Photo courtesy of SafeKids.org

Many people, bike riders especially, dream of warm weather and blue skies during the cold, gloomy days of the winter season. Unless you’re sufficiently prepared to ride in the frightful-weather elements, going out for a spin can be more of a chore than a fun way to get some exercise. It can still be fun though if you have the right gear (we’ve offered some tips on this subject in our recent article, A Guide to Cold-Weather Bike Riding: Winter Cycling 101).

There is a flip-side to this however, as some cyclists don’t let cold temperatures deter them from hitting the road. On days where the sun decides to participate, we see people geared up, riding solo and in packs, undeterred from the cold.

Similarly, there are dedicated winter sports enthusiasts who embrace the cold and battle the elements for a taste of exhilaration and to get their adrenaline pumping.

Skiing, snowboarding, and ice hockey are just a few of the sports that we participate in during the winter months, and one thing they all have in common is the use of helmets.

As the folks over at SafeKids.org said, “Helmets are essential for many outdoor winter activities,” and we couldn’t agree more.

Here are some fast facts about the importance of wearing a helmet when participating in winter sports:

• “Always wear sport-specific, properly fitting safety gear when participating in winter sports … Kids should always wear helmets … (but) Parents should wear helmets too. Remember, your children learn safety habits by watching you.” (Winter Sports Safety, SafeKids.org)
• “If you play ice hockey, take a tip from the pros: don’t step out onto the ice without all the proper gear. This means padding and, most important, the right helmet. An ice-hockey helmet is the only kind you can wear — not a football helmet or a bike helmet.” (Winter Sports: Sledding Skiing, Snowboarding, Skating, KidsHealth.org)
• “The District of Columbia requires helmets for any person under age 16 while using roller skates, a skateboard, sled, coaster, toy vehicle, sidewalk bicycle, scooter, or any similar device. Massachusetts is considering legislation that would require children under 12 to wear a helmet during sledding, snowboarding, and ice-skating activities.” (Winter Sports Safety, Boy Scouts of America)
• “California and New Jersey seem close to mandating helmets for skiers and snowboarders younger than 18, and the National Ski Areas Association, an industry advocacy group, has said it supports such mandates provided parents and law enforcement agencies — and not the resorts themselves — are required to enforce the laws.” (Helmet regulations vary from resort to resort, but not by legislation, yet, The Reno Gazette-Journal) Mandates or not, it’s incredibly important to make sure you and your children’s heads are protected when skiing or snowboarding, and wearing a helmet is greatly encouraged.
• Insist on helmet use: “Wearing a helmet is the most important – and easiest – way to boost safety in winter sports.” (10 Winter Sports Safety Tips for Kids, Upper Peninsula Health Plan, UPHP.com)

Free helmets, bicycle tours, bikes taking over the streets of Los Angeles, President Obama and The Bike Helmet Wars, and much more in this week’s installment of Week In Review: Bike News & Reviews from Around the World.

•  October 9: Critics of President Obama said he looked like a “dork” and an “unmanly wimp” after he was photographed wearing a helmet while cycling in Chicago in 2008 (pictured above) and Martha’s Vineyard just last month.  Well we say, “right on” Mr. President. By wearing a helmet, not only are you setting a great example for children and adults throughout the world, but you are also showing great judgment by protecting your head. Plus, we’re glad to see that you choose to wear a Bell Helmet! Read the full story at The Bike Helmet Wars (Virginia Postrel, The Wall Street Journal)
• October 10: The 2011 Amgen Tour of California is officially coming to Lake Tahoe. With ski resorts Northstar-at-Tahoe and Squaw Valley USA involved, riders will now take a ride around Lake Tahoe during the first stage, and will have to climb and descent Donner Pass, which reaches an elevation of 7,085 feet! Get the whole story at Major bicycle tour coming to Tahoe (Adam Jensen, The Record-Courier)
• October 11: Over the past eight years, Amscot Financial Partners has given away more than 30,000 free bike helmets to families living in Central Florida. The company is partnering with law enforcement agencies from 13 Florida counties to make sure that children get this vital protection. They will donate and distribute 7,200 free bike helmets on Oct. 23 in counties where Amscot does business. For more information on how to obtain helmets, contact Montrae Waiters, governmental affairs specialist for Amscot at (813) 637-6277. Check out the full announcement with events details and a list of locations at Amscot Financial Partners with Law Enforcement to Distribute 7,200 Bike Helmets in 13 Central Florida Counties. (PRNewswire.com)
• October 11: A 7 1/2 -mile stretch of road from East Hollywood through downtown Los Angeles and into Boyle Heights was over-run with an estimated 100,000 bicyclists, runners, walkers, skateboarders and roller-bladers for L.A.’s first CicLAvia.  This “open-street” day prohibited automobiles, and was intended to promote cycling and other forms of transportation. The concept of the ciclovia, which is Spanish for bicycle path is how organizers came up with the name CicLAvia. Organizers are in the early stages of planning four or five open-street days next year and one every month in 2012, with the ultimate goal to make CicLAvia a weekly event. For additional details visit An estimated 100,000 turn out for L.A.’s inaugural CicLAvia event (Joel Rubin, Los Angeles Times)
• In case you missed it: Tony Hawk’s Stand Up For Skateparks event in Beverly Hills takes place on October 17 … this Sunday! The Tony Hawk Foundation’s mission is to bring free, quality public skateparks to youth in low-income areas across the United States. This year as a co-sponsor of the event, Bell Sports is sending along trucker hats, stickers, helmets and pads to be given away to attendees. For more info on the event check out our last post Tony Hawk’s Stand Up For Skateparks Hits LA., Las Vegas

Bicycle rides, parades, and challenges are taking place across the country this Fourth of July, all awaiting your participation, and we at Bell are dedicated to helping you find them! Whether you’re looking for annual races, organized community rides, or new mountain bike trails opening for summer, here’s a glimpse into some of fun things to do on two wheels this Independence Day weekend. No matter where you’ll be, if you’re riding don’t forget your Bell helmet, which come in many styles, including patriotic red, white and blue of course!

• Justin Rudd’s 7th annual Great American 4th of July Kids Bike Parade takes place on Sunday, July 4 in Long Beach, CA. Besides the procession of festive bicyclers, they will also be having some contest that are free for anyone to enter: a Patriotic Speech Contest, a Watermelon  Seed Spitting Contest, and a Patriotic Costume Contest – and they’re offering cash prizes! JustinRudd.com

• The Davis Bike Club’s 34th annual Fourth of July Criterium offers cyclists of all ages to race on 0.7-mile L-shaped loop course through downtown Davis, CA. After racing stay in downtown and step over to Community Park (1405 F Street) for food and game booths, live music, and fireworks. (CityOfDavis.org)

• As Twin Cities Bicycling Club states on its website, “Three of the best things in America are the Fourth of July, bicycling, and watermelon.” We tend to agree, and we wish we were attending their 29th Annual Watermelon Ride, on Sunday, July 4^th. Starting the day with a Pre-Ride Bike Rodeo, this fun and sociable family ride has route options of 15, 25, and 55 miles. Afterwards, enjoy some watermelon at the picnic at Snail Lake in Shoreview, MN.

• The Firecracker 50 (MTB/XC) is the place to be if you’re anywhere near Breckenridge, CO, as this race is in its fourth year of also being USA Cycling Marathon MTB National Championship. Watch the 750 riders compete for cash prizes of $600, $400, and $200.MavSports.com

• It’s not until July 25, but the city of Northridge, CA is hosting the Coaster Brake Challenge. Single speed only, coaster brake only, no hand brakes point series races. Four races, no classes. Courses usually take between an hour or two to complete and vary from race to race. Last one had 36 total racers. 20.00 entry fee gets you all 4 races, patch, and t-shirt. AtomicCycles.com

Cyclists, BMXers, mountain bikers, beach cruisers, bike commuters and two-wheelers of all stripes recognize the inherent potential dangers of riding a bike. We encounter automobiles, pedestrians, steep hills, high speed winds and many other road hazards and obstacles on our bike journeys.

Falling off a bike is inevitable for just about all of us … it happens to man, woman,  and child alike, despite our best efforts to avoid it. And thankfully, most of us realize the importance and necessity of always wearing a helmet when riding. We at Bell Sports pride ourselves on making the most technologically advanced helmets to offer the best fit possible. Our Bell True Fit technology stands on the foundation of providing the perfect fitting helmet … regardless of age. You’re never too old, and you should never be too cool, to wear a helmet. As we’ve all heard before, “Wearing a helmet can save your life.”

Don’t take our word for it though – listen to Pamela Riddell, Timothy Gilligan and Scott Hallman. What do these three have in common? They all took pretty nasty bike spills, and they all credit their Bell helmets with saving their lives.

For today’s Fast Facts Friday, take a moment to watch the three videos below and learn from the experiences of these members of our biking community.

Pamela Riddell is the associate director of Marketing at Leigh Valley Health Network. This past May, Riddell was on a bike ride for fitness and fun with two friends when she was hit and run over by a truck. The 38-year-old suffered serious injuries, but survived the accident, and is fully recovering today.

“I am alive because of this helmet,” says Riddell. “This helmet saved my life. Had I not been wearing it, I wouldn’t be here today.”

The emotionally stirring video concludes with Riddell pleading for adults, children, veteran cyclists and weekend warriors to wear their helmets, even while on scooters. The video has received more than 2,200 views. Helmet saves cyclist’s life (Gary Blockus, The Morning Call)

Parma, Ohio Municipal Court Judge Timothy Gilligan credits his bike helmet for preserving his life in a crash that took place on Wednesday morning.

“Clearly if I did not have a helmet on, I’d have severe head injuries or be dead,” Gilligan said. Parma judge suffers injuries in biking accident Wednesday – Credits helmet for saving his life (Deb Lee, WEWS ABC 5)

And, in August 2009, cyclist and bike shop employee Scott Hallman was also struck by an automobile while riding. Hallman survived the hit-and-run, and he too credits his Bell helmet for keeping him from more serious harm.

“All the styroform (in my helmet) shattered. It did its job. I attribute a lot to the technology of helmets. It saved my life,” he says.

As fellow members of the bike community we want to express our deepest sympathies for these and all people who have suffered from injury while riding a bike. We’d also like to reiterate the main theme common to all three videos: Always wear a helmet when riding a bike!

Bell helmets have played a vital role in protecting sportsmen and women for nearly 50 years, these stories are just some of the more recent that we wanted to share. We’d love to hear how Bell and the Bell True Fit helmet have helped to protect you or someone in your family. Go to the Share Your Story section of our site and do just that.

What was that you heard about…a bike rodeo? You may think that involves cowboys/girls on bikes with lassos but alas, that’s not what they probably meant (in most cases anyway!). To help clear up any questions about what a bike rodeo is, and what you can expect if you attend one, today’s Fast Facts Friday is all about the bike rodeo!

1) A bicycle rodeo, a concept which originated with seminars and lectures sponsored by Kiwanis clubs, is a clinic that helps teach children the importance of riding a bicycle safely and what skills and precautions they need to develop to have a safe time on their bicycles. (Wikipedia)

2) Interested in helping to organize a bike rodeo on your own area? There are some great resources out there, including detailed organizer guides to take the reins to spearhead your own community bike rodeo, or you can reach out to trusted organizations like Safe Kids USA and BikeLeague.org. (Cornell University Bicycle Safety Specialist)

3) Since 1989, Safe Kids has partnered with Bell Sports to promote helmet use, safe wheel-riding behavior and safer riding environments. In 2005, the two entities introduced the Ready to Roll program, which included the bike rodeo kit and a step-by-step guide to conducting a community-based wheel safety rodeo. These events bring together Safe Kids volunteers, public safety personnel and educators to show children how to prevent injuries from wheeled sports. (National Bicycle Safety Network – NBSN)

4) You may wonder – is my child the right age for something like this? Well, the main focus of a bike rodeo is cycling safety for young cyclists, from age kindergarten to approximately 14 years old. (Bicycling Life)

5) There are bike rodeos happening all the time, you just need to keep your ears open. For example, this Saturday (June 5^th) there’s a bicycle rodeo open to children ages six through 12 who reside in the North Fond du Lac School District in WI, or if you’re in the North Bend and Snoqualmie, WA area maybe you’re already planning on attending the sixth annual Tanner Jeans Memorial Bike Safety Rodeo which drew about 2,000 participants last year. With over 360 state and local Safe Kids coalitions, there is a good chance there is a bike rodeo near you! (Safe Kids USA)

Skateboarding and video games go back to the late 1980’s when relatively primitive, yet vastly popular, games for the Atari and Nintendo game consoles were introduced. California Games, Skate or Die!, and Skate Boardin’ all debuted in 1987 to great acclaim and positive reviews. While these were quite popular, none of these were the first skateboarding video game. This title belongs to 720°: The Ultimate Aerial Experience, which debuted in 1986.

720° is an arcade game by Atari Games, notable in that it is the first extreme sports video game, and it has a unique timed structure that requires the player to score points in order to keep the game going. 720° has one button and the joystick only spins in a circle. A fun and challenging game (even today) no doubt, but primitive when compared to all the video games Tony Hawk has put his name on in the two decades since 1990.

As we briefly discussed in a recent Fact Facts Friday post, the latest and most interactive skateboarding video game ever is Activision’s Tony Hawk: RIDE, which came out in November 2009.

In the game, the player uses a skateboard peripheral to simulate the riding of an actual skateboard in the game. So… STEP ON THE BOARD AND RIDE! 

Tony Hawk: RIDE lets anyone experience the thrill of skateboarding thanks to its new revolutionary motion sensing skateboard controller (above).  Give your thumbs a rest and discover why RIDING is the new way to play!  Be sure to check out BELL PRO Tony Hawk and the sweet Bell Helmets and Gear in the skate shop. 

Tony Hawk: RIDE is available on Nintendo Wii, PS3, and X-Box 360.

And in case you didn’t know, Bell offers helmets specifically designed for skateboarding: such as the Bell  Hawk.  

In celebration of Bell’s presence in this revolutionary game, we are giving away three copies of it along with three Bell Hawk helmets!

We have two X-Box 360 versions of the game and one Wii version, and we’re going to give away one package (which includes a game and helmet) per week for the next three weeks, starting with an X-Box 360 version.

Today through Sunday, Fedbruary 7, 2010 all you have to do is log into your twitter account and retweet (RT) the following message to be entered into a drawing for a chance to win:

“Win Activision’s Tony Hawk: Ride for Xbox AND a Bell Hawk Skateboard Helmet! Visit http://bit.ly/9FqEaT & RT to enter”

The winner will be announced on twitter and the BellTrueFit community site on Monday, February 8, 2010.

We’ll be running a contest to win the Wii version of the game (and a helmet) next week, and in two weeks well be running a contest to win another X-Box 360 version (and a helmet).

Again, for this week’s contest all you have to do is retweet this message:

“Win Activision’s Tony Hawk: Ride for Xbox AND a Bell Hawk Skateboard Helmet! Visit http://bit.ly/9FqEaT & RT to enter”

Good luck! See you on the Backside!

Just like Billy Joel, we’re in a New York State of Mind right now, because the city just passed a law that allows cyclists to bring their bike into their workplace! But that wasn’t the only good bike news last week brought – Check out these inspirational bicycle stories that hit the newsstands last week!

• December 12, 2009: Pedal power will lead to empowerment this week! From today through Thursday, riders will bicycle to raise money for recuperating Vets. 200 bicyclists helping veterans Ride to Recovery (Larry Ell, dailycommercial.com)

• December 11, 2009: Local Law 52 – Bikes in Buildings Law – passed on Friday. Now New Yorkers have even more reason to bike to work! Banned From Bringing Your Bike to Work? The Law’s on Your Side Now (Ben Fried, StreetsBlog.org)

• December 11, 2009: Have a lot to hold? Hitch up your bike to an XtraCycle, which is a bicycle trailer device designed to carry heavy loads! Another Good Idea for L.A.: Carrying Stuff on Your Bike (Ron Milam, LA.StreetsBlog.org)

• December 10, 2009: Take these tips to stay in tip top shape this holiday season! Avoiding holiday weight gain (Staff Writer, TimesDaily.com)

• December 9, 2009: How a Basset Hound saved a man’s life, leading him bicycle for two causes – Suicide Prevention and Basset Hound Rescue. Bicyclist Trekking Cross Country for Dual Causes (Gerry Gamel, Mason County Times)

• December 9, 2009: Updates and additions to a citywide bicycle plan in SF will benefit both city residents and tourists – 45 miles of bike lanes have already been implemented and six more are on their way! San Francisco Bike Tourism May Increase In The Future (Staff Writer, Extranomical Adventures)

• December 9, 2009: Celebrity Matt Damon and his brother, Kyle, participated in South Africa’s Cape Argus Tour earlier this year. Matt and His Brother Tackle South Africa by Bicycle (PopSugar, PopSugar.com)

• December 12, 2009: More than 50 cyclists braved cold weather condition to participate in the Qatar Chain Reaction (QCR)’s second mountain biking event. City cyclists shrug off cold weather, hit the track (Sarmad Qazi, Gulf Times)

For many, today kicks off the first day of Hanukkah. In honor of the occasion, we thought we’d share some facts around this special holiday to celebrate!

1. Hanukkah, in Judaism, the Festival of Lights, the Feast of Consecration, or the Feast of the Maccabees; also transliterated Chanukah. According to tradition, it was instituted by Judas Maccabeus and his brothers in 165 BC to celebrate the dedication of the new altar in the Temple at Jerusalem. The festival occurs in December near the time of the winter solstice, as does Christmas, and lasts eight days. (Encyclopedia.com)
2. Students at Columbia’s Jewish Day School in Columbia, SC celebrated the holiday season by building a 6-foot-tall menorah built of Legos. It took 3-weeks and nearly 6,000 Legos to complete. (WSPA-Channel7News)
3. If you’re looking for a Hanukkah gift for your favorite little biker, it’s a fact that you can try to win them a helmet in our Bell Holiday Helmet Giveaway! Enter by December 17th. (BellTrueFitCommunity)
4. Unlike most spelling words you remember from school, Hanukkah can be correctly spelled many different ways, including Chanukah, Chanukkah, and Hanukah. (WhoWhatWhereWhenHow.com)
5. Now, if you want to test your Hanukkah knowledge, you can head over and take a quiz to see how you fare! (LilSugar.com)

Wishing everyone a safe and happy weekend!

Unless you were in a cave this past week you know that the 2009 Tour de France has now come and gone. As Alberto Contador creates some new cycling history, we thought we’d take the opportunity to share a few record-breaking bicycle facts this Friday.

1. Created by Zbigniew Rozanek of Pleszew, Poland, the back wheel on the world’s smallest bicycle was a mere 13 mm (.51 inches) and the front wheel was just 11 mm (.43) inches in diameter. (TheLongestListoftheLongestStuffattheLongestDomainNameatLongLast.com)
2. Lance Armstrong holds the record for the most Tour de France wins – with a whopping 7! (Wikipedia)
3. A German called Markus Riese once cycled 18km miles in one hour – backwards. (Go Cycle Kent)
4. More world champions have worn Bell Helmets than all other helmet brands combined. (Bell Sports)
5. The tallest rideable bicycle is more than 14 feet tall. (Go Cycle Kent)

Are you…the fastest rider in your county? Or maybe you hold the record for longest time walking a bike? Have you worn through more helmets than anyone you know? If you think you’ve broken any records of your own, you know we’d love to hear about them!

As the weather heats up and the school season comes to a close, we’re thinking that many of you are all wishing you were laying on a beach in Hawaii, perhaps even catching some waves (us too). While we can’t help make this reality, we can share some fast facts with you as you cruise into the weekend instead.

1.       The first American bicycle was designed in 1816 and made with wooden tires. (Bicycle Museum of America)

2.       Some of the biggest names in motorsports, cycling and action sports have worn or today wear Bell helmets, including BMX hero and MTV celebrity, Dave Mira. (Bell Sports)

3.       Longboarding, a variety of skateboarding, is the act of riding on or performing tricks with a longboard. (Freebase)

4.       Of all active skateboarders in the United States, more than half live in the state of California. (EzineArticles)

5.       Skateboarding was first referred to as sidewalk surfing, and was thought of to be the coolest mode of travel in the 1950′s. (Hot Sports Links)

So, if you won’t be able to make it to Hawaii this summer, why not strap on your helmet, hop on a longboard and surf some cement? Hang loose sidewalk surfers!