Commuting - Helmets

Mine is starting to look more and more like a chewed up styrofoam cup, time for a new one. What'ca got, and what'ca think about it?

--A

The fully loaded Bell Metro. Not without it's faults, but for a year of commuter duty, it's proven to be a great helmet. It really shines in bad weather and all winter.

The fully loaded Bell Metro. Not without it's faults, but for a year of commuter duty, it's proven to be a great helmet. It really shines in bad weather and all winter.

+1. I really like mine.

I'm quite fond of my Specialized Chamonix. Light, cool, sturdy, and fits me great. Also not too expensive, only about $40. Nice colors, too.

Both of my helmets (commuter=white and road=red/white/blue) are Giro Eclipse. My previous helmets were also Giro Eclipse and Giro Animas. I've been very happy with the fit and style.

Another Bell Metro user here, I like it.

I'm also in the market for a new helmet. I'll probably go with a lower-end road helmet. My current helmet is a Giro Torrent (which I bought for the visor). I've discovered that for someone with glasses, a visor doesn't do nearly as much as a cycling cap.

I'm changing to a road helmet in the near future. My current helmet is a bell arc (I think).
Going to use it as a winter helmet with the vents duct taped shut. Plus it is a wee bit on the worn side.

I am pretty shure it will be the bell furio
http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=47850800&parent_category_rn=4500753

I usually buy my helmets online from Performance or Nashbar...whatever is on clearance (Giro the last 2 times) and pay no more than $20 + shipping. I find that a helmet lasts me about 2 seasons (years) and then I'm ready for a new one, after dropping it like a million times and the different dings and such that it gets from being in a garage with 3 kids in and out. For a commuter helmet I find that the fit is the most important followed by the weight and lastly the color.

No real suggestions, but try to test fit the different brands somewhere to see how they fit. Each brand typically fits its own way. I personally like Giro helmets more than others because they fit my head better. Besides for that, honestly, I cant really tell the difference o.O

I do like sunvisors on mine though, because I hate sunglasses.

On that note, www.nashbar.com is current having a huge sale on helmets. whee.

I think mine's a bell, I don't even know. My main search image was 'fit on head' + 'as long a visor as possible'. It was under $40. Possibly under $30. Not sure how important the visor really is, but I find it reassuring when waiting at a stoplight in the rain to see the water falling off the visor reasonably in front of my face rather than dribbling straight down behind my glasses.

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=&subcategory=&brand=&sku=16416&storetype=estore&estoreid=641&pagename=

Hey lookie, cheapo helmets! If I just didnt get a new one about a month ago I'd so buy one just for giggles.. Thats cheap..

No real suggestions, but try to test fit the different brands somewhere to see how they fit. Each brand typically fits its own way. I personally like Giro helmets more than others because they fit my head better. Besides for that, honestly, I cant really tell the difference o.O

I do like sunvisors on mine though, because I hate sunglasses.

On that note, www.nashbar.com is current having a huge sale on helmets. whee.
Lots of good points here. There's really no substitute for trying on LOTS of lids until you come across the one that fits. Even with Performance and Nashbar's easy return policies, it might take so long to try 2 or 3 that your LBS might be the best bet. Of course you might get lucky on the first cast, but I highly doubt it. I've tried $200 helmets on that felt like crap. Which was good, because I don't like to pay over $40 or $50. And yea, visors can make a big difference, especially when commuting in the early morning.

DanO

I had a costco special for a while then a low end Giro. My wife bought me a Bell Sweep as a present. It is expensive, but is light (not that critical), has tons of venting (critical), and fits great. It is my first helmet without a visor, but it fit on my nogin way better than the high end Giro that could have a visor. So far I have not actually noticed a difference when riding in the rain without a visor.

OK I just don't get the bell citi?

I mean, sure it LOOKS like a commuter helmet not a racer helmet, but it has like no venting? And plenty of other helmets are available with visors...

And what was with the "shines in all weather" comment? Do some helmets dissolve or something? Other than a grounded metal cover for lightning storms, I can't see how the helmet is going to affect/be affected by weather.

I had a costco special for a while then a low end Giro. My wife bought me a Bell Sweep as a present. It is expensive, but is light (not that critical), has tons of venting (critical), and fits great. It is my first helmet without a visor, but it fit on my nogin way better than the high end Giro that could have a visor. So far I have not actually noticed a difference when riding in the rain without a visor.

Mostly I like the visor for the windcut affect.

Basically, I wear contacts and they dry out very fast if I'm moving at any good speed. With no helmet its horrible. With a helmet with no visor its the same, but on a road bike with a visor it cuts the wind 'just' slightly enough where it isnt very much of a problem. :)

I use a Bell xray mtn bike helmet for all applications. I took off the visor and put in the plugs it came with to fill the holes. I just love it: it has lots of vents and is nice and cool, the ratchet mechanism makes fitting it to ones noodle easy (in fact, it will stay on even when unstrapped if you tip your head upside down), there is no huge fit pad directly above your eyes, so sweat rarely if ever dumps into your eyes, and the build quality is very good. The outer shell is laminated directly to the styrofoam which makes the helmet better in my opinion (tape ones can unpeel, and this is not good i think ;p)

because I don't like to pay over $40 or $50. And yea, visors can make a big difference, especially when commuting in the early morning.

DanO

Yeah, I can't see the difference between a $200 and a $20 lid except styling, and $50 is about as much as I'll spend not to look like a spelunker. My current bottle top is a Specialized with a visor, but the visor got on my nerves, and I pulled it off. I think I'm going to get a Giro I saw on sale.

I use a Bell Delirium. I had a Bell X-Ray, and I really liked it until my bike fell over onto it (cracked). So I got the Delirium as a replacement. I am a big fan of the "GPS retention system". It makes it easy to adjust the size so if I want to throw on a bandana, or a beanie in the winter I don't have to spend 5 minutes re-adjusting my helmet. Just flip the knob. The price isn't too bad at $45. It has a removeable visor, which I like, and I got the silver one so the color is pretty understated.

What I don't like is that the velcro on one of my gloves caught one of the pads, and ripped the cloth covering off of the foam. My fault I guess.

White Bell Ghisallo from '04, I think. Great helmet, but not cheap (~$100). I always get helmets in white -- better in the heat of the summer sunshine. :)

OK I just don't get the bell citi?

I mean, sure it LOOKS like a commuter helmet not a racer helmet, but it has like no venting? And plenty of other helmets are available with visors...

The Bell Citi has 15 or 16 vents I believe. Might not be enough for some, but is comfortable enough for me. It is marketed as a commuter or "lifestyle helmet" but who cares what you use it for as long as it is comfortable. :) I use it for road riding and mountain biking.

Mostly I like the visor for the windcut affect.

Basically, I wear contacts and they dry out very fast if I'm moving at any good speed. With no helmet its horrible. With a helmet with no visor its the same, but on a road bike with a visor it cuts the wind 'just' slightly enough where it isnt very much of a problem. :)

This reminds me of the recent "I'm never getting LASIK" thread. 95% of the time wear my most definitely non-biking glasses when biking (1/2 wire frame; the other 5% is when it's bright enough to wear my non-biking sunglasses). Seeing as I beat the hell out of my glasses because of the biking, drop them often when I'm locking up my bike at work, and generally abuse them by sticking them in my helmet for the walk from the rack to the bathroom and my office, I should probably invest in some good glasses that were actually designed for bikers.

If I ever get around to it...

I've wondered exactly about contacts (or even lasik) just so I could get beater non-scrip shades for biking. As is, I don't mind wearing (and beating on) my prescription shades, but I am crippled when they are damaged. I can put aftermarket polarized clipons onto my regular glasses but that is a total rube goldberg setup (half frame glasses, in the morning fog between the clipon shade and lenses as well as inside the lenses...)

Check out the Uvex Sport Boss. I got one for $40 at Amazon.com. It has a very good (safe) design and some nice, unique features.

I got a Bell Ukon on sale at REI. I got it for the price but it has been very comfortable. I'd like to try a Bell Citi next, but no complaints about my current one.