CycleSurgery helmet returns

Anonymous

Got me a Giro Xen today from a branch of CycleSurgery. Trying various Giros on I found the Large seemed to fit on the Xen even though I'm normally a Medium and other Giros were better in a Medium fit. They only had the Large in stock of the Xen.

Speaking to the sales guy he reckoned just adjusting the inner headband and doing the usual in-shop quality test of holding your head upside down and seeing if the helmet falls off (it didn't) was enough to say it's a good fit.

It felt okay anyway, and did a few tests myself rocking the helmet side to side and back to front which were okey, so took it.

Got it home, reading through the helmet FAQ (something not available in the shop), the various tests to check fit basically tell me it's a bad fit. In short despite getting it a nice snug fit and it feels good, rolling the helmet backwards is dead easy to knock the thing off if you follow their instruction to make a serious effort to rock it back. Actually doesn't take that much effort, but more than I'd tried in the shop.

So it's going back, except I just spotted this on their website...

"We are legally unable to refund or exchange helmet returns so please be careful when choosing"

Surely this is not legal no matter what they say? So long as I haven't worn the helmet other than to try it on.

That's online. Don't know if the shop rule is the same. But surely if you buy online you can never be entirely sure it will be a good fit. Just using the size guide is never enough, and Giro's FAQ certainly illustrates this as you have a lot more to do to check the size is right.

sandy hill

Sounds more like a hygiene issue to me.

On the legal side I think that they would have a problem with misleading advice.

Should they not return it then sufficeint noise on here would probably convince them to do so at a later point.

cooldad

It's not a hygiene issue, it's a safety issue. They cannot sell a returned helmet as there is no way of knowing if it's been damaged or not, and you can't sell safety equipment with a question mark.
They might be kind and replace it (you may have a point on the sales guy) but should trash it if they do.

Anonymous

Should also be a safety issue if the advice in store and even the size guides online are insufficient to judge a good fit.

Though understandable they could be concerned I'd ridden with it and bashed it. I definitely haven't but who are they to know.

Will take it to the store anyway and hope they won't have a problem with it.

Have to say I've never seen a store judge a fit other than the "will it fall off" test. Fairly shocking really if you consider landing on the front of your head is going to roll it straight off the back of your head.

Actually, I tested my previous (now bust up) helmet and it does that also to an extent, just not as much as the large.


Hmm, also further on their FAQ, you'd have to mess about with the padding, take out the inner band stuff and make further adjustments, to get it just right and only then would you do the final test of being able to roll it off the head. Their advice then is to not use it and replace it. Who's going to go through all of that in the shop, and no one can do that ordering online!

cooldad

I'm not arguing about what's right or wrong, just why they say helmets can't be replaced.

Anonymous

Yeah. No problem.

If all else fails I'll have to flog it.

Have to say I've never done full thorough fit tests on a helmet to the extent Giro describe. I'm betting very few do. Previously I'd just go with it, and wearing this one I'd normally be convinced it's fine. For riding it would be perfectly snug and comfortable, but I'm somewhat paranoid now about ensuring it's a safe fit and not going to come off in a big smash (knowing what big smashes do to your head now!).

cooldad

You are sounding a bit tense. Don't worry you'll be back to normal soon.
That's why I replaced mine with exact same one after my off - fitted well and did it's job.

diy

You can't rely on any statutory rights here, because its not defective and it was not mail order. However, the advice from the sales person was wrong, so you could take it back.

Your basic position is that you went in wanting a Zen helmet and asked the sales rep to size it for you. He concluded large was right and sold you large. Subsequently you found out his advice was wrong.

You are essentially arguing the helmet was sold by description. "a helmet to fit my head" it isnt "a helmet to fit your head" so it does not meet the description. Its not a strong argument though as you are relying on a conversation.

FWIW I am a medium in motorcycle helmets and a large on my Giro Hex, which is very similar to the zen.

Personally I can't see how a different size will prevent it from rolling off your head in a crash. Only full face helmets can stop that.

toastedone

I was able to return an unused helmet to Halfords, no questions asked, all tho I do see the importance of the safety issue, I mean would you buy a second hand lid?

good luck

Anonymous

diy wrote:

Personally I can't see how a different size will prevent it from rolling off your head in a crash. Only full face helmets can stop that.

You could be right. After all my old helmet sort of fails the roll off test also, just it's more difficult to do it, but according to Giro (who's instructions seem to also be word for word identical on Bell's site too), you should "make serious effort" to roll the helmet off.

Maybe I'm over concerned though. It's just after having a bit of an off with a number of head injuries with my old one, whilst it very like protected my head from worse injuries than I got, I'm wondering if the injuries I have may have been reduced with a proper fit. More really though that I can see how an impact straight onto the front visor area could push the whole thing back and whilst it will not entirely fall off due to the chin strap, it has exposed most of the head.

The actual quoted size is wrong also. Says 59-63 but I'm a 57. I didn't have a tape measure in the shop and just went by how it seemed to fit at the time.

plife

I got bought a helmet from Cycle Surgery for Christmas - measured my head beforehand as suggested on many sites and came up with large for a Specialised Prospero. Once I got it, tried it on and it was far too big, looked like a mushroom and certainly wasn't snug. Mother in law took it back and ended up having a big arguement with the manager. Eventually he agreed to swap for a medium. Tried this one on and couldn't even get it on my head! Another arguement with Cycle Surgery, who eventually agreed to give vouchers, even though my mother in law had the original receipt, and they said they could be used on their website.......and no they couldn't be used! Last time I buy anything from there!

Had another helmet issue with Tredz and they refunded with absolutely no questions. Much better service!

Good luck with the return!

diy

I think you are expecting too much from a bicycle helmet.

you should look at something like this:


for the protection you are seeking

loveaduck

I have taken helmets back to Evans, CS and CRC with no problems. They refunded the money back on to my debit card. Your helmet " is not fit for purpose"

Anonymous

Full face is on the cards anyway for DH stuff . Though that's a long way off now before I'm fit enough to do it.

My concern is that the instructions here:

http://www.giro.com/eu_en/customer-serv ... et-faqs-2/

Clearly say in bold letters to not use the helmet if you can roll it forward or back off the head. This is also something repeated in many guides on the net to good helmet fit.

Having tried it, regardless of whether they say it's okay or not, it alarmed me I could do it anyway as I can see a head plant in the right place will slip it off and if you were to be going a bit of speed, helmet slides back on first impact and you slide along and hit something else... well!

2 days unconscious, heavy concussion, many cuts plus a dent in the front of my head and a big bash to the back (which was where the helmet should have been covering), plus what will be ongoing whiplash injuries, has made me a bit concerned and paranoid

Anyway, probably all fuss about nothing and they'll replace it no problem. Will see .

70s_kid

I'm alarmed at the number of retailers mentioned in this thread that DO freely take helmets back.

If anyone comes across a retailer who absolutely refuses to accept any returned helmets whatsoever (except for faults) then please let me know - I'll buy mine from there in future.

Raymondavalon

diy wrote:

You can't rely on any statutory rights here, because its not defective and it was not mail order. However, the advice from the sales person was wrong, so you could take it back.

^This^

Also, from experience I find that CyceSurgery is a fairly decent retailer
I am sure if you return it, in the box, with tags, armed with your invoice and a printout from the Giro page, the [same] salesperson will understand the situation and allow you an exchange

solsurf

I'd be very surprised, if cycle surgery, once told the story, didn't help. I've always found snow and Rock and Cycle surgery very helpful. One of the reasons they say they don't do exchanges is to stop chancers trying it on by changing the new one for their old one. you'd be surprised what some will try. But, genuine customers, like yourself will have no problems getting this one sorted.

cheers,

diy

loveaduck wrote:

I have taken helmets back to Evans, CS and CRC with no problems. They refunded the money back on to my debit card. Your helmet " is not fit for purpose"

To be clear - it absolutely is "fit for purpose" (based on the info). The best angle is "not as described" which is entirely different. It doesn't help a person to go guns blazing spouting statutory rights when they are clueless about them.

sorry not having a go at you, but the two scenarios are quite different in law.

DK - I tried the medium and it was too small for me in the hex, I just followed the instructions in the link and I too get some movement, but could not pull the helmet off.

Anonymous

Well....

Fuss about nothing :oops:

They just refunded me and didn't have to argue, just said it failed the roll off test. Did notice that the receipt also says no refund/exchange on helmets also though. Though I was only in there yesterday.

Phew

Problem now is I still need a helmet.

I do still like the Xen and I'd suspect the medium will be less likely to come off as the large had too much of a gap between head and sides, even though the adjustable band makes it snug on the head. The large definitely was easy to roll off, although I suppose if I adjusted it so that I lose circulation in my head then it might not. I'd just pass out instead.

cooldad

Probably because you have an honest face, if ugly and somewhat scared at the moment. (Scared anyway, ugly is permanent.)