Grove Street Bicycles is offering 20% off all helmets in stock. It is a perfect time to evaluate your old helmet to see if it needs replacing. If it has been impacted, or had average use for 3-5 years, consider replacing it before February 28th and save big! Here are some reasons to get a helmet if you don’t already ride with one…
From Helmets.org:
Need One? Yes!!
The average careful bike rider may still crash about every 4,500 miles. Head injuries cause 75% of our 700 annual bicycle deaths. Medical research shows that bike helmets can prevent 85% of cyclists’ head injuries. And helmets may be required by law in your area.
How Does a Helmet Work?
A helmet reduces the peak energy of a sharp impact. This requires a layer of stiff foam to cushion the blow. Most bicycle helmets do this with crushable expanded polystyrene (EPS), the white picnic cooler foam. EPS works well, but when crushed it does not recover. A similar foam called expanded polypropylene (EPP) does recover, but is much less common. Another foam called EPU (expanded polyurethane) has a uniform cell structure and crushes without rebound, but is heavier than EPS and its manufacturing process is not environmentally friendly. Other foams are beginning to appear that may offer promise. The spongy foam pads inside a helmet are for comfort and fit, not for impact protection
The helmet must stay on your head even when you hit more than once–usually a car first, and then the road, or perhaps several trees on a mountainside. So it needs a strong strap and buckle. The helmet should sit level on your head and cover as much as possible. Above all, with the strap fastened you should not be able to get the helmet off your head by any combination of pulling or twisting. If it comes off or slips enough to leave large areas of your head unprotected, adjust the straps again or try another helmet. Keep the strap comfortably snug when riding.
What Type do I Need?
Most bike helmets are made of EPS foam with a thin plastic shell. The shell helps the helmet skid easily on rough pavement to avoid jerking your neck. The shell also holds the foam together after the first impact. Some excellent helmets are made by molding foam in the shell rather than adding the shell later.
Beware of gimmicks. You want a smoothly rounded outer shell, with no sharp ribs or snag points. Excessive vents mean less foam contacting your head, which could concentrate force on one point. “Aero” helmets are not noticeably faster, and in a crash the “tail” could snag or knock the helmet aside. Skinny straps are less comfortable. Dark helmets are hard for motorists to see. Rigid visors can snag or shatter in a fall. Helmet standards do not address these problems–it’s up to you!
Standards
A sticker inside the helmet tells what standard it meets. Helmets made for the U.S. must meet the US Consumer Product Safety Commission standard, so look for a CPSC sticker. ASTM’s F1447 standard is identical. Snell’s B-95 standard is tougher but seldom used.
Fit is not certified by any standard, so test that on your own head. Visors are not tested for shattering or snagging in a fall, so you are on your own there.
Comfort Requirements
Coolness, ventilation, fit and sweat control are the most critical comfort needs. Air flow over the head determines coolness, and larger front vents provide better air flow. Most current helmets have adequate cooling for most riders. Sweat control can require a brow pad or separate sweatband. A snug fit with no pressure points ensures comfort and correct position on the head when you crash. Weight is not an issue with today’s helmets.
Special Problems
Some head shapes require more fiddling with fitting pads and straps. Extra small heads may need thick fitting pads. Extra large heads require an XXL helmet. Ponytail ports can improve fit for those with long hair. Bald riders may want to avoid helmets with big top vents to prevent funny tan lines. For a softer landing, seniors should pick a thicker model without huge vents.
How to Buy
We always recommend checking out the latest Consumer Reports article, but they can’t cover very many of the available brands and models, and their articles go out of date.
We have a review up on helmets for the current season, but it has no impact ratings.
Our testing has shown that most helmets have about the same impact protection regardless of price.
When you pick up a helmet, look first for a CPSC sticker inside and a smooth shell with a bright color outside. Put it on, adjust the pads and straps or the one-size-fits-all head ring, and then try hard to tear it off. Look for vents and sweat control. Helmets sell in bike shops from $30 up, or in discount stores for less. A good shop helps with fitting, and fit is important for safety. The $10 discount helmet can be equally protective if you take the time to fit it carefully, and for another $10 you get easier fitting. Helmets are cheap now, so don’t wait for a sale. Many of us bought our helmets after a crash. You can be smarter than that.
Kids Helmets
Check out our pamphlet on child helmets
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When Must I Replace a Helmet?
Replace any helmet if you crash. Impact crushes some of the foam, although the damage may not be visible. Helmets work so well that you need to examine them for marks or dents to know if you hit. Most manufacturers recommend replacement after five years. We think that depends on usage, and many helmets given reasonable care are good for longer than that. But if your helmet was made before 1990, it’s time to replace it. Replace the buckle if it cracks or a piece breaks off. No one requires you to replace your helmet, so give it some individual thought.
Bike Helmets for Skating?
The ASTM standards for biking and inline skating are identical. But aggressive skating and skateboard helmets have their own ASTM standard, designed for multiple hits with lesser impact severity. Those helmets may not handle bicycle impacts. Do not use a skate helmet for bicycling unless it has a CPSC sticker!