ADVICE on helmets?

[bike4ever]

My advice on a helmet "get one".

I cracked mine in April and came home from the ER to meet my kids after school. Did have a broken wrist and bruised cheek - but I came home.

I agree you need to try helmets on for a feel. Bell and Giro will fit different although they are the same company. The women's fit helmets are a smaller shell. A universal fit helmet will be under $50 with the sized helmets (S, M, L) being more expensive. Visor/no visor I feel is a personal preference.

[DeniseGoldberg]

Helmets are good - I'm happy to hear that you plan to join this helmet-wearing crowd. And another story to add to those above... I had a significant brain injury and a skull fracture with a helmet after I somehow managed to flip my bike over and land on my head in a a crash back in 2004; I would not have survived that accident if my head hadn't been sporting a helmet. The foam of my helmet was cracked, but the outer shell retained some integrity. Overall, I'd say the helmet did its job.

--- Denise

[tattiefritter]

Jeez ClockworkOrange I can't remember the last time I saw anyone MTBing without a helmet! Mine saved my head last month, not by falling off but when I misjudged how much space I had to fit under a fallen tree - whammo!

Anyway enough of the lectures. You do need to try some on to find out if you have a Giro shaped head, a Met shaped head or something else. I seem to fit the very small Giros (I have an Animas) and will be looking to replace mine soon I think.

Have a look on CRC as they do good helmet offers, for example they are selling this years Giro Xen for £60 (should be £90) which is not bad looking for a helmet, thinking of getting one for myself especially at that price. They're helmet list is here:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/C...CategoryID=225

Please get one, once you do you'll feel naked biking without it.

[Bad JuJu]

Just this past summer I got a Giro Xen, and it is so comfortable and pretty cool-looking too. It comes in a number of colors--I chose the matte white camo, which is a camouflage pattern, but in shades of pale grey, beige, and off-white. The color's cool, but what I really like is how good it feels on my head and how super-easy it is to adjust, so I don't have to spend 10 minutes fiddling with straps on days when it's cool enough to wear a headband under it.

I used to wear a Havoc and really liked it, too. But it was >5 years old, getting kind of ratty and beat up, so time for a replacement. I had read an article that suggested that helmets with a more rounded exterior design are more protective in a crash--apparently they tend to slide along the pavement better rather than snagging and causing rapid deceleration, which =neck injuries.

Anyway, I'm really happy with the Xen. I read some reviews suggesting that it was heavy and hot, but honestly I don't feel its weight or warmth is much different from the Havoc--and I ride in Florida.

[bikerchick68]

yep, I'm with Eden on this... buy whatever helmet FITS you properly... lots of people wear helmets that move around as they ride... if you crash (heaven forbid!) it won't offer the protection you'd want. Fit is critical.

That being said, I ride with a helmet with 24 vents (I think it's 24... been a while since I counted!) because it's HOT where I live... the extra ventilation when I'm working hard helps tremendously...

I ALWAYS have helmet head after I ride... but what the hey... I figure it goes nicely with my tan lines, sweat encrusted face and all the other lovely attributes of cycling...

[Mimosa]

What I did, I went to a couple of local LBS stores and tried the helmets they had. When I finally found the brand, type and size which fitted I went back to the internet and looked around to find the lowest price on it.

[LBTC]

Yikes, girl! Get yourself a helmet and quick!

Road or Mountain bike makes no difference, the helmet is almost more essential than the bike itself!

I've rendered 3 helmets useless: 1 where the foam was cracked, 1 where the foam was cracked the outside plastic dented, and 1 was a chrome Bell Bellistic full face downhill helmet that, once I was done with it, had one side completely covered in tension cracks. I haven't ever replaced a helmet except after I'd crashed and broken it!! Oh, yes, and in each case, the hit to the head would have been the worst injury, but with the helmet on, if it weren't for the evidence on the helmet I didn't know at first that I'd even hit my head!! Helmets WORK!!

Okay, okay, you've heard it. And everyone else is right on the fit, too. Make sure you find the brand and size that fits first, then shop for price and colour. I know we'd all like to look fab, but helmet head is something you just may have to put up with. Try to wear it proudly, like the mud on your legs after a great ride!

As far as adjustment, the other tips are correct and here's a bit more. The strap should be snug enough under your chin that you can get only one finger between it and your chin. This strap is actually two that join up with a little sliding adjuster. That adjuster should sit just below your ear lob, virtually touching it. The two straps do adjust independently, although it takes a bit of a finicky touch to get it there.

Have fun shopping for your new life saving accessory!!

Namaste,
~T~

[ClockworkOrange]

One thing most of us do not have enough of, is TIME!

So for that reason alone, I thank you for sparing your time for answering this thread.

Tomorrow I am off to find a helmet!


Sally

[aicabsolut]

What I did, I went to a couple of local LBS stores and tried the helmets they had. When I finally found the brand, type and size which fitted I went back to the internet and looked around to find the lowest price on it.

This is basically what I did. I liked the Specialized Decibel's fit system the best, but I didn't like the price. So I found an end of season sale on the next step down (Aurora that someone pictured) that had the same closure system online. I found one for about $65-70.

It took me a while to figure out if I wanted a "women's" helmet and what brand. And I needed to figure out my hat size, since the only hat size I knew includes what it takes to stuff my hair up in it (horseback riding helmet).

I know Specialized makes some loud yellow ones, and they have some other orange stuff, so maybe you can find an orange one by them if you like the fit.

[ClockworkOrange]

YAY.............my boyfriend collected and paid for my lovely Specialized Aurora in blue/black.

Have fiddled about adjusting it, so, tomorrow, it get's christened.

Thanx guys for the encouragement.

Sally