What road cycle Helmet?

Iain28

Hey thanks for checking out my question:

Basically I need advice whether to stick or twist with my current cycle helmet - 661 Bravo XC:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... delID=1978

I find this helmet to be bulky and when propped on my head it resembles a mushroom.

Are the more expensive models (ie giro atmos) less bulky? In the photos they look to have the same cheapo polysterene interior. I dont want to spend another £70 to buy another mushroom.

Whatever happened to the old skool cycle helmets which were basically rubber strips? They looked great.[/b]

aarw

i go for fit. which ever is most comfortable from the shortlist of lids i like the look of.

I don't think there are any helmets left on the shelves that could described as unsafe. i could be wrong of course...

Monty Dog

All helmets are certified to the same performance standards, so choice comes down to things like fit, comfort and aesthetics. If you want a really low profile helmet, look at the Limar F104 - I've just got one and it's very slim in comparison to many others - it's also very light too.

robbarker

Monty Dog wrote:

All helmets are certified to the same performance standards

All helmets sold in the UK are supposed to conform to the european EN 1078 standard, but there are more stringent standards such as the Snell B 90 and B95. AFAIAA Specialized are the only manufacturer selling decent quality road helmets that conform to Snell standards, albeit the lesser B 90 one.

More info here:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roadsafety/re ... 726?page=6

chuckcork

robbarker wrote:

Monty Dog wrote:

AFAIAA Specialized are the only manufacturer selling decent quality road helmets that conform to Snell standards, albeit the lesser B 90 one.

When I bought my last helmet in mid-2005 it was a Specialized Telluride. I had just read a review about helmets that made the point that they all met the minimum standard, Specialized however went further and met more stringent requirements, and had the strongest and (I guess) therefore the safest product on sale. Expensive at around £40 but its better safe than sorry I guess.

Of course the last time I had a proper crash I didn't bang my head but broke my arm instead....:(

Now due for a replacement though, querying the lifespan of the helmets the customer service guy in the US advised the lifespan is 3-5 years, and I've been on the bike 5 days out of 7 over the period I've had it.

Nuggs

I think what you need is one that blends the appropriate level of safety with a decent level of style. The two aren't mutually exclusive...

Down the Road

Go to a REAL shop and try a few on The one you like the look of buy it.

ChrisLS

...have to agree, go to decent shop and try some on...

cougie

Deffo go and try them on for fit.

The old school leather strips were rubbish.

Akirasho

... I'm not preaching or standing on a soapbox, but do you get style points for how you look with breathing toob stuck down your trach while you're on the ventilator in an extended care nursing facility as your family comes to visit your brain dead living corpse year after year after year after year as they pray you recover from your vegitative state?

Uh oh, I guess I did preach

As I understand it, and given that there are no absolutes in their use, all certified lids, regardless of style, should provide about the same amount of protection... so that part of the equation is moot as long as you use one.

BTW, I've got over 20 lids (including aero fairings) and I look MARVELOUS in all of them!

cougie

20 helmets ? Are you 20x safer ?

Of course - if you wanted to be really safe - dont cycle at all. Helmets dont seem to have made cycling massively safer. The way some people talk - its like playing russian roulette if you even dare to nip out to the shop without a helmet on.

chuckcork

cougie wrote:

20 helmets ? Are you 20x safer ?

Of course - if you wanted to be really safe - dont cycle at all. Helmets dont seem to have made cycling massively safer. The way some people talk - its like playing russian roulette if you even dare to nip out to the shop without a helmet on.

Of course if you get run over by a 20 tonne artic a helmet isn't going to do much good. I can see the paramedics now, hunched over the pulped remains of a former cyclist, and commenting "his head was protected, should make identification easier"