Before I get started: It’s a long story, but I lost my bike helmet. I’m seeking recommendations. My strong preference is for a well ventilated “road” style helmet. No skater or urban helmets, no mountain bike helmets. I’m looking at around the $100 price range, so helmets like the Giro Atmos or Specialized Propero. Let me know what you think below the photo of cyclists taking up three lanes of El Camino Real near the Santa Clara Caltrain station.
The city of Santa Clara Police Department will hold a bicycle safety workshop at the new Northside Branch Library near Rivermark Village on Monday, March 16, 2015 from 6:30-7:30 pm. According to the SCPD, which will teach the class, this workshop will serve as an introduction to the basic rules of the road, proper safety equipment, laws that apply to bicycles, techniques to increase predictability and visibility, route planning, common misconceptions about bicycle riding, a review of local intersections and how to approach them and new legislation impacting bicyclists.
This class is part of a year-long program of special enforcements and public awareness efforts to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety in the city of Santa Clara and is possible through a $50,000 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS).
The class is free but pre-registration is required through Eventbrite.
The Silicon Valley Healthy Communities Summit takes place Saturday, March 7, 2015 at De Anza College in the city of Cupertino, CA. Registration is $20 until March 2 or while tickets are available, after which the price is bumped to $30, and seats are limited. Somebody (possibly me) will likely lead a “bike train” from San Jose to Cupertino for this event, and a ride leader is also sought from Mountain View. Event organizers also seek suggestions / requests for other bike train rides to Cupertino.
Watch for a significant expansion of San Jose Bike Train throughout the South Bay with the the SVBC Bike Pool project coming Real Soon Now.
Silicon Valley Bikes! celebrates the history and diverse culture of cycling in Santa Clara County. Sunday, May 3 at Kelley Park in San Jose.
TONIGHT: The Santa Clara city council considers the proposal for Mission Town Center Apartment Homes on El Camino Real at Benton Street, which replaces a storage facility and part of a dead-end public street on the triangular lot across the street from the parking lot that serves Santa Clara Caltrain. Irvine Company proposes 450 residential units and 27,000 square feet of retail space on this 6.5 acre property. This discussion takes place in a 5 PM study session that precedes the regular council meeting.
Leave your helmet recommends below, please!
I am also in the market for a new helmet. So i am intersted in what you end up with. I stopped into one of my local bike shops. While they carried many brands the did steer me towards the Giro. Though it was more on the $150 to $200 range. But this was a high end bike shop that show cases Cipollini and Sarto bikes.
I am surprised that a storage facility is closing down. Pleasant surprise.
I’ve pretty much always used Giro helmets and have not felt the need to switch. I’ve heard it depends a bit on your head shape though.
I am pleased with my Nutcase, but also have the Bell Alchera as a roadie alternative.
It would be nice if SCPD would also cover in their workshop how they plan to curb the rise in drunk and distracted driving, which is the biggest safety issue of all. Maybe if enough people raise the question during Q and A they might get the message. Whats is their plan, what is their metric, and what are their short and long term measurable goals to reduce drunk and distracted driving.
I upgraded to a Propero II last year and love it. I think it was ~120 at the LBS. The next version higher was just too much money, and the versions below it didn’t look as nice to me.
I’ve ridden with Specialized and Bell and Performance and Rudy Project helmets in the past, but last year fell in love with the Giro Aeon. It is super light and airy, and doesn’t give me the forehead dot that the Bells did from the velcro pad attachment. I had built up a yellow and black bike and happened across matching Dopestrong, er, Livestrong versions on closeout for $70 from Performance online. They retail for $250, and I’ve seen Chinese versions (forgeries?) for $65 on eBay. The only bad thing I can think of is that on fast descents the wind rushing through the large vents sometime makes me think I’m being chased by a truck. If you can find one in your size for a decent price jump on it. If you take a size small (or M/S in Rudy) then I have a few you can try and you can borrow until you’re situated.
BTW Irvine Company is doing lots of big developments in Santa Clara and has shown tremendous initiative in making them bike and ped friendly. They’ve engaged Alta on several projects for that purpose. It’s refreshing compared to (ahem, 49ers… Joe Mon…cough cough) some of the others we see.