Is my helmet up to scratch?

rodgers73

It cost about £20 from Decathlon. The cheapest road helmet on Wiggle is about £40.

Is there a British Standard or something I can check on it to see its any good?

I'm guessing all helmets are ok, and its just the weight that comes down as the price increases but didnt think it was wise to wait until its "too late".

nickyhoward55

I would say it will do. Mines a MET one and was only £35, its great. You pay more for less weight and a fancy name on the side

desweller

All helmets sold in the UK should meet a British Standard or European Standard. There should be a CE mark on the helmet somewhere showing this.

The more expensive ones are generally only different in that they provide better ventilation and are lighter.

Rich Hcp

I have a Bell Sola, cost £20 from CRC, it's fine, vents ok and comfortable for me.

I replace every 3 years or so, its my second Sola and its caused me no problems

T-Rekster

Rich Hcp wrote:

I have a Bell Sola, cost £20 from CRC, it's fine, vents ok and comfortable for me.

I replace every 3 years or so, its my second Sola and its caused me no problems

So should cycle helmets be replaced periodically then, My MET helmet dates back to 2001.... :shock:


.

Ollieda

T-Rekster wrote:

Rich Hcp wrote:

I have a Bell Sola, cost £20 from CRC, it's fine, vents ok and comfortable for me.

I replace every 3 years or so, its my second Sola and its caused me no problems

So should cycle helmets be replaced periodically then, My MET helmet dates back to 2001.... :shock:


.

Manufactures claim that the materials begin to deteriorate over time (which I can agree with over a long time) some say as little as 3 years. I think it's more of a cover for them though, if they gave you advice to change the helmet and it did fail after you ignored the advice theres no comeback on them.

slip210

i use a skateboard helmet myself, using a streamlined multi vented multicoloured ultralight helmet seems a step to far.... bit like shaving my legs.....
slip

Wh05apk

Decathlon currently have a bell (not sure which model) reduced from £25 to £15, first time I have used one, comfortable, but gives me terrible helmet hair!! can be quite sweaty.

optimisticbiker

T-Rekster wrote:

Rich Hcp wrote:

I have a Bell Sola, cost £20 from CRC, it's fine, vents ok and comfortable for me.

I replace every 3 years or so, its my second Sola and its caused me no problems

So should cycle helmets be replaced periodically then, My MET helmet dates back to 2001.... :shock:


.

I have a MET Crackerjack circa 2003. Its not the same as the current models so i emailed Met in Milan to ask about replacement pads as mine have all gone manky from sweat... I got an email back from the delightfully named Sara Sottovia - say it softly in an Italian accent, conjours up all sorts.... oops getting OT.... - anyway, she said while I could use the 'Universal' pad set (at £9 + p&p) the helmet should really be replaced as the structural integrity does deteriorate over time and they only guarantee it for 3y...

I was amazed how much better a new lighter Specialzed Propero was by comparison, so bought one and now i find I dont sweat as much because of the better airflow...

turnerjohn

Ollieda wrote:

T-Rekster wrote:

Rich Hcp wrote:

I have a Bell Sola, cost £20 from CRC, it's fine, vents ok and comfortable for me.

I replace every 3 years or so, its my second Sola and its caused me no problems

So should cycle helmets be replaced periodically then, My MET helmet dates back to 2001.... :shock:


.

Manufactures claim that the materials begin to deteriorate over time (which I can agree with over a long time) some say as little as 3 years. I think it's more of a cover for them though, if they gave you advice to change the helmet and it did fail after you ignored the advice theres no comeback on them.

Its due to U.V light breaking down the polystrene inner stucture which is the part that takes the impact. So in theory if the helmet was kept "in the dark" it would last far longer....same thing with tyres...they degrade under U.V as well.
I've a 2006 Giro E2 that I still use...nothing wrong with it (dont get a huge amount of use as I ride more road and its kept in a giro hard case!)

Ollieda

turnerjohn wrote:

Its due to U.V light breaking down the polystrene inner stucture which is the part that takes the impact. So in theory if the helmet was kept "in the dark" it would last far longer....same thing with tyres...they degrade under U.V as well.
I've a 2006 Giro E2 that I still use...nothing wrong with it (dont get a huge amount of use as I ride more road and its kept in a giro hard case!)

As i said, i don't doubt such things can happen, just not sure if 3 years of sunlight is enough to make a helmet unsafe. As for tyres - sunlight doesn't have enough time to destroy them, i'm doing it fine on my own!

Peddle Up!

The manufacturers of hard hats recommend replacing them after a maximum of five years use.

jgsi

Peddle Up! wrote:

The manufacturers of hard hats recommend replacing them after a maximum of five years use.

:roll:
so
considering the 'abuse' an average builders hard hat gets after 5 years of continuous use, the cycle helmet is probably good to go for 50...... not that I want to keep mine too long after the inner bands start to go off and I get fed up of the colour scheme

Bobbinogs

I think some of the stuff about expensive lids can be a bit misleading. I have a 2 year old Raleigh Missile 2 helmet that cost £20. It weighs 285g and comes with the CE standard stamp. Hence, on paper it reads exactly the same (including weight) as the majority of helmets in the recent C+ review which had a price range of £100-£200.

So, I know buying a new hat won't make me any quicker or safer and probably won't save any noticeable weight. It will look nice though, and have nicer shaped vents...I found myself straying through the helmet section of my LBS the other week and had to tear myself away. By next spring my resolve will be fully worn away.