My son was born in 1976. He has never seen me riding a bike without a helmet in all that time, and he has seen me riding my bike his whole life. Fit and ventilation are important. If a helmet doesn't fit and is too hot you may be tempted to not wear it. A well fitted and ventilated helmet isn't noticed while you are riding. The cheapest offerings may not be comfortable to wear. Sometimes good deals can be found looking at previous years offerings