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I have a pretty strong feeling that there are a lot of bikers on this board but I search in vain for posts about how to deal with long hair in the open air at 75 MPH.
I always wear a helmet. When I get to work in the morning it doesn't matter how much prep I did at home - my shoulder length hair is flat as a pancake, stuck to my head like like a stocking cap. When I brush the tangles out of the ends that have been flying in the breeze for 45 minutes they are frizzy and untameable. Looks pretty awful all day.
If my hair were longer I think a braid or multiple pony ties would work great, but even then there is the hair that is not yet long enough to reach the braid. Even you more seasoned longhairs must have to deal with that.
I can with some difficulty shove my hair up into the back of the helmet, all the while being careful to keep it from dangling into my face in front where it would otherwise flick around my eyes, driving me to distraction. But doesn't this cause breakage? My helmet fits pretty tight.
Any advice for a neophyte?
Thanks,
George
Hi snakedog, Here are two biker ponytail holders I have. They work pretty good. Look for them on the Harly site. Also you could try a Doo Rag found in the African American Hair section at Walmart. Tommie
Leather Tail Holders
I hear that. This solution works: If/when your hair is long enough, don't do a regular ponytail, but try to pull it to the top of your head in a tail...you know, like samarai warriors. I know it looks stupid, but it will be under your helmet. I find that when I do that, then arrive at destination, just remove the dumb samarai look, and hair flows nicely...no pancake. Good luck, Peter Fonda!
What I do is put it in a segmented tail and tuck it into the back of my jacket. Still gets a bit tangled but I don't know if there's any way to avoid it completely.
I understand fully. I love to ride with my hair down....but....the wind is our enemy. I, too, get tangles and knots that are difficult to deal with. My hair, what little I have left, is long enough to be braided so I suffer few ill effects while riding. My suggestion is to braid or tie back what you can, then let the helmet cover the rest. The covered hair should be fine when you you remove the helmet. The dew ray or bandana would also be effective....just keep it covered or tied and you'll be fine.
Ride safely......
I think I'll go with the samarai advice for now. My hair isn't long enough to put in a tail that goes below the helmet - yet. I've tried putting it in a ponytail on the back of my head - that gives me an unpleasant pressure point back there and on my forehead from the helmet being pushed aft by the tail. I think there is a little more wiggle room on top of my head since the helmet can just ride up a little higher if it needs to. Perhaps that minimizes breakage.
Thanks for the benefit of your experience, guys!
-- George
It's quite a few years since I had a motorcycle. I must do something about that!
I used to tie my hair back and then wear a scarf to hold it inside my jacket. In summer I wore a faux silk white scarf of the aviator type and a lighter weight jacket. This was before I learnt to plait my hair. It worked fine as far as preventing tangles, but I never did figure out a solution to flat hair.
Birdman