High-speed cyclists with a slim build conducting a 50-kilometer-per-hour ride resembles an overly fast version of "Where's Waldo": The argument for vibrant-hued bike helmets.
In the world of cycling, identifying riders can sometimes be a daunting task, even for those who are well-versed in the sport. Author Michael Hutchinson, a multiple national champion on the bike and award-winning writer, confesses to his own struggles with recognizing cyclists, both on TV and in person.
During races, it's often difficult for most people to identify cyclists, relying on shapes, styles, or helmets. As the peloton whizzes by, the riders' uniform kits can blend together, making it challenging to distinguish one from another. When watching racing on TV, it's not uncommon to find oneself relying on the shapes of the helmets or the patterns of the team's sponsors to identify the riders.
The author shares a personal anecdote about making a poor impression on someone due to his lack of recognition. During an event, he was approached by an audience member who had recognised him, despite the author's initial lack of recognition. The member of the audience who recognised the author was sitting in the front row during the event, a testament to their keen eye for detail.
Individual riders wearing unique helmets in cycling teams can offer both advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, custom helmets can help optimize performance. For instance, helmets like the POC Cytal Lite were developed in collaboration with EF Pro Cycling to deliver ultra-lightweight construction and advanced ventilation tailored for climbing specialists, enhancing comfort and heat management during mountain stages[1]. Aero helmets designed with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) balance aerodynamics and cooling, providing riders cooler, faster rides while maintaining safety and comfort[2]. Custom helmets can also help identify riders quickly in the peloton for team strategy or media recognition.
However, individual helmets may raise logistical challenges in ensuring supply and maintenance of different models for each rider. They may also compromise uniform team appearance and branding cohesion. From a performance standpoint, some aero helmets traditionally had reputations for being heavier or less ventilated, which could disadvantage riders if not carefully chosen, although modern designs largely mitigate these issues[2]. There may also be safety and fit tradeoffs when deviating from standardized team gear.
The author suggests that having each rider on a team wear a different colored helmet could make them easier to identify. However, he admits that he may not be the ideal candidate for jobs requiring crowd identification skills. Despite his difficulties, the author expresses a desire to help recognise cyclists, as he believes that cyclists in general may struggle with crowd identification tasks.
The author shares an anecdote about identifying a friend in the dark based on the way his back light bounced over potholes. He notes that he can often identify cyclists from a distance based on their pedaling style or angle of head. However, he also mentions an incident where he mistakenly assumed a member of the audience had been dragged to an event by his wife.
The author's lack of initial recognition did not deter the audience member from attending the event. In fact, the author shares a memory of a happy event where a member of the audience recognised him despite his lack of initial recognition. Red Bull has been sponsoring helmets for cyclists like Tom Pidcock and Zoë Backstedt, and supports individual athletes in various sports. Jonas Vingegaard is wearing a helmet sponsored by a private company named Bygma, which does not match the rest of his team's helmets.
Ex-national champions often have helpful stripes on their sleeves, but these may not be sufficient for some to identify them. Some professional commentators have exceptional abilities to instantly recognise cyclists, even second-string riders. The author shares an anecdote about making friends with a cyclist based on his winter bike, and not recognising him when he switched to his summer bike.
References: [1] POC. (2020). POC Cytal Lite. Retrieved 2022, March 15 from POC Sports: https://www.pocsports.com/us/en/bike/helmets/poc-cytal-lite [2] Encyclopedia Britannica. (2021). Aerodynamics. Retrieved 2022, March 15 from Encyclopedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/science/aerodynamics
- In some cases, unique helmets can be beneficial for sports-analysis purposes, as they can help separate riders in large groups during races and make it easier for analysts to identify individuals for team strategy or media recognition.
- Having each rider on a team wear a different colored helmet, as suggested by the author, could potentially improve sports-analysis tasks by making the identification of riders quicker and more efficient.
