Helmet Life

[Tri Girl]

I get a new helmet every 3 years whether it's been crashed or not. I don't know if that's the norm, but it's what I feel best about. I figure that all the time in the sun, the accidental drops of the helmet off the bars or whatever warrants replacing fairly frequently. I feel better about it anyway. Plus- at roughly $30 a year (for a $90 helmet replacing every 3 years), it's cheaper than most other bike maintenance and it's my brain- so I don't mind spending the money.

[OakLeaf]

The manufacturers now say three years from first wearing on some of the newer helmets, and that makes sense to me, with the increased surface area of lightweight helmets. The surfaces are what get exposed to body acids and oils, UV light, ozone, and all the other things that degrade EPS.

Neither Snell nor BHSI has revised the five-year rule that has been the recommendation since before they even had websites.

Do be aware that the clock starts from first wearing, not from manufacture, assuming a helmet has been kept in the box, not displayed in the sun and not tried on excessively. If you're buying a hat that's obviously been on the LBS shelves for a while, I probably would go from the manufacture date (and try to negotiate a discount accordingly).

So between those two ... I don't know that anyone here has the expertise to really say. I'm with TriGirl, it's my head, I've landed on it or near it enough times to not mess with it. I don't start panicking when three years have gone by, but somewhere between three and four years I'll replace it (assuming I haven't landed on it sooner ).

[Catrin]

I just replaced my lovely blue Bell from last year because it looked pretty beat up to me. I didn't have any falls with it, but it has fallen enough off of the car, in the apartment, etc. I figured it was best not to take chances. Hopefully I can take better care of my lovely new purple Bell


Not that my helmets have to match my bike or anything...

[PscyclePath]

The manufacturers say to replace helmets every three years, but then they're in the business of selling helmets, sort of like the car dealers who want you to trade in just about the time you get your old one paid down enough to be almost tolerable ;-)

Helmets are made from extruded polystyrene foam, pretty much the same stuff that those foam coffee cups are made from. It doesn't break down from exposure to sunlight, or oxygen, or much of anything else. You can dissolve it in an organic solvent, or melt it if you apply enough heat (~85 degrees C). The coffee cup you throw away today will likely be perfectly usable when they dig it out of a landfill 500 years from now, provided that you wash it up a bit.

So the foam in the helmets doesn't degrade. What I have found out is that some of the ancillary stuff, like the plastic coating on the foam might get scuffed up a bit, or more likely the headband/suspension system will wear out or get all ratty-looking.

Replace your helmet if you crash it, or you drop it in a situation where it might compress or crush the foam. Replace it if the parts start to get all ratty and worn out. Replace it if you get a better deal on a helmet that you like better. But there's not really a time limit on the foam degrading, other than when it gets crushed.

[OakLeaf]

The coffee cup you throw away today will likely be perfectly usable when they dig it out of a landfill 500 years from now, provided that you wash it up a bit.

You've obviously never done park or beach cleanup...

Those coffee cups do crumble. No telling how long they've been out there of course (within the past year I've found pop/beer can pull tabs, that haven't been used since the 70s), but they crumble.

And body acids and oils? Cosmetics/hair products/sun protection products based on vegetable or mineral oils? Various types of organic solvents...

[mauisher]

Thanks for all the input. The pads inside the helmet are all ratty and I know they're replacable, but I think I'll look for a helmet on sale! Thanks, again.

[Desert Tortoise]

My husband got a new Giro Ionos helmet and I love it. It has lots of vents and feels so light. So I got one one too in my size. He ordered his from Amazon and later, ordered mine too. They were each $117.

He asked what year the helmets were manufactured and they replied 2011. Sure enough his was May 2011.

Mine, size small, says manufactured May 2010. I checked the box and helmet, everything looks very new, packaging in tack, helmet not tried on, even has a slight new smell smell.

Giro says to replace every three years. This is 1 1/2 years old. Does anyone know if this too far back, even for a new helmet?

Thanks!