Originally Posted by
Andy_K
I'm surprised to hear about a helmet smashing into 1000 pieces, but helmets are designed to be "one time use". That is, after you've crashed with them, you should get a new one. They absorb energy from the crash by becoming deformed. Energy that goes into crushing the helmet doesn't go into crushing your head.
That said, I agree with the consensus. All helmets approved by a standard safety board (there will be a sticker inside the helmet) are probably equally safe. The key is to make sure you get one that fits. Many helmets have a universal fit gizmo, which is nice. The people at the LBS should be able to show you how to make sure you've got it properly adjusted.
Another endorsement for the "they're all good" edict, with the proviso of ensuring that 'fit' matches head shape to ensure that the helmet chosen actually sits on a person's head correctly of course. There are different sizes and shapes, and that needs to be taken into account. But a $10 helmet will accord the same protection as the $200 helmet, so long as it suits head size and shape. Same safety standards apply to each.
The "one time use" aspect of cycling helmets doesn't really mean, as stated above, that "one crash and you must replace it". That's an incorrect assumption in relation to cycling helmets, motor-cycling helmets, workplace safety helmets or any other such protective device. It is a "one incident" replacement requirement, and the 'incident' does not necessarily need to be a crash. Drop the thing onto a hard surface and it should be replaced afterwards. Doing that is an 'incident' which has compromised the safety gear! A knock to the helmet can create microscopic flaws which compromise its protective structural integrity. In motorcycle riding classes, for example, the first thing which should be taught is that helmets must be placed on the ground beside the motorcycle when you alight, or hung from a securing device on the bike, rather than hung by the straps on the handlebar, because if it falls and hits the pavement it's no good afterwards!
The incident above, where a cycling helmet has shattered so badly, possibly indicates that the helmet had been compromised earlier in some way, and that the rider was extremely lucky not to have been hurt badly in the accident. It speaks to me of UV radiation damage, actually, and I wonder if that helmet has been hanging upside down on handlebars in the sunlight.
Pick a well fitting helmet. Look after it afterwards. That gives the best protection. Paying extra for a better looking helmet does jack squat for anything except your ego.