jsilvia

My current Helmet was made in 2010, How often should you replace it? Upon inspecting it I noticed it had a crack in the inside foam. The Helmet has been replaced.

Ogsarg

I'd replace it but I'm sure you'll hear different opinions. It's a regularly debated topic.

Iride01 

I had my bad crash in a helmet that was probably nine years old. It didn't have any cracks prior but it had eleven major cracks from the wreck and my skull had 3 minor inline fractures. It saved my life as I'm still here. But it took five months for my head to rid the fog I had from the concussion.

I don't think I'll let my current helmet get that old. Maybe if I'd had a newer helmet with MIPs or Wavecell I might have faired a little better with my concussion or even had one at all.

I am already casually looking at other helmets. May wait till the current helmet is over 2 years old.

Bald Paul

When I rode motorcycles, helmet replacements were recommended every 3-5 years. Bicycle helmets are recommended to be replaced in 5 years. Of course, should the helmet be involved in a crash (even if it appears fine) it should be replaced.

Wildwood 

Mine is about 20 years old. My brain is smaller, but not the skull - so still fits, tho' w/ some new pads.

doG willing - it won't hit the deck in the next 20, either.
I prefer to ride helmet-less, but riding the road with traffic every time out lately (and going forward).

CliffordK

Personally I don't track the age of helmets, but would go by the overall condition.

As @Iride01 mentioned, technology in helmets is slowly evolving. So, perhaps rather than worrying about whether the foam is aging, ask whether your helmet meets the technology standards you want.

ropetwitch

I don't replace my helmet until it gets broken. Its one thing I pay less attention but, I prefer changing the foam as often as possible.

pdlamb

Replace the helmet? When you crashed wearing it. Or when some part of the head suspension system breaks. Or when it falls apart.

Dudelsack 

Good question. I’ve been safety conscious of late as I HAVE tried to kill myself on more than one occasion over the last couple of years.

My noodle is worth $1-200 to buy a new helmet, so I’ll do that later in the year.

DiabloScott

There is some controversy over this subject and part of it is how much is manufacturer BS to sell more helmets.

Age and sun will make the foam kind of crumbly, so it's not total BS, but there's no "real" age at which you should replace it.
But a crack in the foam is a definite indicator.

Eric F 

I value my brain enough that spending a couple hundred every few years for a new helmet is worth it. Any sign of structural damage is cause for immediate replacement.

Cougrrcj

(Car) racing sanctioning bodies have age limitations on not only helmets, but other safety gear such as seatbelts/harnesses, window nets, etc. IIRC, it is five years from date of manufacture. Heck, even fuel lines should be replaced every so many years because of the makeup of today's fuels...

So, how does that translate to your cycling brain bucket? Dunno, but that said, a new helmet every five years shouldn't break the bank... I've grown kinda attached to my noggin - new helmet every five years is OK by me...

chaadster

It’s so hard to pitch what seems to be a perfectly good helmet, so I’ve got a lot of old helmets around because I do get tired of them and buy new ones fairly often, like probably in the 3-5 year range typically. Some get retired for good and given away to Salvation Army, but I’ve found my helmet collection getting dictated to very specific needs, like for particular seasons, the type of riding, or a specific bike.

Just last week I replaced my Giro Air Attack Shield, which is probably around five or six years old— I honestly have no idea— because it was getting kind of grotty looking and long in the tooth. I also wanted a helmet to match my club kit, and to upgrade my primary helmet to the latest safety standards with MIPS. I got a Mavic Comete Ultimate, preserving the aero features of the Giro but getting all the other stuff I wanted, too.

I’m thinking to vinyl wrap the Giro to match one of my bikes, just for the fun of it.

I think the Comete looks pretty natty:

MinnMan

Old helmets in which the foam has been compressed (not necessaraily from a crash, but those occasional times you drop them, etc.) don't absorb impacts as well.

Also, helmets have improved a lot in the last 11 years.

Get a new one.

mpath

I do most of my own wrenching buying replacement and upgrade parts as necessary (an unnecessary?) costing $$ with rarely a thought; why would I skimp on a few hundred $ every few years to potentially save my own noggin?

10 Wheels

Most of us have some Brain Shrinkage as We age.
I crashed and bruised both sides of my 72 y/o Brain.
No Outside damage. Helmet Cracked w the 16 mph crash.
So How do We Protect the Inside of our skull?
Had Emergency Brain Surgery to Remove and Stop the Bleed on the Right Side, 10 Weeks after the crash.

John E

On the recommendation of the also round-headed owner of my LBS, I bought a Giro XEN a number of years back, because it fit my spherical head so perfectly. That model has been discontinued, so I need to identify a new helmet that fits me equally well. In a helmet, fit is everything.

smurfy

My helmets are always stored in my closet away from sunlight when not being used. I don't know if that makes them last a little longer but it certainly doesn't hurt.

PeteHski

I usually replace my helmets every 5 years or so. Most manufacturers recommend doing that for potential UV damage, but I replace them mainly because the technology is improving. Every new helmet I get is lighter, better ventilated and more comfortable than the last. Then there's the newer tech like MIPS and similar systems. I always look at the independent crash test results too. My current helmet is a Lazer Genesis (G1) MIPS, which scores very highly in testing:-

https://cyclingtips.com/2020/04/virg...d-mips-on-top/

MinnMan

Here's the whole Virginia Tech site, with lots of good info. The safest aren't always the most expensive. OTOH, many of the safer helmets aren't that different from one another (in safety), so other considerations apply (weight, aero, style, color, street cred, whatever). But these days, all the top-rated helmets are either MIPS or Wavecell.

https://helmet.beam.vt.edu/bicycle-helmet-ratings.html

Eric F 

I managed to bang my head pretty good against a tree trunk today on a tight twisting single track. The helmet did its job perfectly by sacrificing itself to protect my dumb head.


Bummer that this helmet was only a couple of weeks old. Thank you, Mr. Helmet.

Another plus is that I can get something different. This helmet was okay, but not one I will buy again.

big john

Did you fall off or just smack the tree and stay upright?

A guy I was with on Saturday fell in the street and broke his glasses and deformed the back of his helmet. He got up and finished the ride.

big john

The only bicycle helmets that I have ever used are Giro. I've never tried anything else that was close to fitting and only certain Giro models work.

I had a similar problem with motorcycle helmets.

big john

One of the local shops had a sale on helmets where they gave a discount if you turned in your old helmet, damaged or not. I don't remember how much the discount was but it was substantial.

Eric F 

I stayed upright. It was a tight left turn with a tree leaning a bit over the trail. I was just off balance enough that I couldn't pull my head and shoulder out of the way in time. My head took the majority of the impact. It stunned me for a few seconds, but was okay to finish the ride with no issues. Other than that tree issue, I really enjoyed my first time down Sullivan Canyon - fun trail! My neck is a little stiff today, however.