Originally Posted by
dblA
I fail to find a thread on this topic, so here goes: My bell helmet, less than a year old, has fully decomposed pads. I am now riding with the naked foam material, all the textile covering has worn off, starting within weeks of buying the helmet.
Inside, or outside?
If you've also lost the outer covering, time to buy a new helmet. The plastic covering of the helmets may not be very thick, but it's role is to not only protect and make the helmet look pretty, but also to help it slide when it impacts pavement. Raw foam could potentially stick to the pavement and cause neck injuries.
As far as the inner pads, I think they're more for comfort than deceleration. I think I've lost forehead pads on at least one helmet, and use sweatbands.