A crash helmet question.................

[PaulW]

.......though probably not one you were expecting! It’s a bit of a slow day, so thought I’d help it pass with an idle question.

I have a ‘60s Velosolex. For those who are too young to have seen one, it’s a French (it couldn’t be invented by anyone else) powered bicycle with the 49cc motor mounted on the handlebars and driving the front wheel via a roller. There is a lever to remove the roller from the wheel, but no throttle so it then sounds like a demented bumble bee on steroids (normally is just sounds like a demented bumble bee).

It has top speed on the flat of about 15mph (it'd be a bit more with a more sylph-like rider), slightly faster downhill – where gravity and the non sylph-like rider helps. Its absurd, but legally it’s a motorbike – so I have MOT (it is an annual source of great mirth in the shop), insurance and (free) road tax. I occasionally use it for shopping or for a couple of miles to work if the sun is shining, and any time I feel the need to pretend I'm a French peasant. It is actually great fun, and causes much merriment amongst those I pass (that would mostly be pedestrians and the infirm and elderly).

However….. as it is legally a motorcycle it also means I’m meant to wear a crash helmet. Can you imagine how ridiculous I’d look wearing a helmet on a small powered bicycle – so I don’t. The decision is mine, but I am just curious to know what others would do? I’ve never been stopped, but if I were I would suggest politely that I can go considerably faster on a pushbike and do they really want to waste my time and theirs prosecuting me?

[Guest]

worst that 'could' happen is a £30 fine and no points.. so. weigh that risk against the embarrassment. i would risk the £30.

would need a 'really' on the ball copper to 'know' that what you're doing is actually illegal.. maybe a bike cop or 'traffic'. but.. its probably fair to say they have better things to do with their time.

[PaulW]

worst that 'could' happen is a £30 fine and no points.. so. weigh that risk against the embarrassment. i would risk the £30.

Thanks for that. I wasn't sure of the potential penalty - but you are dead right, it is worth the risk of potential £30 not to look like a complete muppet. The important thing is that there are no points involved.

Someone's got to be pretty clued up to know the regulations, as you say more likely to be a bike cop or Traffic - and I suspect they'd be too busy laughing at it to be a jobsworth!!!

[fq-craigus]

Yes its a £30 fine and no points but its the same for motorbikes too, imagine how cool we would look riding along with no lid but a pair of ray bans instead. And all for just £30 per ride.

Its a safety thing, call me over causious but imo all 2 wheeled transport should require a helmet including ordinary pushbikes.

No offence meant but wearing a helmet and wrecking your street cred on a velosolex is the least of your worries, its a velosolex?

Each to their own at the end of the day

[Arwen]

I'd wear a helmet to be honest. As a cyclist I wear one too so I wouldn't treat this any differently.

How about getting an open face helmet? Or... If you want to attempt to keep police at bay, get one of those DOT approved half helmets and claim you thought it was legal here too.

[A40man]

so would i wear a helmet - i suppose an open face would look more the part

somebody told me that those lids cyclists have are actually useless in reality

[Guest]

I take back my wholly irresponsible post. i think you should wear ATGATT when you're racing round at extortionate speeds like 15mph. really - its in your own interest.

take your cues from this guy.

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w40/motobiker/hump.jpg~original

[OhJay]

I'd go for something like a cycling helmet or one of those daft open face things Vespa riders insist on wearing. It's something at least. I always wear a helmet even when cycling, cred be damned.

I have gone completely the other way for a laugh before, I went on a charity cycle ride out in full leathers and my full face helmet. Got a load of giggles but **** me was it hot!

[A40man]

15 mph is fast enough to get a nasty head injury imo

RoSPA says:-

Around 80% of motorcyclists killed in road accidents suffer major head injuries, and although there are serious injuries to other body areas in some of these cases, many do die from head injuries. Head and brain injuries can be caused in very low speed accidents, and motorcycle helmets offer good protection against such injuries (although they do not guarantee protection). In the UK, motorcyclists must wear a helmet when riding on the road. Helmets sold in the UK must comply with ECE Regulation 22 as amended by the 05 series of amendments, British Standard BS 6658 as amended or a European standard which offers a level of protection which is the same as, or better than, the BS.

[RantMachine]

A lad from the village I used to live in died after falling off his bicycle (at low speed, too) and being unlucky enough to crack his head on something. I always wear a bicycle helmet, daft as it looks. Sometimes I misplace the thing and have to wear a motorbike helmet instead

[Steve D]

.......though probably not one you were expecting! It’s a bit of a slow day, so thought I’d help it pass with an idle question.

I have a ‘60s Velosolex. For those who are too young to have seen one, it’s a French (it couldn’t be invented by anyone else) powered bicycle with the 49cc motor mounted on the handlebars and driving the front wheel via a roller. There is a lever to remove the roller from the wheel, but no throttle so it then sounds like a demented bumble bee on steroids (normally is just sounds like a demented bumble bee).

 

 

Hey, I am currently considering getting a velosolex at the moment! Any tips on which model to get/avoid? Also, if I buy one that has not got a registration document or numberplates, how easy is it to get sorted?