helmet size

[Ashgarth]

does anyone else have a 'small head'? I was trying on helmets today and the infant size fit my head! I opted for the 'youth' size though as it was a little more comfortable :)

the adult size was sooo huge on me that it wobbled all over the place. Of course the first thing two of my friends said was 'oh it says this helmet is for people under 8 years old---aww they must be trying to tell you, that you have the brain size of an 8 year old too'

gee thanks. :)

[Dianyla]

Hmm, I've got the opposite problem - a big bulbous bubblehead. :rolleyes:

[DrBee]

I know of a great helmet with flying pigs on it that might work.

Seriously - I have a pretty small head (narrow anyway). I have the Giro Venus helmet. It's adjustable (as I think most helmets are) to a fairly small size. And it's purple to boot :)

[Ashgarth]

well there was this super cute kids helmet that was pink/lilac and it had little siamese cats all over it. I have 2 siamese and I am waiting for my pink jersey in the mail...soooooo tempting, but it said ages 5-8 so I made myself put it back LOL

[colby]

well there was this super cute kids helmet that was pink/lilac and it had little siamese cats all over it. I have 2 siamese and I am waiting for my pink jersey in the mail...soooooo tempting, but it said ages 5-8 so I made myself put it back LOL

Oh man, that would have been awesome! Maybe a little cutesy, sure, but if it fits and you like it, who can argue with that -- it's not a fashion show, right? Gotta have fun ;)

[Ashgarth]

I am all about cutesy ;)

I know you all take this very seriously, so I hope no one gets offended by my silly posts-I am just learning about biking...have had my own bike only about 2weeks now...and am just having fun!

I am kind of a fun/silly person anyhow-I would paint my car pink if I could, and always enjoy dressing up nice or in a fun style regardless of the event.

My poor boyfriend Tom, not sure if he would ride with me with that helmet though! He says all the time '"it's not about looking cute!" Well why not have fun and look cute too??? Oh well.

So everyone, please don't think I am a total spaz...just having some fun with my new interest :)

[SalsaMTB]

Have you tried any of the women's helmets? For the universal sized ones, they typically run smaller. Also, are you trying the universal sized helmets or the helmets that run S,M,L,XL? I know some of the universals are quite big. Normally though you have to step up in price to get the better sizing.

Also, when shopping for helmets, shop around and find one that fits really well. I don't even notice mine on my head once it's on. Some companies also offer crash replacement warranty, which is nice. I know Garneau offers one year crash replacement, basically you crash in the first year, bring it to your shop and they'll let you get a new one. Giro offers something like 30% off in the first year if you crash. It may be something to consider if you're doing more aggresive riding, but of course, fit is most important!

Lastly, for the larger head girls :) I read recently that the Bell Kinghead is the largest helmet on the market. For people with round heads, typically of asian descent, there is an Italian brand, Selev, that has made a helmet geared toward this. I'm not sure if they're available in the US though

[ridebikeme]

I also have a small head, and can wear jr size helmets. I find that Louis Gaurneau helmets fit very well and are quite comfortable! I have owned every other brand of helmet, and theirs seem to be fit me the best. There is room for adjustment via a dial on the back of your head, and they also are vented very well!!

[SJCzar]

I used to use a Trek youth size helmet since the adult sizes slipped around. I just switched to a WSD Giro and love the way it fits.

[Crankin]

I also have a pea sized head. I wear a Bell mountain bike helmet, size small. I rip the visor off and dial it in to the tightest setting. Whe I wear my cap underneath in the cold weather, I can make it looser, which is good. I have never found any other helmet that fit me. I haven't tried a kid's size, but I definitely don't want cutesy.

[brok]

Another pea head checking in. I too can wear a childs or youth sized helmet - I just can't bring myself to wear Barney on my helmet. I have in the past worn a WSD Giro and the fit was pretty good although I did have to add some foam here and there. Since, I have worn the Trek WSD and currently have a Trek Anthem Elite (obviously size small). This is the first helmet that I was able to wear without the extra padding added. Even the strap was adjusted perfectly for me :D .

[ridebikeme]

This is note to Brok... I noticed that you mentioned that you wear the Trek Anthem Elite C helmet. I wanted to pass this information along to you... it may not have any effect on you but thought I would pass it along FYI. The Anthem C Elite helmets and the WSD that sold from October 2005 through May 2006 have been recalled from Trek. If you have one of these helmets, you can return it to any Trek dealer and they will replace it. The helmets in question, have the following:
1) A Trek Anthem C label inside the helmet
2) A silver crossbar across the front of the helmet, between the shell and padding
3) All colors are effected by this recall.

For more details you can contactTrek at (800)373-4594 or www.trekbikes.com

[Trek420]

Thanks RBM.

Do you think this should go in a seperate thread? There may be Anthem Elite C wearers on board who might not know this.

How do you know all this stuff?...oh, duh, bike mechanic. Never mind. :o

[Duck on Wheels]

I remember when UK Elephant was about 1yr and we visited family in CA, one of my uncles took one of her little baby hats and said "Watch this". It was too big for him. :D I no longer remember which uncle this was -- the art professor or the lawyer -- but they're both plenty smart. So once again, size does not matter.

[Bad JuJu]

As far as whether "it's not about being cute," I think anything you can do with the appearance of your gear (as long as it's safe) that makes you feel good and want to ride more is just great. If that means a pink helmet with Siamese kitties on it, then so be it. You could hammer out the miles as well in that as in any other helmet.

BUT, I do wonder about the advisibility of wearing a youth helmet if you're not exactly a youth. The fit of the helmet aside, before I used it, I'd want to know about testing parameters--that is, if helmets are tested for wearers of a certain overall size and weight, then a youth helmet may not provide an adult with adequate protection. Now I don't KNOW whether this is true--it's just a thought--something you might want to research before investing in a youth-sized helmet. Just my 2 cents.

[kaian]

I have the Bell Bella I believe it's called. It's a women's specific helmet. I have a very tiny head and this one fits very snug! It's very affordable, too.

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=&subcategory=&brand=&sku=12586&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

[Ashgarth]

Bad Juju,

I did think about that as well. I made a few phone calls while I was at the store looking.....asked a few friends what they thought. They are motorcycle riders though--so who knows if their knwledge means anything!

There is sticker on the helmet that reads somethinng like 'meets standards for safety...something something....of age 5 years and older'

I can't help that I have a small head! I have alwasy had to wear kids eyeglasses too because my face is too narrow for adult ones LOL

when I pick up my jersey at the shop tomorrow/wednesday....I will ask and see what the 'pros know'

[fixedgeargirl]

I come from a line of folks with the opposite problem :p !

Did you buckle up the straps when you tried them on, or just go on circumference? I know from trying to size helmets for my 6 year old son, whose head is the same size as mine :eek: , that adult helmets fit around his head just fine, but the straps are much too long and poorly positioned for the height of his head and his little face and ears. So I wonder if you may have the opposite problem?

Another thing about toddler/youth helmets is that are often not as well ventilated as adult helmets. This can be a good thing or a bad thing. Just something to consider.

As for pink and cutesy, Heck Yeah :D ! Besides a pink helmet with purple Siamese is sure to up your visibility :D !

[brok]

This is note to Brok... I noticed that you mentioned that you wear the Trek Anthem Elite C helmet. I wanted to pass this information along to you... it may not have any effect on you but thought I would pass it along FYI. The Anthem C Elite helmets and the WSD that sold from October 2005 through May 2006 have been recalled from Trek. If you have one of these helmets, you can return it to any Trek dealer and they will replace it. The helmets in question, have the following:
1) A Trek Anthem C label inside the helmet
2) A silver crossbar across the front of the helmet, between the shell and padding
3) All colors are effected by this recall.

For more details you can contactTrek at (800)373-4594 or www.trekbikes.com

Thanks for the heads up. My LBS had a sign posted that said the helmets they had were not the affected helmets. I have looked at mine and it doesnt' have a silver crossbar across the front but I will double check with Trek for sure. Again, thanks for the information.