are all helmets the same?
#1
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Canada
Posts: 133
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
are all helmets the same?
are all helmets the same, in the sense that they all have a minimum standard of protect that is acceptable, and the more costly the helmet is the more better it can protect your head?
cause i want to pick up a $12 helmet at zellers, what should i check for so that it is decent? are there safety standard for helmet?
cause i want to pick up a $12 helmet at zellers, what should i check for so that it is decent? are there safety standard for helmet?
#2
It's an old photo
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Entropia
Posts: 774
Bikes: Cannondale R500, Specialized Hardrock
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
So long as they're all certified by the CPSC, they should be about the same degree of safety. With the cost comes different sizes and lower weight, because basically they try to take off as much material as they can while meeting the standards with bowling-ball tests. If anything, your $12 would be a little safer because there's more material.
So long as it fits snugly, you should be fine.
So long as it fits snugly, you should be fine.
#4
totally louche
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: A land that time forgot
Posts: 18,023
Bikes: the ever shifting stable loaded with comfortable road bikes and city and winter bikes
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 10 Times
in
9 Posts
some are also SNELL certified to a higher degree of crash protection, i believe.
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 7,274
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Originally Posted by exas
what do i look for to tell if a helmet certified by the CPSC?
Bekologist is right, a helmet with a Snell sticker will meet a higher standard. Almost no helmets will have this sticker. The only helmets that do have a Snell sticker will be offroad (probably BMX) models.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Montreal
Posts: 6,521
Bikes: Peugeot Hybrid, Minelli Hybrid
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
There will be a sticker on the inside showing the standards to which it is certified. I think it is illegal to sell bike helmets in canada that are not CPSC certified. The more expensive ones tend to have better ventilation which may make them more comfortable. Some expensive ones have a reinforcing band around which stops the helmet falling to pieces after the first impact so providing more protection if there is a second impact. Also look for the eas of adjustment to fit the head and the comfort of the streaps which varies between different brands.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Buffalo NY
Posts: 1,035
Bikes: Gerry Fisher Nirvana, LeMond Buenos Aires
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Check out https://www.helmets.org/
They have more info on bike helmets that you thought you ever needed to know.
Happy riding,
André
They have more info on bike helmets that you thought you ever needed to know.
Happy riding,
André
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Reston, VA
Posts: 2,369
Bikes: 2003 Giant OCR2
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Originally Posted by exas
are all helmets the same, in the sense that they all have a minimum standard of protect that is acceptable, and the more costly the helmet is the more better it can protect your head?
cause i want to pick up a $12 helmet at zellers, what should i check for so that it is decent? are there safety standard for helmet?
cause i want to pick up a $12 helmet at zellers, what should i check for so that it is decent? are there safety standard for helmet?
In general, very cheap helmets technically pass the tests for impact, but in my experiences are often difficult to get to fit right, meaning that in an actual crash the helmet slips and you hit your brainpan on asphalt. No fun. Additionally, if you tighten the fasteners enough to make them safe, the cheap ones are often very uncomfortable.
There are also model and brand variations that will make some helmets fit better for different people, so you should try some different models.
Cheaper ones are also usually bulkier, which translates into hotter and more wind resistance.