Helderberg

Looking for any information as to what I should be looking for in a decent helmet? I am looking for something good but not where I would have to sell a kidney. What should I be looking for as I currently have a Bell MTB style but would like something with a little better protection if that is a real thing. Not looking for aerodynamics as I am not that fast but something that will allow my noggin to deteriorate at its own rate.
Thanks in advance, Frank.

DeadGrandpa

I like the Specialized helmet that sells for about $40 at the LBS. It fits well.

linberl

As long as the helmet has the proper certifications, you are probably fine. If you want an upgrade, consider a MIPS helmet. These are supposed to help with multiple impacts in a crash that lead to concussions. Some people like the urban skate style helmets because they provide more coverage in the back of the head, but they do tend to be heavier and not vented quite as well. You can pay more for lighter weight, more vents, fancier designs and colors and visors. Personally, I wouldn't upgrade unless it was to get a MIPS unit. You can see here all the top rated ones are MIPS. Sometimes you can find a good MIPS unit on sale, if you shop around for a while. https://www.helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicyc...t-ratings.html

Helderberg

Thank you for the information. I have to ask, what is the MIPS indicate?
Thanks again, Frank.

Skipjacks

If the helmet is legally sold in the United States it is a decent helmet.

Period.

Helmets sold in the United States have to meet certain safety testing to be legally sold.

Stick to brand name helmets (Specialized, Bontrager, Bell, Schwinn, etc) sold in real stores (REI, Wal Mart, Target, any LBS) and you'll be fine. Just find one that fits properly in your price range.

DO NOT buy one on Amazon.

Let me say that again....

DO NOT BUY ONE ON AMAZON

There are hundreds and hundreds of sellers on Amazon selling cheap Chinese imported helmets that meet no safety certification at all where you'd be better off taping bubble wrap to your head.

Even buying online from a reputable retailing like REI has it's problems because you never know how a helmet is going to fit. Some helmet companies cater to round heads. Some cater to more oval heads. You just have to find the right helmet for your skull.

As for the difference in price, it's mostly a weight / airflow thing. More expensive helmets are lighter and have more ventilation so they are better for hot days. The cheapest $20 Bell helmet at Wal Mart is just as safe but weighs more and will be hotter.

As for MIPS, some people swear it's the next thing in safety. I don't buy it. But its your head. You have to decide for yourself. The concept is that there is a thin later of plastic inside the helmet that moves slightly rather than being firmly attached to the helmet. The idea being that in an impact it gives your head a little bit of wiggle room so the full impact of the pavement isn't transferred directly to your skull. Personally I feel like the skin on my head does that since it wiggles a little. (Plant your fingertips firmly on your head and wiggle them. Does your skin move? If so I don't see a need for MIPS)

So the MIPS helmet isn't making you LESS safe. But I don't personally believe it makes you MORE safe. So it's not a bad idea. But I don't believe it's worth the money. But that's me. Its your brain. You should research it and decide if you believe it or not.

In general though, get a helmet. You can be the best rider in the world who hasn't crashed since he was 7. But the car driver playing on his cell phone doesn't care how good you are on the bike. The car will win.

rumrunn6

sounds like your current helmet is perfectly fine. if it's over 5 yrs old, you might consider a new one, if the manufacture date is current. meaning don't buy an old one, cuz supposedly the foam plastic material dries out & is less effective after 5 yrs. I totally understand wanting different helmets for various reasons, summer unit with more vents, winter unit with fewer vents & more coverage, a unit with added eye shield, or just a different color or style ...

Helderberg

Thanks again people. All good information and I believe I am going to get a new helmet that has better ventilation as I do ride here in the summer in 90*+ weather The black helmet I have with limited vents works great in the winter months but in the summer it can be brutal.
Frank.

bbeaty

For a mtb style helmet, I've been pleased with the Giro Fixture, which is a MIPS helmet that runs around $55.00 USD.

NomarsGirl

The most important thing is to get one that fits properly. (As long as it is legally sold in the US it will meet safety requirements).

canklecat

Visit REI or any store that has a good selection of helmets. I needed to replace my Bell Solar after I was hit by a car last May. No great loss, that was Bell's cheapest helmet and lacked full plastic shell coverage so the black foam at the back was exposed and dented up and chipped a bit after three years of use. I just barely conked my head on the pavement but it was enough to dislodge the slick outer plastic shell from the inner foam in one spot. No concussion but I have a hard noggin.

I visited REI because they had a full range of Bell and Giro road and mountain bike helmets, from the lowest price upward to around $200. I tried on a few. The comparably priced Bell and Giro were equally comfortable. The Giro straps were softer and a little more comfortable and easier to adjust, and the snaps were easier to handle. But I wanted hi-vis yellow, which narrowed it down to the Bell Formula MIPS they had in stock. Prices were the same as online discounters. Seven months later, I'm still satisfied. And if they'd had the comparable Giro in hi-vis yellow I'm sure I'd be satisfied with it was well. They were entirely comparable in features, quality and fit.

One feature on the Bell Formula MIPS that I was doubtful about turned out to be useful. The brow is shaped to divert rain so it drops in front of the face rather than dribbling down my face. And it works. Just a little thing but helps if you get caught in the rain.

I'd describe the Bell Formula MIPS as a low profile helmet -- it protrudes less and doesn't cover as far down the back of the skull or forehead. Suits me, but that wasn't a real factor in my decision.

Some helmets appear to cover more of the skull -- a bit thicker, lower on the back of the skull and forehead, wider in diameter, etc. Just a little but some folks are sensitive to cosmetic appearance, or prefer helmets that appear to offer more protection. Check out the Specialized Airnet. A couple of local cycling friends swear by 'em and prefer them for the extra coverage and ventilation for hot Texas summers.

prj71

Disregard the Amazon diss above. I've purchased my helmets from the there without any issue. I just purchased a Giro helmet from there last night.

Step 1: Go to your local store and try one on for fit.
Step 2. Look up the same helmet on Amazon if it's available.
Step 3. Be amazed when you see how much lower the price is and how much the stores or LBS are ripping you off.
Step 4. Click the "Buy it now" button.

Skipjacks

Amazon allows cheap Chinese import helmets that meet no safety certification and crumble at the touch.

Amazon allows factory seconds that may have been thrown out by the original manufacturer and white labeled as new.

Amazon allows cheaply made knock offs that look exactly like a name brand, but are not the same in terms of quality.

Amazon has ZERO quality control of it's international vendors.

So much stuff on Amazon is counterfeit it's disgusting. Helmets, clothes, basically anything that can be resold in high volume can and WILL be counterfeited and sold on Amazon.

You CAN get an authentic helmet on Amazon. You are rolling the dice that you're getting scammed. And the off brand helmets Amazon allows to be ILLEGALLY sold without repercussion....seriously they could do more damage than good in a crash.

But hey...it's your head. Save the $12 if you want.

fietsbob

Some are oval some are more round , you get one that fits your head best

Winter a warm Bike & Ski Helmet is nice.. , Summer look for one with more ventilation holes..

More expensive helmets engineer the airflow better, and offer adequate safety in spite of the holes being bigger.. ..




...

prj71

What facts do you have that back this up or is this just anecdotal? I've been an Amazon customer for 15+ years and have never experienced any of this.

By the way this was the helmet I purchased. $10 less than the local store. No Tax and Free Shipping. Plus I had $10 in Amazon points.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

travbikeman

I too like Specialized helmets. There are several in the $40 to $70 price range that come with or without MIPS and Specialized new calling feature and integrated rear bike light.

Specialized Fitness (Hybrid) Helmets

This is one of the items that I like seeing in person and testing it on my head. Don't care for shopping online for this.

Even though Amazon does sell some brand name helmets, the Giro prj71 links to looks like a great helmet for a great price,

I think the helmets like this on Amazon are what gives online shopping for helmets a bad name:

Moon Bike Helmets

It actually "might" be a good helmet, only has one negative comment about cheapness of plastic. I personally wouldn't trust it for my children or me, nor do I wish to waste the money testing it. IF it got down to price, I would just go to WalMart to get a Bell helmet.

TakingMyTime

This may not be a relevant as the answers above but... check to see if it is possible to purchase replacement helmet pads for your particular model. I have a 4 year old lower end Bell helmet and I seem to compress the pads over time to where they're not actually acting as padding any longer. I am able to purchase pads that are specific to this model and I replace them about once a year. It makes a huge difference in comfort having a new set of pads in your helmet.

Helderberg

Thank you all for your time and information. This, above, I was not aware of. I will keep this in mind going further but as of now I am looking for a helmet that has good ventilation as it gets hot here in N.C. in the summer and the black MTB helmet I currently have is heavy and very uncomfortable in the 95* sun. I try to ride at later times of the day but there are many days that require my attention during the late and early times that only leave the hottest time of the day for me to ride. It does give me a great way to flush the salt form my system but I did have some level of heatstroke last year and my head was just cooking with the black helmet and very limited vents.
Thanks again, Frank.

Skipjacks

Well...I've personally made this mistake and personally destroyed a cheap helmet with one hand. (And been burned by a few other counterfeits of other stuff)

But if you don't believe me, NPR gladly put a whole piece together with video on this problem
https://www.npr.org/2018/09/16/64737...-but-dangerous

Aside form bike helmets Amazon has a HUGE counterfeit problem. Here are some thoroughly researched stories on the issue
https://www.cnbc.com/2016/07/08/amaz...ing-worse.html
https://www.engadget.com/2018/05/31/...nterfeit-fake/
https://www.inc.com/sonya-mann/amazo...no-starch.html
(Those are just the top 3 Google search results. Feel free to search for more. There is no shortage of them)

If the news media reports aren't good enough for you...here is the CEO of Birkenstock. He went so far as to publicly declare that his products are not authorized to be sold on Amazon so any Birkenstock product you find on Amazon is guaranteed to be a counterfeit
https://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...=.8fae958da471

Seriously how are you not aware of this problem?

travbikeman

Also need to read some descriptions on a few of these helmets. This helmet uses the Specialized name, but it's actually a Sefulim. Tricky! It even has all 100% positive reviews, which I find impossible, cause someone always has an issue with any product out there.

Sefulim Specialized

Now other affordable helmets like this Zacro, might be a decent helmet. Seems like some good reviews, but a few reviews show the cheapness as well. Zacro has stated they are CPCS certified, I cannot find any information on this helmet on CPCS web site. That kind of sends red flags up for me.

Zacro Lightweight

But Fakespot gives it a passing grade: Fakespot Zacro Lightweight

Too many what if's on some of these affordable helmets.

Skipjacks

To those who don't know, Amazon is FILLED with fake reviews. Reviews that are bought and paid for. This is not in dispute.

Fakespot was designed to analyze reviews and determine if they match the patterns that indicate fake reviews. The problem with Fakespot is that it's an algorithm doing the work, so all review fakers had to do was figure out what Fakespot was looking for to indicate fakes and what it was looking for to indicate real reviews....then they manipulate the reviews to give Fakespot what it wants to see.

Fakespot just can't get to that last step where your brain as a human can. You took one look at the fake helmet linked above and say "Oh the brand name isn't used right and I don't believe anything with 100% positive reviews."

Fakespot can't tell that the word Specialized is used incorrectly, or that the word Specialized is a name brand for that matter. And occasionally something does have 100% positive reviews. But you see the wrong use of Specialized and the 100% positives and instantly say "Nope". An algorithm can't do that.

Fakespot will catch the really poorly done fakery. Your human brain and experience is still better.

sail

It's really best to try on several helmets at the same time to find which brands fit best and to dial in sizing. I sometimes wear a white cap or dew rag under mine for shade which changes the fit.

If you shop online and are not looking out for counterfeit goods you've undoubtedly bought some.

YankeeRider

Here is a description of MIPS technology. It's designed to reduce rotational acceleration of the head in an impact. Assuming it's not a horrific head injury where the skull is actually breached, brain damage from head trauma is normally caused by your brain, which is vulnerable and free-floating in CNS fluid, impacting on the hard bone of the inside of your skull. If you can reduce the acceleration of the skull, then the brain won't bounce off the inside so hard. While effectiveness should depend on the angle of the impact, I can believe this helps in many cases.
TECHNOLOGY | MIPS

prj71

This story indicates the counterfeit was bought on eBay not Amazon. You can't buy Specialized products on Amazon. Sooo...not relevant to what you are telling me. But I am well aware of counterfeit items being sold on eBay.

Well since this discussion is about bike helmets and how you are strongly opposed to buying a bike helmet from Amazon because you think it might be counterfeit...these links don't support your case at all regarding counterfeit bike helmets from Amazon.

The closest thing to something that might not be a good helmet from Amazon is what Travbikeman linked above. That's where you have to shop smart and stick with the good name brands, such as Giro.

Helderberg

While I appreciate all of the responses to my question I can tell you that I would not be ordering my helmet from anyone online. I am a retired small business owner and I will buy from a privately owned business first if possible then a chain. Please understand I have bought from the internet but only when local sources are not available or the price was ridiculously different.
Thank you for your input but as if right now I am looking at a Giro as a possible buy..
Frank.

Skipjacks

Okay fine.

Keep ignoring the AMPLE evidence that Amazon is full of counterfeit and otherwise unsafe products.

It's your head and I'm not your mother.

But don't try to convince anyone else that Amazon is a safe place to buy bike helmets or that $12 Chinese imports are a good idea form Amazon.

It's just unethical to tell other people this is safe so you feel better about your preexisting opinions you are unwilling to change.