I am new to this so I hope I am starting this in the right area.

I am amazed at the cost of some helmets. Are they really that great and worth the money? I just cannot see the difference between a $200 helmet and one that is being closed out for $29.99. The helmet being closed out was probably $200 when first introduced. I wonder what the actual cost of making a helmet is, what is the profit margin, and are the materials really different from a cheap and expensive helmet?

Can anyone enlighten me.

Weight, ventilation and "name".

There is no correlation between price and "protection" of any bicycle helmet sold in the U.S.

I suspect the packaging costs more to produce than the contents and that the buckles and straps are the most "expensive" component of a bicycle helmet to produce and assemble.

My guess, one or two dollars, tops, for the materials. Negligible cost to manufacture. Far higher costs to market through advertising and greasing palms of helmet promoters.

Here is a link to Specialized helmets. With prices & what the helmet offers:

https://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqS...EquipHelmetAll

They all have to meet a certain standard (Snell or Ansi?) so as far as protection goes, they are all the same. If one manufacturer offered more protection than the standard, it would advertise it as exceeding the standard for helmet manufacturing.

Bell Citi - https://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...dult%20Helmets

Weighs 1 ounce more and costs $130 less than a high-end Giro Atmos and is considered by some (including Consumer Reports) to be 'safer' because is rounded, rather than having the fancy pointy edges.

I think they're worried that when sliding on pavement the pointy edges would catch on things and cause torsion injuries to the neck.

Yep. They also say that vents can catch on things and cause the same types of injuries. If we wanted truly 'safe' helmets, they would be so hot and heavy that folks either would not use them or would not ride at all. Cycling helmets are a compromise between safety and comfort.

One thing that adds to cost is the strapping systems. My current helmet has a neat harness that will hold the helmet on my head at a perfect level no matter how I twist and turn (including tipping my head totally upside down - no no, not like in labyrinth, but head down between knees) without it shifting or falling off. It is a lot more comfortable than my old one since it does not shift around on my head while riding.

What helmet do you have?

I purchased a TREK "Vapor 3" helmet just this summer, and it stays put. I paid over twice as much for helmets in the past, but they all way seem to slide around somewhat. I also like the visor option, which is really great on those rainy commutes.

Hahaha. Like my old Bell Biker!

I'm sure there are "status costs" involved, but in general you will find that the expensive models are lighter and are supposed to provide more ventilation. You won't normally find these "discounted" down to $30-40. The lesser expensive helmets will suit you fine, though. As stated above, the level of protection is no less. The cheapest models comes in one size to fit all. The next level, around $50-70 come in usually 3 sizes, S, M, L. In addition they made add the ability for the internal plastic "head strap" that wraps around your head (not the chin strap) to adjust to fit your head more snugly. Find one that feels comfortable and fits well. When I purchased my current one, I went to one that's about $65 because I could "dial in" the tightness around the head and also the back end sticks out a little further, which hopefully will provide a bit more safety room.

a bell xray mtn bike helmet (I took the visor off and used the plugs it came with to fill in the holes that left).

I would recommend going up the helmet food chain far enough to get one with the plastic outer shell laminated to the styro foam material. There is no way for the shell to work loose that way, and if there is a "slide" type crash where the helmet is grinding along the ground, the outer shell cannot work loose (that is what the shiny outer shell is for - providing slip on asphalt in the event of the head sliding along the ground - preferably still attached to its body ;p)

There was a nice thread on this topic back in '03. Same general conclusions. One interesting item was the claim that Giro made a test "head" that could measure crash forces AND cooling ability. Does anyone have access to their test results? Or have objective results of cooling tests on bike helmets?

I finally replaced my old helmet (which I recall cost about $50) with a new one that cost about $120. I've been looking for over a year.

My head is, apparently, large and oddly shaped, and it's hard to find one that fits right. Pads can only do so much. I finally bit the bullet and shelled out $120 for the good fit.

I see no huge difference between my new one and the old one, however, except that the new one smells better.