chimblysweep

so...
aside from the fact that it's light and airy, my pneumo has been a huge let-down.
It's freaking 9 mos old and last week i found a crack through it. It's never been crashed. It just couldn't take the wear and tear of... riding alot?

OK, so it cost some serious coin and lasted about 1/3 as long as other cheapies I've had.

I called Giro. "oh, that's just wear and tear."
grr.

why am i sharing this?
NOT to debate whether or not to wear a helmet, but rather, to warn...
don't waste your $
the people at Giro suck
just get something cheaper that will last.

oh, and i'm sick of how the big air vents resulted in me getting hiit in the head by large bugs all the time. that sucked too.

queerpunk

the p in pneumo isn't silent though.

it's ridic that they called it "wear and tear." helmets shouldn't crack all by themselves. that sucks.

ugh. that's a reminder to me though that i need a new helmet.

anarchocyclist

I wish it weren't a million freaking degrees nine months out of the year in this ****ing hellhole. Then I could wear a skate bucket, and I wouldn't have caught a bee in one of the big vents on my Giro Transfer the other day. That. Goddamn. Sucked.

thurstonboise

That's weak. I'm pretty sure everything is wear and tear on a helmet. Even things like sitting on the shelf in a box.
If I was looking to spend that kind of money on a helmet, I'd find someone in europe to send me a Catlike.

chicagoamdream

Yeah, but it's the lightest, airiest, best-looking helmet I've ever had. Helmets are a pain to wear, so you might as well get something you like.

Bugs?

Landgolier

::sigh::

You guys realize that $30 helmets and $120 helmets are the same ish with a slightly different shape and a way bigger price tag, right? Buy a decent helmet that fits and forget about it. All the "features" and crap are just to give the roadie mags something to write about.

Oh, and sorry about the bee, but holy **** is that funny

mcatano

Or someone in Canada...

thurstonboise

I realize that, but here it hits 100F regularly in the summer. Ventilation and weight are the difference. The $30 helmet turns in to a head mounted easy-bake oven really quick.

1fluffhead

When I cracked my E2 in Feb, I contacted Giro about the replacement program. They don't make you send the helmet back to them, but will give you 20% (or maybe it was 30%) off any helmet when you order from them over the phone. You just need to have the serial number inside the helmet. I got the Flak because I wanted to try a different style helmet and it is so-so. The price was right for me at the time, but I have already started thinking about a cooler helmet for summer. Plus that matte finish on the outside scratches way to easy. It is also much heavier then I was used to at first, but now it is not that big of a deal.

No_Minkah

Hey, this is Marco at Giro. You obviously don't know anything about helmets. That crack is a 'distressed' effect, and it's for fashion. Duh.

In your face!

chicagoamdream

...which might make you not wear it, which means you might be without a helmet the time you actually need it...the $100 helmet you wear all the time is a better deal than the $30 you wear sometimes.

Of course, there are many, many choices at the three-figure level.

gregtheripper

move to boston. its the same way, but with winter.

sashae

No kidding. Helmets have so drastically improved over the last few years it's not even funny though...

Landgolier

Marketing Department 1, Bikers 0

queerpunk

phalse.

"buy something that fits" means that you're gonna want to spend more than $30 (at that price point they're all "universal" size, which doesn't barely fit anybody well).

i mean, i don't give a dern about features like the carbon endoskeleton that the atmos ($190ish) has, but features like a something that's not a piece-of-**** back-closure-that-will-break-after-a-few-months, well-ventilated headholes, non-arse padding, and different sizes are not just crap to give roadie mags something to write about.

i guess the difference between a $30 helmet and a $60 or $70 helmet is pretty significant. maybe the diff between a $70 and $120 helmet, not so significant.

chimblysweep

i've personally come to believe that more expensive/lighter helmets are probably less safe. i.e. they're shaving so much size/weight that they probably barely pass the crash testing. but that's just what i think.

i'll probably go back to the eclipse. my eclipse treated me well. unless someone can get me a catlike...

gfrance

Owned the Pneumo for a couple years now and have had zero problems with it. Never crashed it (yet), but still like new. Very light and airy. Used to have an older bell or something, and it was ugly, heavy, and hot. There are differences in helmets.

FlippingHades

I had a Pneumo and plastic the straps pulled out of the foam on the inside after about 9 months too. I bought it at REI though, so I returned it for a full refund, no questions asked. Got a less expensive Monza and a truing stand in exchange. That's the big advantage to buying pricey things at REI - the 100% guarantee.

I really liked the Pneumo though - the Monza is heavier and warmer.

Sinfield

After spending my 100 deg. summer days wearing a full face helmet while mountain biking I vowed that I will never ever complain about any road type helmet ever again.

Landgolier

I'm not saying a $30 helmet is going to be the best for everybody, just that the three digit stuff is all marketing. I've got a real monster of a head, so I generally put on the L or XL, then put on the "unversal", and go "**** it, these are the same size."

There are crap helmets out there, no doubt, but there is sooo much good stuff out there in the $50 range.

thurstonboise

I wear one all the time, $50 was my cut off when I bought it. The $100 might seem like nothing once the heat really kicks in. We'll see how my Bell Slant cuts it then.

schloe mo

i just got my pneumo and so far like it. it's much more low-profile than cheaper cans (i.e. less mongaloid-looking) and so light i hardly know it's on. and i really wanted to support Bell and get their competator (i think it's the Sweep?) but it looks a little too swooshy. although i have heard that
Bell is way better with customer service than Giro.

sorry to hear about your experience. i would slap some tape on the crack and avoid bugs.

(edit) chimbly, what kind of crack does it have? on the outer shell, or the styrofoam?

$0.00/Gal

That sucks dude. The foam in helmets degrade over time and should be replaced every 2 years (or so the helmet makers say) so 9 months is total B.S.

I have a Bell Ghisallo that was I think $100 and so far I like it.

thurstonboise

I'm pretty sure Bell actually makes the Giro helmets. I can't remember where I read that. Giro is just a different marketing arm.

chimblysweep

right in the front. it's a crack in the styrofoam piece that goes right on my forehead, and it goes from the inside pad all the way through to the plastic cover. not good.

also: yes, bell and giro are now the same company.