General Cycling Discussion - Swanky helmets for the fashionable 2-wheeler

Have any of you lucky Canadians seen (in person) a Catlike Whisper yet? Can you tell me what they're charging for it up there? Also, anybody tried on a Selev Matrix helmet? Any comments?

Nobody's had a chance to try on one of these fancy hats yet?

I fell in love with the Catlike Whisper watching this years TdF. They really stand out in a crowd, especially since almost all other helmets are all slits and spikes. Not that those aren't cool too, but the Whisper seems inspired by a golfball!

Does anyone know of any US dealers that carry Catlike helmets, or barring that, any internet stores that will ship to the US?

I looked and looked, but I couldn't find any English-language web sites selling the Whisper anywhere. I think there was one in Czech and one or two in an Asian language my browser didn't have a font for. I don't think they're approved for sale in the US at all, and I couldn't find any Canadian web retailers selling them online. If you go to www.cooleurostuff.com you could try your luck with calling the phone numbers on their Canadian dealers list and seeing if any will sell over the phone and ship for a decent price...which I believe would be about $175+. It'll have to be a project for the next time I visit Canada...

Note - I just e-mailed cooleurostuff.com, and they said that they might start selling items directly from their website sometime in the fall.

Well, we can only hope. Time for me to replace my trusty Briko Twinner (hard to find Brikos around too, darn this taste for European stuff). It served me well: it cracked instead of my skull when I took a really nasty spill at the bottom of a steep descent. There was a bit of a tight turn a the bottom, it had just rained, and I was going too fast and not paying enough attention. I spent the night in the neuro ward of the LH (local hospital, just like the LBS, hehe) while they watched my subdural hematoma. I am definitely a believer in helmets now, and am looking for something classy to keep the ol' brain pan safe.

I saw one of those Briko "Twinner" helmets on eBay this month. Now that is one "unique" looking hat.

I was trying to find another one! It is very unique. Looks like I have jet engine intakes sucking air onto my head. It's pretty lightweight and the vents definitely do the trick.

http://www.hardheadedsports.com/briko-bike-helmets.html

The info on this page might be invalid/out-of-date, because it doesn't seem to be linked off of their main page at all:
http://www.sporteyes.com/briko_helmets.htm

Yeah...and hardheadedsports seems to be out of stock! Damn shame. Unfortunately, the LBS I got mine at is now out of business, and the other bike shops around carry only your standard Giro and Bell stuff. Not that they're bad, but I liked standing out.

Seems that they only have a few of the "small"s left. I guess they don't make that one anymore.

I was told that the U.S. distributor of Catlike was out of business. Does anyone in the country sell their products? I'd like to have a Catlike Whisper, but can't find anybody to sell me one..

I'd also like a Catlike. I found the Kompact (http://www.prendas.co.uk/details.asp?typ=mfc&fkid=27&ID=335) model for sale on a UK site, but not the Whisper. The shipping price is pretty hefty (about $19), but man, that's a good-looking helmet! I like the Whisper even more, but no one seems to carry it! How odd...

IIRC, the only Catlike helmet certified in the US was the "Kompact 2". I bought a regular Kompact from probikekit.com in the UK when they were on sale. Perhaps, like MET, Catlike thinks the CSPC standards and litigation in the US market is too much of a hassle to bother with. I don't blame them.

Odd how many of the European helmets have bug nets in the vents, but almost never the US helmets.

have you seen euskadel euskadi helmet? that thing is sick!

lemme see if I can find it...

the catlike whisper. DAAAAAMMMNN! Its hot! looks like it sucks all the air into that helmet thats within 20 miles of you!

That one's very orange, but I got the Comunitat Valencia which is also colorful and was on sale==cheaper.http://www.probikekit.com/imgLarge/H2033-C.jpg

im telling you, if you can find the catlike whisper its god! Its soo friggin sweet looking!

Worth bumping this thread I think. Anyone know of an online retailer that sells Catlike yet? If only PBK sold them.

Heh, this is quite a blast from the past.

I googled it, and looks like this outfit is selling to Americans- at least they have some notes pertaining to American sales:
http://www.prendas.co.uk/details.asp?ID=1348

I wish the bike helmet people would take a cue from the hardhat people.

Suppose you want a helmet that protects you yet keeps the sun off your face and neck, the rain out of your eyes, and lets air circulate up over your head. Well tough. But, there's a hardhat that does that:
http://www.tasco-safety.com/hhats/Cowboy-hard-hats.html#15256

How bout a glow-in-the-dark one?
http://www.tasco-safety.com/hhats/glow-in-the-dark-hard-hat.html#19922

I googled it, and looks like this outfit is selling to Americans- at least they have some notes pertaining to American sales:
http://www.prendas.co.uk/details.asp?ID=1348

Wow...124 pounds....is that like $200US? :eek:

Ain't you heard about the new fashion, honey, all you need are looks and a whole lot of money....

You haven't checked Ebay yet?
Check it, yo. (http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Catlike-Whisper-Helmet-L-59-61-cm-YELLOW_W0QQitemZ150162201528QQihZ005QQcategoryZ42327QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQ_trksidZp1638.m118.l124 7QQcmdZViewItem)

With the smaller holes I've always been skeptical that the Whisper can duct as much air through as the Kompact. It sells for a super fashion premium, though. Anyone with experience using both? I like my Kompact - it was worth the $65US I paid for it.

THANK YOU!!! I FOUND A DEALER NOT TO FAR FROM ME BECAUSE OF THIS LINK!!!



I looked and looked, but I couldn't find any English-language web sites selling the Whisper anywhere. I think there was one in Czech and one or two in an Asian language my browser didn't have a font for. I don't think they're approved for sale in the US at all, and I couldn't find any Canadian web retailers selling them online. If you go to www.cooleurostuff.com you could try your luck with calling the phone numbers on their Canadian dealers list and seeing if any will sell over the phone and ship for a decent price...which I believe would be about $175+. It'll have to be a project for the next time I visit Canada...

Worth bumping this thread I think. Anyone know of an online retailer that sells Catlike yet? If only PBK sold them.

Your wish has been granted (http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?cat=Catlike%20Helmets)

For half the price I'd get the Kompact, unless you're really drooling over the whisper. I like my kompact.

i like the catlike sakana.
in the world champ colors it is kinda sexy

The shop I work for sells Catlike helmets, and we are in Canada. We currently only have one model in stock, and of course I forget which one. The one thing I do remember is that is sells for more than $300. I will take a look today and find out what model it is. I know we had the rep. in last week and we have a good selection of models available to us.