when to replace helmet

[Elphaba]

What is the life span of a helmet? I have been using a Bell helmet for about a year and a half. Only action it has seen was protecting my head from a falling pine cone.

L

[Melalvai]

Inspect your helmet periodically. Look for signs of wear. As it ages little cracks will start to appear. If it is exposed to a lot of sun and sweat and temperatures, it will age faster than if it is sitting in a closet. I've heard 3 to 5 years, but I bike every day in all weather, and perhaps my sweat is toxic besides, so I've ended up replacing mine every 2 years.

Of course replace it if it is involved in a crash. Even if it looks fine there can be cracks inside that you can't see.

[goldfinch]

On helmet safety: http://www.helmets.org/replace.htm

Most manufacturers now recommend that helmets be replaced after five years, but some of that may be just marketing. (Bell now recommends every three years, which seems to us too short. They base it partially on updating your helmet technology, but they have not been improving their helmets that much over three year periods, and we consider some of their helmets since the late 1990's to be a step backwards, so we would take that with a grain of salt.) Deterioration depends on usage, care, and abuse. But if you ride thousands of miles every year, five years may be a realistic estimate of helmet life. And helmets have actually been improving enough over time to make it a reasonable bet that you can find a better one than you did five years ago. It may fit better, look better, and in some cases may even be more protective. For an alternate view that agrees with the manufacturers, check out the helmet FAQ of the Snell Foundation . Snell knows a lot about helmets and their views on this subject should not be dismissed lightly, even though we disagree with them.

[Owlie]

Manufacturers say 3-5 years from the date of manufacture (on the sticker inside the helmet), but you should probably do it more often if you ride a lot, live in the Southwest, or tend ot leave your helmet in a hot car for long periods. Definitely replace it if you crash.