stmalk

Hello, I'm of course a newbie and I'm in process of buying spares/protection for my bike. I just got a cheap $30 ARIIUS helmet in a local store and I didn't check the straps when I bought it. So back home I put it on and discovered that straps are weirdly attached to the top of the helmet inside. It's not like each strap is attached to the right or left side, but in the back they are actually criss crossed. This kinda shifts the helmet when I try to wear it pulling it to one side more than another.
I wonder if this is normal for helmets to have the straps attached this way, or it's a bad product and I should return it tomorrow?

Thank you

Doug64

I don't know for sure, but I've never seen a helmet rigged like that. I would take it back and ask to look at some of their other helmets, preferably the same model.

stmalk

I just checked on Amazon, these are called Airius v10. And several reviews confirm they got the same issue, impossible to wear. Most people claimed they returned it to Amazon. One guy wrote he actually got contacted by the manufacturer who told him it was part of the design. Yeah, they are serious, aren't they. Skewed helmet is wonderful design for sure.
So it is definitely defected, but a defected design I guess. That local bike store I bought it from has no return policy on helmets. So I either replace it for a proper helmet or $30 wasted.
Good lesson on how to trust local businesses though.

FBinNY 

A no return policy wouldn't apply to defective product. If it truly won't sit square, even if the odd strap pattern in by design, it's defective under the doctrine of Implied Warranty of Merchantability.

In essence that says that a product has to do what it's supposed to do, ie. sit straight on ones head. Tell the shop you want a refund or replacement, or you go to small claims court for it.

OTOH - it might be possible to free the ends and unthread and rethread the straps, so they pass over the center bar without crossing.

BTW - the above assumes that it truly won't sit square, but I wonder if that's true. The straps cross near to each other, and it should be possible to adjust them to solve the problem. Before insisting on a refund, you might ask the shop to make it fit right. If they can, all to the good. If they can't then you're entitled to a refund and they shouldn't argue.

stmalk

These straps don't really go through the top bar. They are attached to it and are not connected to each other. Kinda glued I think. So there is no way to rethread them without taking the whole thing apart. It basically gets skewed if I tighten them while wearing. Because of this criss crossing one strap is shorter/shifted towards the back, while another hangs longer. The helmet just slides to the side a bit. I really hope they replace it, will update tomorrow.

FBinNY 

I'm pretty sure that it's a continuous strap that goes around the top bar, passing under the shell. It may be glued, or simply trapped, but this isn't your problem. It's up to the dealer to make it work or take it back.

bikecrate

If the dealer says there's nothing wrong with it and won't take it back then I would challenge them to show you how to wear it. If they can't, I would demand my money back.

BlazingPedals

It looks like you should be able to undo the strap at the buckle end and route it to the correct side. If not, Oh Well...

Why wouldn't it sit straight this way? It seems like it should -- since both sides do it the tensions should equalize. It's probably a low-budget attempt to stabilize the helmet without using the normal plastic keeper.

FBinNY 

+1, I mentioned this earlier. The issue may not be the straps crossing this way, and simply be that they're unevenly centered. Usually straps aren't secured, just trapped by the shell, so the OP should be able to slide the around a bit to square up the helmet.

In all fairness, that should be the bike shop's job, which is why I repeat the suggestion to go back, politely explain (and show) that it doesn't sit square (and not claim a specific cause), and give them a chance to either resolve the problem, or take it back for a refund if they can't.

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BTW - eons ago, I was the go to complaint resolution person in a large shop. How I responded to a customer was often in direct relation to how they opened the conversation. If it's immediately contentious, as in "you sold me this POS that never worked right", I'd be on the defensive, and that could affect the outcome.

However, if someone walked in and said "I have this problem with the XXX you sold me, can you help?" I'd recognize this as a relationship worth preserving, and find ways to go the extra mile, even if we had no obligation under warranty.

europa

I admit it looks odd and if I saw this in the shop, I wouldn't buy it, however, you should be able to get it sitting square.

I suspect your problem lies in the way you're trying to adjust the straps. The twin straps on each side come together to form a V. That V should be just below your ear and the same length on both sides. It's not unusual to need to mess around a bit to get that right, less so on better strap systems and it may be you have to do it bit by bit off your head until it's right. The catch on the chin strap doesn't need to be right in the middle, all it needs to be is reasonably tight under your chin - too tight and it's uncomfortable, too loose and the helmet will shift and won't work.

Have a play with it, if you can't get things sorted, go back to the shop. How they handle the situation will say a lot about whether you'll give them more of your money. My lbs would take a look at what's going on and set it up for me (he's done a lot more that that). This is why it's often best to buy locally, not online because you have no chance of help over the internet. It does depend on the shop though and yes, I have a list that don't get my money.