Helmet Question

[Bella70]

New to the forum, not new to cylcing. I had a awful spill a few weeks back and took a blow to the head. I have/had a great Bell helmet (forget the model) but obviously need to replace it.

I could have easily had a very bad concussion or serious damage but am indebted to the construction of the helmet. From what I can tell online, they don't make my model any more and it was expensive at the time.

I am looking at Bell again out of loyalty but see that Giro has some good models. I know that expensive doesn't always mean the best but I am not skimping on spending $$ for protection.

As I compare brands and models, the top end models brag about ventilation and cooling, but I want one that brags about durability, safety, beefiness in construction.

Can anyone enlighten to their experiences with the top end helmets of either manufacturer? Thanks!

[SadieKate]

It's about FIT.

Frequently, people have a "Bell Head" while others have a "Giro Head". Bell fits me perfectly and Giro is painful, while my hubby has exactly the opposite fit. Of course, he has a giganda head and is just plain weird, so what can you expect?

Any way, as long as your helmet meets safety standards, fit is the primary goal.

http://www.bhsi.org/

[laura*]

I am looking at Bell again out of loyalty but see that Giro has some good models.

Bell has owned Giro for something like a decade. Thus, buying a Giro would not be disloyal to Bell.

Looking through a PDF of Bell's 2007 catalog, I was amused to notice that many of the outdoor photos are taken in the town where Giro is located.

[Aggie_Ama]

Giro fits my head differently the Bell. It is not as comfortable, unfortunately I spent $175 on a pink Atmos before I knew this. I had to wear it to discover that while it fits properly it creates a pressure point thus I cannot return the helmet. So that is my word of warning, try it on. I am completely in love with my new Rudy Project Kontact+ helmet that I mountain bike in. Hands down the most comfortable helmet I have.

If the pros survive crashes in the Atmos/Ionos/Bell Sweep (high end helmets) then I good with it. The extra ventaliation is helpful when you live on the face of the sun like some of us.

[Mr. Bloom]

I have a Giro Pneumo that I bought online last year and just started wearing...and it hurts at the front of my (ever recedeing) hairline. BUT, I've glued in thick pads of moleskin and now it's doing fine...

[Aggie_Ama]

I have a Giro Pneumo that I bought online last year and just started wearing...and it hurts at the front of my (ever recedeing) hairline. BUT, I've glued in thick pads of moleskin and now it's doing fine...

Maybe I should try that! My Atmos makes an obnoxious pressure point the front of my right forhead. I have even had DH check to make sure I have it centered, apparently I just have a smaller left side? Anyway, it is my only complaint on the Giro fit is less padding in the very center of the front.

[Mr. Bloom]

I had to roll up the moleskin pretty thick... To make it as thick as the standard pads

[SadieKate]

My Atmos makes an obnoxious pressure point the front of my right forhead.

Hmm, I'd worry about you if it was the back of your forehead.

[MartianDestiny]

As I compare brands and models, the top end models brag about ventilation and cooling, but I want one that brags about durability, safety, beefiness in construction.

No standard bicycle helmet is durable. One crash and they are all done. Frankly you don't want them durable as it is the crushing/destroying of the helmet that saves your head.

All helmets sold in the US pass the SAME safety standards. A few provide slightly deeper coverage in the rear, but are geared more towards mountain biking (Giro Hex and Xen and the Fox Flux to name the most popular of this type). I'll emphasize again that even though they cover "better" they pass the same test (and unfortunately we the consumer never know by what margin, etc.)

What you definitely want to look for is fit and comfort, that's what you are buying. Midrange to expensive helmets come in sizes (as opposed to one-size-"fits"-all), are lighter, and are vented better. That's their selling points. Getting a helmet that is sized is a huge advantage for fit if you don't have an extremely average head though; more than that is gravy (but I really love my well vented helmets in the summer heat!).

As has been said, Giro and Bell are one and the same, but the helmets are not shaped the same so likely one label will fit you better than the other. There's really no substitute for trying them on. IMO it's worth paying a little more at a bike shop to make sure you are getting a helmet that is comfortable, fits well, and is actually "new" (lots of the helmets you see as major bargains online are actually 3-4 maybe even 5 or more years since the "manufactured on" date inside the helmet. Helmets should only be considered "good" for 5 yrs from this date (NOT the date of purchase) so if you buy one online tomorrow and it gets to you with a "manufactured May 2004" sticker you are SOL). Even in the shop expect to find a good many 06, 07 and 08 stickers; that's not a bad thing, but you should be aware of the remaining expected lifetime vs. price, etc. (I replace my helmets every 2-3 years anyway due to use, so I just bought one labeled 06 and was fine with that).

Just to add another brand in there; I've been very happy with the fit of my Specialized brand helmet.

[OakLeaf]

Actually, helmet warranties generally run 7 years from manufacture or 3 years from purchase, whichever is sooner. So I'll go with what I've always heard and read, that an unworn, properly stored helmet degrades very little if at all. It's the acids and oils from your skin - and to a lesser extent UV and ozone exposure - that degrades the EPS. So I go with 3-5 years from first use.

+1 on the very thin padding on the front of the Giro. I was fine with mine for about a year and a half, but it just recently got too compressed to be comfortable. Luckily a friend of mine had a whole bag of helmet pads, and I was able to find one that fit well enough to be comfortable.

[MartianDestiny]

Actually, helmet warranties generally run 7 years from manufacture or 3 years from purchase, whichever is sooner. So I'll go with what I've always heard and read, that an unworn, properly stored helmet degrades very little if at all. It's the acids and oils from your skin - and to a lesser extent UV and ozone exposure - that degrades the EPS. So I go with 3-5 years from first use.

Not according to the manufacturers.

Bell:

WHEN SHOULD I REPLACE MY HELMET?
How often should a helmet be replaced under normal wear and tear?
Bell has a general recommendation of replacing a helmet every three (3) years. If you have any questions as to the condition of your helmet please call us for information or to set up a free inspection....

What kind of warranty does Bell offer?
Any Bell helmet determined by Bell to be defective in materials or workmanship within one (1) year from the date of original purchase will be repaired or replaced, at Bell’s option, free of charge when received at the factory freight prepaid, together with proof of purchase. If you have questions regarding the warranty coverage on your helmet, call us or refer to the helmet owner’s manual."

Specialized:

Question
How long can I expect a bicycle helmet to last?

Answer

Most helmets should last 5 to 6 years, after that the Styrofoam just ages and gets brittle. Then it is not as able to absorb an impact, and that is the whole reason to have a helmet!

Have you ever seen a very old Styrofoam beer cooler? One that when you pick it up, if there is anything inside it, the bottom tends to fall out? or it just crumbles & cracks?

That is an example of Styrofoam losing its unique properties & flexibility over time. And this is exactly why we recommend changing your helmet after 5 to 6 years.

Of course any helmet that has been involved in a crash should be replaced even if no damage is visible. You can crush that Styrofoam, or there might be cracks in it under the plastic molded cover that you can't see.

There are things in life that you can "put off replacing" over and over and have few ill effects. Personally, I think helmets are not one of those items.

Question
Is there any kind of warranty on your helmets?

Answer

All of our accessories, including helmets, have a 1 year warranty from the date of purchase against manufacturer's defects in workmanship or materials.

Giro:

Any helmet subjected to a violent impact should be discarded and destroyed,
although helmet damage may not always be evident. In addition, it is
recommended that helmets be replaced after three years from the date of
purchase.

WARRANTIES
Giro warrants to the original purchaser of this product that the product is free
of defects in material and workmanship for a period of one year from the

original date of purchase.

SNELL (safety certification company): http://www.smf.org/faqs.html#10

ALL of the above (all of the main manufacturers) recommend 5 years or less (ok, Specialized is 5-6) and All of them offer only a 1 year warranty against defects. That's a far cry from a 7 year warranty!!!

I think I'm going to stick with what I'm reading from the safety people and the manufacturers; it degrades to some extent regardless of use (or lack thereof) with effects starting to be potentially fatal to me somewhere in the neighborhood of ~5yrs. I know enough chemistry and about the material to believe them as well.

[Aggie_Ama]

Hmm, I'd worry about you if it was the back of your forehead.

Hehe. Top? Near the hairline? I have never been good with directions, I still have to do the L is left with my hand sometimes.

[OakLeaf]

Hmmm. I must've been thinking about motorcycle helmets, which is definitely seven years from manufacture or five (not three) from purchase.

Still, AFAIK it's the same type of EPS and the same issues involved with its degradation...

[Biciclista]

one thing though, the really expensive helmets do not protect you any better than the cheap ones. they are often just more aerodynamic and have more holes.