Friday, June 14, 2013

Biker On Budget : Make Your Own Helmet Pad

If you ride the motorbike or cycle, you will have a safety gear known as "le helmet". Most of these safety wear is expensive due to the construction and safety feature built into the helmet. One issue I've encountered when wearing helmet is sweat - bucket of it. I've learnt to wear a balaclava or use my "buff" head cover (those stretchable cloth made from microfiber) as a buffer when wearing helmet. That eliviate some of the heat/sweat but the helmet ultimately still feel damp. 
So, the usual way someone would place their helmet is with the open part (neck) at the bottom so the helmet would not roll down. But that will impede airflow and ultimately make the helmet smell as the helmet will stay damp for longer time. 
Best way, according to logic, is to leave the helmet with the open part up so it will be exposed to moving air. The biggest challege here is to prevent the helmet from rolling around, and God-forbid, drop to the ground. 
Something need to be done.
In come the Stupe Helmet Pad 
What you need:

  • 1.5feet of Insulflex foam - you can ask the aircondman for some balance or buy it off from them.
  • Some tapes - I used an old rim tape to tie the end. Red color add some "expensive" look to it. You can use cardboard or newspaper too, read on.
  • A piece of hand towel or microfiber towel. I have abundance of the yellow towel given out during races and it's time to put them to good use.

First, you put two ends of the Insulflex foam together and tie the end with the tape. If this method doesn't fancy you, alternative (as I prepared another one as I pace my helmet at two location : Office and Home), is to use a piece of cardboard or old newspaper, roll them up and insert into the Insulflex foam with one end of the paper/board sticking out. Then you simply join both ends together (like jigsaw puzzle). As I ran out of cardboard, I used an old rim tape.
Crude. But I am a functional guy.
This is how the one at home looked like.
Cardboard in the Insulflex hole and used to join both ends
Once you get the shape you wanted (and don't waste time trying to make it round no matter how OCD you are), simple place it on the table and put the cloth over the foam you just made. It is made more presentable after this, i promise you.
No one would know (or need to know)
The one I made at home has the more luxurious feel as i use a microfiber cloth. I use the cloth to wipe my helmet everyday as well. It clean the helmet off fingerprints and the visor to be free from smudges and traffic grime.
Neon is in, if you wonder
The final product will be utilised by placing the helmet upside down. The shape of the foam and the softness of the cloth will ensure that the helmet do not roll off and surface not scratched. 
Tadaa! Angled towards aircond vent
This DIY were made more out of necessity that trying to be cool. So, pardon the very rough/raw approach. I have no intention to refine this as I want to make this as cheap as possible. I believe you could actually buy these stuff from shops or something similar. 
If you have any idea to improve this, do share! Until then, ride safe!

1 comment:

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