closetbiker

sales ploy (but maybe it was an unintentional sales ploy from an ill-informed employee)

I remember when helmets came with no recomondation for replacement (unless the helmet was damaged), then the recomondation was for every 7 years, then it was every 5 years and now it seems the recomondation is for every 3. seeing how the basic standards, materials and construction hasn't changed much over the years I wondered what's the deal?

I checked one of the biggest helmet promotion site on the web (BHSI) and they posted

Newer helmets from the late 1980's and the 90's may or may not need replacement...Deterioration depends on usage, care, and abuse... Occasionally somebody spreads rumors that sweat and ultraviolet (UV) exposure will cause your helmet to degrade. Sweat will not do that... At least one shop told a customer that the EPS in his three year old helmet was now "dried out." That is highly unlikely, unless the EPS is placed in an oven for some period of time and baked...EPS is a long-lived material little affected by normal environmental factors. Unless you mistreat it we would not expect it to "dry out" enough to alter its performance for many years... Way back in the 1980's the Snell Foundation tested a [Bell] Biker for us that was about ten years old, and had yellowed from the sun. It still performed essentially like a new one at that time...In sum, we don't find the case for replacing a helmet that meets the ASTM or Snell standards that compelling if the helmet is still in good shape and fits you well.

I emailed the BHSI for confirmation of this information and the director emailed me back and said if there were problems with older helmets not working, the BHSI would know about it, and they haven't found any problems with older helmets. The director also added he uses a helmet he bought in 1992 and considers it better than many of the newer helmets because of it's rounder design.