Helmet Size Question

[the_limey]

OK, this may be a stupid paranoid question - but in the world of no-return helmets it seems pertinent:

I'm a complete newbie and I bought this helmet at the weekend (Shoei RF1000 Small) and was assured by the salesperson it was the best fit of the helmets I tried.

The helmet is comfy - worn it in the house for hours! I have a long skinny face and super long neck. I'm worried the helmet doesn't come down far enough down the back of my head/neck. The gap between my coat collar and helmet is huge.

I can put a scarf on if this is just because my neck is long... but if it's compromising my safety... well, that's a different issue altogether!

I'd appreciate any feedback based on the photos attached.

Thanks!

[Griffin]

It looks perfectly normal, to me. The helmet comes down just to the very top of the spinal column.

If it fits snug, without hurting after wearing for an hour, I think you have a good fit.

Some other things I've learned to look for are the view through the visor (some helmets are more restrictive for some people than others), the distance from my mouth to the mandible or chin part of the helmet (I want it close so bugs don't get in there but not too close that my lips are pressed against it and I find different helmets are different), strap location on my throat.

If you want to get into neck protection you'll need to get additional equipment that is designed to reduce injury to your neck, specifically. The helmet just looks after your noggin.

[Spyug]

Dang you do have a long neck! Sorry, couldn't resist. Having said that, I second everything Griffin said. The helmet protects the noggin...that's it. As long as its not too heavy, it shouldn't put any addition strain on your neck, unless you already have issues with it. I have pretty severe arthritis in my neck that restricts my head turning (Have to turn my whole body) but wearing a helmet for a whole day doesn't cause me anymore discomfort.

If you are worried about an injury to the neck than you can get guards and reinforced collars but I'd think they would be restrictive and may even cause more of a problem.

Maybe you should talk with your doctor or a chiropracter to see if your concerns are justified.

Wearing it around the house for a few hours is a good idea as it will help to 'break in" the fit and perhaps help to strengthen you neck muscles.

By next riding season, you should be good to go.

Cheers,
Spyug

[the_limey]

Thanks for your responses guys! Really appreciate the feedback.

The Limey