Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - I'm looking to spend some money on a good helmet what are people wearing around here?

just interested in what experiences people have had with different helmets. i'm really not concerned with price too much. looking to spend less than 150. i just want something that i won't have a problem wearing everyday.

I suggest the bern brentwood; I have one and it can't go wrong in any urban area.

Aside from that I also have the lazer helium which doesn't really look "right" while I ride one of my fixed gears w/ street clothes as opposed to lycra clad me and my orca.

I was actually going to ask the same question...
I've been using a Bern Macon for a long while now, very beat up. But Bern's helmets are quite tough, ventilation is good too.
I kind of want to switch to a road helmet...but as happypills said, doesn't look right with street clothes.

I would like to add that north face windbrakers (like a hyvent), which are often worn on the street and owned by a lot of people, does match road helmets.... ;)

doesn't really look "right" while I ride one of my fixed gears w/ street clothes as opposed to lycra clad me and my orca.

Why? I never thought anyone looked weird wearing a roadie helmet in regular clothes, except for maybe those on a cruiser.

Who says you need to be in full kit to wear road helmets? Road helmets are light, well-ventilated and stylish. What's not to like?

I rock a Giro Ionos at all times. Got a good deal on it though. For a more budget-minded road helmet I'd suggest a Giro Saros or a Specialized Propero. The Propero is super cheap, but still a great helmet.

Giro Saros.

Who says you need to be in full kit to wear road helmets? Road helmets are light, well-ventilated and stylish. What's not to like?

I rock a Giro Ionos at all times. Got a good deal on it though. For a more budget-minded road helmet I'd suggest a Giro Saros or a Specialized Propero. The Propero is super cheap, but still a great helmet.
I've been looking at the Saros...but the price is still kind of expensive. I've been looking at the helmets at MEC too, tried them on and they fit quite well and light.

I wear a nutcase, this one to be precise: http://www.nutcasehelmets.com/HelmetDetail/streetPaintFight.aspx

Just ordered the Giro atmos. 123 on ebay. I liked it better than the Ionos, I thought i was more narrow which I wanted.

i found the lazer urbanize kind of interesting. i have no idea how it looks on though. just thought it was an interesting concept.

http://www.lazersport.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_images.tpl&product_id=47&category_id=40&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=38

I suggest the bern brentwood; I have one and it can't go wrong in any urban area.

Aside from that I also have the lazer helium which doesn't really look "right" while I ride one of my fixed gears w/ street clothes as opposed to lycra clad me and my orca.

+1 only helmat un $100 that fits me right...

Go try some on at your LBS. Proper fit is at least as important as style, and not everyone has the same shape head.

Helmets seem Horrendously over-priced. I have a Bell Venture that I took the Visor Off.

Personally, I think it looks god-awful and dorky. But I can't really justify spending 50 bucks or more on a plastic shell with foam in it.

In comparison with what we spend on other things (jeans, shoes, etc etc), I guess the price isn't that bad. But it seems you start spending into the hundreds when you go looking for a quality helmet that doesn't make you look ridiculous.

Helmets seem Horrendously over-priced. I have a Bell Venture that I took the Visor Off.

Personally, I think it looks god-awful and dorky. But I can't really justify spending 50 bucks or more on a plastic shell with foam in it.

In comparison with what we spend on other things (jeans, shoes, etc etc), I guess the price isn't that bad. But it seems you start spending into the hundreds when you go looking for a quality helmet that doesn't make you look ridiculous.

It just protects your head, so why spend a lot on one?

It just protects your head, so why spend a lot on one?

I'm not saying they're not important. I'm saying they're over-priced. As long as it meets the safety standard (which mine does) than spending more just gets you style/ventilation.

lazer 02

I have a uvex road helmet. it is light and well ventilated, but the road helmets don't look too good in my opinion. safety first, so I still wear it.

I'm not saying they're not important. I'm saying they're over-priced. As long as it meets the safety standard (which mine does) than spending more just gets you style/ventilation.

Depending on where you live and ride, ventilation = comfort. Making a light and well-ventilated helmet that also meets safety standards is going to cost more than merely meeting safety standards.

Depending on where you live and ride, ventilation = comfort. Making a light and well-ventilated helmet that also meets safety standards is going to cost more than merely meeting safety standards.

Not disagreeing with anything about the helmets themselves, it's the mark-up that i Have a problem with. you don't need to convince me that better helmets are better, or even that they should cost more, it is the amount they start at, and ridiculous scaling of cost that I have an issue with.

Not disagreeing with anything about the helmets themselves, it's the mark-up that i Have a problem with. you don't need to convince me that better helmets are better, or even that they should cost more, it is the amount they start at, and ridiculous scaling of cost that I have an issue with.

R&D costs money, as does tooling. The raw materials might be a few bucks a helmet, but designing the helmet and the machine to make it wasn't free.

Look at titanium, one of the most common elements on the planet. And yet, it costs a small fortune to make anything useful out of it.

bell/giro has a sale going on for their 2009 models.

I wear a Rudy Project Sterling. Light and ventilated. Designed really well, u can make every micro adjustments easily on the fly.
Originally I rock a Bern, now I'm just gonna leave my Bern for the winter.

I was using (and loving) my Giro Atmos helmet until I cracked it at the crit race. FML

I wear a Rudy Project Sterling. Light and ventilated. Designed really well, u can make every micro adjustments easily on the fly.

Just looked that one up, and it's gorgeous. But over $200! Yow.

I have one of the Bells (maybe a Venture, I don't know), but I haven't gotten around to taking the visor off. Probably looks dorky, but it fits really well and it's easy to adjust.

(Looks stopped mattering to me when my youngest kid turned 5.)

Just looked that one up, and it's gorgeous. But over $200! Yow.
Yea, the price is steep. I got mine on sale, it's worth every penny for me. Rudy's own website also have a 25% off right now.

Go try some on at your LBS. Proper fit is at least as important as style, and not everyone has the same shape head.

my local bike shops around me have no selection. all i have is bell and giro to choose from. one shop had louis garneau helmets and i really like their adjustable fit system, but i think they look kind of goofy on my head.

i just want to find the best helmet if i'm going to be buying one at all. i figure i'll be wearing it until it fails, so i just want a comfortable and good looking helmet. bang for the buck is irrelevant if i don't like wearing it.

you could try chainreactioncycles uk and probikekit uk.

http://www.probikekit.com/display.php?cat=Mens%20Road%20Race%20Helmets
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Categories.aspx?CategoryID=1357

I have the Specialized Propero and like it alot. Cost about $100.

Wow, I gotta say that I agree with Brian and cg1985 on this one, a cheap helmet will be more than enough, really. I've owned both the Giro Indicator (http://www.amazon.com/Giro-Indicator-Sport-Helmet-Universal/dp/B000BNU1CS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1275502200&sr=8-1) and Giro Transfer (http://www.amazon.com/Giro-Transfer-Helmet-Silver-Universal/dp/B000WPGMY6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1275502200&sr=8-2).

I always sort of assumed that expensive helmets are expensive because:
1) prices rise exponentially with everything bike related
2) it's mostly appealing to the roadies with lots of cash who don't mind spending an extra $100 for a few grams of weight savings or more aerodynamic-ness because they're willing to pay high prices to help them win races.

So, if you don't race but your money is burning a hole in your pocket, sure, you can buy an expensive helmet. Otherwise, any bike brand helmet under $50 will be fine, in my opinion. I would stay away from Walmart helmets though, because the vents aren't big enough for you to be able to stick your finger in to scratch your head. :P

lazer 02

this

I've got a Giro Indicator, not a bad helmet at all. The adjustment where the straps meet just under the ear are really poorly designed though, rather than resting flush with your face they stick out sideways which is not comfortable. I'd easily pay a bit more just to get rid of that feature, but the helmet does its job and was less than $50.

Wow, I gotta say that I agree with Brian and cg1985 on this one, a cheap helmet will be more than enough, really.

Agreeing with me will only subject you to ridicule.

I got a Bell Volt for less than $100 at REI. Really light, fits great, lots of ventilation. I think people that are afraid of looking uncool, and thus wearing little soldier helmets with no ventilation when they're on a bike, look pretty ridiculous.

I have a Bell Sweep R, which I'm sure you could find for under $100 now. Light and well ventilated.

Giro indicator.

Lazer 02. $76 shipped on BikeIsland.

Just ordered the Giro atmos. 123 on ebay. I liked it better than the Ionos, I thought i was more narrow which I wanted.

Great helmet. I like to wear a bandana or cycling cap under mine. You forget it's there and it looks great.

http://www.performancebike.com/images/performance/products/medium/40-3825-BLW-SIDE.jpg

IMO, the skate/board style helmets look more dorky than road helmets. Road helmet & full kit or at least some proper cycling gear = someone who knows what they're doing. Get out of their way. Some kid on a fixed gear in street clothes and a Bern helmet = perhaps some poser or new rider who you might want to avoid.

IMO, the skate/board style helmets look more dorky than road helmets. Road helmet & full kit or at least some proper cycling gear = someone who knows what they're doing. Get out of their way. Some kid on a fixed gear in street clothes and a Bern helmet = perhaps some poser or new rider who you might want to avoid.

+Bahzillion.

so i just picked up a specialized echelon today. it has a really nice adjustable fit system, just turn a dial and it hugs your head perfectly. it looks good on my head, has good ventilation, and was only 60 bucks.

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEquipPopup.jsp?equipimage=/OA_MEDIA/equip/6010-532_l.jpg&equipmodel=Echelon%20Helmet
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEquipPopup.jsp?equipimage=/OA_MEDIA/equip/6010-532_l.jpg&equipmodel=Echelon%20Helmet

http://www.velodromeshop.org.uk/images/products/catlike%20kompact%20pro.jpg (http://cgi.ebay.com/Catlike-Kompact-Pro-Used-cycling-bike-helmet-Large-/200476941520?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ead5b5cd0)
for hipster points

looks like the OP is squared away, but for anyone else reading this thread i will add a nod for LAS. i've been riding a long time and have used giro, bell, specialized, limar , rudy and probably others. got an LAS sqalo about a year ago and it's fantastic. fits my head better than anything i've ever used, and the ventilation is superbe.

as has been said, don't just price shop. try a bunch on and figure out which brand best matches your head shape, then shop that brand.

re: the last post...catlike helmets are supposed to be excellent. i looked hard for a whisper (as pictured above) before i bought the LAS, but they had no US distribution at the time (which they do now). pricey however (>$200). oh yes, and pure hipster...if in flat black.

[they also make the 'sakana'...which is one of the most, uh, interesting designs i've seen]

http://www.spoke.ie/wp-content/uploads/catlike-sakana-black.jpg

jealous of the catlike :(

I have a bern for the winter, and this for the summer
bell sweep r
http://www.fullcycles.com/images/bell-sweep-r-helmet.jpg

Is there a brand of helmets known for making slim, low-profile helmets for larger heads? I always have to end up going for the larger size on Giro and Bell helmets, and although they don't look too dorky, they are kind of bulky. It sucks because I'm on the cusp between a Medium and a Large (my head is about 58/59 cm) and on a Large I have to cinch the adjustment system to the very smallest size or wear a bandana/cap underneath to make it fit.

so i just picked up a specialized echelon today. it has a really nice adjustable fit system, just turn a dial and it hugs your head perfectly. it looks good on my head, has good ventilation, and was only 60 bucks.

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEquipPopup.jsp?equipimage=/OA_MEDIA/equip/6010-532_l.jpg&equipmodel=Echelon%20Helmet
http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEquipPopup.jsp?equipimage=/OA_MEDIA/equip/6010-532_l.jpg&equipmodel=Echelon%20Helmet

I have the same. It's nice.

http://helmets.org/ventsqua.htm

a good read if you really care about your safety, part of the reason I chose a nutcase (even if it could have a bit more ventilation)

Is there a brand of helmets known for making slim, low-profile helmets for larger heads? I always have to end up going for the larger size on Giro and Bell helmets, and although they don't look too dorky, they are kind of bulky. It sucks because I'm on the cusp between a Medium and a Large (my head is about 58/59 cm) and on a Large I have to cinch the adjustment system to the very smallest size or wear a bandana/cap underneath to make it fit.

I feel like now if you aren't buying a helmet with an adjustable fit system, then you're wasting your money. Well, not wasting, but you could be spending it on a helmet that will fit you for sure, despite the size of your head.

I had a Schwinn something... $20 at Wal Mart, it had a light in the back. It was a decent helmet... unfortunately I cracked it when I crashed recently. Currently in the market for something a little more high end... I like the look of those Catlikes, but I can't find a retailer to try one on! Maybe I'll go with a Giro Atmos since my local shop stocks those.