preferred-google-button
log in
register

Helmet – how often to change?

  • Creator
    Topic
  • June 2, 2013 at 4:58 pm #18974
    Steveal

    Hi folks,

    Just been around to my bro’s and he has a new Boardman helmet. I have to say it fitted me perfectly and is much more comfortable than my current giro indicator. He is younger and probably faster than me so I didn’t feel I could make off with it 😀 So it got me thinking… How often are you supposed to change them (helmets, not brothers) ? I’m not sure if I want to be encouraged into spending more money on kit… I usually don’t need any encouragement!

    Cheers.

  • Creator
    Topic
Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 26 total)
1 2
  • Author
    Replies
  • June 5, 2013 at 7:04 pm #739677
    0
    700c

    Simon E wrote:
    Did you crash

    Simon E wrote:

  • Did you crash it? Replace immediately.
  • Did you drop it hard enough to crack the foam? Replace.
  • Is it from the 1970’s? Replace.
  • Is the outside just foam or cloth instead of plastic? Replace.
  • Does it lack a CPSC, ASTM or Snell sticker inside? Replace.
  • Can you not adjust it to fit correctly? Replace!!

    • The above is a summary of http://www.helmets.org/replace.htm which has lots of info.

    Loads of impartial advice on that site for those who can be bothered to read and learn instead of making lazy assumptions.

    That all sounds very reasonable. Helpful advice I’d say. Thank you!

    June 5, 2013 at 5:12 pm #739675
    0
    Simon E

    Did you crash it? Replace

  • Did you crash it? Replace immediately.
  • Did you drop it hard enough to crack the foam? Replace.
  • Is it from the 1970’s? Replace.
  • Is the outside just foam or cloth instead of plastic? Replace.
  • Does it lack a CPSC, ASTM or Snell sticker inside? Replace.
  • Can you not adjust it to fit correctly? Replace!!

    • The above is a summary of http://www.helmets.org/replace.htm which has lots of info.

    Loads of impartial advice on that site for those who can be bothered to read and learn instead of making lazy assumptions.

June 5, 2013 at 4:51 pm #739673
0
Lost faith in the brand

its pointless in a safety
its pointless in a safety term if that is what you are using to protect your head as it will now be failing the set standards for helmets. so in that aspect it is pointless. you could argue you would be better wearing a kitchen roll wrapped round your head (which would be better than nothing) but STILL pointless.

http://www.smf.org/helmetfaq#aWhyReplace

interesting reading from a company who test helmets off all kinds (including push bikes and motor bikes)

id also like to point out some companies who say the lifetime expectancy of a helmet is 3-5 years is because they store the helmet and retest it to the same standards. Unfortunately they fail and this is where there limited lifetime is determined.

so yes there is evidence it will offer less protection that a brand new one……..

June 5, 2013 at 2:39 pm #739671
0
londonplayer

anyone else have problems
anyone else have problems with the chin strap on their helmet? I have a Lazer Helium and my chin strap *always* comes loose. Forever have to tighten it. Thinking of buying a new one having only bought this recently.

June 5, 2013 at 2:03 pm #739669
0
Liam Barr

700c wrote:’A helmet that’s

700c wrote:
’A helmet that’s 10 years old is pointless’..

Er.. Nope, don’t get that one.

It will offer more protection than no helmet, and there is no evidence that it will offer less, or limited protection than a brand new one.

It’s all scare mongering and speculation until there’s some actual proof, to be quite honest.

Agreed.

May i also add that i tried an S3 on yesterday as i was looking at the Spech amnesty thing and i found that my ’98 Met was for more comfortable, thicker and it seems stronger. I had a little knock the other week with my lid on and it took all impact well and theres not damage at all. I wont be swapping soon..

June 5, 2013 at 1:31 pm #739667
0
700c

‘A helmet that’s 10 years old
‘A helmet that’s 10 years old is pointless’..

Er.. Nope, don’t get that one.

It will offer more protection than no helmet, and there is no evidence that it will offer less, or limited protection than a brand new one.

It’s all scare mongering and speculation until there’s some actual proof, to be quite honest.

June 5, 2013 at 11:54 am #739665
0
Lost faith in the brand

maybe its just the irony that
maybe its just the irony that gets to me – im a cyclist who is worried about safety so ill wear a helmet…… thats 10 years old.

bit pointless, similarly it also annoys me people who put high vis vests, loads of lights on there bikes because of cycling safety yet cycle with headphones in and or no helmet. (dont get me started on the ones who go through red lights) – these are the ones that we should give helmets that are 10 years old…….

various things bug me but there life 🙂
and as previously mentioned, there head there helmet there choice.

June 5, 2013 at 11:48 am #739663
0
Chuck

I think Met recommend 5
I think Met recommend 5 years, assuming no big hits. I’m a bit torn on this one- on the one hand the manufacturers would obviously prefer us to buy new helmets fairly frequently rather than keep them for 15 years, but on the other hand it’s a fact that plastics degrade over time in the sun and I can easily believe that could have an effect on how a helmet might perform come crunch time. Even in this country my favourite red jersey is several shades lighter on the back than it is on the front after a few years so it’s not hard for me to believe my helmet’s suffered a bit too.

June 5, 2013 at 11:38 am #739661
0
Simon E

If a helmet is noticeably
If a helmet is noticeably more comfortable than your current one then I’d just do it. Might as well enjoy wearing it, and the Boardman helmets aren’t particularly expensive.

June 4, 2013 at 9:42 pm #739659
0
Al'76

Hmmm…just been trying to
Hmmm…just been trying to change mine. Have been trying very hard to buy a Giro Atmos in matte black and white, but keep getting sent ones that really shouldn’t have made it out of the factory.
Would seem that, in an effort to improve margins, Giro has sacked the Quality Control department…still, there are other manufacturers that still seem to be able to turn out a decently finished product 😕

June 4, 2013 at 1:14 pm #739657
0
700c

cidermart wrote:700c

cidermart wrote:
700c wrote:

Interesting that posters on here are wearing helmets that are 15 years
old, with no signs of sun damage..

Until it comes to it being used and then it’s a bit late.

Well yes, I suppose.. And personally 15 years seems quite a long time without replacing..

Problem is, it’s all speculation and guess work. You could apply the same logic to carbon frames and wheels as well. Personally I can’t afford kit replacement every 3 years on the off chance it had been made fragile by sun exposure..

I don’t buy into this particular concept as I do feel it’s a bit of a scare story but of course each to his own..

June 3, 2013 at 9:42 pm #739655
0
cidermart

700c wrote:
Interesting that

700c wrote:

Interesting that posters on here are wearing helmets that are 15 years
old, with no signs of sun damage..

Until it comes to it being used and then it’s a bit late.

June 3, 2013 at 8:39 pm #739653
0
700c

cidermart wrote:Not sure

cidermart wrote:
Not sure where the polystyrene degrading came from I was on about the plastic outer shell which will degrade.

Bashthebox well said.

As I said it’s your head you decide.

There was mention of plastic being damaged by UV. Polystyrene (technically a plastic) is what provides impact protection, the failure of which would be catastrophic. The outer shell, exposed to UV, provides no impact protection, the failure of which is not really an issue.

In any case, you’d see when the outer shell was starting to crack or similar.

Interesting that posters on here are wearing helmets that are 15 years old, with no signs of sun damage..

June 3, 2013 at 8:37 pm #739651
0
Leviathan

Lost faith in the brand

Lost faith in the brand wrote:
it annoys me when i see people with helmets that are 5+ years old.

Well then you must be annoyed often. I regularly see people wearing all kinds of helmets including old geezers with old naked polyester pots maybe with a lycra swimming cap over it. And whats more I even see people wearing NO HELMET! gasp.

It really is your choice and a carefully stored helmet won’t just fall to pieces or stop looking cool because someone wants you to buy another one. This is why I have multiple kit in rotation to make sure nothing gets too worn out. Having said all that I quite fancy adding one of those new round Giro helmets to my collection; it might make me feel more aero.

June 3, 2013 at 7:47 pm #739649
0
Steveal

Thanks folks. Our place also
Thanks folks. Our place also have same policy re hard hats for site I found out. Obviously different type of kit but no doubt similar materials and principles for both I guess. I always had a sneaky feeling the bike industry can be a bit emperor’s new clothes, but I’m going with the above wisdom and will start to look out for bargains over the course of the year. Cheers.

  • Author
    Replies
    • Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 26 total)
    1 2
    • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.