The Chainlink

Brian Kennedy

Ladies! How do you avoid helmet hair? I almost have a coworker committed to trying bike commuting!

I've been given three bike commuting obstacles I must overcome before a female coworker will agree to try bike commuting. I've overcome two of the obstacles for her but I don't know anything about the third. What are your strategies for avoiding or fixing helmet hair? I guess the guys could chime-in here but the more specific the better.

Please no "go bald" responses, as I know all about that and it's not an option.

Please! Please! Please! Don't turn this in to a helmet debate. She wears a helmet, period.

I searched the forums and only found scattered indirect commentary on the subject. If there was a specific thread about this in the past that I didn't see, please link me to it and I will check it out.

Thank you.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by yaj 7.4 on August 10, 2009 at 10:48am
BK, I should have asked earlier, what were the other two obstacles you had to overcome?
Permalink Reply by dan brown on August 10, 2009 at 10:48am
hey - even the coolest chainlinkers have bad hair days : at least the helmet is to blame.

I threw away all my combs and really don't care what my hair looks like - but yesterday
it was SO HOT biking the lakefront (like an idiot I put a black visor under my helmet - wtf was I thinking)
I considered stealing a razor blade and just shaving it all off.

DB
Permalink Reply by dan brown on August 10, 2009 at 10:51am
btw - (Leah and Julie are you tracking this?) _ I am now picturing a helmet head / hair
fashion revue at the 1-year birthday party. Cool prizes for sure and lots of photo
uploading too... he he he

whaddaya all think about that ???


DB
Permalink Reply by Trachea on August 10, 2009 at 11:50am
daniel brown said:
btw - (Leah and Julie are you tracking this?) _ I am now picturing a helmet head / hair
fashion revue at the 1-year birthday party. Cool prizes for sure and lots of photo
uploading too... he he he

whaddaya all think about that ???


DB
Permalink Reply by Trachea on August 10, 2009 at 12:02pm
I have very thick, medium length hair and I've taken to leaving it wet in a ponytail (after conditioning and adding gel or mousse for control) when riding to work. We're fortunate enough to have a gym with showers at my job, so I rewet my hair in the shower, twist sections of it and let it air dry wavy. If I've blown dry my hair straight, I put it up in ponytail and poke thru the back of my helmet. With a bob, you could just keep a blowdryer & brush and/or flat iron for styling at work, if the restrooms at work have an outlet. There are some really small dryers and flat irons out there, that you can easily keep at your desk.
Permalink Reply by cherry dana on August 10, 2009 at 12:31pm
i just deal with it.
Permalink Reply by cutifly on August 10, 2009 at 12:38pm
tell them to skip the helmet.
Permalink Reply by Anne on August 10, 2009 at 2:45pm
YES!!

daniel brown said:
btw - (Leah and Julie are you tracking this?) _ I am now picturing a helmet head / hair
fashion revue at the 1-year birthday party. Cool prizes for sure and lots of photo
uploading too... he he he

whaddaya all think about that ???


DB
Permalink Reply by Reddog (Cliff) on August 10, 2009 at 3:59pm
Helmet hair is preferable to a cracked open head.
Permalink Reply by MirandaRanda on August 10, 2009 at 5:51pm
Just bring baby powder and a comb!! Baby powder soaks up any moisture - sweat, oil.. - shake some into your roots and fluff and comb through. You can also use the comb to back-comb the hair around the crown of your head for volume lost from the helmet's pressure.

hope it helps :)
Permalink Reply by Erin on August 10, 2009 at 7:00pm
That's exactly right. In fact, about 30 years ago, there was something called spray-in shampoo that basically was talc that you massaged into your hair, then combed out.

Another suggestion for your co-worker is to pull it back with a headband or some such thing when she gets to work--if it's long enough.

MirandaRanda said:
Just bring baby powder and a comb!! Baby powder soaks up any moisture - sweat, oil.. - shake some into your roots and fluff and comb through. You can also use the comb to back-comb the hair around the crown of your head for volume lost from the helmet's pressure.

hope it helps :)
Permalink Reply by Erin on August 10, 2009 at 7:03pm
And Brian, kudos to you for helping her out with this. You're a one-man, bike-to-work support group!

Brian Kennedy said:
The three conditions were:
1. How to dress for the commute (gave her the whole polyester & layers shpeal)
2. How to fold her work clothes for the commute (passed on my foolproof folding technique)
3. What to do about helmet hair

I also drew her a map on Map My Ride, informed her of Pace back-up options, and I'm going to ride all the way up to Glenview and escort her to-and-from work the first time. Don't get any ideas, she's married with children. I'm doing it 100% for the cause and I've offered the same to many other co-workers. She's just the first to take me up on the offer.

y a j said:
BK, I should have asked earlier, what were the other two obstacles you had to overcome?

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