well if not better.

 

On Rev 0 I glued the strips basically around the front of the helmet lower edge half way around - from ear to ear. That helped deflect the wind from getting down behind my collar along the side of my neck, too.

 

On Rev 1 (photos) I tried just using a short (about 5") strip on the front. Suffice it to say the side strips are going back on.

 

What I've got right now is simply 3/4" wide by 1/2" high black foam weatherstrip glued on. I glued the 1/2" side to the helmet, leaving the 3/4" sticking out. I trimmed the upper leading edge at about a 45 angle with a razor thinking it may

help steer the airflow better. Left the bottom edge square

so there was no round edge for the air to follow and point back towards my throat.

 

I'm sure anyone with a little "handy" and some thought can make up something that looks better.

 

Not saying this would work for everyone or on all types of helmets. Just happens to work wonders on mine.

 

On my RT I have to raise the windshield higher than I like to divert the airflow high enuf for most of it to go over the top of the helmet, esp at higher speeds.

 

I left the strip high enuf off the bottom of the helmet so I can attach a row of small snaps to which I can attach a thin but mostly wind proof flap of fabric that I can close my jacket over even the one with the tight collar. Even without strong airflow, the bottom of my chin gets cold at 40 or 30 deg!

 

I'll probly post pics of that mounted next week.

 

So, here it is. Please, no ROFL! :-/

 

First one is looking straight down along the front of the

helmet/face shield. The other 2 are looking at the front

of the helmet straight from the side.

 

http://s719.photobucket.com/user/macx351/media/R1200RT/Helmet%20Wind%20Break/IMG_0418_zpsd703a4d8.jpg.html

 

http://s719.photobucket.com/user/macx351/media/R1200RT/Helmet%20Wind%20Break/IMG_0421_zps57887da8.jpg.html

 

http://s719.photobucket.com/user/macx351/media/R1200RT/Helmet%20Wind%20Break/IMG_0420_zpsa0a81c62.jpg.html

 

 

[Oldironken]

Nice work, it doesn't get much simpler than that. Just curious, have you used your hand to figure out where the air is being diverted to with this installed?

[Michaelr11]

An Aerostich Wind Triangle would work really well to keep your neck warm and seal the collar of your jacket. It won't do anything about air turbulence. Another option is a fleece skier's neck warmer; same effect.

 

http://www.aerostich.com/aerostich-fleece-wind-triangle.html

 

[Mrs. Caddis]

+1 on the fleece ski cowl

[macx]

Oh, yes! I "followed" it down past my throat and it does curve back in toward my chest, but doesn't hit me until about the normal top of shirt pocket level. Of course, the jacket etc etc protects me there.

 

That little lip kicks it out / forward just enuf so by the time it gets back to me, it's too low to be of any concern. It kicks it only about 3" or so forward of the lower leading edge of my helmet.

 

As I said, this very well may not work on other helmets, or even be needed with people that can hunker down behind their windshields far enuf.

 

But it's simple enuf to test - just hold your hand in front of your helmet and move it down - you'll surely feel where the air is flowing. And if you stick just one gloved finger at the front lower edge of your helmet, you'll be able to tell very easily if it makes a difference with your helmet etc.

[macx]

Something else I'd never run across.

 

Pretty much the same thing I'm doing with a thin piece of fabric (fake leather of some type or other, real thin, with a soft inner lining also real thin). I've got to keep it thin so I can fasten my jacket collar over it. One medium weight jacket I have doesn't have much room at all inside the collar when zipped up. Any I just tried on my new Milwaukee (tool) electric jacket I got from ToolUp.com for $90 plus a cord to plug into the bike and it's got a nice high zip up collar but also not a whole lot of room.

 

But I'll end up with about the same effect.

 

And my wife (fabric hoarder) already had the material.

 

But thanks for the info!

As much as I cruise the internet looking for interesting stuff, it's strange I never ran across those before.

 

I've got a whole head covering like a thin ski mask that I also use when the temps get serious, actually is cold weather gear for construction workers. Thin enuf to fit comfortably inside my helmet but keeps my face warm. Got it free on a recent job. I like free :-)

 

My wife just send me some leggings she made that should work well. Cut the legs off a pair of flannel lined heavy denim jeans, opened up the inseam seam, sewed on some big buttons on one side and some fairly strong elastic loops on the other side. That should make them adjustable to varying thicknesses of jeans/long johns, etc, and still keep them snug. Trying them first time this coming AM, over unlined jeans and no thermal long handles. I had a pair of leather chaps but they were HUGE! and stiff and awkward and heavy. These fold up into a nice small bundle. I'll take a photo of them maybe Fri nite and post.

[tvpierce]

Get yourself a cheap balaclava from Bike Bandit or Motorcycle Superstore.

I bought THIS ONE for $8 because I liked that it has a long neck section (so can be tucked into my shirt collar) and I liked also that it's nylon/spandex.

 

I wear a skiers neck gaiter over it, but you could have your fabric hording wife sew a ring of something to the neck portion. Ideally, something like a salvaged sleeve from an old jacket -- so it would have the nylon outer for wind breaking, and a fleece lining for insulation.

 

If you poke around the site I linked to above, you can borrow ideas from the many cold weather balaclavas offered there.

[tallman]

The BMW Windstopper balaclava works extremely well.

Had mine about 10 years so that works out to about a penny a day.

[macx]

That balaclava (or whatever) looks like just the thing!

 

I might have to pry a few green rectangles out of that moldy

wallet and give it a try.

 

Thanks!

[DiggerJim]

The downside of balaclavas is that if you wear glasses you'll often find that they get fogged up. I use a silk scarf or one of those microfiber tube type things. The fabric is thin enough not to interfere with the jacket collar but is great at stopping the wind and keeping warm.

[macx]

Good to know - I already have that problem if I don't have the right vents open on my helmet.

 

Seems I recall I also had some of that problem when I used my thin ski mask type head covering.

 

Just gotta exhale in the downward direction :-/

[racer7]

macx

Your description and device exactly mirror the effect of a splitter, the most important aero device on the front of any race car and in fact more important than the wing on the rear.

There are a few readily available texts on race car aero design- bet if you read them you'll get some other ideas for dealing with rider problems.

 

Its no accident that some racing helmets for cages have a lower lip/splitter. Serves to help keep helmet lift to a minimum also.

 

Splitters do not need to project much to be highly effective. Although some race designs are very wide, in fact almost all of the effect on typical car bodies at racing speed can be had from a 2" wide spoiler. That effect is minimizing air going under the body where it compresses against the pavement and adds drag to the vehicle, reducing speed available at any given power level. Splitters are often supplemented with "dive planes" at the side which serve to create defined turbulence at the sides and reduce airflow under the body from points about 1/3 of the way back on the body. For cages, a rear underbody tray completes the basic three bits at the bottom then a wing or wings deal with issues on the upper surface.

 

I once added a splitter to a fast cage that had a habit of going nearly airborne at the crest of the fastest straight on my usual track (unaltered cage bodies make a pretty decent wing if pushed fast enough) - it added 4 mph to my top speed much to my surprise and by itself planted the car enough to eliminate what was becoming a serious safety problem.

[dirtrider]

 

Afternoon Macx

 

33°f isn't that cold, we regularly ride in ambients well below 0°f up north here.

 

Seems like a lot of work altering your helmet.

 

What I have used for years to keep the cold off of my neck below the helmet is a simple & cheap somewhat fluffy ski head band.

 

Those things are meant to be worn high on the forehead or around the ears but I just pull it down around my neck. It acts like a soft stuffer that seals the bottom of my helmet to my jacket collar.

 

Best part is buying the ski bands-- I am old & the girls in the ski shops are usually quite young. When I ask to see a soft ski head band the girl usually hands me one & I put in on my head, then pull it all the way down to under my chin.

 

I usually get a very an odd look then she says something like-- , sir, that isn't where you are suppose to wear them. I just smile & say but that is where I like to wear it. I'm sure the girl is saying something like "strange old fart" under her breath.

 

The ski head band does work peachy though to seal the cold air out of the neck area.

 

[Glenn Reed]

Some more wisdom from dirtrider, this time not on the mechanical side of things, but a recommendation on apparel and how to have fun when purchasing!

[macx]

I hear you, been there, done that (colder than 33)

 

Spent my first 40 where Ohio was "down South" -

central MN.

 

Used to love snowmobiling at -20F and even -30F.

 

Of course, behind the cowl, engine, and if we had

any type of actual windshield, there was quite a bit

of protection for the rider from the wind. Actually

a snowmobile suit and accessories would be the way to

go in serious cold.

 

But I've been based out of SE MO for the last 25+,

altho during that time have worked in North central Oregon,

South central Montana and (yup) Zanesville OH.

 

Only trouble is, I'm over half way on my 2nd 40 and have

been away from anything seriously under 0F for awhile.

 

But I remember those times fondly - I always enjoyed a

good sled more even than my bikes.

 

Thanks, everyone, for all the good info!