sherilinn

I bouaght a GIRO Rift problem is its not comfortable and makes my head sweat. Hoping someone here can recommend a good helmet with more ventilation.

wsbob

More details: climate you're living in, what helmet you bought, if you've used a helmet before...what it was. Why you find the helmet uncomfortable. Does it fit right, how much hair you have. If you've got a big head of hair being compacted by the helmet, probably no amount of helmet ventilation is going to be able to overcome the insulating effect of a mass of hair on your head.

My hair is short, but not a crew cut. Where I ride, it doesn't often get into the 90's and 100's. I'm just using a low-end $40 Bell brand helmet that seems to have plenty ventilation for the climate I'm in. Some people seem to feel that bike helmets make their head hot, or sweat...to be more accurate: hold body heat in excessively. Bike helmets are designed in part, to channel passing air across the wearers scalp, so actually, a cooling effect should probably be occurring if there isn't something blocking that airflow.

A relatively small part of the helmet's inner foam liner actually comes into contact with your head in normal use; long, narrow ridges with the helmet I use. When I've worn my helmet for awhile, take it off, it leaves kind of amazing helmet hair. Looks like some wild hair-do. Just run my fingers through it a few times though, and it's gone.

sherilinn

I live in Wisconsin so its not terribly hot but humid. My hair is also long and thick so I'm sure that adds to the problem. The helmet does make it sweat and itch. I've been having a lot of scalp problems sense biking I'm sure because of my helmet. The wild haired helmet hair doesn't bother me much just take out my pony tail and brush my hair.

I'm a mom and a nurse so safety is a big issue wearing a helmet is very important for me. I also have a cousin that was saved by a helmet. She was on a motorcycle not a bike but still she is alive and well now because of the helmet. I purposely bought a white one for visibility and wondering if thats part of the problem. Maybe I should have bought a black one. I was hoping that someone might have ideas of a helmet with better ventilation.

You brought up good points, thank you.

MLKATO

The other day on the news the weatherman was doing a study of colors in the heat. He found out that a white car was 40 degrees cooler than a black one. I guess this study would also do in clothing. Darker colors seem to absorb the sun and heat while white,yellow and other light shaded colors it does the opposite. Which is why they tell you to wear light colored clothing in the Summer. I heard that older model helmets work better at ventilating than the newer ones do. I have a outdoor hat that has a vent near the top of the hat,a mesh screen all around and it really lets the air in. Maybe the helmet makers can figure something out.

Chris516

This is why I try to where a white t-shirt in hot weather.

Helmet ventilation does not equate to a good safety rating.

I have the Bell Slant which is highly rated https://www.bhsi.org/helmet11.htm by Consumer Reports.

The helmet has a lot of ventilation.

cyclocello

I've actually discovered that if it's loose fitting and there's circulation, dark clothes are better in the heat. Bedouin nomads are known to wear black, loose, flowing robes. The convection properties of dark clothing are mysteriously better (Source). Light clothing also has less UV protection, as it does reflect (but it does not absorb) radiation that gets through. I have not found a study involving skin tight dark clothes and heat dispersal.

That said, I have a white helmet, a Giro Phase. The color probably only matters with something hard like a helmet for how much heat it absorbs, evident of the car test previously mentioned. This could translate to less heat if it's a cool color or white. The inner foam is gray.

Where I live it gets up to 110 degrees with 30-40 percent humidity. I have found putting a wet bandana over my hair helps with cooling, although it hinders circulation. So when the bandana dries out, my head gets hotter.

CB HI

If you buy low end helmets, then you get low end ventilation.

It is up to you how much money you are willing to spend for better ventilation or if your willing to do without a helmet.

Northwestrider

Bell Metro if you can find one, Bell Citi is another good choice. The link provided by Chris516 has a lot of info BTW.

sherilinn

Yes I looked at the site and it did have a lot of good information. I knew if I came on here I'd get info. I'm going to look into the Giro Helios

sherilinn

I don't mind spending a little more money to solve the problem.

sherilinn

Here is an article I found on heat and helmets thought was interesting https://cozybeehive.blogspot.com/2010...ing-power.html

cyclocello

Excellent article! the helmet test supports the research done in the link I posted previously. If I understand correctly, dark clothing/helmets absorb more heat, but also dissipate it better.

Chris516

The Bell Citi is being phased out. The Bell Slant is still in production.

wsbob

sherilinn...sorry, kind of forgot about your post until just now. So your answer does confirm that you have a lot of thick hair. I don't know that there's any way around having a lot of thick hair blocking air circulation under the helmet. Even high end expensive helmets with somewhat better ventilation, probably won't be able to overcome the blockage of air circulation caused when the helmet presses your hair down on your head.

The helmet is not supposed to fit tight, but it is supposed to fit close, so there's a limit to how big and loose you could buy a helmet to fit.

If it were realistically possible, pulling lengths of your hair through the openings in the helmet shell would possibly help, but would probably be impractical. There's a very challenging idea for an innovative designer: Create a helmet that assembles/disassembles, allowing the wearer to kind of 'comb' the helmet shell through long hair as they put it on, then snap the helmet halves back together.

I admire your sticking with trying to keep wearing the bike helmet though, despite the problems and discomfort. Under the circumstances, I'd probably just bag the helmet and take my chances. There's always a short hair do to consider. That might be a bit of a tough choice. Lots of us love people wearing long, beautiful, rich, luxurious hair.

slowandsteady

I have long thick hair too, but the helmet makes a huge difference. I also try to ride with wet hair in the summer. I wear a white helmet. So far the Bell Alchera has been the best ventilated helmet I have owned. They are reasonably priced and are comfortable.

DarthMuffin

I have a Giant Realm in Digital White.
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-us/...te/1790/33315/
Yeah, it's an MTB helmet but I wanted a visor. Huge ventilation ports combined with a light color make it very cool for me. I'm in the desert, so high heat, low humidity. I don't do heat well either, especially with hats on and I hardly notice this helmet.