Instead, hold onto the end and push the MIDDLE of the strap through.
Your neck and chin can't tell the difference, except that there is no strap flapping around anymore.
I don't know about MOST helmets, but mine came with a longish strap that whipped around and beat a tattoo on my head whenever I got up to 60 mph or so.
I complained about it to my Dad, and he showed me a neat way to thread the helmet strap through the D-rings so that it takes up the slack AND acts as a "quick release" mechanism. He said he learned the trick long ago from some OTHER old-timer.
Click on a picture to see a larger version.
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The procedure starts out the same as usual. The first step is to put your helmet on your head! |
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Thread the end of the helmet strap through the D-rings as you normally do. Separate the rings to make room to push the strap back through. |
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Here is where the procedure changes. Don't push the END of the strap through the space between the rings.
Instead, hold onto the end and push the MIDDLE of the strap through. |
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Put one finger through the loop and use a little back-and-forth action to take up the slack until the strap is snug. Now you're ready to ride!
Your neck and chin can't tell the difference, except that there is no strap flapping around anymore. |
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Ready to take the helmet off? Simply pull on the end of the strap and it all comes loose. |
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Need some more practice? Start over and try again! |
I've been securing my helmet this way for 20,000 miles now (June 2003) and my hands do it very quickly without my even thinking about it.
Some people that I have shared this tip with have expressed concerns with its safety. While I understand where they're coming from, experience has shown me that it is every bit as safe and secure as the "normal" method. So don't knock it until you try it - at least once!