Matte finish helmet - Problem?

[Fredwina]

I've got a 2005 Specialized decibel that's a Matte silver finish. Recently the matte finish has started to wear off(I've had for less than year).
I've ordered another helmet ( a pink giro animas) to replace as my primary helmet, but was wondering if I should trash the decibel, or put it on back up duty?

[Zen]

It's not that old and you haven't crashed in it but you do a lot of long rides.
Sunlight is probably the cause of the color wearing down and I wonder if that would break down the composition of the helmet itself?

I guess that's what you were asking, isn't it?

[Trek420]

I replace my helmet once a year, or every crash whichever comes first. Luckily there has been no crash in a while. :) But I keep the old one and usually the one before that.

It's nice to have a back up for a guest helmet or just a day when you can't find the new one .... I'd keep it.

The finish sounds like cosmetic damage only, nothing that would hurt strength/effectiveness. Enjoy your shiny new helmet but keep the old one for a while. :)

[boy in a kilt]

The UV will fade the paint over time, but the foam will hold together for quite a bit longer. EPS is surprsingly durable stuff.

Replacing it every year is excessive, even the helmet companies only recommend replacing it every three years and they HAVE to be paranoid because if a single helmet out of the gazillions they make every year fails due to just plain wearing out, their reputations are pretty much in the gutter.

If it's less than a year old, doesn't have any cracks or big holes in it, you should be in good shape.

If you just don't like that helmet anymore and you just wanted a new one, well, that is what it is.

[Trek420]

If you just don't like that helmet anymore and you just wanted a new one, well, that is what it is.

I'll keep the one I just got for a while, maybe two three years as the main one. Maybe I should have explained that my helmets have played part of psyching up for each AIDS ride. Buy a new helmet, train, get to the ride and deserve that number.

Once I registered for the next ride, getta clean numberless new helmet, don't the ALC number till the next ride.

Think I'll keep this one a while and slap some other stickers on it :D

[boy in a kilt]

I'll keep the one I just got for a while, maybe two three years as the main one. Maybe I should have explained that my helmets have played part of psyching up for each AIDS ride. Buy a new helmet, train, get to the ride and deserve that number.

Once I registered for the next ride, getta clean numberless new helmet, don't the ALC number till the next ride.

Think I'll keep this one a while and slap some other stickers on it :D

That is so cool. Do you keep them all as reminders? It would be really inspiring to have them all lined up and at the beginning of each year you have reminder that you earned all those old ones, you can damn skippy earn the next one.

[KnottedYet]

And then give the old helmet with the old ALC number to some cute little kid riding in your neighborhood without a good helmet!

That's my sweetie! Protecting lil' brainpans everywhere she goes!

(can you post a pic of the cutie 4-year-old who has your last helmet now?)

[boy in a kilt]

I could never give anyone else my old helmets. Those things are stinky.

[Trek420]

That's my sweetie! Protecting lil' brainpans everywhere she goes!

(can you post a pic of the cutie 4-year-old who has your last helmet now?)

Nah, don't think I should post a kids picture online without their parents ok. He was happily tooling around the condo greenspace with a helmet falling off the back and side of his head. It was too small. I asked his folks if we could see if one of my old ones might fit him, it did. So now he has my oldest helmet.

[boy in a kilt]

Little kids embrace stinky. Maybe I should see if there is a little kid that'll fit mine.

[Fredwina]

I usually go off the manufacturing date stamp on the inside of the helmet. The helmet in question states it was made in March of 05(it had set on a shelf at the LBS for a couple of years). Given snell's advice of replacing every 5 years and the manufacturer's of every 2, I usually shoot for 3-5. So, it about due for one.
I usually cut the straps out of one I throw away, especially the crashed ones :)

[KnottedYet]

I usually cut the straps out of one I throw away, especially the crashed ones :)

That's a good idea! I'll have to remember that.

[grey]

Little kids embrace stinky. Maybe I should see if there is a little kid that'll fit mine.

LOL! :p Maybe a little bottle of Febreeze would help?

[boy in a kilt]

I usually go off the manufacturing date stamp on the inside of the helmet. The helmet in question states it was made in March of 05(it had set on a shelf at the LBS for a couple of years). Given snell's advice of replacing every 5 years and the manufacturer's of every 2, I usually shoot for 3-5. So, it about due for one.
I usually cut the straps out of one I throw away, especially the crashed ones :)

That's pretty much the right thing to do in all cases. In the construction industry, you can be fined if the manufactured date on your hard hat is more than about 5 years ago, regardless of when you got the helmet.

[singletrackmind]

You might try emailing specialized with your concern. You may get nowhere because of the age of the helmet but if you never ask......


Definitely keep it on back-up duty. I've always got a extra in my truck in case someone forgets a helmet. Wearing my stinky old helmet sure motivates a person not to forget theirs. Ever. Again. :D