Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Helmet recommendations?

Hey...just got my bike and need a helmet for the Clyde Head. I tried a Bell Influs (?) and it just fit too snug. The Trek Interval fit fine but it was a demo helmut not for sale and they would have to order one. I thought maybe I would just get one thru Amazon because I have a gift certificate. They carry Bell, Giro, Louis Garneau, kuji, among others.

Any recommendations for a helmut that does the job, but you don't really know it is there?

The Giro Atlas will fit any mellon you can throw at it.

Pretty comfortable?

Comfort is about fit, in my experience. It doesn't have the look of the high $$$ caps, but it is a good helmet. If you want something racier the Giro Pneumo runs a bit large as well.

I saw one on sale on Amazon called the Havoc by Giro...anyone try that?

Also, any recommendation for baggy, padded shorts for big guys would be great also.

Here is an interesting helmut that doesn't look "racy" by Giro at a good price. It is the Hex. Anyone have one?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000BNXO0O/ref=ord_cart_shr/102-8323897-3267311?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

I have a Trek Vapor which fits nicely:

http://www.epinions.com/bike-Helmets-All-Vapor_Adult_Helmet

I saw one on sale on Amazon called the Havoc by Giro...anyone try that?

Also, any recommendation for baggy, padded shorts for big guys would be great also.
www.aerotechdesigns.com for Clyde Shorts and Jersey's! I'd go with spandex though and to heck with what watchers think! More comfortable than baggies and netter aerodynamics. That's the purpose for tight cycling clothes, by the way, is to reduce wind resistance, not style! Spamdex also reduces road rash if you crash......good abrasion resistance. In addition, it doesn't get caught on the horn of your saddle.....ever! (HINT: Don't wear your Fruit of the Looms under them either...reduces the effectivness of the chamois wicking and INCREASES the likelyhood of saddle sores!http://www.abfnet.com/forum/images/smilies/Marvin.gif

I have a big old head and the Bell Ghilsallo just fits me right, but fit is a personal choice for sure. This is just a great top level helmet with good vents, light and the dial fit on back that is so easy to use. They are selling them for about $79.95 online now, just do a search. Here is a review which is a little old, but the helmet hasn't changed.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2004/reviews/bell_ghisallo

The best fitting helmet I ever had is the Giro I have right now.

Its a "Dicks" giro premium helmet but its realy the mohave model!

again the large size fits great.

"john"

I went ahead and got the Havoc. It was onsale on Amazon for $39.99 and I had a $25 gc. If it doesn't work, I can just send it back. Seems to be decent without looking to silly.

As far as shorts, it will def. be the baggy padded ones. Don't like tight anything. And did I read you correctly? I need to go "commando"? Yikes.

I went ahead and got the Havoc. It was onsale on Amazon for $39.99 and I had a $25 gc. If it doesn't work, I can just send it back. Seems to be decent without looking to silly.

As far as shorts, it will def. be the baggy padded ones. Don't like tight anything. And did I read you correctly? I need to go "commando"? Yikes.If you refuse to wear cycling shorts, get the spandex ones and throw some thin basketball shorts on over them.

Yes commando.

(After a few weeks, you'll quite the basketball shorts.)

Bell carries a Big Head helmet, there is an online co. out of CAL. that has it.
Ordered one myself fits better than any others I tried.

...Also, any recommendation for baggy, padded shorts for big guys would be great also.

In my experience, the spandex shorts are more comfortable. Why? First of all, there are maybe fewer seams. Seams are what rub you raw on long rides. Secondly, the internal pad wicks away sweat. Thirdly, the tight spandex is less likely to bunch up in places where you don't want it to - moving around on the saddle is easier with spandex. Fourthly, spandex offers significantly better abrasion resistance, should you ever need it. Fifthly, with spandex, you won't need underpants - another source of bunching, abrasive seams, and sweat retention.

In summary, skip the baggy padded shorts and buy some of those embarrassing XXL spandex things. By the way, the proper place for your "parts" in those shorts is front, centered, and straight up. This prevents pinching between the thigh and the saddle.

Thanks. Won't be going for long rides just yet, but will certainly go that route. Maybe go to REI or Target and get some of the spandex ones and just put some light shorts over them.

I went ahead and got the Havoc. It was onsale on Amazon for $39.99 and I had a $25 gc. If it doesn't work, I can just send it back. Seems to be decent without looking to silly.

As far as shorts, it will def. be the baggy padded ones. Don't like tight anything. And did I read you correctly? I need to go "commando"? Yikes.
Yuppers, Commando!

"I'm out there and I'M LOVIN' IT!"

Any recommendations for a helmut that does the job, but you don't really know it is there?

Giro Atlas II
Bell Triton (formerly Sequoia)
Bell King Head (if you can find it, I think it's discontinued)

I have a Triton and a Sequoia and they fit well enough. I'll never look cool like the folks wearing the Sweep R's and Pneumo's though :) The King Head is seriously huge. It uses the old style foam blocks to fit it. The Atlas II and Triton look nearly identical to me, though the Atlas II has removeable foam pads so I might try that one next.

The King Head is discontinuted, last I heard. Since they don't sell fast, some stores tend to have stock left. I have a pretty big head (size 8 hat) and the King Head made me feel like I was wearing an army helmet. I'm sure the people that need it and found one are grateful. I have a Sequoia, and like it pretty well, but what I really wanted was a Bell Metro or Citi. Bell seems to be getting the hint, because I noticed that one of those models got a little bigger in its biggest size.

http://www.helmets.org/bighead.htm This site was a great deal of help for me.

Not bike related, but I've given this company some business too.
http://www.bigheadcaps.com/

I have a Giro Penumo. I bought it beacuse I can over heat quickly and wanted/needed as much ventilation as I could get, plus it fits me properly. FWIW, I recommend it!

YMMV!

I saw one on sale on Amazon called the Havoc by Giro...anyone try that?

Also, any recommendation for baggy, padded shorts for big guys would be great also.


I just got my 2nd Havoc. I bought one about 4 years ago and it worked great. Decided it was time for a new one, so I found a new model on closeout for $34.99.

It's identical to the first one, just a different color.

Fits great, light weight, decent amount of vents, all without the $129 price tag!

I just bought a Specialized Air born and fits my big mellon pretty good, and hey it was only 40 bucks and that was reg. price

I'd go with spandex though and to heck with what watchers think! More comfortable than baggies and netter aerodynamics.
+1 Do what works best....don't worry what others see.


(HINT: Don't wear your Fruit of the Looms under them either...reduces the effectivness of the chamois wicking and INCREASES the likelyhood of saddle sores!http://www.abfnet.com/forum/images/smilies/Marvin.gif
And even more important than the sweat wicking.....is the fact that spandex shorts are designed to have no seams where you are on the seat. Wearing undies will put seams between you and the seat...which is where much of the pain comes from.

I wear a size 8 hat, size 7 3/4 hats are too small and give me headaches, yet I am using a Giro Torrent II without any problem. Got it on a closeout at $20. Very light, vents well, I like it a lot. Tried many other helmets and most were too small.

Just received a Bell Triton from JensonUSA ($29.99) and it fits my 8 1/2 "long oval" quite well.

Guess it's time to hang up my Skid-lid II for good...(sigh)

It's good to know there are some bigger helmets becoming available. The biggest problem is finding an LBS that has a wide selection.

89quattro,
A Skid-Lid? That takes me back. I always wondered, "Why bother?" with those things, but I bet the ventilation is hard to beat.;)

Great thread, thx. I've got a lotta hair on my head so none of the large (up to 24 3/4") helmets were gonna work. Believe these x-larges like the Kinghead can get the job done and at a reasonable price too!

Not a huge fan of helmets, I expect to overheat in it. But, I know it is the better part of valor to be able to choose to wear one at least some of the time.

It's good to know there are some bigger helmets becoming available. The biggest problem is finding an LBS that has a wide selection.

89quattro,
A Skid-Lid? That takes me back. I always wondered, "Why bother?" with those things, but I bet the ventilation is hard to beat.;)

Alloy Addict
Believe it or not, I can remember getting the BikeNashbar catalog in the mail, and spotted the new "bighead version" of the Skid-lid being available...long time ago for sure, but the Skid-lid II was the only way to go.

Other option: wear my custom made Bell motorcycle helmet. Back in the early '70's, they had a program available for the crainally challanged, and were more than happy to make up oversize mc helmets.

Over the years, wearing the lid just became second nature, better than nothing. I still remember the 2 times I went down on the bikes (Triumph and Norton) and the helmet was a lifesaver. Speeds were low, no more than 15 mph, but you can't really appreciate what the impact of your helmeted head against the pavement is all about until it happens.

Anyway, first ride report on the Triton: comfortable, fairly easy to adjust straps, and best of all, it actually fits with some room to spare! Good choice for both bigheads and big-hairs.:)

89quattro,
Where I went to college there was a professor that commuted by bike everyday, which was not very common there at all, and he wore an old Bell motorcycle helmet everyday. I don't remember much about his bike, other than it being an older bike, heavily modified for commuting. In the winter he would wear full coveralls, which really wasn't too surprising since he was an agronomy professor. He was well protected, and not a slave to fashion.

I've got a fat dome, and I use a Limar helmet. LG/XL. Low profile.

I've had a couple other ones that made me feel like my head was a giant meatball.

ACKACK

http://allesoversterrenkunde.nl/fotos/art227a.jpeg

Hey...just got my bike and need a helmet for the Clyde Head. I tried a Bell Influs (?) and it just fit too snug. The Trek Interval fit fine but it was a demo helmut not for sale and they would have to order one. I thought maybe I would just get one thru Amazon because I have a gift certificate. They carry Bell, Giro, Louis Garneau, kuji, among others.

Any recommendations for a helmut that does the job, but you don't really know it is there?

I almost never wear a helmet, especially here in the Deep South in the summer. When I do, I wear my old Vetta Corsa.

first time over here in clydesville, but I have .02 on this topic. The bell Sequoia/triton is indeed monster, but the ventilation on it isn't great. Fine with me because I bought it to wear in winter with a hat, but running that thing in warmer weather makes you appreciate other helmets.

Also, to the guy wearing the old vetta corsa, helmets expire. Styrofoam continuously off-gasses and slowly turns into lightweight concrete. Not to say it isn't better than nothing, but any helmet over 4-5 years old should be replaced. Bike shops will tell you 2-3 years, who knows what the right number is, but I'm going with double what the guys selling helmets say.

On the topic of foam deterioration. Even the Snell foundation, taking what I believe is a conservative approach, only recommends replacement every 5 years - and does not take an aggressive stance on doing it then.

http://www.smf.org/faqs.html#10

I think the materials are probably good for up to 10 years, maybe more, unless subjected to extreme conditions - like long, extended periods in very high temperatures (being locked in a car in Death Valley for a couple of years).

I just a new Giro Eclipse and am loving it so far. It's much more comfortable and lighter than my six year old Trek and has better venting, too. I don't have a real big head, but at 7 5/8 I'm a L/XL in most hats. There's enough adjustment left in the harness to fit a bigger head, it might go up to an 8.

On the subject of riding gear, I also vote for lycra shorts. I've got some baggies, but they're not as comfortable and are a lot hotter in the summer. Who cares what other people think, you can't please everybody. Besides, my wife likes me in them and that's the only other opinion I'm concerned with (speaking of which, she lost 37# this year and looks HOT in the purple Volers I just got her).

If you refuse to wear cycling shorts, get the spandex ones and throw some thin basketball shorts on over them.

Yes commando.

(After a few weeks, you'll quite the basketball shorts.)

+1 :)

I'm a 7 1/2 - 7 3/4.

I really dig my Giro Monza. Got it on sale for $60.

I just got a Bell Citi last night, and it's awesome.
I tried on the Metropolis, and the dial-adjust retention system came too far down the back of my head and pinched my neck when in a riding position. (For those other Clydes with footballer/weightlifter/wrestler neck, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.) The Citi has a smaller retention system that doesn't hit the bad spot, plus it's about $30 cheaper than the Metro.

Besides fit and ventilation is there a difference between a $100 helmet and a $20 helmet if they're both certified?

Besides fit and ventilation is there a difference between a $100 helmet and a $20 helmet if they're both certified?
That's the question that I asked myself: "What is the real difference?"

Aerodynamics? Maybe.
Will it affect me at 15mph on a sub-freezing commute when I'm wearing all my polarfleece gear and a backpack? Heck no.

Comfort and affordability, those were my concerns.

Besides fit and ventilation is there a difference between a $100 helmet and a $20 helmet if they're both certified?
The diff generally is the ventilation - oh, and the sexy design that is the latest thing in the pro peloton, that is, until the next latest thing comes out.

IAnd did I read you correctly? I need to go "commando"? Yikes.
Going commando is de riguer (sp?) if you are wearing padded bike-specific shorts. The pads are designed to make sure there are no seams in places that you really do not want them to be.

There is another option - Andiamos. Basically, they are bicycling-specific underwear, intended to keep the seams from regular shorts, etc., from turning your crotch into hamburger. I've never used them and so can't vouch for them, but you can order them from Rivendell, and they're prety reliable. http://www.rivbike.com/webalog/clothing/22301.html At $23 a pop, they aren't exactly cheap, but they sure are less expensive than any bike-specific short out there.

Bell carries a Big Head helmet, there is an online co. out of CAL. that has it.
Ordered one myself fits better than any others I tried.
+1
Been looking for a helmet for my fat head and never found comfort for years.
This cheapo Bell helmet MSRP is like $34.99 fits really nice!