WTB: Road helmet

[AndiXT]

Help! My helmet is broken and I'm not in a position to fork out for a decent new one for a couple of months. I still have a lot of racing and riding to do this season. I'm looking for an adult small road style helmet at a reasonable used price. Anyone have one lying around?

Thanks!

[jessmarimba]

Most helmet manufacturers will give you a discount if you return the busted one - Bell is 30% off. Not sure if that helps you enough financially but just an idea if no one has one for sale.

[indysteel]

I do have one lying around....but I'm honestly hesitant to encourage you to buy a used helmet off the internet. You're taking somebody at their word that the helmet's integrity hasn't been compromised. Without suggesting anybody on TE's boards is dishonest, I'm not sure I'd trust my head to a stranger. Plus, there's no guarantee that the helmet will be packed correctly and not compromised during shipping. Keep in mind that you a helmet that has been compromised in some fashion may look just fine to the naked eye. Finally, there's the question of fit. Unless you know that a particular brand and style fit you, you have no guarantee that the helmet will work with your head.

I'm not sure how much you're willing to pay for even a used helmet, but my advice is go to your nearest LBS and get a helmet that's on the cheaper end of the spectrum. It may have fewer vents than an expensive model, but from a safety perspective it will work just the same. I'd second looking into Bell's 30% off policy, too. Bell and Giro are owned by the same company, so I would assume that Giro offers the same discount. Beyond that, there are pretty cheap deals on helmets to be had at Nashbar and Performance. They're always offering special discounts, too. If you know what brand helmet fits you well, you could probably select one that will fit without the benefit of trying it on.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Buy a new helmet. Splints and casts don't work on brains.

[AndiXT]

I know you're all right <sigh>. Just poor timing on my part. Thanks for the tips though! Certainly worth looking in to.

[tulip]

I can't imagine you could get a used helmet for less than a low-end new one. Not to mention the ick of someone else's sweat, assuming the possibility of compromised protection doesn't discourage you.

Isn't your head worth it? Surely you can get a low-end new helmet.

[batsheva]

the low end helmets on performance bike, nashbar etc are up to standard in terms of head protection.. you just pay extra for fancy styling and biggers vents and carbon bling... the $20 low end helmets will protect your noddle as much as a fancy $200 one... dont skimp on this one - buy new - you really can afford $20 in order to save your brain from a catastrophic injury...