Expensive helmets, benefits.

golfergmc

I`m on the look out for a new helmet and was thinking of a Giro Ionos for £120, are there any benefits from such an expensive helmet, apart from weight.

nwmlarge

vents
adjustability
comfort factors

most important above all this is the fit to your head.
it may be totally unsuitable so try plenty.

golfergmc

Tried one and it was really comfortable but so is the money in my pocket.

VintageGt

Giro Ionos is high on the most important thing...safety! Yeah, we all wanna look swish in our new bash hat but not many consider the varying safety factors of each different helmet. I'm not saying Ionos is the greatest in this area but, my brother has an Atmos and a friend has a Bell Sweep. Nice looking hats of course but, line them up with my Ionos and have a good feel, prod and general poke around and I'd keep my Ionos 8 days a week, far more substantial product.

Apart from that, looked after, it will last years, if you come off and it breaks, Giro will replace it for you and in summer, they vent air over your sweaty head better than any helmet I've ever worn.

If you're a fashion cyclist and have to have the latest helmet every season, don't bother. If you want a great cycling helmet that will last years when looked after...buy one today...after all, yeah, the money in your pocket is comfortable but scraping bits of your smashed skull off a kerb stone won't be...what's more important?

dirkdiggler69

i have an ionos and it fits great and is very light.
however i think it is more than a slight worry when a helmet is regarded as better when it has more and bigger holes in it?
and coming from motorcycling where they have something called the sharps test to acertain the safety ratings of all helmets and is government sponsored i also find it a bit of a worry that there don't seem to be any safety ratings at all for cycle helmets.

VintageGt

I dont think it has more and bigger holes in it and I have one. I simply think the structure is more substantial than other top end helmets and I know from using many types of helmet that the venting is superior due to the shape and distribution of the holes rather than the size and number of them.

golfergmc

Safety is a major factor for me and so is stopping my head from sweating too much in the summer as last year the sweat was inside my sunglasses.

geebee2

Consider Lidl helmet : under £10.

Lillywhite

golfergmc wrote:

I`m on the look out for a new helmet and was thinking of a Giro Ionos for £120, are there any benefits from such an expensive helmet, apart from weight.

Brought one last year. Best helmet that I've owned in over 20 years for comfort, fit and ventilation and comes with a liner for cooler days.

You won't be disappointed if you buy one.

schweiz

dirkdiggler69 wrote:

...and coming from motorcycling where they have something called the sharps test to acertain the safety ratings of all helmets and is government sponsored i also find it a bit of a worry that there don't seem to be any safety ratings at all for cycle helmets.

http://www.bhsi.org/stdcomp.htm

cookiemonster

Any helmet you buy will have met the EN1078 safety standard; I dont know of any other standard for helmets so I cant think of any other way the safety of a £20 helmet can objectively be compared with a £120 helmet. So, if all helmets are created equal in terms of safety, then for more money you're buying less weight, greater ventilation, better adjustablity/fit and improved aesthetics.

Kind of makes sense - its got to be harder to get an ultra-light, full-of-holes Ionos or whisper to meet the safety regs than a one-piece, 1kg piss-pot!

jon

(and fwiw +1 on the Ionos)

yakk

Too add something, Specialized I think are the only manufacturer to test their helmets to the higher Snell protection rating. Whether other helmets are as 'safe' is unknown as they are not tested to that higher level.
Felt like a good reason to buy a Specialized lid to me (and only £30 for the now defunct Chamonix, which fitted well/was comfortable).
Yak

geebee2

Incidentally Lidl helmet weighs 312gm ( I think price is £8.99 ).

That includes visor, light, long strap ( slightly sweaty ).

So you could probably trim maybe 10gm-20gm off that.

According to http://weightweenies.starbike.com/listi ... pe=helmets

Giro Ionos weighs 315gm ( 309 claimed ).

So no weight saving, despite price being 12 times more.

porker33

I went through this last year, having thought I needed a high end Giro lid.

I found the answer was to try on as many different helmets as possible and see which one fits the best.
I assume road helmets from major manufacturers are relatively safe, you can see how many vents are in the thing and I was prepared to allow for a potential 5-10g difference in weight if it was likely to be comfortable over a long ride.
At the end of the day correct fit is the answer, especially if you can find one in a colour you like!

tarquin_foxglove

schweiz wrote:

dirkdiggler69 wrote:

...and coming from motorcycling where they have something called the sharps test to acertain the safety ratings of all helmets and is government sponsored i also find it a bit of a worry that there don't seem to be any safety ratings at all for cycle helmets.

http://www.bhsi.org/stdcomp.htm

SHARP Motorcycle Helmet Test: http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/content/animation

"Takes the best bits from current standards around the world, SHARP raises the bar – putting motorcycle helmets through a more rigorous and targeted testing process.

Thanks to a simple five star scoring system, SHARP provides motorcyclists with independent and objective advice, revealing the different safety performances of UK motorcycle helmets."

Means you can compare a 5* £70 helmet with a 4* £600 one. http://sharp.direct.gov.uk/compareview/334,227

Honestly, I wonder why they don't do this with cycle hemets?

nickwill

Buy the helmet that fits you best. That means you will wear it. It also means it's more likely to stay in place if you crash. I use a Lazer Genesis because the retention system means that it is virtually made to measure for any shape of head.

cougie

The helmet that you pay big bucks for this year will be automatically cheaper next year when the new version is out.

I usually go mid range and save some dosh - but as above - get one thats comfortable - they dont all fit the same.

golfergmc

cougie wrote:

The helmet that you pay big bucks for this year will be automatically cheaper next year when the new version is out.

I usually go mid range and save some dosh - but as above - get one thats comfortable - they dont all fit the same.

The one I've found is last years model as I'm not going to pay any extra for a new colour scheme.

sungod

geebee2 wrote:

Incidentally Lidl helmet weighs 312gm ( I think price is £8.99 ).

That includes visor, light, long strap ( slightly sweaty ).

So you could probably trim maybe 10gm-20gm off that.

According to http://weightweenies.starbike.com/listi ... pe=helmets

Giro Ionos weighs 315gm ( 309 claimed ).

So no weight saving, despite price being 12 times more.

that must be for a very large/old ionos

mine weights 270g (medium), might be a bit less when it dries out

i chose it for comfort, after trying umpteen at all price levels in a few different shops, it was by far the most comfy for me, but everyone's head is different

for something i wear so much, i want it perfect!

main benefit is ventilation, my old helmet had nowhere near the airflow, and nice touches like the pad material is antibacterial so it doesn't go whiffy as fast as some, and it comes with a winter liner (which it really needs due to the airflow)

Monty Dog

Best helmet for fit and comfort = Lazer Helium. Makes Giros look like crude, cheap lumps of polystyrene. Had too many quality problems with Giro helmets to want me to buy another.

nickwill

Monty Dog wrote:

Best helmet for fit and comfort = Lazer Helium. Makes Giros look like crude, cheap lumps of polystyrene. Had too many quality problems with Giro helmets to want me to buy another.

It's the same fit system as the Genesis I mentioned in an earlier post isn't it Monty? I reckon Lazer have it sorted. If they had the same marketing budget as Giro they would be far more popular than the 'leading' brands.