Metieval

no, not in ICU

Metieval

I think the only way uv would be detrimental to a helmet would be to leave it outside sitting in the sun. or in a car, house, garage in a window. or where the sun can hit a sitting object.

helmets have came a long way in 10 years. comfort is up, cost is down.

I do have a synthe courtesy of performance closing its box stores. but its a bad cold weather helmet. as the vents are too good.

a car isn't cool. I've been lucky there. but i also am rural Ohio

Metieval

Not to terrible, none the less it is done.

funny thing about helmets, outside of crashing I tend to change up like I do gloves, shoes, bicycles... new flavors. So I guess the age thing is irrelevant to me.
like I have A giro aeon, but bought the synthe because of a sale. actually 2 aeons because sale, and color change. the foray was to go get beat up with tree branches.

spelger

got you beat by 10 years. Bought min in ‘97. Still appears good during random inspections.

I do do change my underwear every day though so there is that.

greatscott

You can tell when the helmet has gone kaput, most helmets are made of styrene or something akin to it, when this stuff begins to breakdown usually due to sweat and it will leave small particles on your forehead that you think is dirt or some sort of grit stuck to your sweaty forehead and you can't figure out where it would have came from, when this begins to happen that's when you need to start looking for another helmet. I've had helmets last a long time, my last helmet lasted 13 years. Of course that is normal use, if you crashed and you think you hit your head that may or MAY NOT be the end of the helmet, if you look real close to the styrene and you don't see any indentations and or cracks in the styrene, and you look at the outside to make sure it wasn't damaged (scratches and scuff marks do not qualify as damage), if none of that exists that helmet is good to wear. The only other time you may want to replace it is if it got so dirty from sweat and oil and it looks a fright, and the pads are crushed and no longer helpful as pads and you can't get more pads then it maybe time to consider a new helmet.

LeftyS7

Consumer Reports says NO. Unless damaged or visibly degraded old helmets are fine.

myisland

The Styrofoam lasts forever but manufacturers use self-destructing stick-on sizing foam so it doesn't fit as well in 3-4 years. Where can I buy more?

dkatz1

I have been sucked in by this. NEVER again.

bpcyclist

Wowzer.

tonymarch

I do replace my helmet every 3-5 years. I personally think it's a small price to pay to ensure the safety of my head. Plus, it's cool to get new stuff (no different than buying another new piece of gear).
The argument of styrofoam breaking down in a landfill is meaningless. The cup might still be there in 20 years, but can it still hold liquid without leaking? Might still have a helmet in 10 years, but has it deteriorated at all?

Marci

I think any helmet is better than no helmet. If all you can afford (like when I started riding on a Huffy-with a thrift store helmet) is a cheap used one, then do so. I do have a new one now. But still kept one of the helmets because I painted it for me Extra colorful for a parade. But I do not put on lots of miles and my helmets come inside the house in between rides. I think it needs a bit of common sense. Of course something left out in the weather or cracked, or even the snap being wonky it needs replacing. But really, for casual riding its just not feasible to replace that often. But if you have money to burn go for it....

stephr1

I had a Giro helmet that lasted ~15 years. I finally replaced it (with another Giro) when the strap glue started to give, I noticed some minor cracks developing (crashing will do that and the lighter shade areas had turned a yellowish/brown color from UV (and I tend to ride right when the sun comes up).

Not to hijack the topic....but somewhat related....I recently resolved a problem with a pair of hiking boots I bought back in 2009. Used them lightly for a year and then put them away (because of back and nerve issues) until ~6 months ago and started hiking again. After 3 months I noticed the bottom/outer soles were developing a crack. Discovered that ~7-8 years ago a big problem was discovered with polyurethane (PU) soles. If the shoes or boots didn't get used consistently (and storing in-house for ~10 years does not meet that requirement) something called hydrolysis occurs Essentially, the boots needed to have a "Best if used by" date on them. I won't even go into the hassles the manufacturer gave me knowing this was a widespread issue (after 3 pairs of boots from this company, my new boots are are now a different brand)....another time, another forum...

So, some things do naturally "wear" or deteriorate because of the environment in which they are (or, in the case of my boots, are not) used. As near as I can tell from my limited experience, 3-4 years is way too short of time to replace a helmet for normal, non-destructive use. Just my 2 cents....

Cheers....

RkFast

Lots of people willing to bet their lives...literally...on this helment rule.

Not me.

A quick look at my Strava shows I rode about 300 hours this year. Multiply that by 5 years, the replacement age of a helment, and it’s seen 1500 hours in the direct sun, in the heat, in the cold and rain. Bounced around my bike bag, my trunk, and on my head.

I’ll go ahead and replace every five years to be safe.

Charlez

My helmet is older than my five year old.
So I think it's ok if you're not hitting your head too often on the road.

livedarklions

Five years is arbitrary, and there's really no reason to believe you're making yourself safer by replacing a helmet that isn't showing significant damage or wear. To buy into your "bet" logic, you have to assume the helmet could have some invisible weakness developed through normal use, but if that's the case, why would we assume the same isn't true of packaging, shipping, handling and stocking the item?


If you're comfortable with a five year rule based on your use of the helmet, fine. But really, don't make insinuations about other people's rational choices. All other things being equal, the visible condition of the helmet is going to be a better indicator of its crashworthiness than its age.

Vintage Schwinn

I played football in high school and we had suspension helmets with pads and nose guard- face masks, and when my father played college football, he played wearing the leather helmets with no face masks and no single bar nose guards. Heck, I remember thinking way back when that my highschool team football helmet was light years ahead of what dad wore when he played college football. Truth was, my highschool team helmet could have been 8 years old, or maybe just five years old when it was issued to me. Who the heck knows how many more years it was active after I graduated as they didn't date code anything as there was no consumer product safety commission or safety council back then. I suspect that it must have been sometime much later, in the mid 1970's or late 70's when they began a push to have date codes
and expiration dates, and improved standards that outlawed/made obsolete helmets manufactured before the mid seventies.
I am glad that I had a helmet during my football days, as I couldn't imagine the leather helmet with no noseguard/facemask. The plastic helmets that were suspension helmets that came about in the early fifties and remained without any facemasks until as late as 1957 or so. A couple of NFL players played until the very early sixties without a facemask, as that was grandfathered in, when the NFL required facemasks in 1956 or so. Quarterback, Bobby Layne may have been the last to wear no facemask. My dad broke his nose playing college football, broken noses were common during the leather helmet era and were sort of a badge of honor, like hockey players missing teeth during the 1970's and earlier eras. I was knocked out twice during my high school football playing days, and several other times I likely was dazed and probably couldn't tell you what down it was or what year it was or what city we were in. People were not as large, although there were a few fast people, but today you have nearly 300 pound defenders that are faster than the 180 pound wide receivers of the late 1960's.
I can tell you that ancient suspension football helmet protected me during my playing days so long ago.
I guess what I am stressing here is something that I am certain that all of you do know, and that is that Helmets save lives.
The motorcycle helmet that I wore about fifty years ago before I decided that riding motorcycles was too risky for me as everyday transportation.
Wear a helmet everytime that you get on your bicycle and go riding! You'll be glad you did, if you really need it during some impact and fall or crash that you couldn't
prevent or avoid. You don't wanna be not wearing proper headgear and then get into one of those Oh - - - - , Oh no, moments when you're flying off the bike.
Humpty Dumpty, you don't want to be.........but if the slight probability that somthing like that unexpectedly happens, you will want the more than minimal protection that
a bike helmet provides. There are no guarantees but my opinion is that you have a much greater chance of not needing to be airlifted immediately to the nearest trauma center or a sheet draped over your body before being loaded into the hearse.

Someone asked about replacement pads for their old faithful bicycle helmet.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bike-Helmet...rkparms=aid%3D

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Bike-Helmet...rkparms=aid%3D


Here is the actual bicycle helmet model that I wear. I like that it has a built in visor and that it is rounded in rear like a football helmet and not a pointed/aero design.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/GUB-CITY-bi...?hash=item3d97

https://www.ebay.com/itm/GUB-Bicycle...em4d770015e9:m

Here is a decent enough, super-low cost helmet that is decent. I recommend this one to have as extra helmets for guests or to give to your guests after they ride at your home, or beach house etc. I have purchased several of these and given to friends and neighbors who did not routinely wear helmets while riding. Their excuse for not wearing a helmet was either my old helmet isn't comfortable or it messes my hairdo and mats it down...........at least find something that is comfortable even if it is a $6 NEW helmet direct from ShenZhen China or wherever.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Carbon-Bicy...rkparms=aid%3D

You don't need a weatherman to tell ya which way the wind blows, and you don't need a $200 helmet (lets hope not, anyway!!) , as I think that you might get enough protection of your skull with most bike helmets today. I believe that you don't need to replace your helmet after 5 years, but common sense dictates that you might be rolling the dice if you're using a duct taped and superglued beat up helmet with cracked styrofoam from 1986 because it is your lucky helmet. It might still give you some protection, at least something versus going without wearing anything at all. My advice is: IF YOU'RE ROUTINELY CRUISING AT AN AVERAGE SPEED OF 15mph or Greater, you will want to wear something decent.. If you hit a pot-hole at 20mph, you have a good chance of ending up on the pavement!
Have fun. Ride On.
Don't be that old idiot that says well heck, we never wore no stinkin' helmets in my day and I ain't gonna wear one now. I know too many folks that said that and they aren't here today. They were motorcycle riders that thought SC not requiring helmets was great, until they had a crash that killed them because they had no protection for their head. The asphalt and pavement is just as hard and tough for bicyclists that hit and bounce off of it, even though a bicyclist won't approach the typical speed of a motorcycle.............but some bicyclists can cruise about 21 mph on average and approach 40mph downhill, so yes ....you are an absolute fool in my opinion to ride without any helmet at all. Anything is better than wearing nothing at all. Helmet!!-Don't get on the bicycle without wearing your helmet.......helmet hair and looking goofy is nothing compared to the other possibilities!!

RkFast

Not sure what you mean about insinuations. This whole discussion is filled with people talking about what we "need" and dont. That said, Im still shocked so many are willing to just toss aside safety recommendations and standards made by manufacturers when it comes to body protection. This is the same standard that child seat manufacturers and insurance companies use as well. And this standard is now just no good? Its just a ruse by those evil cigar chomping billionaires in board rooms with glass tables trying to trick us into buying something we dont need? Come on. I mean...is there a profit motive there? Sure. But is this standard strictly a profit motive? Doubt it. And I sure as hell aint willing to bet my life on it.

As far as "why doesnt the time before purchase count".....really? We cant tell the difference between what would happen to an item sitting on a store shelf or basement in a box vs what happens to it when its put into service and actually used regularly?

livedarklions

" He would have survived the crash, but his helmet was six years old " said no one, ever.

Oh, and your last sentence really gives away the game. That's right, we can tell the difference between a good helmet and one that's worn out. I do enough riding that having a helmet last five years would be a minor miracle. The point is use, rather than age, is the real factor, and 3-5 years really is arbitrary. Your talk of betting our lives is absurd hyperbole.

Biketiger

Great article - thanks for posting. I started wearing a helmet religiously several years ago and this article re-enforced my resolve.

Biketiger

Great article - thanks for posting. I started wearing a helmet religiously several years ago and this article re-enforced my resolve.

Happy Feet

I think he really means it!

livedarklions

You can say that again!

RkFast

YES...five years of being in service. Others here are questioning why time on shelf before purchase doesn’t count towards that five year figure.

Im not sure why you’re getting argumentative here. If you want to use an old helmet to save a few bucks good for you. I choose to be more risk averse and I’m surprised so many are not in my camp. But that’s ok. IMO, It’s a 150-200 dollar expense every five years or so for the mid to high end helmet I usually buy when my old one starts to get ratty and banged up. Considering the cost of everything else in this sport, I feel it’s a really minor layout for some (literal) piece of mind.

bpcyclist

Just a totally honest question here with no agenda. As a guy who has owned a few CF road bikes over the years, do they have a finite lifespan if not involved in any kind of crash? I really know nothing about CF in bike frames, except that I seem to like to ride them. No bike shop person has ever told me I needed to replace my frame for safety reasons after a given number of miles or years or decades.

indyfabz

Now you've done it.