How to spot a fake helmet
 

Is there a way to identify a fake helmet? they made them in China and they seem pretty similar to the real ones. I was about to buy a Pos Octal from a guy and I am not sure if this coudl be a fake

If it's labeled POS its probably fake

Buy it from E-Bay direct from China, Alibaba, or AliExpress, and you're rolling the dice.

Walk into a bike shop in the USA or Europe and buy a helmet off the shelf, and it is probably legit.

Those helmets are about 200€ new here. What is he asking for it? If the price seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

I'm seeing the POC Octal online.
A few listed as "Race Day" for about $120
And others for about $240.
MIPS may be an expensive additional option.

Hopefully those are legit. Look at the stickers on the helmet carefully, and if they appear odd, then ask for a refund.

Well, I am getting the POC anymore. I found a guy who is selling a brand new Protone, he is selling this because he wants to buy the new Prevail. I am interested in the helmet but he does not have an invoice since it was a present from his wife, the guy seems legit but you never know.

If I receive the helmet and is a fake I thin I can go to the police as a fraud, since I got his phone number. The thing is, How can I determine if the the helmet is a fake or not? chinese fakes seem to be very well made in their appearance.

Another poster took a golf ball to his helmet and says it would be difficult to see the damage on it. Authenticity is not the only variable. Buy from a reputable retailer and sleep more soundly.

Scroll about half way down the page

To Catch a Counterfeiter: The Sketchy World of Fake Bike Gear | Bicycling

Look CLOSELY at finishing and details - the straps, warning labels, care instructions, etc. Absence of secondary labeling, loose untrimmed threads, mis-alignments, excess glue, etc., are generally a dead giveaway. Never mind forgeries, these are signs of quality control and care (or lack thereof) that one should look for regardless, especially if buying second-hand.

If you're asking about this, you have no business buying a helmet on ebay.

If you want to save some money, buy a cheaper model. Why would you risk it on something meant to protect your head? I guess 'getting a good deal' is more important than brain damage.

Why risk it. Just buy from a retailer and know you got an authentic one.

On the other hand, why would you buy a MUSHROOM helmet (fake or not)? That helmet is ridiculously huge - imho.

It's a POC Octal, not a POS.

They're popular helmets, so they get faked a lot. In fact, I've seen some recently on ebay that weren't even the right colors.

Still, buying a helmet used can be a bit sketchy, as you never know if it's been crashed or not, so I'd be more concerned about that personally.

The Octals are a bad ass helmet and can be found for cheap online from reputable sellers. Just save your money and buy the real thing.

IMO, buying a used helmet is even worse than buying used shorts. With shorts you just have the yuck factor. With a helmet, you'll never know if it has taken a hit and has been compromised. Buy your helmet new, from a reputable source.

You'd think that people would have enough integrity to discard the helmet if it was involved in a crash and not try to pass it off to another person for profit. It's pretty despicable, if you ask me.

Good to 'see' you here again, shelby, if you're the same one from TN.:)

Thanks- been checking in some again. Mods finally got rid of an annoying troll and a couple of the others seem to have calmed down. Miserable heat down here, really inhibits my riding:(

I'd be more worried about the helmet being in a crash more than it being a fake. In either case, not worth the bargain hunting. Get a new helmet on sale from the usual places (competitive cyclist, performance, et al) and save the screaming deals for no-name carbon wheels ....

The fact is, most cheap helmets you buy in a department store protect your head about as well as the $250 ones. Now I'm not saying you should buy one of those, but spending tons of money on a helmet doesn't really increase your safety in a crash. Find something from a legit store that you like with a price you can deal with and worry less about the name on the helmet.

The other factor that hasn't been mentioned yet is fit. Helmets and shoes are something that I wouldn't buy online unless it was a direct replacement (brand-for-brand, at the very least, but preferably model-for-model) for something I'd previously owned. YMMV, as some people have greater patience for return shipping, but it doesn't sound as if you're even dealing with an online retailer that would be able to accommodate size/fit exchanges.

I also recommend buying a helmet from a local dealer. A used helmet, even if it was just dropped on the floor should go in a trash can. Buying one from someone other than a respected/known shop is foolish and you might as well ride without a helmet if you're willing to take that risk for esthetics. And as another post mentioned, even less expensive helmets are certified to a minimum standard (in the United States, and I suspect elsewhere, but can't speak knowledgably about other countries).

A helmet simply dropped on the floor is not compromised. In the instance of a simple drop, the EPS does not compress, it flexes, unless there is a 12 pound (give or take) noggin' inside that helmet for the forces to react against. A blow to a helmet WITH a head in it is grounds for replacement.

Thing is...Giro for instance has had models and model years full of helmets with excess mold flashing left over and generally poor finish QC.


Best thing, buy from legit dealers and buy new. Forgers have gotten damned good at what they do.

Interesting. Maybe if one wants one of those Giro helmets, then the thing to do is watch out for suspiciously neat ones. :)

I have about 4 helmets in my current rotation, but no fake ones (I think). But now I'm intrigued and want one.

Can somebody post links?