Time to buy a new helmet

[HempKnight]

I gotta get a new helmet, Time to upgrade from my 91 Bell image, which is looking a little dated:o
Was planning on a simple 661 dirt lid for trails and such. Looking for advice on that type of helmet, plus also a reasonable road helmet as well.

Figured I throw it in this forum, because its a good beginners question.

[kpomtb]

Find some place to try some on. Bell's fit my head just right. Never put on a Giro that matched the shape of my melon.

Have had a Specialized that worked too.

Had one that just slid down and pushed my glasses into my nose. Wasn't good.

[Spalls]

Find one that your son(s) find unattractive. That way it will always be where you left it last.

[Lars Kroll]

Hi
My first helmet was a 661 Dirt lid. I bought it over the Internet - the price was really attractive but I couldn`t try it before buying. When it arrived I thought it looked massive and I only used it once or twice. If I didn`t live in Denmark you could have mine for free. Then I bought the following 3.

Bell 2005 Faction - great helmet, great price
Specialized Air force (my favourite, not BMX-style though)
Giro Xen 2007 (looks great, but expensive)

Conclusion: If you`re into BMX-style helmets I think you would be happier with the Bell Faction - it`s also better vented.

I hope this info is helpful?

[HempKnight]

Thanks- Is the dirt lid just way big and clunky?
Maybe I'll just check into the Faction.
Although I too am big and clunky

:p 6'4" 215 lbs

[RepublicanSS]

Don't scrimp. I cracked one last spring in a crash on our urban night ride. I lost my front wheel on a sandy turn. Cracked the helmet (retired now) and had a headache, but nothing else. Not bad for hitting the grape on concrete.

I apply the same strategy in cycling as we do in motocross, if you hit your head hard, even if the helmet doesn't show damage, still replace it. some may not agree, it's erring on the safe side. I don't want to wear a diaper.

[LeeMcGough]

Don't buy a park bucket for trail riding. You WILL overheat. They are designed to take hard hits, but are for one to two minute stints on a bike, not for trail riding.
I have a Bell Influx. I love it. Comes with extra padding, and has a dial for adjustment that is actually usable with one hand. Very well vented too.
Bell also has a crash replacement program. I think they give you half off your next bucket. And like Republican SS says, if you smack a helmet, you really should replace it, as it is no longer capable of doing its job.

[rockyrider]

The phrase that comes to mind dates back to my misspent youth in a sports car club. If you have a $30 head, buy a $30 helmet. It pays to test fit some helmets and make sure that they will fit and protect your spud so you don't end up a drooler.

Bell X-Ray and the new Bell Sweep XC have fit my noggin well and they have lots of cooling vents and an easy to adjust sizing.

[althegud1srtakn]

the old bell helmets (around 2000) fit me so well, but when i cracked my helmet and went to get a new one, i found that the new bells didn't fit at all. i finally found a specialized that sorta fit, but i can't seem to find anything that is a perfect match for my enormous head.

[one piece crank]

That came from Bell Helmet marketing slogan, "if you have a $10 head, get a $10 helmet". I hear that when I first got into BMX... guess I'm old now.

Tom P.

[rockyrider]

That's inflation for ya, those 1983 $100 Bell open face helmets are now $400.

[squall]

That's inflation for ya, those 1983 $100 Bell open face helmets are now $400.

$400?? Whhaaattt????

[remag]

Hard to fit fathead here too. LBS threw in a helmet when I bought my bike. Specialized fits perfect, (only one I could find that did, regardless of brand/cost) about a $30 one they said. I asked what the diff was in the $30 one and a $100 one and they said nothing, they all have to be DOT approved. So, other than "features" ie; adjustment knob, fancy paint or trick vents, they ALL have to pass the same stringent protection requirements to be approved. Made sense to me. Now, if I could only find one with a visor that was low enough to actually keep the sun out of my eyes...

[RickB]

I gotta get a new helmet, Time to upgrade from my 91 Bell image, which is looking a little dated:o
Was planning on a simple 661 dirt lid for trails and such. Looking for advice on that type of helmet, plus also a reasonable road helmet as well.

Figured I throw it in this forum, because its a good beginners question.

Easy advice here: Buy last year's "close to the high end' helmets from Giro or Bell - most LBS's and all the online guys blow them out for about half price. You can get a really nice helmet for $50 or so.

My last 5-6 helmets (they're a consumable item for me) were purchased this way.

[HempKnight]

If you have a $30 head, buy a $30 helmet.


Apparently I have a $54.99 head. :rolleyes:
Bell Slant in matte grey(s)
Dead sexy brain bucket.

[scottalanphoto]

i'm going to be needing a helmut myself... how do you go about fitting it to your head?

[mimbresman]

i'm going to be needing a helmut myself... how do you go about fitting it to your head?
You mean Helmutt! ;)

[Billy2FAT]

Easy advice here: Buy last year's "close to the high end' helmets from Giro or Bell - most LBS's and all the online guys blow them out for about half price. You can get a really nice helmet for $50 or so.

My last 5-6 helmets (they're a consumable item for me) were purchased this way.

Yeah thats a great way to score a comfy one. Thats what I did last year

[Trailer Rails]

There is a bit of misinformation here:

1) Bell and Giro are the same company and have the same fit. :eek:

2) The more expensive the helmet is more safe. Yes they all have to pass the same test, just like crash testing cars. A Geo Metro passed the same test that Volvo passed to meet federal guidelines. It is just that the Volvo exceeded the test by much more. The same thing with helmets. Plus the better the helmet the more vents it gets so the cooler your head will be. Look for a helmet that has the straps integrated into the sides (like the Giro Xen, Specialized Decibel, or the Trek Zone). The Xen is my pick for the best Mtb helmet. it has a little more coverage on the back of the head than most helmets.

3) You should replace a helmet every 3-5 years regardless of falling, UV light and your sweat will break the foam down and degrade it's ability to protect.

4) Helmets are 1 time, use like a condom. You fall and bump your head, replace that helmet even if it looks OK from the outside. If you look inside real close you will find small stress cracks. They say if you drop your helmet on the ground you should replace it, that sounds a bit extreme to me, but it depends on high the drop was.

[north20]

There is a bit of misinformation here:

1) Bell and Giro are the same company and have the same fit. :eek:


Yep, same company makes both. But same fit ? Not in my recent experience. Just bought a new helmet last week and I tried on a few models from each company among others; they did not fit the same. In fact turning them over readily illustrates the difference in "head shape" between the 2 brands.

And it makes sense that they do not match in fit. Better that each brand fit a different shape head ( round, oval, etc. ) and cover a broader spectrum of the market.

[Mister Chow]

2) The more expensive the helmet is more safe. Yes they all have to pass the same test, just like crash testing cars. A Geo Metro passed the same test that Volvo passed to meet federal guidelines. It is just that the Volvo exceeded the test by much more. The same thing with helmets. Plus the better the helmet the more vents it gets so the cooler your head will be. Look for a helmet that has the straps integrated into the sides (like the Giro Xen, Specialized Decibel, or the Trek Zone). The Xen is my pick for the best Mtb helmet. it has a little more coverage on the back of the head than most helmets.


False.

Though all helmets are required to meet minimum safety standards price is not an accurate indicator of greater safety.

To stretch the example, a Bell Ballistic full face helmet offers much more protection than a Giro Ionis. Though the Giro costs 5x more. Why? Because the whole point of the Ionis was not to make a safer helmet but to make the lightest, coolest helmet while still meeting the minimum safety standards.

Choose a helmet designed for the type of riding that you will be doing. If you're a roadie doing centuries in Arizona, get the coolest, best vented helmet you can find. If you're sessioning the dirt jumps on your uncle's farm get a BMX style bucket that isn't concerned with venting. If you're commuting get one that is comfortable and durable since you'll be wearing it every day and likely (hopefully) most of the wear will be from day to day handling and not crashing.

And though Bell and Giro are the same company and share R&D, they consciously design different helmets with different fits. Bells tend to be more round and Giros tend to be more oblong.

[Jon Kerr]

Here's my take on helmets. Like others have mentioned, one hit and they're done. Toss it and replace it. I don't care if it's a $300 Carbon Fiber TLD or the $30 661 Dirt Lid. They've done the job they were intended to do. Retire it and replace it.

I'm also against using open face helmets on any off road trails. You just never know what could be coming up or where your head will hit in a crash. About 5 years ago I was tearing through some switch back single track in the trees at a local trail that I knew very well. A tree had fallen since the last time I'd been there and they cut it back. But not far enough. I was leaned into a blind turn and took a 3" thick branch right in the mouth wearing a typical Giro mountain bike helmet. Yeah, the helmet saved the back of my head when I came off the bike. But my face was cut to hell. From then on, I've worn full face helmets. But it's been tricky finding a full face helmet that breathes well. So far the best I've found is the Giro Remedy. That's what I'm using now and it's the best helmet I've ever used. It's got quite a few air vents but I do still get a bit warmer in it than if I were using an open face. But the safety is worth it to me.

If I'm just riding around a park or taking my nephew out (he's 4 and still on training wheels. :) ) I have a 661 Dirt Lid that fits well. But it'll never see the dirt.

[Trailer Rails]

Jon,

That reminds me of one time I was coming down a steep hill when I got clocked by a powerline that had fallen down. It caught me right in the mouth and took me off my bike. I was lucky that it was dead and I was not going all that fast. I blended right into the background. This thing was huge, about 3-4" around!

[Jon Kerr]

Ouch!! No kidding it's a good thing that the line was dead. Seeing those power lines stretched way up in the air like that you don't realized how big and heavy they really are.