which helmets should I consider?

AndyH01 wrote:

I understand there's no real prove safety performance difference

http://news.pocsports.com/2014/08/21/po ... -eye-park/

Firstly,try the helmet alone,then try with your sunglasses then try to put them on helmet(those 3 are my rules for new helmet,as I had issues with Oakleys and Mojito and I like putting sunglasses on helmet).At the end buy if it fits within your price range.
I have Bell helmets and they are great in those 3 rules for me...

stoveman wrote:

Bought a Kask Mojito a few months back on my return to cycling after many years.
Read all the reviews and most Kask hekmets come up trumps.Absolutely love it,comfiest and best fitting helmet in the shop by mile

I too was taken by the Mojito but for some reason unbeknownst to me, it felt fine during a shop fit but turned out to be just a fraction small. I sold it on rather than persevere having suffered a few years back with a similar sizing problem. Hence I would urge a bit more caution prior to committing to purchase - wish I'd done so myself! The Mojito does look great, seems to be very well put together, and is a much neater design than my giro.

The other thing not necessarily apparent at this time of year is venting. Come the summer, there is a significant benefit to be enjoyed from a lid with decent vents. Whilst I don't particularly like the looks of it, I've found the giro aeon to strike a fab balance of light weight, perfect fit and great venting. Fit is the most important of all in my opinion having suffered a splitting headache some years back during a long ride from a helmet which was only very slightly too small...!

Peter

Different helmets fit different heads better or worse and fit is the most important variable.
It took me ages to find a helmet that fitted pretty well when I last shopped for one about 3.5 years ago. Ordering online isn't ideal for helmets. I decided this after trying helmets in lots of local shops and discovering that many of them were a really bad fit. I measure my head circumference at about 60-60.5cm. However that doesn't mean any helmet with a size range straddling that would do the job (e.g. 58-61cm). The vast majority of helmets were too round for me by which I mean they were too wide and short for a given circumference. They'd fit on my head but I couldn't get them both comfortable and secure at the same time.
I ended up with a Lazer Genesis which was still slightly wide IMO but I could get a decent fit due to the Lazer Roll-Sys harness which was a bit more adaptable than the adjustment systems on most helmets I was looking at. A few other brands now seem to have improved their harnesses so I'm hoping things have improved now that I need to go looking for a replacement. Anyway, my point is that you can get recommendations for which helmets are worth a look but don't get your hopes up too much until you try them on.
Features like aerodynamics, appearances and venting are relevant only if you can find more than one helmet with a good fit and have the luxury of then choosing between them!
I tried a couple of Kasks on last year and if I remember correctly the different models had quite different fits. One fit me quite well and the other was way off. I'll have to go figure out which was which and try again.

Is it just me or have helmet prices shot up yet again in the last 3 years? Especially for anything even vaguely aero.

One thing i relaly liked about the Lazer was that you can get a clip on aero cover for €20 that makes the helmet not only more aerodynamic but more importantly, warmer and rain proof, so ideal for winter with the cover on and for summer with it off. €20 was a bit steep for a simple sheet of vac formed acrylic but functionally it was well worth it!

AndyH01 wrote:

I don't want put people off from commenting but @ SloppySchleckonds I've been reading about " floating plate" which apparently is exactly what your skull does naturally and reading poc' s website stating ;

"Therefore, it is important to underline that protection can’t guarantee your safety. What it can do is reduce "the risk of being injured. The most vital ingredient to avoid injuries is you. Skill and good common sense are the assets that need to be prioritized."

Therefore even their own website doesn't nor can say that their helmet gives better protection, or have I misunderstood........?

You are correct in your understanding of the statements made.
However the 'Multi-directional Impact Protection System' could offer a safety performance difference. If I was buying now I'd consider this as an option, irrelevant from how it looks.

What helmet did you have initially ? Some manufacturers give you a % off a replacement if you crash. I'd go that route if its an option.

After that - just one that is comfy on your head.

Fit is all

I love my aeon

AndyH01 wrote:

What helmet did you have initially ? - I had a Bell

Fit is all - this is the thing I've gone through the Halfords range so Boardman's and a few others, Specialised range and a few others and another independent retailer stocking mostly Giant. So far the most comfortable I've found is the one I mentioned. Didn't know if worth gambling one that I've not tried on but on sale like £150 at 1/2 price or go for one that I know feels comfortable.

Some return policies exclude helmets - guess due to hygiene reasons?

If I was you, I'd probably go with the one you already found that's a good fit, unless it's out of budget.

Andyh01 wrote:

Apparently according to one store I have an average shaped head so I shouldn't have any issues with any helmet.

Don't believe him.
Helmets are different shapes. Therefore they're not all equally well suited to any given individual, even if they're average.

To all those who recommended helmet makes and models I ask how you can do that? Fit is everything, right? Then how can you know what will fit the OP?

I stopped wearing helmets a few years back but am considering getting a new one (mine is probably about 8 years old and no longer fits me). I went to a few shops including one almost boutique style shop with 2 helmets under £50 but mostly at least £79.99 upwards, I think there were more over £100 than under it. I asked them and they were all about MIPS and at least £78.99 priced helmets despite me saying I did not want to spend too much. To them £80 is not much I guess.

Anyway I went to another few bike shops and got the attitude from one that is doesn't matter what helmet you get they are all going to be pretty much as good as another. I was told to try on as many as possible there and at other shops too. Different makes have different shapes i was told. Also spending a little more might get you better fit because you reach a price point where the helmets come in different sizes.

I tried a few, medium in one brand, large in another (yes they have different sizing standards too apparently). Then I tried a £30 helmet that was a one size fits all helmet. It fitted the shape of my head perfectly. I mean as it was in the shop, without adding supplied pads, i just put it on and turned the dial lock. the vents weren't as many as say a £140 helmet but it was a lot better vented than my old helmet and was the newer style of more rounded helmet shape too. I will be buying that in a short while.