As far as safety, all helmets are made to the same specs. The advantage of more expensive helmets is comfort, ease of adjusting the straps (which could be a bit of a safety issue), and vanity.
I chose vanity. Yakkay.com
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I have been riding, quite safely I think, with a Bell helmet I picked up at Wal-mart. The price was right, it fit, done deal. It isn't bad looking and has protected my head from a few falling pine cones, but after seeing the pictures from a ride this weekend, it looks like a mushroom on my head! I would like something a bit aesthically pleasing. In looking around, is there really any difference between a $30/$40 helmet and at $180/$200 one?
L
L
2011 Giant Cypress ST W
2012 Giant Avail Inspire
As far as safety, all helmets are made to the same specs. The advantage of more expensive helmets is comfort, ease of adjusting the straps (which could be a bit of a safety issue), and vanity.
I chose vanity. Yakkay.com
2009 Trek 7.2FX WSD, brooks Champion Flyer S, commuter bike
Also, more expensive helmets are lighter weight and have better venting for hot weather- important consideration for me since I live in the desert. But all are equally safe.
2016 Specialized Ruby Comp disc - Ruby Expert ti 155
2010 Surly Long Haul Trucker - Jett 143
Well after getting thoroughly confused at all the options out there online, I decided to go to my wonderful LBS and try to work with what they had in stock. Glad I did! Never would have guess my head was a large! And as I told my BF when he told me I could have measured my own head, even if I had done that, if I saw it was in the large range, I would have thought I did it wrong and bought a medium! Even in the large range we had problems finding one that would come down as far on my forehead as it needed to be. SO, I ended up paying a bit more than I planned (but the LBS threw in what I call a 15% suckers discount) and got the Giro Atmos. When I asked my son (23) if I looked less like a mushroom, he laughed and said no and that in fact he would buy me a red one with white spots for Christmas. (think Mario Bros).
Well, even if I still look like a shroom, I have more vents and a better fit with a lighter helmet. I got a nice neutral white so hopefully this experience can be put on the backburner for another three years.
L
L
2011 Giant Cypress ST W
2012 Giant Avail Inspire