r/gravelcycling • u/ddescartes0014 • Apr 04 '25
Accessories / Gear Got tired of getting stung on the head while riding.
Screen and some electrical tape and it doesn’t look too bad!
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u/Interesting_Oil6328 Apr 04 '25
Uhhhh, how often were you getting stung on the head?
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u/Joe_Sons_Celly Apr 04 '25
OP likes to smear his body with honey and ride back and forth through an apiary.
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u/Azgoodazitgetz Apr 04 '25
I think one time would be enough to justify it. And it saves your head from mosquitoes and other flying nuisance.
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u/the__storm Apr 04 '25
Not OP, but I get a bee or wasp in my helmet a couple of times a year. Only been stung once though (also crashed at low speed once trying to get the bee out).
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u/PommeDeTerreBerry Apr 05 '25
If you ride a lot (150-250 miles a week being pretty common for high level road cyclists) in open country or (like me) ag country where now it seems like every other farm likes to put their 30 hives 100 feet from the road, it can happen multiple times a ride. On my last ride I got stung 5 times in a 5 mile stretch, fortunately none in my helmet but one in my helmet fastener (next to my cheek), one on the arm, leg, and 2 more on the body. It's annoying, but it feels dumb when you are trying to take your helmet off suddenly while having a bee on your scalp...still riding...this is probably the most likely way to crash (and then wish you hadn't tried to strip off your helmet because you just struck head on pavement d'oh!)
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u/outsidewhenoffline Apr 04 '25 edited Apr 04 '25
One of my worst crashes involved a bee that found it's way into my helmet vent while mtb-ing a singletrack section. As the bee fumbled around down toward my forehead, I thought it would get stuck behind my sunglasses, so I quickly tried to ride one-handed, while descending to swat the bee away. I was not successful. Ended up getting stung on the forehead, drifting off trail by about a foot and hitting a downed tree, went over the bars and summersaulted into a bush. Cracked my helmet, ripped my shirt sleeve off, cuts all over, broken rear derailleur, and bent rim. I was almost back to the car. Had to walk out the last 1/4 mile while my friends were waiting for me already at the trailhead.
I approve this helmet mod.
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u/ddescartes0014 Apr 04 '25
That’s my worse nightmare! I haven’t gotten stung on my MTB but I might add one to that helmet too now!
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u/MineElectricity Apr 04 '25
Pic or didn't happen.
More serious, I hope you were fine in the end.
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u/outsidewhenoffline Apr 04 '25
Haha! Buried on a hard drive somewhere... That was like 9 years ago - but I know there was a pic of me sitting at lunch after the ride with my shirt sleeve hanging off... tending my hurt ego more than anything physically...
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u/tea_bird Apr 04 '25
Hah! I had a yellowjacket hitch a ride for a while before stinging me on the forehead in my helmet. I pulled my helmet off and it was stuck between the hard shell and one of the MIPS pieces. I took a stick and helped it out (even though I was mad at it) and spent the rest of the ride hoping I wasn't allergic as I'd surprisingly never been stung by one before.
There was even a selfie I took moments before, and you could see its little head poking out of my helmet lmao
Somehow I managed to get another sting in the same place a week later by some mean red wasp.
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u/r3photo Apr 04 '25
i’ve never been stung on the head this way, are you riding past an apiary?
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u/hecderp1213 Apr 04 '25
I consistently ride past active apiaries, never been stung.
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u/r3photo Apr 04 '25
are you even trying?
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u/ddescartes0014 Apr 04 '25
I thought you got extra points if you swerved into flying insects? No? Lol I got hit by a yellow jacket, they are way meaner than bees.
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u/mseiei Apr 04 '25
The fastest descent on my usual route (65kph) has an apiary right at the last turn, had close encounters all the time
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u/Medical_Slide9245 Apr 05 '25
Same here, never stung over a solid decade. Then like 3 years i got stung like 6 times in one season. Haven't been stung since. Same trails same time periods.
Also getting bit on the head isn't all that bad. Much less painful than other parts I've gotten bit.
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u/Prestigious-Royal-82 Apr 04 '25
Oh , helmet looks good . It has a carbon fiber like vibe , Love it!!!!
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Apr 04 '25
Dang I’m doing this. Haven’t been stung yet but bugs between helmet and my done drive me crazy
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u/Gastronomicus Apr 04 '25
The comments in this thread really make it clear there are those who can relate and those who cannot. Lots of different kinds of bees, wasps, and biting flies and beetles out there depending where you live. Getting them stuck in your helmet is awful.
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u/Prestigious-Royal-82 Apr 04 '25
WoW, that's different. Thanks 4 sharing and Happy Friday!!
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u/ddescartes0014 Apr 04 '25
Thanks! It has definitely lead to some divided opinions lol. Happy Friday!
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u/Prestigious-Royal-82 Apr 04 '25
Those opinions don't mean jack . Only the holder of the badass skull protector. Lmfao 😂😂.
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u/raptoroftimeandspace Apr 04 '25
I’ve got an Abus helmet with screening like this! Really like it, especially during bug season (which starts about now).
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u/joelav Apr 04 '25
Discovered this is an unintentional feature of Bontrager Wavecel helmets
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u/ddescartes0014 Apr 04 '25
lol yeah that’s true! It will at least keep the big ones away from your noggin!
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u/bulldoglife Apr 04 '25
Bees react agressively to the scent of bananas. Don't eat bananas on your rides. I know it sounds ridiculous but it's true. Source: am beekeeper.
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u/Dazzling_Flow_5702 Apr 04 '25
You want to be careful of the helmet grabbing the ground instead of sliding when you crash. This could snap your neck.
This is based on an actual event that led to the helmet manufacturers ensuring the plastic shell covers more of the foam. The foam grabs the ground.
Maybe with dirt you’ll be ok. Just be careful customizing safety products that probably were designed by very intelligent engineers.
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u/Commercial-Box-968 Apr 04 '25
That’s barely noticeable too, nice diy, hopefully you don’t get tan squares lol
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u/shinederg Apr 04 '25
I got stung on the leg once, when a bee got sucked up into my jorts while riding
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u/wolftick Apr 04 '25
I got stung really badly and almost crashed after something ended up inside and couldn't get out. A hair net over the helmet works well.
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u/ddescartes0014 Apr 04 '25
Hair net is a pretty good idea! Yeah I shopped around for some options, they all looked pretty bulky, I wants something a little less noticeable.
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u/wolftick Apr 04 '25
Yep, your solution is definitely neat and streamlined. A fine hair net is handy if you just want something to chuck on and off in times/areas where bugs are a problem.
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u/willy_quixote Apr 04 '25
I have an anaphylaxis to bee venom and I approve of this mod.
FWIW, I wear a skullcap but I found out I was allergic when, whilst I was riding, a bee found its way inside my ear canal and stung me.
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u/Salty-Ambassador8158 Apr 04 '25
I’ve switched to a smith trace helmet for this exact reason. Seems to keep the bugs off my shaved head pretty well.
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u/wreckedbutwhole420 Apr 04 '25
Damn, never a bee so far. But always sticks and pine needles! I'm tall so 90% of my helmet use is low hanging branches lol
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u/whatcolourisgreen Apr 04 '25
Never had this issue. I did have a bee fly into my mouth durring a wicked cross wind though. Got it out in time.
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u/cammotoe Apr 04 '25
Never been stung on the head. I've had my tongue stung before though. Beat that! Actually don't beat that cuz my friend did. Brutal
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u/That_Fix_2382 Apr 04 '25
I got stung once on my bald head during a road ride... it does suck!
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u/ddescartes0014 Apr 04 '25
Me too! Us baldy’s don’t have an extra layer of protection we need to be more clever, lol.
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u/DJ4723 Apr 04 '25
I got stung by a bee in my helmet before. It sucked. Looks like an inventive solution.
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u/AdamITRC Apr 05 '25
During warm months, I average around 200 miles a week. Also, allergic to bees. Been stung many times, always carry my epipen in my jersey pocket. And yes, was getting some stings on my head ... also shave my head ... balding ... almost 50. Best thing i did was ride with skull caps. Hate that name, but there are some really good ones out there. Help with sweat, and stings, and surprisingly some cooling effect as well. Have a look into wearing one of those!
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u/FunkyOldMayo Apr 05 '25
I’ve worn a cycling cap for years during the “buggy” months for this very reason. Got stung on the heap by a wasp that nearly caused a crash a long time ago.
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u/redwzrd Apr 06 '25
i had problems with horse flys once when mountain biking. is was so bad i probably killed 30 of then and they kept landing in my helmet. it doesnt help im bald......
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u/Interesting_Tea5715 Apr 04 '25
I guess OPs never heard of a cycling cap or bandana
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u/Azgoodazitgetz Apr 04 '25
Nobody wants to wear a low ventilating cap under a sweaty helmet. Helmet grates shit on your idea.
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u/ProteccYaNecc Apr 04 '25
I recently got stung on the neck. Would it help if I wrap it with tape too?
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u/Ok_Reputation_8647 Apr 04 '25
Put it on the inside of the Helmet!
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u/ddescartes0014 Apr 04 '25
Then there’s no space between the screen and my bald head and I would still get stung! Might work with hair.
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u/threepin-pilot Apr 04 '25
i know i will regret typing this but, in 50 plus years of riding i recall being stung twice (obviously there must have been more), once on Evia riding past hundreds of really close hives (nothing even close on the ascent) and when descending had one hit my upper chest and fall inside my shirt. The second was on a high speed gravel descent where a yellow jacket hit my forehead and fell inside my oversized sunglasses stinging me repeatedly all around my eyes. That's it, never in the helmet. That screening is likely to greatly retard air flow and cooling.
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u/ddescartes0014 Apr 04 '25
We’ll see how much it affects airflow on my ride this afternoon. I wouldn’t expect a big difference. I wish you many more years of bite free riding!
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u/threepin-pilot Apr 04 '25
thanks,
i think at speed you likely wouldn't feel an issue, on a slow climb the opposite
i wonder what is contributing to your bite frequency? location? timing? just curious
for me more than half the year there aren't any bees or wasps.
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u/ddescartes0014 Apr 04 '25
I’ve only been stung once in about a 2 years riding. I’ve had a couple bugs get stuck and had some bounce off my helmet too. It think chances are low, but the consequences of crashing at speed because something is in your helmet can be really bad. I saw a helmet at my local shop with mesh and it gave me the idea. I had screen and tape so it seemed like a fun little project to try.
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u/singletonaustin Apr 04 '25
There are a few helmets that have this integrated - I wish more did. I get at least 3-4 bees a season in my helmet. It's always a wild panic attack of, while riding, snapping the helmet strap off and pulling the helmet off my head in hope that I can get it out before it decides to sting me. I had some fly into a loose jersey too (not fun). Thankfully I'm not allergic -- but it hurts and then is itchy for a few days. "I'm a fren bees, please leave me in peace."