Helmet Lift and Bubble screens

[Monza]

David,
Another thing has its importance : the side-panels. They prevent wind to come by the lateral of the chassis and coming on you with pushing the helmet up. So bubble-screen + side panels + an helmet wich is hermetic at its base, that's the solution !

[David Ryan]

More useful advice. Thank you.

I will have a think about the side panels but do not want to dilute the rawness and purity of the Atom too much!

D

[Bruce Fielding]

[quote="Monza"]
David,
Another thing has its importance : the side-panels. They prevent wind to come by the lateral of the chassis and coming on you with pushing the helmet up. So bubble-screen + side panels + an helmet wich is hermetic at its base, that's the solution !
[/quote]


...or buy a saloon car!

The side panels and the bubble screens detract from the rawness of the car IMHO.

All you need is the right helmet! David was wearing my 'spare', but he should have been wearing a proper race helmet with a chin spoiler - like this:



Then he would have had hardly any helmet lift. My Arai (ass opposed to my 'guest lid' has a chin spoiler and I suffer hardly any lift.

Bubble screens also significantly increase wind noise, and side screens make using the handbrake harder.

Keep it real Atom!
Get a hat.

[dingo]

474 miles in one day, one day of rest and one day return. My first car had no bubbles. This one does have htem as an accommodation to my wife really.  I was not particularly keen. Now I wouldn't have it any other way.
Mine are 1 inch lower than "Standard."
Not only do the bubble screens make a huge difference with respect to buffeting, there's altogether less wind (and airborne pollen, dust etc) that whips up too. 
If I'd done those distances in the first car, my eyes would be dessicated beyond the repair of two litres of eye drops. I admit, the new car has the seats lowered by about 2 inches, so that also draws you out of the frontal wind attack. 

While on a comfort topic, I am using the one inch thick memory foam seat pads from Pegasus. What a huge benefit in comfort.
At almost 175 mile mark of one non stop burst, I began to think " Shouldn't my back be getting tired \ sore  by about now"?  Nope. Well worth the investment. 
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/Produ ... RecId=3124

[Bruce Fielding]

I also use foam for long distance stuff - except mine was a tenth the price of Rob's...

http://www.blacks.co.uk/blacks.storefro ... Black_Red)

or

http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/Cat/110017?Ref=

[Atom120]

[quote="Nick Wright"]
Ben, you could try sleeping in it as well?
[/quote]
I've had a passenger fall asleep in mine before! I clearly drive too carefully...

I use an Arai GP5 - and although its not got spoilers, it doesn't create all that much lift. You can get add-on spoilers, so I may give them a go one day and report back with results...

[AtomFun]

With all this lift, is it true to say you get high in an Atom?

[Andrew Hobson]

I see Dingo has somewhat shot my fox on distance travel, bubble screens and the like.  I agree with him.  I did 148 miles out much on M5 (Gloucester to Tiverton)on Sat morning.  The bubbles made a significant difference.  I was able to keep up with outside lane traffic easily, whereas pre-bubble it was hard and I needed rests at 60 ish on a regular basis if travelling any distance.

I did not notice any more wind noise.  Lets face it you don't buy an Atom for it quiet cruising ability.

I came back another way.  In total almost 7 hours in the car, no cushion.  I was stiff on Sunday. 

On the question of side-screens, in the afternoon I was glad of the air-conditioning provided by their absence.  I don't think you can fit them to a mark1 anyway as there are no mounting points.

A

[blackie]

I drove 808 miles in one go, wearing a Caberg lid, and no padding. No pain no discomfort. I'm 6 foot 4 and 17 stone and did not experience any "lift" at any time, my passenger didn't either. Don't know if the newer ones you sit any lower in, Simon did mention something about a "lower Tub" but quite frankly wasn't listening just more interested in driving the thing!!

[AtomFun]

I'm 5' 11"and 17st and must lose weight! I wonder how the dynamics of the car are effected by driver/passenger weights? Certainly there's more forces at work!!

[Bruce Fielding]

[quote="blackie"]
Don't know if the newer ones you sit any lower in, Simon did mention something about a "lower Tub"
[/quote]

Yes, they are quite a bit lower. I'm about the same size as you and in an earlier Mk2, there is significant helmet lift - have to say that it only gets bad when you're into three figures on the speedo, though.

[blackie]

Wouldn't dream of doing that on a public road of course!!! Well even at 110 it was still pretty comfortable and no sign of presure on the lid

[Dezoris]

I am with Bruce, get the right aero helmet. It's quite an invtestment but worth it

[David Ryan]

As many of you know, I have bought Fastbuck's Atom 335. It has bubble screens. What a Godsend!

I suffered horrendous helmet lift and neck strain as apassenger in Bruce's Atom, which is why I started this thread.

Have done many miles in the 335 at speeds of up to 140MPH!  Totally manageable with very little buffeting or neck strain. I even quite like the look of them now. If I want to go native I can remove the bubbles in a few minutes but would need a very good reason to do so!

[Atom120]

It an interesting topic this one - my mate who came along to Cadwell had a helmet that was supposed to give practically zero lift, whereas mine's a standard GP5 and makes no such claims. He said he suffered horrendous lift and buffeting in the passenger seat, whereas I barely noticed a thing in mine. Presumably this means the aerodynamics of the Atom create a considerably different environment from that used to test the "zero-lift" helmets ...meaning trail and error may well be the only way to find the best helmet for us (unless we all buy bubble screens and turn into girls like fastbuck...)