I'm really tired of low braids and ponytails. My preferred hairstyle is a chignon (just like a bun! but it sounds cooler!), and my hair is long enough that it can't fit under the helmet. I usually prefer to hold it with hairsticks, too, the better to receive signals from the mothership. Can anyone recommend helmet brands that would accommodate this? In the ones I've tried, the adjustment band in the back gets in the way.

I'm fine with the knot being pretty low in back; I only need a little more room for my Bell helmet to work.

Thanks!

I don't have a specific recommendation for you, but I think I might have some bad news... helmets are designed to protect your forehead and the back of your head, so you probably won't be able to get too lofty of a bun. =\ However, I don't rock a Bern because it has too much coverage/ not enough venting, so you might have more luck with *any* road- or mtb-style helmet compared to a Bern.

And this doesn't answer your question, but this is something that I do: I keep a hair band on me, and shove my (medium long) hair up under my cap, and I'll do my 'do up real quick when I land.

(Good on you for wearing a helmet!)

Well, it's not the helmet itself that's the problem -- it's the adjustment band thing. Which I'm pretty sure is not protecting the back of my head from anything except my preferred hairstyle.

Bern != Bell. Those just look awful for heat. Though maybe nice for winter? The Bell isn't horrible for ventilation, at least.

By "long," I mean waist-length. It doesn't really go under things. While I mentioned ponytails, I almost never wear them because of tangles. My options are braids, braids, and braids, which gets old.

I have no idea why I misread your OP! My reading comprehension is horrible sometimes.

That's alotta mane you're working with.

I'm not sure of a specific brand, but what other helmet retention systems have you tried? (Lazer has a good system, but I think you might still run into the same problem...) I'll ask around and see if my pals know of something.

My hair isn't quite as long as yours, but I've had very good luck with Lazer helmets. The adjustment mechanism is high enough to wear a sligtly over the ears ponytail. I put my hair in a braid and then put it up in a bun or a knot after putting my helmet on. I'd think it should work without the braid as well.

Speaking of this, winter hats can be problematic if you have that much hair. If you knit or know someone who does, these headbands are super-easy, don't use much yarn, and work well through most of the winter (depending on the winter, of course). And I've discovered they also fit under my helmet. The only problem is that sometimes the button tries to eat the hair at the back of my neck, but that's not a big deal.

Also: Got the Lazer (my spare helmet is too old, and I wanted a light-colored one). It works! Just enough clearance in the back that the bun doesn't get messed up.

Yeah! Glad you got a helmet that works for your 'do!

I love headbands. I don't knit, but I have a few fleece ones that I've made with a couple of quick stitches.

Me too, thanks. I hope the bun still looks femme enough. I'm convinced that looking conspicuously girly is the reason I don't get buzzed or "get-off-the-road" type harassment. (I still get the female-in-public sort, of course, but I'm used to that and it's less likely to kill me....)

Yes, but those are harder for the cats to destroy. Cat entertainment is an important secondary purpose.

Haha. My cats love to sleep on expensive wool baselayers. Tiny holes emerge from contented kneading. Little jerks.

Hey there!

I know this is an old thread (haven't been on MBL for awhile) but - are there any local shops that sell these Lazer helmets? I have the same "bun/long hair" issue.

Thanks!

Yeah, I got mine from the Minnehaha Hub. I actually got a men's helmet -- they were out of the women's, and I guess I have a big head, because I could cinch it down enough to fit. I was glad I had when winter started, because it accommodated my gear easily and I'm not sure the women's helmet would have.

Aha! Thanks for the info, and for the sizing anecdote - I will keep that in mind!

QBP distributes Lazer, so any shop should be able to get a Lazer helmet for you. Freewheel has quite a few models in stock. Keep in mind that, as with almost all helmet manufacturers, there's different models that will be sized differently. For example the Lazer O2 only comes in one size, while the Helium comes in three.

Duly noted. Good to know about QBP - that'll make it a snap.

Thank you so much!